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Don’t Fear The Storm I like studying biblical words because of the added insight I receive from the different nuances of meaning. The Hebrew language, with its pictorial style, paints many rich pictures. With a technical approach, the Greeks used to say they could say more in one word than other languages could in an entire sentence. Humorous, but possibly true. Without a doubt, God determined that these two languages would give us the Scriptures. There is another reason I like to look up the original words used in Scripture, however. Some translations often use the same English word to translate different Hebrew or Greek words, which can sometimes be misleading. For example, the King James Version uses the word “time” to translate both chronos(1) and kairos(2). However, one refers to general or chronological time (chronos). The other word, kairos, means strategic or opportune time. The importance of knowing which word is used is immeasurable. From planting until harvest is chronos time; the harvest window is kairos. If you’re a farmer, you better know the difference! Another subject with which the KJV does this is fear. There are actually three Greek words in the New Testament which, at times, are all translated with the one English word, “fear.” One of them means “reverential fear or awe” (eulabeia)(3). This is the word used when speaking of “the fear of the Lord.” Another means “terror, dread, or phobia” (phobos)(4). This, of course, is a fear of harm, pain, or loss. It’s easy to see that knowing which word is used matters greatly. I have a “Fear of the Lord,” but I am not “afraid” of Him. Then there is a third Greek word that means “timidity or insecurity” (deilia)(5) which is the subject of this post. Paul told his spiritual son, Timothy, “God hath not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). This Greek word translated as fear is deilia: timidity, insecurity, bashful, or shy. Timothy was a young man. His youthfulness and inexperience, compounded by the magnitude of his task in leading the church at Ephesus, was causing him to be insecure. Timothy was also facing criticism, persecution, and attacks from people. Paul was not telling him he did not have to be “afraid.” That wasn’t the type of fear attacking Timothy. Paul was telling him not to be timid or insecure. In other words, “be bold, and believe in what God has put in you. He has equipped you to do this!” At times, the two fears of harm (phobos) and timidity (deilia) work together to paralyze or torment us. In Mark 4:35-41, Jesus and the disciples were crossing the lake when a vicious storm arose. It looked like they would not make it through this storm, so the disciples awakened Jesus, who addressed the storm with, “Peace, be still.” The storm ended immediately. Then Jesus asked the disciples an interesting and strange question, “Why are you afraid?” Then, He addressed their lack of faith. I know why they were afraid, don’t you? These were experienced fishermen who had made a living on this lake. When they concluded that this storm was so bad, that they weren’t going to survive it, you can believe it was true. It makes more sense, however, when you realize Jesus did not ask them why they were afraid (phobos). He asked them why they were timid or insecure (deilia). Christ was telling the disciples they could have - and should have - done what He did: rebuke the storm! Boldness was needed at this moment, not timidity. This storm was a demonic strategy to harm them. Jesus had already told the disciples, “We are going to the other side.” They should have acted on His words and did what He had done. I am certainly not boasting that I would have acted differently than the disciples. I am simply pointing out the lesson Jesus was giving them: “When you have My promise or direction, believe it and act boldly on it!” A friend of ours, on the front lines of warfare for America, one who greatly loves our nation and whose life was severely affected by the 2020 elections, was given a dream that pictures this lesson. You’ll be encouraged by it! “I can honestly say I had one of the best dreams I have ever had last night. In the dream, I was in my house, lounging comfortably in bed, when I heard a voice say, ‘Run and hide! There is a hurricane coming!’ “I looked out the window and saw a terrible hurricane barreling towards my house. I knew I would likely drown. The storm was fierce, destroying everything in its path. I stood up out of bed, and the water was already at my ankles, and I knew the storm was just starting. The wind was blowing and debris was flying around my house. Again, the voice said, ‘Run! Hide! You have to save yourself!’ “I thought about it and decided to remain standing. Grabbing the side of the bed, I closed my eyes, tucked my chin to brace for impact, and responded calmly to the voice, ‘I will not run. I will stand my ground in this storm.’ “Everything got quiet. I opened my eyes, and my house was in order. No damage, and it was completely dry. I looked out the window and saw the storm in the distance...fleeing from me.” End of dream. My comments to this person were that not only was God revealing the storm wouldn’t destroy her, but He also revealed what was in her spirit. He has not given her a spirit of timidity or fear. He has given her a spirit of faith and boldness. We need not fear the storms. We must stand our ground and face them with faith in God’s Word. If we do, we will win. The storm will subside…or run from us! “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) Pray with me: Father, the past season has been difficult for many people. The coming season of shaking will also be challenging. I’m sure some have been tempted to retreat or, worse yet, abandon their faith. Some want out of the boat. Others, like the fearful spies Moses sent to Canaan, have decided they would rather be back in Egypt. We pray that You would show them, as You did our friend, that deep within them, they have the strength to overcome; that satan is an intimidator who wants us to think we are grasshoppers when facing giants and storms. But You have given us hearts like Caleb. You said we are more than conquerors - we have more than enough strength in us to overcome (Romans 8:37). So we speak to our storms and say, “Be still! Stop! We will not listen to you, we will not run from you, and you will not destroy us. We are well able to possess the land, and we will do so. We are on God’s timetable, and any delays will be used for our benefit. (Romans 8:28) Our times are in His hand. (Psalm 31:15). Everything He has promised, He will do. Our future is secure.” Our decree: We decree that as we resist the devil, he WILL flee from us! Click on the link below to watch the full video. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 5550. Ibid., ref. no. 2540. Ibid., ref. no. 2124. Ibid., ref. no. 5401. Ibid., ref. no. 1167.

What Do They All Have In Common? NOAH’S FLOOD In Genesis chapter 6, the story of Noah and the great flood begins. After Adam’s fall, people became so wicked that God knew He would have to destroy humankind and begin again (verse 5). He instructed Noah to build an ark for the preservation of his family, a project which probably took 50-75 years.(1) Then, when it was completed, He sent the flood. It rained for 40 days and nights (Genesis 7:17), flooded the earth, and Noah’s Ark floated for 150 days before coming to rest on Mt. Ararat. Genesis 8:1-4 tells us: “But God remembered Noah and all the animals and all the livestock that were with him in the ark; and God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the water subsided. Also, the fountains of the deep and the floodgates of the sky were closed, and the rain from the sky was restrained; and the water receded steadily from the earth, and at the end of 150 days, the water decreased. Then in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat.” (NASB) THE RED SEA CROSSING After Israel’s incredible exodus from Egypt, during which God also demonstrated that the gods of Egypt were not truly gods but simply idols, Israel found themselves still in danger at the Red Sea. There was as yet one Egyptian god He had not exposed, Baal-zephon, their god of the seas. The first two verses of Exodus 14 inform us, “Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Tell the sons of Israel to turn back and camp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea; you shall camp in front of Baal-zephon, opposite it, by the sea’” (Exodus 14:1-2). Why the geography lesson? God wants us to know that HE chose the place for this encounter. To many of the Israelites, as well as to Pharaoh and his army, it looked as though Israel was confused, disoriented, and wandering aimlessly in the desert. And they were, in fact, now trapped by mountains, the sea, and Pharaoh’s army. God sometimes enjoys allowing satan to believe he has won; at times, He even orchestrates circumstances to accomplish this. Such was the case here. Scott Lancer, in an article for Associates for Biblical Research (Confronting Baal Zephon: The Spiritual Message of the Meeting of Israel and the Armies of Egypt) says, “Let us remember that God had been triumphing over not only Pharaoh and the Egyptians, but also the supposed power of their gods. The plagues were a drumbeat of victory as the gods of Egypt were, one by one, displayed to be impotent and powerless. And even more importantly, Yahweh wanted the Egyptians to know that He is the Lord” (14:4).(2) Pharaoh no doubt believed that this god was more powerful than Yahweh. He supposed that Baal-zephon had led Israel into a trap and was now going to cause them to be destroyed in front of the place named for him. Yahweh had other plans. His plan was to demonstrate that HE was the Lord of the sea. His authority, released through the extension of the rod He had given Moses, controlled the sea, not Zephon. Yahweh would lead his people THROUGH, not around, the sea that the Egyptians believed was under the control of Zephon. And instead of the Israelites being destroyed, it would be Pharaoh and the Egyptian army - in front of their supposed god! ISRAEL CROSSING INTO CANAAN In Genesis 12, God spoke to Abraham, promising him a family, a nation, ownership of the land of Canaan, and that He would use Abraham to bless the entire world. In Joshua 3, four and a half centuries later, this family now existed, had indeed become a nation, and under Joshua’s leadership, crossed into Canaan. Chapter 5 tells us: “While the sons of Israel camped at Gilgal, they celebrated the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month on the desert plains of Jericho. Then, on the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and roasted grain. And the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten some of the produce of the land, so that the sons of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate some of the yield of the land of Canaan during that year.” (Joshua 5:10-12 NASB) ISRAEL’S DELIVERANCE FROM HAMAN In the book of Esther, we find the great story of Israel’s deliverance from Haman’s plot to destroy them. This wicked man had convinced the king to sign a decree to destroy the Jews (Esther 3:1-12). God used Esther and Mordecai to reverse Haman’s seemingly fail-proof plan. Esther called for a 3-day fast to pray for God’s protection, then approached the king asking for mercy for her people. God intervened, and Haman was hung on the gallows he had built for Mordecai (Esther 7:10). The feast of Purim celebrates this great victory over Haman’s plot to destroy the Jews (Esther 9:26-32). THE COMMON DENOMINATOR Now, what do these events have in common? The date: Nisan 17. Noah’s Ark came to rest on Mount Ararat; Pharaoh and his army were destroyed, and Baal-zephon was exposed; after Joshua and Israel crossed into Canaan and ate the fruit of the land, the manna ceased; and Haman was hung on his own gallows - all on the 17th day of the Hebrew month Nisan. That is miraculous and amazing! One can only imagine the angels’ thoughts as they carried out their assignments. Take the Flood, for example: He’s going to start the rain, flood the earth, and cause enough of the water to dissipate so the ark touches Earth ON THAT VERY DAY? That’s impossible - but then again, we are talking about Yahweh! How about the crossing into Canaan, eating the fruit of the land, and the manna ceasing? He said what?! Over the next four and a half centuries, He’s going to enable an old, barren couple to have a kid, multiply him into a NATION, preserve them through centuries of slavery, deliver them on this special day He has chosen, navigate around a rebellious generation waiting for all of them to die, the next generation will begin eating the fruit of this promised land - and He is going to land all of this on this same special day of the flood receding and the deliverance of this nation from slavery? Four hundred-plus years in the future, on Nisan 17? Well, if He said it, He’ll do it! I suppose the angels were used to this stuff! But why this date? God hadn’t told anyone, not even the angels, why He was doing these things on this date because He couldn’t disclose the mystery of how He would redeem humankind. And part of the plan included Jesus being resurrected on Nisan 17! The new earth and humanity’s restart after the flood; the judging of the powers of darkness and Israel’s deliverance from slavery; the manna ceasing (a picture of Christ’s earthly body) and eating the fruit of Canaan; and Haman, a symbolizing satan, having the tables turned on him while God’s people are exalted, were all pictures of Christ’s resurrection and occurred… ON THE VERY SAME DAY! Get yourself a Hebrew calendar, and the next time satan tempts you to doubt God’s ability to fulfill one of His promises or His willingness to do so, pull it out and point to Nisan 17. He won’t hang around–he hates that day. Pray with me: Father, we are reminded today of Your words: “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) You planned the day and time of the Resurrection from the foundation of the world. Sin and death don’t stand a chance against Your omnipotence and omniscience. You always know what to do and how to do it, and You possess the power to accomplish it. You decided Yeshua would be resurrected on Nisan 17, and He was. You said satan was defeated, and he is. You said we are delivered from his authority, and we are. You said we would be welcomed back into Your family through Christ, and we have been. You said He would delegate His authority to us, and He has. You said we can do all things through Him, and we can. You said we are more than conquerors through Him, and we are. You said we always triumph in Him, and we do. You said we are healed by His stripes, and we are. You said Your perfect love casts out all fear, and it does. You said You would send Your Spirit to indwell us, and You have. You said Christ would build an Ekklesia the forces of hell could not overcome, and He has. You told us to heal the sick in Christ’s name, and we can. You told us to disciple nations in His name, and we can. You said Christ is King over all the nations, and He is. You said America will be saved, and it will! You said our prodigals were coming home, and they are. You said You would reap Earth’s greatest spiritual harvest in our day, and You will. You said the church Christ returns to would be glorious, and she will be. Our decree: We decree that God’s word is forever settled in Heaven! Click on the link below to watch the full video. ___________________________ https://youtu.be/wIxWAZ6r8oc?si=Q6Z_JOeu0YF_l64u https://biblearchaeology.org/research/devotionals/3794-confronting-baalzephon-the-spiritual-message-of-the-meeting-of-israel-and-the-armies-of-egypt

The Sound That Draws Him Matthew 18:19 says, “Again, I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven.” Today, I feel Holy Spirit’s prompting to remind you of the power of agreement. The above verse is given to us in the context of the church, the Ekklesia, addressing issues from the place of unity. The subsequent verse (Matthew 18:20) is the well-known promise that when 2 or more members of the church gather, Christ joins us. Though God’s presence is always with a believer, He is saying His presence comes in a stronger way when we gather together. “We” are better than “me.” I don’t want to poke holes in anyone’s theological balloon, but as a sidebar, I must point out that there is no verse in the Bible stating the prayers of one can chase or put to flight a thousand, and two can chase ten thousand. (I can see the scowls on many faces.) This assertion comes from a misunderstanding of Deuteronomy 32:30, which says, “How could one chase a thousand, And two put ten thousand to flight, Unless their Rock had sold them, And the Lord had given them up?” This is actually part of a passage describing Israel’s enemies overwhelming them, and an explanation of why. Due to their sin, the Lord was no longer protecting them, and their enemies prevailed over them to this overwhelming degree. Don’t get too alarmed, however; though the numbers are somewhat different, there is a passage stating that Israel’s power multiplied when they fought as one: “Instead, you will chase your enemies, and they will fall before you by the sword; five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword.” (Leviticus 26:7-8 NASB) The context of this is physical warfare, not prayer, but it is fair to say God’s power was multiplied for Israel when they fought as a unified company. And my point in addressing this is not to become legalistic, but simply to help us become more accurate in our approach to prayer. We must base our prayers on biblical principles and truth, not tradition. And yes, I wholeheartedly believe God‘s power is multiplied when we pray and operate in agreement with one another. Greek scholar and teacher Rick Renner says, “The word ‘agree’ [in Matthew 18:19] is the Greek word sumphoneo, and it is a compound of sum and phoneo. The word sum means with, and the word phoneo means to make a sound. As you can imagine by simply looking at its two parts, this Greek word is where we get the word symphony. Thus, when we describe agreement in prayer, it is good to first think of a symphony, which is a musical piece made of different movements, instruments, and parts. The use of this word sumphoneo in the context of prayer is revealing, for it shows that when two or more believers get into agreement — each of them praying and adding their parts — it creates a supernatural movement that deeply touches the heart of the Father. This action is so powerful, in fact, that Jesus said it would result in the Father fulfilling any issue they addressed through prayer.”(1) Strongs Concordance says sumphoneo means to “be harmonious, in accord, or concur.”(2) The opposite of accord is discord, another term associated with music. Accord or harmony is pleasant; discord is unpleasant. A sour note played by one instrument in an orchestra can often be heard above all the others. God, who created music with all of its pleasantness and power, loves harmony and uses it to illustrate the pleasantness of agreement in the church, including prayer. It attracts Him: “I am there in their midst” (Matthew 18:20). It moves Him to action: “It shall be done for them by My Father, who is in heaven” (verse 19). Too often, the church sounds like a recital of 8-year-olds torturing parents and grandparents with their screeching strings and discordant horns. I question whether God actually shows up for some of it. His patience has its limits. “I’d like to hear some harmony” is probably what He thinks. But when we gather with like-minded people, harmonizing with God’s heart and desires (not necessarily theology), His ears prick up, and He is drawn to the sound. It is pleasant to Him. “How good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Psalm 133:1). At this place of unity, He commands a blessing! (Verse 3) My goal today is to point out that God appreciates it when millions of people agree together in prayer for His purposes to be established on Earth. It attracts His presence, moves His heart, and multiplies His power flowing from us. Do not forget this when you agree with the person in your circle of relationships, your prayer group, your congregation, and yes, with millions of people on this platform. The number one reason I do the daily Give Him 15 posts is not to provide you with your daily devotional, though I’m thrilled that it accomplishes this for many. It is primarily to generate agreement in prayer for the establishment of God‘s purposes on the Earth. And I know our prayers are effectual. Please do not just listen as I end the posts with prayer. Activate your faith, pick up your instrument, and release a sound into the heavens that moves God's heart. We are playing salvation songs, revival and reformation medleys, and Kingdom of Heaven overtures. As we do, He joins us, then carries the sound of our “music” throughout the atmosphere of Earth, creating change and releasing life. Let’s harmonize now. Pray with me: Father, the orchestra of Your kingdom does more than sing praises; it agrees in prayer. And when it does, You said it attracts You and multiplies Your power. We harmonize together this day, recalling various themes You have asked us to pray for: We break the power of darkness and deception over prodigals and call them home. We ask You for a billion soul harvest throughout the nations of the Earth: to Jews, Muslims, Hindus, atheists, and every other group of people. We bind the Prince of Persia in the Middle East and all of its allies. We ask You for a great harvest of young people here in America and around the world - the largest ever. We ask for signs, wonders, and miracles to take place. We ask for great deliverance to come to those bound by demons, false ideologies, wounds, and any other tool of darkness. We ask You to heal the brokenhearted and set free those held captive. We ask for evil to be exposed in our nation, and a purifying of our government. We ask that life would be cherished and that death, including to the unborn, would be abhorred. We ask that the church be awakened from passivity and complacency and that Your fire would bring revival to believers throughout this nation and the world. We ask for the complete restoration of America to Your purpose and destiny. We ask for human trafficking to be exposed and ended. We ask that racial division be healed and that love and compassion sweep throughout our land. We pray that those who divide us for selfish reasons be exposed. We ask all of this in the all-powerful name of Jesus. Our decree: We declare that heaven’s orchestra is becoming a more finely tuned and skillful body, releasing a sound that pleases the heart of God. Click on the link below to watch the full video. ____________________________ https://renner.org/article/a-supernatural-answer-to-prayer/ James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 4856.

“The Rebirth of America” Dream Chris Reed of Morningstar Ministries was given a dream on March 9, 2024, which seems significant to me. In his dream, the then-upcoming eclipse of April 8th marked the triggering of a “metaphorical conception” leading to an “awakening” and rebirth in America. Reed did not attempt to define the scope of the awakening, only that it was significant enough to be part of America’s rebirth. I want to highlight certain aspects of the dream and offer a few comments. The “baby” was conceived in April 2024 and born in January 2025. Its name was “America,” and the infant was wrapped in the American flag, leading Reed to use the phrase “the rebirth of America” in summarizing the dream. It is inarguable to any Bible-believing, honest person that America has lost her way and needs a rebirth. The only debatable aspect of this now is regarding the cause. Like many, I tried for several years to give the benefit of the doubt to those being used to weaken America, considering their actions simply as incompetency. I can no longer do so. No one with any intelligence whatsoever could fail to foresee the devastating effects of the left’s decisions; the damage has to be intentional. Those on the left believe America - from its inception - is systematically evil, must be dismantled, and then rebuilt as the woke, globalist nation they envision. Those endeavoring to restructure America have made great progress in this dismantling process, so much so that the America birthed two and a half centuries ago and which subsequently grew into the greatest nation in history has been damaged beyond human ability to restore her. She must experience a supernatural rebirth, both spiritually and naturally. THE COMING TRAUMA The dream was related, in part, to the upcoming presidential election. As I stated, the conception of the “baby” occurred in April 2024; the birth took place in January 2025, the month of America’s presidential inauguration. In the dream, a trauma associated with the elections occurred in September or October, sending the nation into chaos and pandemonium. Reed said this was frightening and intensified the division in America. It also nearly caused “premature labor” endangering the “baby,” the rebirth of America. Because of a 1968 newspaper headline shown to him referencing the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, he felt an assassination, or an attempt to do so, could be the trigger for the chaos. Reed was appropriately cautious, not saying this would definitely occur, but stated what he saw in the dream and asked people to pray. Likewise, I have no prophetic clarity about an assassination or an attempt to do so. I do, however, feel confident that the chaos he spoke of is indeed coming. Who could be naive enough to believe the progressive leftists and globalists will not do whatever they deem necessary to keep Trump from winning the presidency in November? Is the rebirth of America dependent on him winning the White House in November? I don’t know. It is foolish to think that any person, persons, or political party can rebirth America. It is also foolish, however, to believe that it doesn’t matter who is in power. In Scripture, Israel was judged multiple times due to the actions of its leaders, as were other nations, and conversely, was blessed based on the decisions of its leaders. Trump is not a messiah, but he does oppose the demonic opposition to America’s destiny and success. And he is correct when he says the left is actually coming after us - the patriots, the lovers of freedom, and those who honor God; he is just “standing in the way.” The threat he presents to them - not to democracy - is cataclysmic. In 2016, fifty to sixty years of momentum for the left, beginning with the Supreme Court’s decision to expel God from public schools (Engle v. Vitale, June 15, 1962), was dramatically interrupted by the election of Trump. In response, they pulled out ALL stops in their attempts to hinder and remove him. Democrats, progressive Republicans, the Deep State, the Judicial system, mainstream media, social media, billionaires, Hollywood, and more have launched the single greatest attack on an individual in U.S. history. Trump’s survival is nothing short of miraculous. It is due to the American people waking up to the astounding levels of corruption in our nation and rallying behind him; many also believe it is because of God’s favor and protection. So I say again, the left will stop at NOTHING in their attempts to keep him from the White House. Buckle up; it’s gonna get turbulent! THE CONTENTION PROLONGED In the dream, the “baby” named America, wrapped in the American flag, had to be placed in an incubator after its birth in January. The danger to its survival had not ended, and it wasn’t until July that the chaos and pandemonium subsided. This could very well mean that a battle will rage over the U.S. Presidency until the summer of 2025. What can we do? Pray. God is the source of America’s recovery. Apart from His intervention, nothing that occurs in Washington D.C., will save America. Our faith is not in a political party or person. Yes, God uses people, but except He keeps the city, the watchman wakes in vain (Psalm 127:1). Pray against corruption and for exposure. Pray that every attempt to destroy America’s rebirth would fail. Pray that all deception will be broken and that America will see clearly what is truly occurring. And pray for protection over our leaders. Do not fear the shaking; it will intensify, but we must stay in faith. Like Esther in her day, we were born for this time. Our greatest days are ahead if we persevere in faith and obedience. Pray with me: Father, thank You for speaking to us through dreams. Give us insights and correct interpretations. We believe You are showing us the times and seasons, and that over the next 16 months, satan will initiate chaos, attempting to thwart America's rebirth. We ask now for this to fail. We bind it in Jesus’ name. We ask for a healthy “baby,” the rebirth of America. We ask for protection from any and every attack against this. Guide us through this time and help us serve Your purposes effectively. We ask for President Biden’s salvation, and that he be delivered from the unbiblical ideologies and strongholds that control him. May he find true repentance. We pray for Donald Trump. Purify him in whatever ways necessary. Deliver him from evil attacks, slander, and unjust prosecutions. Cause the man of Your choice to win the election. Help them restore America to morality, biblical ideals, and Your destiny for her. Lord, deliver us from evil in our government. And we conclude by declaring that Your Kingdom authority and principles will rule over America. Your desires will be accomplished. Your church will be awakened, filled with Holy Spirit, and burn with fresh fire. We declare that we will hear Your voice clearly, going only in the direction You lead us. We boldly declare that we will not fear any shaking, chaos, or work of darkness. We will operate only in faith. All of this we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that America is being saved and reborn, and the timing of the Lord will not be altered. Chris Reed’s account of the dream and his explanation can be read HERE. You can find out more about Chris at MorningstarMinistries.org. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

The Statue of Liberty There is probably no icon more known for depicting America than the Statue of Liberty. In the following dream given to Gina Gholston in 2019, an enraged and violent mob is seen trying to destroy the statue. This is obviously a metaphorical picture of the current attempt to destroy America. The dream is too long to allow commentary, but none is needed: God uses the praying church to save America. This we will do. And we will continue to birth and protect the great worldwide harvest. The dream: The Attempt To Destroy America “On November 10, 2019, I dreamed that I came upon a chaotic mob of hundreds of people. Rage, hatred, and evil permeated the atmosphere. In the middle of this mob stood a living, life-sized version of the Statue of Liberty, wrapped in the American flag. The mob was kicking and beating her. She was pushing back, attempting to fight them off. “Then, the Statue of Liberty fell to the ground. When she fell, I ran toward the mob and saw a militant man dressed entirely in black, carrying a black machine gun. As I ran toward them, he used the machine gun to push me backward. I fell, crying, and screamed, ‘SHE’S DYING! SHE’S DYING, AND I CAN HELP HER!’ I stood up and attempted to break through the mob to get to her, but the militant man again pushed me to the ground. “As I lay there, I could see the Statue of Liberty lying on the ground, the mob continuing to kick and beat her. She was bleeding from her nose and mouth; her hands were bruised and bleeding. Beside her, I saw Dutch Sheets attempting to resuscitate her. These vile people would grab him by his feet, pulling him away from the statue, but Dutch would quickly scramble back to her, continuing to attempt CPR. This happened several times. “Seeing a set of bleachers, I stood and made my way into them. From there, I was able to see everything clearly. I could see Dutch and many others with him: Ceci, Chuck Pierce, Tim Sheets, and more. “I noticed that many people in the vicious, raging mob were dressed in professional attire. It is difficult to describe their rage, hatred, violence, and the chaos it created. “In the bleachers, I looked down beside me and saw a defibrillator! Picking it up I yelled, ‘DUTCH!’ He looked up, saw me, and I motioned that I was going to throw him the defibrillator. I did so, and he caught it. “He then said, ‘This is great, but how will we power it?’ “I shouted, ‘WE’VE GOT POWER!’ “A lady and several others in the mob began pushing against those standing with Dutch. She was their spokesperson and shouted, ‘YOU CAN’T DO THIS! YOU CAN’T DO THIS!’ “Then Chuck Pierce rose up. As he did, he grew taller and spoke to me very calmly, ‘The distress signal has been sent out.’ “I knew he was using a biblical reference to Nehemiah who had said to Israel regarding Jerusalem, ‘Do you see the distress we are in?’ (see Nehemiah 2:17). It was as if Nehemiah’s words brought an ‘awakening’ to the people, and they rose up with a ‘mind to work.’ I felt that Chuck was saying, ‘The awakening message has been preached, and people have received it. They’re awake, ready, and will know what to do.’ “With Chuck’s words in my mind, I looked around for help. There were many people walking around, and I realized some of them were literally glowing! When I saw these ‘glowing ones,’ I took them by the hand and said, ‘Come with me. We may not be able to get down with Dutch and the others, but there is a place for us, and I know how to get us there! We have to get in our place!’ “I led them into the bleachers, which had now encircled the entire scene like a colosseum. The bleachers were filled with these ‘glowing ones.’ “I prayed, ‘Lord, how are we going to do this?’ “Instantly, I heard the Lord loudly say, ‘USE THE POWER!’ “I told all of the people in the bleachers to hold hands and be ready! I heard some of them humming a familiar song. I began instructing the people that when I gave the signal, some were to pray in the Spirit while others sang the song they were humming. “We all held hands. With my right hand, I picked up the cables attached to the defibrillator I had thrown to Dutch; with my left hand, I held the hand of the lady next to me. “The chaos was still raging - loud, chaotic, vicious! In the midst of that, Dutch took the paddles of the defibrillator and placed one on the Statue of Liberty‘s right ear and the other on her heart. Then, as loudly as he could, shouted, ‘CHARGE!’ “I yelled to the people in the bleachers, ‘NOW!’ “Some began fervently praying in the spirit, while the others sang with very loud voices, ‘ALL HAIL THE POWER OF JESUS’ NAME; LET ANGELS PROSTRATE FALL. BRING FORTH THE ROYAL DIADEM AND CROWN HIM LORD OF ALL!’(1) “As we did so, a visible jolt went out of my hand, through the cables, and into her, causing a shaking. “The people in the mob screamed, ‘STOP! You can’t do this!’ “Dutch yelled again, ‘CHARGE!’ “I shouted, ‘NOW!’ And again, we sang and prayed in tongues, causing another jolt to go through the cables and into the Statue of Liberty. Again, she shook. “This happened twice more, and the Statue of Liberty stood up. She had been bleeding, and parts of her had been broken off, but she stood up completely whole…no bleeding, no breaks. “The mob was furious! This was their ‘big move,’ what they had been planning and plotting. But God’s power, flowing through His people, had stopped it. “The vile lady, the mob’s spokesperson, had the authority to call in a militant force and did so - hundreds of them. They surrounded Dutch and those who stood with him, pointing machine guns at them. “Watching from the bleachers, our hearts were pounding. We knew the severity of what we were about to witness if God did not intervene, but we also knew that we had to take a stand. It was do or die, and if we had to die, we were willing. There was absolutely no fear in us, just courage and determination to do our part! “When they pointed the machine guns at Dutch and those standing with him, it was an indescribable moment. Then they fired the guns, but there were no bullets—no ammunition! Nothing! “The vile lady screamed, ‘THIS CANNOT BE HAPPENING! YOU CAN’T DO THIS!’ And she instructed the militant company to take us all out—even those of us in the bleachers—with brute force! As they started their move toward us, we all—Dutch, those with him, and those of us in the bleachers—simultaneously fell on our knees and began to cry out to God. “When we did so, there was the loud sound of an old-fashioned telephone ringing. As it did, the ground shook, and everything went silent. Everyone stopped moving. There was not one sound other than the ringing of the telephone. The instant silence was as dramatic as what I had previously seen. It was indescribable how it went from all the rage, chaos, and loudness to complete stillness and silence! In the dream, I heard these words, ‘Call unto Me, and I will answer you!’ (Jeremiah 33:3). “As that ringing sound continued, the Statue of Liberty stretched out her left arm, holding the tablet. We could all see written on it the Scripture reference, ‘Romans 10:9,’ which states, “If you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, YOU SHALL BE SAVED!“‘ “Then the Statue of Liberty spoke, saying, ‘I WILL NOT DIE! I WILL LIVE AND DECLARE THE WORKS OF THE LORD!’ (Psalm 118:17). “Dutch then stood up and said boldly and powerfully to the militant people and the mob, ‘You can’t stop it now! We have called, and the Lord has answered us… America IS saved!’ “At that very moment, the torch in the right hand of the Statue of Liberty began to burn, a large flame leaping up.” End of dream. Keep praying, church! Let no threats, attacks, shaking, or fear silence you. We have the [spiritual] power - use it! Pray with me: Father, it is the power and authority of Christ that has prevailed over the evil one. He expelled him from Heaven; He broke his authority over earth, taking it back; and He took the keys of hell. He has now delegated to the church His authority on earth. All hail the power of His name! You were not confused and weren’t simply speaking Your “hope” when You told Him You were giving Him the nations of earth as His inheritance. Nor was He when declaring He would build an unconquerable Ekklesia. This church is now arising throughout the earth under Holy Spirit’s orchestration, releasing Kingdom authority and reaping Christ’s reward. By Your strength and grace, Christ’s victory, and Holy Spirit’s power we will not waver or fail. America shall be saved. Awakening is occurring. The cloud of witnesses will not have run in vain. The harvest is and will be reaped. More than a billion souls will be won by You in our day. And one day, as the great hymn in this dream goes on to declare: “Let ev’ry kindred, ev’ry tribe, On this terrestrial ball,
To Him all majesty ascribe, And crown Him Lord of all,
To Him all majesty ascribe, And crown Him Lord of all. “O that with yonder sacred throng, We at His feet may fall,
We’ll join the everlasting song, And crown Him Lord of all.
We’ll join the everlasting song, and crown Him Lord of all!”(2) Our decree: We decree that the church, authorized by Christ and connected to Holy Spirit, is releasing life-giving power to restore America. You can find out more about Gina at GinaGholstonMinistries.org. Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://hymnary.org/text/all_hail_the_power_of_jesus_name_let Ibid.

Eclipse Day, 2024 Welcome to “Eclipse Day, 2024.” Many people have asked for my thoughts regarding it: “Is it prophetic?” “Is it a sign?” “What does it mean?” Many have written about it, and numerous broadcasts have been released. Some say it is a warning of judgment, while others declare it a sign of the end times, that the rapture will occur soon. In some teachings, it has been reported that its path will go over seven cities in America named Ninevah, a sign of judgment—if enough repentance doesn’t occur. Actually, it will be a full eclipse over only two towns named Ninevah; the others will see only partial eclipses. In order to confirm that this eclipse bodes negative consequences, reports are also circulating that some cities and states are actually preparing for problems or calamities The truth, however, is that this is not because they fear judgment or calamity, but due to the influx of visitors - possibly hundreds of thousands - coming to their areas in order to see the full eclipse. They are concerned about supply issues - food, water, housing, etc. - not judgment or calamity. So, Is the Eclipse A Sign? The Bible does indeed tell us the heavens give us signs, including eclipses and blood moons (Genesis 1:14; Isaiah 13:10, 38:8; Ezekiel 32:7; Joel 2.10, 2:31, 3:15; Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24; Luke 21:25–27; etc.). There is no Scripture I’m aware of, however, that says every eclipse is a sign or warning. This means prophetic discernment is necessary in order to determine whether or not a heavenly phenomenon is a sign. And since there is NO ONE who hears from the Lord perfectly, great caution is necessary when attempting to discern this. I am not implying that those stating this eclipse is a sign are mistaken; nor am I endorsing them. I have listened to several; some seem credible, others do not. I’ve also read articles by and listened to podcasts of those attempting to discredit them. These individuals do point out a few wrong facts used by some in formulating their prophetic statements. Most of the critics, however, are obviously cynics of the prophetic in general, and form their beliefs only in the realm of intellect, knowing nothing of prophetic revelation. I also find their arrogance and critical spirits hard to stomach. Having acknowledged my lack of clarity regarding this eclipse being a sign, I want to state clearly that I do believe America is headed for increasingly difficult times for a season. I have consistently said a difficult shaking is coming to our nation in order to finish the task of turning us back to God. I believe this has begun and will intensify. Sin has wages (Romans 6:23). Rebellion to God and mocking Him comes with dire consequences. Psalm 2 is clear: when rulers mock God, He mocks back; when they conspire to throw off God’s rule, they experience His rod of iron. The fools and reprobates now ruling America believe they can mock Him without consequences, celebrating Resurrection Sunday/Easter as the Transgender Day of Visibility instead, along with numerous other “middle fingers” they have given God, His Son, and His Word. The “piper” is about to be paid. The votes they thought they could buy by allowing millions of illegals into our nation will instead buy terrorism and numerous other difficulties. Those who naively voted in these leftists, Marxists, atheists, and liars are about to taste the fruit of their ignorance and rebellion. And a savorless church with its low-watt light will receive its wake-up call. We are all about to taste and see that God is not only good - He is also in charge. I absolutely believe America will be saved and that God will help us recover. But it will not be without pain. As a nation, we have stiffened our necks and doubled down on our pride, rebellion, and stupidity. We have sown the wind, and the whirlwind is coming. At least five proven prophetic voices whom I trust believe the shaking will begin intensifying this month. They are not saying this because of the eclipse, though they seem to be acknowledging that it, as well as other events occurring in our nation, could be further signs that the shaking will now increase. I concur with them. I believe the shaking, which I have called a merciful and redemptive shaking, is about to intensify. It is merciful because its purpose is to turn our hearts redemptively, not because it won’t be painful. It will be. But mercy will triumph over judgment, and America will survive and be restored. Continue to repent on behalf of America and her sins, and decree that she will be saved through a third great awakening. Again I say, the prayers of a remnant are saving America and birthing Earth’s greatest revival. I also believe our prayers can lessen the reaping from our rebellion. It is not time to back up, grow weary, or lose heart. It is time to be unwavering, determined, and strong. Whatever comes in the shaking, God’s Kingdom will not be shaken. It will increase. I have mentioned the following quote by Thomas Paine in previous posts, yet its relevance for us today is great. He wrote it the year our nation was born, though we were just beginning the war to enforce the birth. General Washington made all of his soldiers read the entire article. Here is a portion: “These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country, but he that stands by it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph…”(1) Pray with me: Father, we are thoroughly convinced of Your goodness. We are convinced of Your grace and mercy, that Your heart is to redeem, not punish. This is a sustaining truth in difficult times, an anchor for our souls. You are a good and wonderful Father; though You allow prodigals to eat with the pigs and wallow in the filth of their unwise decisions, You also run to meet them when they return to You. We are thoroughly convinced that America will return to You and be restored -  because of Your heart and unparalleled wisdom. You know how to turn us back. We are also confident that in any shaking, Your Kingdom will stand strong; those who stand with it will, as well. Not for a moment do we believe that satan has outwitted or could ever overpower You. And we do not doubt for a moment that You will have the harvest You have spoken of and promised Your Son. So we say, let the shaking intended to deliver us from evil intensify. Let it come and awaken millions to their need of You. Let it come to free millions of young people from the demonic ideologies with which they have been fed and poisoned. Let it come to open our hearts and prepare us for the outpouring of Your Spirit. Our eyes are on the goal You have in mind, not the pain that will endure for a season. Our decree: We declare that God is for us, not against us. Click on the link below to watch the full video. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/thomas-paine-publishes-american-crisis

Come Home, Part 3 The following is from Come Home, a wonderful book written by my brother Tim Sheets, and his daughter Rachel Shafer. They share amazing revelation found in the story of the prodigal son, including something I’m quite sure you’ve never heard. The God Hug “There is a wind of Holy Spirit on this amazing parable of the prodigal son as if it’s being freshly told to us. It’s prophesying, I believe, into our moment right now, a phase of our Kingdom’s movement in this era. Jesus tells His disciples: ‘A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, “I want my share of your estate now before you die.” So, his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. ‘A few days later, this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything. ‘When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, “At home, even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.’” ‘So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.” ‘But his father said to the servants, “Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.” So the party began. ‘Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, and he asked one of the servants what was going on. “Your brother is back,” he was told, “and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.” ‘The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, but he replied, “All these years, I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time, you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!” ‘His father said to him, “Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!” (Luke 15:11-32 NLT)’ “In this magnificent depiction of Father God’s heart, Jesus tells us that when the father saw his lost son off in the distance, he ran to him. He didn’t walk or stroll; he ran. The father was looking for his son to return. He was anticipating it, and when he saw him, he ran to him. It’s the only time Christ ever depicts Father God as running. “The great God of Heaven and Earth is not depicted here as sitting on the throne of the universe ruling and reigning, though most certainly He does. He is not depicted as standing before billions of angels and giving them orders, though He does. He is not depicted as riding a chariot of fire as the most awesome conquering warrior in all of time and eternity, though He is. He is not depicted as the great I Am leading people in great awesome deliverance and promised inheritance, though He is. He is portrayed as Father God, filled with unconditional love, running to welcome a lost child home. “There could be no greater or more graphic portrayal than the one Jesus gives us here. Religion and pharisaical ideas have portrayed Father God in a completely different way. “Religion says: ‘I messed up; my dad is going to kill me!’ “Sonship says: ‘I messed up; I need to call my dad.’ God Is Running “We are moving into an amazing era, and the world is going to see Father God run with a divine purpose: to bring lost sons and daughters home; to restore them, clean them up, and put new clothes on them. This is a present campaign being launched now by Holy Spirit. “In Luke 15:20 (KJV), Jesus used a word we need to focus on because it speaks to another awesome aspect of this campaign. He tells us that when the father saw his lost child coming, he ran to him and ‘fell on his neck,’ kissing him. “Fell on his neck,” as King James puts it, is the Greek word epipipto.(1) It would ring in the hearts of these disciples for the rest of their lives, becoming a common word in the early church. Its understanding gives such great hope. Epipipto means ‘to embrace someone in love, to hug someone in love, or to hug someone you love.’ Epipipto was called the ‘love embrace.’ Loving The Unclean “In Acts 10:44, Peter was at Cornelius’s house. Remember, Cornelius was a Gentile. He was Italian. The Jews had no dealings with Gentiles. They were prejudiced against them, considered them ‘unclean,’ and wouldn’t eat with or fellowship with them. Peter, at first, had refused to go to this home. “Then Holy Spirit gave Peter a vision in which he saw a sheet come down out of Heaven with all sorts of ‘unclean’ animals on it. Holy Spirit said, ‘Rise and eat.’ But Peter said, ‘I’m not going to do that; they are unclean.’ But Holy Spirit said, ‘Don’t you call common or unclean what I have cleaned.’ Through this vision and Holy Spirit’s admonition, Peter was willing to go to the home of Cornelius and declare the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them. The Holy Spirit Hug “We are told that while Peter was doing so, Holy Spirit fell on them. ‘Fell on them’ is the word epipipto. Same word. While Peter was talking to them, God suddenly reached out in love and embraced these ‘unclean’ people. As they received the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit hugged them. It was a baptism of love upon people who, up until that point, were considered to be unclean - nobodies, low-lives. “Because of this ‘hug,’ Gentiles like us were welcomed into Christianity, which changed the course of history. “Peter said, ‘It has happened to them just like it happened to us’ (Acts 11:15), a reference to Pentecost. What happened at Pentecost to Peter and those who had gathered in the Upper Room had now happened to the people of the house of Cornelius.” My Words And God is going to embrace millions in the hour with His healing hugs. I believe your prodigal will be one of them. Pick up a copy of this wonderful book and allow it to help you pray this into fruition. Tomorrow, I am going to finish this short series on praying for prodigals and the unsaved with a post I have written. I share two stories to let you know just how much God loves them. NEVER underestimate His love and grace. The testimonies will inspire and encourage you. Prayer and Decrees: “I decree Father is running to our sons and daughters. I declare a release of God’s love on this generation, reclaiming and redeeming what the enemy has tried to lock up. I decree that ‘God hugs’ are being released to prodigals, as well as those who have never known the Lord. I decree the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies are new every morning. I decree that as ‘God’s hugs’ are released, bruises the enemy has inflicted are removed and healed - spirit, soul, and body. I decree that the rich and pure love of God is reaching into our prodigals' innermost beings, healing them and restoring God’s original intention for their lives. I decree that God never ceases to gently and tenderly call my prodigal home. I decree that one touch from the Father changes everything.”(2) Today’s post was taken from Tim and Rachel’s book Come Home. You can find this book here or at TimSheets.org. Click on the link below to watch the full video. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 1968. Tim Sheets and Rachel Shafer, Come Home (Destiny Image Publishers: Shippensburg, PA, 2024), pp. 109-113, 122.

Come Home, Part 2 From the book Come Home, by Tim Sheets and Rachel Shafer, on praying for our prodigals: “‘Thus says the Lord: “Restrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears, for your work [raising of your children, prayer] will be rewarded,” says the Lord; “and your children will return from the enemy’s land. There is [confident] hope for your future,” says the Lord; “Your children will come back to their own country.” (Jeremiah 31:16-17 AMP)' “In the study and preparation for this book, we came across a powerful truth regarding the biblical illustration of the Prodigal Son. “Luke 15:20 (NKJV) says, concerning the prodigal son, ‘...when he was still a great way off, his father...had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.’ “Jewish history enlightens us as to why the father ran, and it is a stunning revelation. This man’s son had demanded his inheritance, wanting what he considered to be his now, rather than when his father died, as was the custom of the day. After receiving his portion, the son left his home, turning his back on the values he had been taught. He eventually lost everything, wasting it all on parties and prostitutes, and ended up working in a pigpen. The son broke his father’s heart, as well as breaking all the rules of the tight-knit community he had been brought up in. After he came to his senses, the son decided to return home. Luke 15:20 tells us his father saw his son when he was still a long way off and ran to him. “In those times, a Middle Eastern man never ran, because in order to do so, he would have to raise up his tunic so he wouldn’t trip, and in so doing would expose his bare legs. In that culture, it was considered humiliating and shameful for a man to show his bare legs. In addition, it was known that if a Jewish son lost his inheritance among Gentiles, and then returned home, the community would perform a ceremony called the kezazah, or a ‘ceremony of shame.’ “During this ceremony, they would break a large pot or pitcher in front of the son. As they smashed it into pieces, they would declare him to be cut off from his people, all ties broken, and he would no longer be welcome in the community. “This, then, brings us to the question: Why did the father run to his son, which also brought a level of shame to himself? In essence, the father was running to get to his son in order to extend grace before anyone else could get to him with the law. He wanted to extend love, acceptance, welcome, and hope before anyone else could take it away. He wanted his son welcomed, not ashamed with humiliation and rejection. “As onlookers watched the father run toward his son, reuniting, hugging, and kissing him, it would be apparent there would be no kezazah. Instead, there would be a homecoming party, a celebration of his restoration, which only the father could bring. No rejection—his father bore the shame and showed everyone that his son was welcomed home. “The application for us is fairly obvious. Our Father bore our sin and shame through Jesus. We can be forgiven and redeemed, and even our lost purpose and destiny can be restored. As we repent, He wipes the slate clean and gives us a fresh start. “God’s Promise: What He did for the prodigal son, He will do for you, and He will also do it for those for whom you are praying. Lost purpose will be recovered.” Tim and Rachel tell us later in the book that our Father not only welcomes the prodigal, taking their shame and refusing to treat them as outcasts, but He Himself will war for their salvation. “The prophet Isaiah gives us a great promise that I believe we need to embrace: “‘Who can snatch the plunder of war from the hands of a warrior? Who can demand that a tyrant let his captives go? But the Lord says, “The captives of warriors will be released, and the plunder of tyrants will be retrieved. For I will fight those who fight you, and I will save your children,’ (Isaiah 49:24-25 NLT). “Several other words for ‘retrieved’ are gotten back, recovered, restored. Joel prophesied in Joel 2:25 (KJV) that the years the locust, cankerworm, caterpillar, and palmerworm have eaten, God was going to restore. These pests were grubworms that would eat the harvest. God was literally saying that He was going to restore His people’s lost harvests. How many harvests (prodigals) have we lost? Millions and millions, and that’s why we prophesy a billion souls are coming in. They’re going to be recovered. God is going to fight those who fight us, and He is going to save our children. “There are evil cultural warriors promoting iniquity and perversion in our society. Tyrants have sought to capture our children with confusing lies and distorted ideologies. There are those who think they are giants, too big for us to stop them from indoctrinating our children with demonic ideas, who are about to discover that God is at war with them. “They will soon realize they are contending with Almighty God, and they cannot beat Him. Our God is saying to us, ‘I will contend with those who contend with My people. I will fight those who fight you. I’m on your side, and I will defend your cause. I will take the plunder of war away from them, and I will deliver those who are held captive. I will save your children; I will rescue them.’ “The Hebrew word for ‘contend’ is ruwb,(1) and it means ‘to grapple, to defend, to grab someone by the hair of the head.’ It means ‘to fight with words, to fight physically, legal combat through laws,’ and it is sometimes used as the word in the Old Testament for ‘ambush.’ It sounds to me like God means business! “Perhaps that is why Jesus says in Matthew 18:6 (PassionTranslation), ‘If anyone abuses one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for him to have a heavy boulder tied around his neck and be hurled into the deepest sea than to face the punishment he’s deserved.’ “The Hebrew word for ‘save’ in Isaiah 49 is yasha(2) and it means ‘to free, to avenge, to rescue, to save physically and soulishly.’ It was very interesting to me when I studied this word. Hebrew scholars say yasha was specifically pointed toward the healing of emotions, or it referenced healing for someone’s emotional state. “The coming generation has been traumatized these past few years. Fears have oppressed them. Covid and ridiculous lockdowns have affected so many of our children to the point that some of them are suffering from depression and are on drugs for that. Depression is plaguing hundreds of thousands of American children. “But God says, ‘I’m going to pour out My Spirit and change things. I’m going to avenge them, and I’m going to heal their emotions. I’m going to heal their souls. I’m going to fight those who teach them demon doctrine. I’m going to wrestle with those who lie to them, exploiting their innocence. I’m going to contend, and I’m going to save them.’” Let’s agree with Him! Our Prayer and Decree (from the book Come Home) I decree a Holy Spirit outpouring is beginning to move upon all flesh, upon our sons and daughters. I decree revivals will occur in hundreds of places where our young people gather, in all 50 states and nations of the world. I decree God is on our side, defending our cause and saving our children. I decree God is pouring out His Spirit and changing things. He is avenging our children and healing their emotions. I decree our sons and daughters are discovering that Father loves them, wants them, and is preparing a place for them. I decree that chains are falling off in Jesus’ name, and truth is revealed—and the truth is setting them free. I decree Romans 2:4, that God’s kindness leads to repentance.(3) Portions of today’s post were taken from Tim and Rachel’s book Come Home. You can find this book here or at TimSheets.org. Click on the link below to watch the full video. ____________________________ James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 7378. Ibid. Ref. no. 3467. Tim Sheets and Rachel Shafer, Come Home (Destiny Image Publishers: Shippensburg, PA, 2024), pp. 27-29, 82-84, 91.

Come Home, Part 1 My brother, Tim, and his daughter, Rachel Shafer, have just released a new and powerful book on praying for prodigals, Come Home. As they point out, prodigals aren’t found only in the ranks of our children; a prodigal in your world could be a spouse, brother or sister, mom or dad, perhaps even a friend. That being the case, we all know some. A revival is coming that will bring millions of these wayward prodigals home to the Father. Come Home will help generate this, inspiring and encouraging your faith, as well as arming you with an understanding of how to pray for these individuals whom Jesus so loves. It also provides us with biblical decrees to declare over them daily, releasing the power of Holy Spirit and God’s Word. Though I am going to share a few excerpts with which to encourage you, my intent is to accomplish more than that. As you listen to these short portions of the book, you will see its value. I hope you order one and use its powerful and moving insights. If you do, it will prove to be one of the best investments you ever make. Today’s portion of Come Home is the honest, heartfelt testimony of a mom who, like many of you, knows the pain and heartbreak of watching one you love turn away from Jesus. But she is now contending for her prodigal child, confident that she will come home. I’m beginning with this story because I want you to know you’re not alone, and that you can arise from your pain into overcoming faith. A Testimony “I never thought I would find myself writing something like this. “My husband and I raised our children in church. We were there for every service. They attended Sunday school, Bible clubs, VBS, youth meetings, camps, and any other activity the church offered. We started them out in Christian preschool and elementary school. At home, I planned fun activities that often included Christian or moral lessons. At a very young age, both children accepted Jesus as their Savior. We were thrilled. Life was good. We had succeeded as Christian parents. Our kids were saved; they were going to Heaven. We did it! “Until... my world fell apart. “One of my children (married now, with children of her own) dropped a bombshell into our lives. She no longer considered herself a Christian. At this writing, she and her husband are no longer serving the Lord or raising their kids in the church. Even typing this, I am feeling all the emotions this revelation caused when she first told me this: sadness, disappointment, anger, fear, embarrassment. I find myself cycling in and out of these emotions on a regular basis. I also cycle in and out of hope that they’ll come to their senses and return to the God of their childhood (both she and her husband were raised in church). “I’ve had the sleepless nights, the tear-stained pillow, the muffled sobbing as I’ve prayed and pleaded with God to somehow miraculously turn this around. I’ve been angry at God, as if it’s His fault. After all, I did everything right, didn’t I? I raised them right! How did this happen?! “Now, I’m watching from afar as they live a life clearly not centered on God or the church. We’re not estranged; we’re still a close family. But it’s awkward now. They don’t want to hear about God. I’m finding myself censoring my comments, suppressing my true feelings, withholding comments such as, ‘I’ll be praying for you,’ or ‘God’s got this.’ “I would have to say that fear is one of the biggest emotions I’m experiencing. Fear that they’ll never turn back to God. Fear that my grandchildren will never be saved. Fear that I’ll die before it ever happens. I’m always wondering if I should leave a note for after my death, pleading with them to accept Jesus so we’ll meet again in Heaven. Thoughts like these can cause one to go down a dangerous path, because I KNOW that I shouldn’t be fearful. I remind myself that God pursued me when I was a teenager, and He’s still in the pursuing business. “I know the Scriptures. I know that God died for my daughter. I know I did my due diligence in raising her. I know God has a plan and a purpose for her and her family. I know I’m not the Savior; He is. I know God hasn’t given me a spirit of fear; I know that’s from the enemy. But when in a desperate situation, when deep in the battle, when you find yourself weary and growing faint, losing hope, you need help! “That’s where this book comes in. I don’t need to be sobbing into my pillow and losing hope. I need to stand up and face the enemy. I need the words to decree that my daughter WILL return to the Lord! That the devil is a LIAR! That no weapon formed against my daughter and her family will prosper! I remind myself of these words in Ephesians 3:20-21 (MSG): ‘God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, His Spirit deeply and gently within us.’ “I remind myself that this is exactly how I came to know the Lord as a teenager, while attending a revival in a small storefront church. Holy Spirit began gently speaking into my heart during one of the services, and I couldn’t run to the altar fast enough to give my heart to Jesus. I have to believe that He is working in my daughter's and her family’s hearts, as well. It is not up to me to save them, but it IS up to me to pray and decree! “Our words matter. The Bible is full of good promises for us and for our prodigals. I’m ready to face the enemy and take back what has been stolen from me, and what he has stolen from my daughter and her family. The devil CANNOT and WILL NOT have my family. Even though my daughter is grown and no longer living in our household, I have always quoted and dwelled upon this verse: ‘As for me and my family, we’ll worship God,’ (Joshua 24:15 MSG). “I also think about what the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy concerning Timothy’s faith: ‘That precious memory triggers another: your honest faith—and what a rich faith it is, handed down from your grandmother Lois to your mother Eunice, and now to you!’ (2 Timothy 1:5 MSG) “I remind myself that my husband and I dedicated our children to the Lord; we raised them in the fear and knowledge of Him, and we (all of us!) WILL worship the Lord. We have passed down our faith, and we refuse to let the enemy steal our children and grandchildren. They belong to God!”(1) You, too, can rise up in faith and authority, and see your prodigal/s return to the Father. This book will help you do so. Pray with me: Father, we and the prodigals we love are not at the mercy of demons, sin, deception, or the pigpens these things generate. We and those we love are at YOUR mercy, which is always now (“new every morning”), inexhaustible, never-ending, and something You delight in releasing. Our faith is anchored in this and cannot be dislodged. Your word is true and forever settled. We agree now that discouragement will be broken off of our brothers and sisters, condemnation will be wiped away, and faith will arise. Grant favor to this book and use it to replace fear and wavering with unyielding faith. Use the truth it contains to set many free, and the principles and decrees it provides to bring untold numbers of prodigals home. And we pray even now for tomorrow’s pastors who are today in pigpens. We pray for the future worship leaders who are currently singing of perversion and sin, and for the next generation of righteous moms and dads who are still doing drugs and living in perversion. Your power can and will break satan’s deception and influence, Father, and since You desire to do so, we will accept nothing less. We pray all this in Yeshua’s name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that millions of prodigals are going to come home. Portions of today’s post were taken from Tim and Rachel’s book Come Home. You can find this book here or at TimSheets.org. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Tim Sheets and Rachel Shafer, Come Home (Destiny Image Publishers: Shippensburg, PA, 2024) pp. 61-64.

The Star-Spangled Banner Dream Our friend, Gina Gholston, was given the following dream on March 16, 2024. The Dream “In the dream I saw Dutch Sheets on the steps that lead up to the United States Capitol Building. I knew he had been in very intense intercession for the nation. He was weeping, overcome with deep travail. “He had an electric guitar ready to play, though there was no amplifier. Standing beside him was a man with a silver trumpet positioned to his lips. I felt that this ‘man’ was an angel. “Then it was as if Dutch was overcome with a wave of revelation. He knew that until the eyes of the American people were opened to SEE truth, change could not come to the nation. At that moment, the anointing of Holy Spirit overtook him, and he began to shout loudly with incredible passion and authority: ‘I DECLARE THAT A “SEEING ANOINTING” GOES OUT OVER THIS LAND TO BREAK THE “SPELL” OF DELUSION! THE LORD IS OPENING THE EYES OF THE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY WILL SEE!’ “As the last word left his mouth, he strummed the guitar, and the angel beside him blew a long, continuous blast on the silver trumpet; they did so in the key of C. The two instruments combined into one sound. Though there was no amplifier, the sound was louder than if the instruments had been connected to an amplifier. It was supernatural! “Then, Dutch repeatedly sang just one line from The Star Spangled Banner: ‘O, say, can you SEE?’ When he sang the word ‘see,’ it began to echo: ‘O, say, can you SEE? . . . SEE! . . . SEE! . . . SEE!’ Over and over, he sang that one phrase. It became more than a question; the echoing word became a command, sent out over the nation. “Each time he sang the phrase and the word ‘see’ echoed, it would catch up with the echo from the previous release . . . becoming a never-ending echo of this powerful command throughout the nation: See! See! See! . . . “Then, the note of C being strummed on the guitar and blown from the trumpet combined to create a visible movement, like ripples fanning out. The ripples looked somewhat like an old, hand-held fan that could be opened up to make a 360-degree circular fan. They merged with and carried the echoes of the command, ‘SEE,’ and wrapped around the Capitol building. I don’t know how to adequately articulate this, but it was as if the music and the echoing word, ‘SEE,’ combined to become a visible, swirling wind of sound. “Then a massive choir, which I believe was comprised of angels, suddenly formed completely around the Capitol. This choir began to loudly sing the chorus of the song, Shout to the Lord: ‘Shout to the Lord, all the earth, let us sing, “Power and majesty, praise to the King! Mountains bow down, and the seas will roar at the sound of Your name. I sing for joy at the work of Your hands. Forever I’ll love You, forever I’ll stand. Nothing compares to the promise I have in You.’(1) “There was something important and powerful about the last line of this song: ‘Nothing compares to the PROMISE I have in You.’ It felt as though the promise had something to do with the covenantal promises God has made concerning America. “When the choir finished the chorus, Dutch, still in the deep throes of travail, said again, ‘I DECLARE THAT A “SEEING ANOINTING” GOES OUT OVER THIS LAND TO BREAK THE “SPELL” OF DELUSION! THE LORD IS OPENING THE EYES OF THE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY WILL SEE!’ Then, this was all repeated: he strummed the guitar, the angel blew the trumpet, Dutch sang the phrase, ‘O, say, can you SEE,’ the echoes continued, and the choir sang. Their words continued to act as whirlwinds, pushing the sound waves of the ‘C’ chord and the command, ‘SEE,’ in every direction, reverberating across the nation. “This was all repeated over and over.” End of dream. My Thoughts This dream was received by Gina and sent to me a week before the Francis Scott Key bridge was struck and destroyed. Key, as most everyone now knows, penned the words of our National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner.(2) It seems very unlikely that the dream, the song, the message it was used to communicate, and the destruction of the bridge bearing the author’s name are not connected/related. The uses of silver trumpets (not the shofar) in Scripture are given in Numbers 10:1-10. In summary, since they did not have modern technology, the silver trumpets were used to coordinate the movements of the large encampment of Israelites. The movement could be to assemble or to travel. And, they were used for sounding an alarm for battle (verse 9): “When you go to war in your land against the adversary who attacks you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the Lord your God, and be saved from your enemies.” This is what I feel is the purpose of the silver trumpet in the dream. If America is to remain “the land of the free,” as our anthem states, its citizens must have the “delusion” broken over them. This delusion was caused by a “spell,” obviously referring to its demonic roots. This deception could apply to several areas: morality, justice, government (the declaration was made at the Capitol, and the sound first encircled it), marriage, education, media, and more. Most definitely, it refers to America’s need for - and relationship with - God, including our founding and destiny, which He oversaw. This delusion must be broken off of our nation, enabling us to see clearly once again. The dream clearly states that God IS breaking this delusion off of America, and using the church, the Ekklesia, to do so. We must continue to pray and decree the “promises” of God’s Word, along with Holy Spirit’s prophetic words, over our nation. As we do so, the Scriptures - and the dream - assure us that angels will aid us, carrying the power of our prayers and decrees across our nation. The wind or breath of God will also carry and empower these prayers. Prayer For Our Waterways and Structures It is necessary and important to point out that we were warned to pray against attacks against our water-related structures and ports in a previous dream given to Gina (Click here to read). Believable reports are circulating that the destruction of this bridge could have been accomplished through a cyber attack being used to control the barge. The purpose of such an attack is obvious: The effects of this bridge collapse will cost Americans billions of dollars; the barge was loaded with hazardous materials, which will create many problems; and the cleanup and repair will take YEARS, not months. This is very, very serious. We may never know if it actually was an attack – I question whether or not our current government would admit this. However, whether it was an attack or an accident, prayer can protect from both. We must take the warning we received more seriously, and pray diligently over our water supply, waterways, bridges, dams, and ports. Destruction of these supplies and structures could literally cripple our nation. And we know that Biden‘s policies have allowed more than a million “unknowns,” illegal aliens that came into our nation as “gottaways.” We have been warned that there are likely thousands of terrorists and/or spies currently in our nation. We must continue to repent for America’s sins and rejection of the Lord, pray diligently for restoration, and declare the promises of God over our nation. The shaking has begun and will continue, but we have been told it is redemptive - it will tear down evil structures and awaken Americans to our need for God. And we must ask for the wind of Holy Spirit to blow, bringing a true and sweeping revival. This will remove deception and restore, God’s protection. The Lord says that America will SEE and shall be saved! Believe it and declare it. Pray with me: Father, evil forces are at work to destroy America. As the great hymn (A Mighty Fortress) says, “Still our ancient foe, doth seek to work us woe. His craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate.”(3) But the hymn also reminds us that “The right Man” - Jesus - will give us victory. We know He has conquered the authority of hell and is King over all the earth. We will continue to war from this place of victory and authority, and with the help and leadership of Holy Spirit. We stand in Yeshua’s authority and declare over America: A “SEEING ANOINTING” NOW GOES OUT OVER THIS LAND TO BREAK THE “SPELL” OF DELUSION! THE LORD IS OPENING THE EYES OF THE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY WILL SEE! We declare Your stated purpose that “The gospel will go forth from these shores, not only to this land, but, to all the nations of the earth” (spoken by Robert Hunt at Cape Henry in 1607).(4) And we declare that America is being cleansed of her sin, rejection of God, and strongholds of darkness. America shall be saved! Our decree: We decree that a “seeing anointing” goes out over this land to break the “spell” of delusion! The Lord is opening the eyes of people so they will see! Click on the link below to watch the full video. Shout to the Lord, written by Darlene Zschech, 1993. Published by Hillsong Music, Australia. https://amhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/the-lyrics.aspx https://hymnary.org/text/a_mighty_fortress_is_our_god_a_bulwark https://www2.cbn.com/article/church/faith-our-fathers-spirituality-jamestown

The Hitchhiking Evangelist I want to follow yesterday’s post with some encouraging thoughts regarding God’s desire to restore prodigals (and all unbelievers). As you think and meditate on these truths, not only will they encourage you, but your faith will also grow, causing your prayers to be more powerful. God Wants Everyone to Be Saved The Scriptures tell us God is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9, KJV). We don't have to wonder about God’s desire or willingness regarding the lost; He could not make His will any clearer. The Lord wants every person to believe upon Christ and be born again. God Is Able to Save "Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save" (Isaiah 59:1). Not only is God willing to save the lost, but He is fully capable of doing so. He has sufficient power and knows how to bend, shape, and change the perspective of unbelievers, bringing them to a revelation of the truth. Holy Spirit can break off of them every satanic stronghold and bring them to a knowledge of the truth. Allow the following story to encourage you: “‘While hitchhiking home, Roger Simms was picked up by an older gentleman in an expensive car. They talked about many things, including Mr. Hanover's business in Chicago. Roger felt a strong compulsion to share his faith but was apprehensive about witnessing to a wealthy businessman. Finally, nearing his destination, Roger spoke up. “‘Mr. Hanover,’ began Roger, ‘I want to share something very important with you.’ He explained the way of salvation and asked if Mr. Hanover would like to receive Christ as his Savior. To Roger's astonishment, the businessman pulled over to the side of the road, bowed his head, wept, and prayed the prayer of salvation. He thanked Roger, saying, ‘This is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me.’ “Five years later, while in Chicago on a business trip, Roger went to Hanover Enterprises. The receptionist told him it would be impossible to see Mr. Hanover, but Mrs. Hanover was available. A little disappointed, he followed her into an office. “After exchanging greetings, Roger explained how Mr. Hanover had kindly given him a ride years ago. Suddenly interested, Mrs. Hanover asked when this had happened. When Roger told her it was on May 7, five years earlier, she asked if anything unusual had happened during his ride. “Roger hesitated, wondering if giving his witness had been a source of contention. But, feeling the prompting of the Lord, he told her that he had shared the gospel message and that her husband had accepted the Lord into his heart. “She began to sob uncontrollably. After a few minutes, she explained that she had thought her prayers for her husband's salvation had not been answered. After leaving Roger at his destination, Mr. Hanover had died that day in a horrible head-on collision.”(1) God is faithful. He knows how to unlock people’s hearts, convince them of their need and Christ’s provision, and when the time is right for them to be presented with the opportunity. And this certainly does not have to occur in a house of worship. God knows when to have hitchhikers travel home; He knows how to ensure unbelievers are driving the right road, at the right time, and how to motivate them to pick up the “evangelist.” God knows what He is doing! Don't miss the fact that Mrs. Hanover had been praying for her husband’s salvation. Our prayers release God’s power; never forget this. (I will teach on this in a post/s soon.) Christ’s Very Name Is Savior "And you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). “Jesus” comes from the Hebrew word Yehoshua, from which we also get Yeshua, both of which mean “Jehovah/Yahweh is salvation,”(2) These words originate from Yasha, which means "save."(3) Christ is called Yeshua because He is the Lord who saves us, the Savior. Think about that: Jesus chose to name Himself, "the Lord who saves." He wants no confusion, no ambiguity, no doubt as to His heart and desire. Imagine the conversation that may have occurred as the Godhead was planning our salvation. Here is one possibility: After accepting the unimaginable reality that He would have to become a human, suffer, and die to redeem us, the Father asks Christ: “What name shall we give You as a human, Son? Most High? Creator? Omnipotent One? Everlasting God?…” Perhaps pausing to consider the question, the Lord simply replies, “Let’s not complicate it. I just want them to know I’m coming to save them from the Fall, from the curse of their sins. Just call me Yeshua, ‘Yahweh who saves.’ In fact, we can just shorten it to ‘Savior’”. And they did. The Greek word for Savior is soter, “a deliverer that is God.”(4) It comes from sozo, meaning “save, rescue, deliver, or make whole.”(5) The angel said to the shepherds, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10,11). "For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers" (1 Timothy 4:10). Jesus proudly wears this name as His title! He loves to save! He WILL save your loved one, your friend, your neighbor! Charles Finney shared the following testimony of a father who came to a realization of the Lord's intense desire to save his family: “I knew a father who was a good man, but who had misconceptions about the prayer of faith. His whole family of children had grown up, without one of them being converted. One day, his son grew ill and seemed ready to die. The father prayed, but the son grew worse and was sinking into the grave without hope. The father prayed until his anguish was unutterable. There seemed no prospect of his son surviving, so he poured out his soul as if he would not be denied. “He received an assurance that his son would not only live, but be converted. God also assured him that not only this son, but his whole family would be converted to God. He came into the house and told his family his son would not die. They were astonished at him. ‘I tell you,’ he said, ‘he will not die. And no child of mine will ever die in his sins.’ That man's children were all converted years ago.”(6) Believe in the heart and power of the Savior! What He did for this father, He will do for you. Pray with me: Father, first of all, we pray for the prodigals in our lives. We know You are mighty to save, and You love to do so. You are Yeshua. We ask You to awaken them to their true condition, and to Your provision and love. We release Holy Spirit’s power to bind every stronghold and strategy satan is using to keep them deceived and bound. We loose them from all demonic control and all deception. We prophesy to the wind of Holy Spirit: blow on the dry bones, giving them life, in Jesus' name. Father, we also pray for those who have never known You. Save and deliver them, also, in the name of Yeshua. Release Your power, revelation, and salvation to them. Send the right laborers to them. Do this here in America and around the world. We continue to decree as Your Ekklesia that the war in the Middle East will not stop the great harvest there. The violence and war will backfire on satan and actually cause the harvest to materialize more quickly and in greater numbers. And regarding another subject, Father, we continue to pray for breakthrough in America. We pray for President Trump, asking You to reverse the unrighteous attacks against him from corrupt members of the judicial system. Vindicate him. Give great strategy and wisdom to those fighting for him and with him. Deliver him from the evil trying to keep him silenced and ineffective. If he is Your preference to be our president in 2024, let nothing stop this. Remove evil, godlessness, marxism, and immorality from our government. Continue to give Speaker Johnson and others who stand for righteousness in America, the wisdom and favor needed to restore America. All of this we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that “the Lord who saves” is coming with another wave of revival to redeem millions here in America and around the world. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Today’s post is adapted from my book How to Pray for Lost Loved Ones, published by Baker Books. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I want to take just a minute and do something my staff has asked me to do. We have discovered that someone with the YouTube address @DailyPrayer-205 is fraudulently re-posting our GH15 videos. They do not have permission to do this. Please help us by reporting them. We ask that you SUBSCRIBE to our Dutch Sheets YouTube account; this is free. Subscribing will ensure that you receive a notification anytime we have a new video - it will be at the top of your YouTube feed - and it will be us, not an imposter account. And remember, always look for the verified blue check mark. Thank you. 1. Alice Gray, Storie4s for the Heart (Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 1996), pp. 225-257. 2. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 3091. 3. Ibid. Ref. no. 3467. 4. Ibid. Ref. no. 4990. 5. Ibid. Ref. no. 4982. 6. Charles G. Finney, How to Experience Revival (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 1984), p. 58.

The Great Quest We’ve been praying for unbelievers this week, focusing primarily on prodigals. They are coming home to Father! Yesterday, we shared three biblical truths to meditate on in order to increase your faith for this. This is how our faith grows - reading, hearing, speaking, and meditating on God’s Word. Today, we will look at five more. God Is Hungry to Save While on earth as a flesh-and-blood human being, with very real human appetites and needs, Jesus demonstrated that He would rather save a sinner than eat (see John 4). He went out of His way to minister to a confused, loose-living Samaritan woman, married and divorced five times and currently shacked up with yet another man. Jesus forgave her, put His well of life in her, and introduced her to the Father. Immediately afterward, when encouraged by His disciples to eat, Christ simply said, "I have food to eat that you do not know about" (John 4:32). He was so excited about what happened with this seemingly hopeless lady that He had lost His physical appetite! She shared her testimony with the village, and many of them believed upon Him because of her words. They asked, and Jesus agreed to stay a couple more days to teach and share with the entire village. “Many more believed because of His word, and they were saying to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One truly is the Savior of the world”’ (John 4:41-42; NASB). Jesus hasn’t changed; His favorite thing to do is still rescuing the lost. Jesus Was Willing to Become Human and Die to Save Us While fully God, living in heaven, Jesus chose to become human in order to redeem humanity. No one, absolutely no one, could possibly imagine what it entailed for Christ to become human in order to save us. But He loves us so much that He chose to pay this price, rather than have us remain outside His family. When faced with the agony of the Cross, Jesus stayed the course, chosing torture, humiliation, and death rather than angelic deliverance. He could have called upon legions of angels to deliver Him (see Matthew 26:53). His desire to save us was and is so intense that no price or sacrifice was too great. He did this for your loved one! Put a face to the price He paid! In his book Written in Blood, Robert Coleman tells the story of a little boy whose sister needed a blood transfusion. The doctor had explained that she had the same disease the boy had recovered from two years earlier. Her only chance for recovery was a transfusion from someone who had previously conquered the disease. Since the two children had the same rare blood type, the boy was the ideal donor. “‘Would you give your blood to Mary?’ the doctor asked. “Johnny hesitated. His lower lip started to tremble. Then he smiled and said, ‘Sure, for my sister.’ “Soon, the two children were wheeled into the hospital room—Mary, pale and thin; Johnny, robust and healthy. Neither spoke, but when their eyes met, Johnny grinned. “As the nurse inserted the needle into his arm, Johnny's smile faded. He watched the blood flow through the tube. With the ordeal almost over, his voice, slightly shaky, broke the silence, ‘Doctor, when do I die?’ “Only then did the doctor realize why Johnny had hesitated, why his lip had trembled when he'd agreed to donate his blood. He'd thought giving his blood to his sister meant giving up his life. In that brief moment, he'd made his selfless decision.”(1) Johnny didn't have to die to save his sister. This was not the case with Christ. Our condition required Jesus to give, not just his blood, but His life. He did it gladly. That’s how much He loves your prodigal. God Delights in Showing Mercy The Lord delights in showing mercy (Micah 7:18). It isn’t a stretch of God’s righteous nature to give mercy to your prodigal; He delights in doing so! Nineveh was a wicked city whose level of sin reached a point that demanded judgment (Jonah 3:4). However, when the people of Ninevah repented, God delighted in changing the verdict and releasing mercy! His heart hasn’t changed! He’ll be excited to show mercy to your family member or friend, regardless of the level of their sin. Jesus Came to Seek and Save the Lost Jesus said He came to seek and to save the lost (see Luke 19:10). Holy and infinite God humbles Himself to seek fallen man. Unfathomable. I can wrap my finite mind around we humans being told to seek God, but every brain cell goes into overload when told He seeks us. What kind of God does this, pursuing those who hate and reject Him? Where does this incomprehensible love come from? There simply are no words. God is on a quest. Every day, He looks down the road, waiting for another prodigal to crest the hill. When He sees one, He runs - yes, He RUNS to them - and embraces them even while they’re still covered with slop and mud. Then He restores the prodigal’s inheritance and throws a party saying, “My child is home!” (Luke 15:11-32). If you’re already dwelling in Papa’s house, be one who daily satisfies His seeking heart! But also believe in His heart for your wayward prodigal. He loves them and will seek them until they’re found! Our Restoration to God Is the Theme of the Bible! Think about this: the entire Bible is the story of God's desire to save the fallen human race, and restore them to His family. Genesis brings us very quickly to the Fall - chapter 3. The remainder of the Bible is the story of God’s heart, His quest and plan to redeem the human race. After Adam’s fall, He didn’t run from us; we ran from Him (Genesis 3:8). He’s been chasing us ever since. “This distorted perception of the unbeliever is well illustrated by the story of a woman driving home alone one evening when she noticed a man in a large truck following her. Growing increasingly fearful, she sped up, trying to lose her pursuer, but it was futile. She then exited the freeway and drove up a main street, but the truck stayed with her, even running red lights to do so. “In a panic, the woman wheeled into a service station, jumped from her car, and ran inside screaming. The truck driver ran to her car, jerked the back door open, and pulled from the floor behind her seat a man who was hiding there. “The misguided lady was fleeing from the wrong person. She was running from her savior! The truck driver, perched high enough to see into her back seat, had spied the would-be rapist and was pursuing her to save her, even at his own peril.”(2) The perspective of unbelievers is distorted. They run from the pursuit of a God who desires to save them from their enemy and the curse of spiritual death. Those of us who know God realize we love Him because He first loved us. When sinners, however, hear of a loving God who wants only their best and died to provide it, they often see instead only the promise of loss and a lack of fulfillment. God‘s heart is to save. Meditate on, feed your heart, with these truths from yesterday and today. You will soon become fully convinced that the God who seeks and saves, will. Pray with me: [Insert the name of your prodigal as we pray.] Father, satan’s plan to capture us began with him distorting Your heart. He has never stopped. The deceiver paints You as legalistic, mean-spirited, hard to please, one who loves to judge harshly, and who is distant and unapproachable. You, however, are the essence of good and kindness. Your merciful heart is to redeem, You desire intimacy with us, and You’re always seeking our companionship. Yeshua is the ultimate proof of Your love and compassion. We ask now for Your pursuit of our prodigals to be relentless. You said we have power to demolish the mindsets satan and sin have planted in unbelievers, and to stop his schemes and plans from succeeding against them (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). Therefore, we bind the lies, deceptions, mindsets and beliefs he has ingrained in our prodigals (Matthew 16:18-19). According to Luke 15:17, You can and will bring them to their senses. You will lift the veil from their eyes and shine Your light into the darkness (2 Corinthians 4:3-6). We use Christ’s keys of authority and release this now! (Matthew 16:18-19). We open the door for truth and light to reach them, and close the door to deception (Isaiah 22:22). We have been offered no less by You, Father, and by Your grace and power, we will accept no less! We ask and release these things in Yeshua’s name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that prodigals - by the millions - are coming to their senses. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Today’s post was adapted from my book How To Pray For Your Lost Loved Ones, published by Baker Books. Craig Brian Larson, Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1993), p. 25. Ibid., p. 98.