Operation Overtake and Occupy the Cedars - Part 2 In yesterday’s post, we began discussing a dream Holy Spirit gave Greg Hood. Though I won’t read the portion we included yesterday, I am including it [in brackets] for those who did not see it. Then I will continue with the second portion. In review, Greg and I are traveling a dirt road flanked by willow trees, which symbolize loss, yet hope. The second mile-marker includes a number representing worship, with a crown also pictured. We then began to hear the worship of people and angels, mixed with the wind of Holy Spirit, and carrying the weighty glory of God. Christ then appeared on a white horse, dressed as the Warrior King. He gave us the following instructions: “Keep watching, and you will see all that is ahead of you, and even far off. Keep listening, My voice is guiding you. My voice will navigate you through this complicated and treacherous terrain. Keep moving, and you will take the land. The land ahead of you will look much different than it has before. This is your land.” He then added, “You will not walk from here; you will ride.” Christ then gave us war horses from His kingly supply, we were joined by other believers, and He clothed us in kingly garments. Here is yesterday’s portion, followed by today’s new part: [“The dream started with Dutch and me (Greg) opening and walking through a gate leading to a long dirt road, canopied with willow trees. We walked for two miles under these willow trees. I knew it was two miles because there were wooden mile markers along the road. However, these markers looked different than those we see on a normal U.S. or State highway. This mile marker had the mile number 2, and underneath it was etched another number, 4352, and a crown. “As we walked down this narrow dirt road, we could hear a wind blowing through the willow trees. The sound was like angels and people singing together. Somehow we knew this sound, though we could not make out the words. As we walked, we saw in the near distance a man sitting on a completely white horse. The horse was a very bright white. Its feet were moving slightly with the sound moving through the willow trees. “As we approached the man, we were not sure if we wanted to walk any further, for the atmosphere had become very heavy. We could not make out the man’s face or appearance, but he was emanating an extremely bright light, had a sword on his side and a crown on his head. These two things we could clearly see. “Dutch turned his head toward me very slowly, as if not wanting to draw attention from the man on the horse. Looking at me, he said, ‘We might die here, but we have to keep moving.’ “I (Greg) responded in a whisper, ‘I agree. We must press into this. I can see the road changes just past the man on the horse.’ “We continued to make our way down this dirt road with its canopy of willow trees. It was very difficult to continue because of the weight of the sound moving through the willow trees. (Yes, the sound had weight to it.) As we approached, the horseman moved his horse to the side of the road and, after we passed him, positioned himself just behind us, traveling down the dirt road with us. The overwhelming fear we once felt had turned into extremely bold confidence. “As we continued walking, we noticed the road changing under our feet, from dirt to a paved road. Just before the road changed completely, the man on the white horse instructed us to stop and listen. He said, ‘Keep watching, and you will see all that is ahead of you, and even far off. Keep listening; My voice is guiding you. My voice will navigate you through this complicated and treacherous terrain. Keep moving, and you will take the land. The land ahead of you will look much different than it has before. This is your land.’ He then added, ‘You will not walk from here; you will ride.’ “I don’t know where they came from, but he presented each of us with a horse. As he did, we could see many other people approaching us, walking and leading horses. They were not coming from ahead of us but approached from within the willow trees. We knew many of them, as they were friends and co-laborers in ministry and life. There were also many that we did not know. Without hearing any order or command, we took the reins of our horses and mounted them - everyone at once. “As we did this, the man on the white horse answered a question Dutch and I both had in our minds but were hesitant to ask. He knew our question, even though we hadn’t asked it. He said, ‘You want to know their names, don’t you, the names of your horses? Well, their names are not as important as the troop they come from; they are from Troop Basileus, and they will ride like it! These horses were bred for you.’ He went on to say, ‘They are bred for battle. They were bred for gathering spoil and occupying. They were bred to intimidate your adversaries.’ “As the road was transitioning, so were our clothes! In the dream, we had not been aware of the clothes we were wearing as we walked the road under the willow trees, but we did become aware of the new clothes that appeared on us as we moved ahead. We were now wearing garments of royalty and war…the garments of kings. It’s difficult to describe what we all looked like in these clothes. Everyone was dressed this way, and all looked brilliant!”] End of Part 1. “At this time, the man on the white horse repositioned himself at the front of this vast gathering of kings. His sword was now drawn and resting across the horn of his saddle. As he moved, the road and the trees completely changed. The road was now a paved road. We knew in the dream that this pavement would give us an advantage in the coming battle. (Horses don’t normally do well on paved surfaces, but this surface was made for our horses. It was a surface for war.) There was now another mile marker on the road. It was mile marker 22. Under the number 22 was written ‘The King’s Highway,’ and a scepter was engraved just under the phrase. “Then the trees changed. There were now huge cedar trees strategically placed in the field of battle ahead of us. We could see 7 of them in the distance. The first one was very close to us. The man on the white horse said to us, ‘The adversary has encamped around my cedars. Now, I will have my cedars back. I now activate Operation Overtake and Occupy the Cedars! Your mission is to overtake and occupy the cedars of this land. You will be successful if you watch, hear, and move. When you take the cedars, you will take the land.’” End of Part 2. My Comments As Christ led us down the road, we came to mile marker 22. For 25 years, this has been a significant number for me, representing Isaiah 22:22. The verse speaks of being given spiritual keys with which to permanently open and close doors. This was fulfilled for all the church when Christ gave the Ekklesia His keys of authority in Matthew 16:18-19. The mile marker also read “The Kings Highway,” under which was etched a scepter. All of this points to our kingly authority, flowing to us from Christ. Then we saw the battlefield, consisting of 7 cedar trees spaced sequentially, separated by some distance. Evergreen trees represent covenant in scripture. Abraham planted an evergreen tree in Genesis 21:33, symbolizing his covenant with Yahweh, and called on Everlasting God. In using this name of God, Abraham was declaring Yahweh as Lord of his past, present, and future. I speak extensively of this in my book, An Appeal To Heaven. The evergreen tree and this name of God have great significance in my journey and calling to America. The evergreen was also very significant to our Founders and is on the Appeal To Heaven flag. The number 7 in Scripture also represents covenant (not just completion and rest), which is definitely the case in the dream. The Lord said to us, “The enemy has encamped around my cedars. Now, I will have my cedars back. I now activate Operation Overtake and Occupy the Cedars. Your mission is to overtake and occupy the Cedars of this land. You will be successful if you watch, hear, and move. When you take the Cedars, you will take the land.” I have known for 25 years or more that the war for the soul of America is about covenant. Don’t think of America’s covenant with God in the same sense as His covenant with Abraham or the New Covenant through the blood of Christ. There are different levels and types of covenant. Technically, the biblical word for covenant simply means an agreement, contract, promise, etc. Covenants in Scripture were not all blood covenants, but were nonetheless sacred and binding. For example, David and Jonathan entered into a covenant together (1 Samuel 18:3), which David honored as a very sacred agreement. Joshua and Israel entered into a covenant with the Gibeonites, and though it was not on the level of the Abrahamic covenant or the New Covenant through Christ, it was still binding. Joshua actually defended them in war to honor this covenant (Joshua 9). King Saul was later judged for breaking this same covenant (2 Samuel 21). When nations enter into a covenant with God, making promises and agreements with Him, as our Founders did, He takes them very seriously. God honors covenant and expects us to, as well. Fidelity to these covenants brings His blessing, protection, and prosperity; breaking them opens the nation to curses. America’s covenant agreement with God was to be a light to the nations, a city on a hill, taking the gospel of his kingdom to all the nations of the Earth. When Robert Hunt planted the Cross at Cape Henry in 1607 and dedicated this land to the glory of God and the spreading of the gospel to all the world, he actually used the word covenant. He and our later Founders knew God birthed America, not just for our freedom, but for His cause, as well. Establishing America for this purpose does not mean God intended for the land to be taken from Native Americans and given to the Europeans. This was wrong. I believe God’s plan could have been enacted without this occurring, just as William Penn attempted to do by purchasing the land and walking in covenant with the Native Americans. It also does not excuse slavery and other sins. God did not orchestrate the bringing of slaves to America, but He DOES want all races now in America to participate in this covenant plan, working together for His cause. If He has His way, we will all participate in this coming great awakening, His church will become united in this purpose, and fulfill this holy calling together. No wonder satan and his followers war so fiercely against America! And it is no wonder he and those aligned with him make such heinous and despicable attempts to divide us. The devil desperately needs America to remain estranged from God, living under the curses of her broken covenant with Him, and thereby forfeiting her destiny. Our rejection of and broken covenant with Yahweh has helped destroy the once-greatest nation on earth. The curses of demonic control, evil leaders, death, violence, moral decay, abandoning the family unit, financial devastation, destruction of our children, loss of power and protection, and more, have been astronomical. As I stated yesterday, we are on life support; only a spiritual awakening and miracle from God can save us. HOWEVER, in this dream, Christ said He was coming, through the church, to take back the cedars! “You will be successful if you watch, hear, and move. When you take the cedars [restore Covenant], you will take the land,“ He declared. I have said many times and will continue to do so, this restoration will not be accomplished through the entire church, but by a remnant. We must not become discouraged by the complacency and lack of involvement of many. God is willing to heal our land through the intercession and actions of a few. Also, we must not become prideful about this, nor judgmental. My purpose in emphasizing it is to ward off discouragement: God can work through a remnant. Though it does not appear that America can be restored at this time, in tomorrow’s post we will see Christ’s declaration that it IS time for this to occur. The necessary alignment of heaven and earth has taken place, and victory can occur. Pray with me: Father, we know this nation has broken covenant with You in very egregious ways. We have abandoned our purpose and our alignment with You, turning to wickedness and gross sin. We know that our restoration could never be “earned,” but will be accomplished only through the blood of Jesus and the mercy it provides. We also know that America’s restoration is not only for our salvation, but for Your eternal purposes - not just for the American Dream, but Your Dream for America. You have restored much revelation to the church over the past several decades. We have much to learn, but You have taught us much. We know we are Your family, and as such, are Your ambassadors, representatives, and Christ’s Ekklesia on earth. We know that Holy Spirit has been sent to help us fully accomplish this. We know that Your Father-heart is to redeem, and that You intend to reap the greatest harvest in the earth’s history. You have told us this is now beginning. We align ourselves with your words and will. We ask for increased revelation, endurance, and wisdom to carry out this assignment. And we bind every attempt of Satan’s kingdom to stop it. We pray all of this in Christ’s name, He who has all authority in heaven and on earth. Amen. Our decree: We decree that Christ’s “Operation Overtake and Occupy the Cedars” will be successful. Click on the link below to watch the full video. You can learn more about Dr. Greg Hood at GregHood.org.

Operation Overtake and Occupy the Cedars - Part 1 It is now clear to those with any level of prophetic discernment in the church that there is no hope for America’s survival apart from supernatural intervention. It will take a genuine revival, one that produces a sweeping return to God, to reverse America’s insanity, restore reason and allow God to restore us. Our condition is critical; we’re on life-support, no longer able to heal or recover on our own. God, in His mercy and His need of a restored America for the coming worldwide revival, is willing to bring this resurrection. As has always been the case in history, however, this restoration is demanding the participation of a remnant. Some accuse me of exaggerating when I say the prayers of the praying church are saving America. I am not. THERE IS NO HOPE FOR AMERICA WITHOUT A THIRD GREAT AWAKENING, AND THERE IS NO AWAKENING WITHOUT PRAYER. Most Americans, including Christians, look to government to save us, but as Reagan said, “government IS the problem.” There is zero chance our government can save America. A large part of the church believes God will sovereignly do as He wishes, with or without us. The truth is God needs our participation. To the praying remnant, I say, “Thank you, and persevere! Your prayers are saving America.” GOD IS WILLING TO SAVE THROUGH A REMNANT! Over the next three days, I’m going to share and unpack a significant dream which will encourage you in this effort. You’ll find it enlightening, instructive, and very encouraging. It was given to my friend, Greg Hood, a few months back and I feel it is now time to share it. Greg begins: “The dream started with Dutch and me (Greg) opening and walking through a gate leading to a long dirt road, canopied with willow trees. We walked for two miles under these willow trees. I knew it was two miles because there were wooden mile markers along the road. However, these markers looked different than those we see on a normal U.S. or State highway. This mile marker had the mile number 2, and underneath it was etched another number, 4352, and a crown. “As we walked down this narrow dirt road, we could hear a wind blowing through the willow trees. The sound was like angels and people singing together. Somehow we knew this sound, though we could not make out the words. As we walked, we saw in the near distance a man sitting on a completely white horse. The horse was a very bright white. Its feet were moving slightly with the sound moving through the willow trees. “As we approached the man, we were not sure if we wanted to walk any further, for the atmosphere had become very heavy. We could not make out the man’s face or appearance, but he was emanating an extremely bright light, had a sword on his side and a crown on his head. These two things we could clearly see. Dutch turned his head toward me very slowly, as if not wanting to draw attention from the man on the horse. Looking at me, he said, ‘We might die here, but we have to keep moving.’ “I (Greg) responded in a whisper, ‘I agree. We must press into this. I can see the road changes just past the man on the horse.’ “We continued to make our way down this dirt road with its canopy of willow trees. It was very difficult to continue because of the weight of the sound moving through the willow trees. (Yes, the sound had weight to it.) As we approached, the horseman moved his horse to the side of the road and, after we passed him, positioned himself just behind us, traveling down the dirt road with us. The overwhelming fear we once felt had turned into extremely bold confidence. “As we continued walking, we noticed the road changing under our feet, from dirt to a paved road. Just before the road changed completely, the man on the white horse instructed us to stop and listen. He said, ‘Keep watching, and you will see all that is ahead of you, and even far off. Keep listening; my voice is guiding you. My voice will navigate you through this complicated and treacherous terrain. Keep moving, and you will take the land. The land ahead of you will look much different than it has before. This is your land.’ He then added, ‘You will not walk from here; you will ride.’ “I don’t know where they came from, but he presented each of us with a horse. As he did, we could see many other people approaching us, walking and leading horses. They were not coming from ahead of us but approached from within the willow trees. We knew many of them, as they were friends and co-laborers in ministry and life. There were also many that we did not know. Without hearing any order or command, we took the reins of our horses and mounted them - everyone at once. “As we did this, the man on the white horse answered a question Dutch and I both had in our minds but were hesitant to ask. He knew our question, even though we hadn’t asked it. He said, ‘You want to know their names, don’t you, the names of your horses? Well, their names are not as important as the troop they come from; they are from Troop Basileus, and they will ride like it! These horses were bred for you.’ He went on to say, ‘They are bred for battle. They were bred for gathering spoil and occupying. They were bred to intimidate your adversaries.’ “As the road was transitioning, so were our clothes! In the dream, we had not been aware of the clothes we were wearing as we walked the road under the willow trees, but we did become aware of the new clothes that appeared on us as we moved ahead. We were now wearing garments of royalty and war…the garments of kings. It’s difficult to describe what we all looked like in these clothes. Everyone was dressed this way, and all looked brilliant!” End of Part 1. The dream began with Greg and me walking a dirt road flanked by willow trees, which in Scripture symbolize both loss and hope (Psalm 137). As we progress, tomorrow you will see that the dream is about America’s restoration. This beginning indicates we were saddened by America’s condition, but also had hope. The number on the mile marker, 4352, is Strong’s number of the Greek word for worship. We must worship while journeying on this road to America’s restoration. The sound of worship carried weight, symbolizing glory, and led us to greater authority, pictured by the crown under the number. It released the wind (Holy Spirit), angelic help, and brought a manifestation of Christ, the rider on the White Horse. He enthrones Himself in our praise (Psalm 22:3). Christ had His sword and was wearing His crown representing power and authority. He had come as the Warrior King. He allowed us to pass Him, then followed us down the road, which removed all fear from us. The road then changed from dirt to pavement. I’m not certain of this meaning, perhaps it symbolized the passage of time, from America’s birth to the present. Then Christ spoke words of instruction and encouragement, “Watch, listen, I will guide you through the complicated and treacherous terrain and show you the future. Things will look different, but this is your land.” Christ then gave us horses, war horses bred especially for us, for battle, for intimidating enemies, gathering spoil, and occupying territory. War horses symbolize strength for battle. He told us they were from Troop Basileus. Basileus is a Greek word meaning a king, ruler, or lord (Strongs 935). It is an obvious reference to the Ekklesia, the royal priesthood of Christ, who have been delegated His authority to rule and reign. At this point our clothing changed to royal garments of war. The beginning of this dream is telling us Christ has prepared us for this season of spiritual war to restore America. There is a portion of the church that recognizes America’s condition, but also understands worship, Holy Spirit and angelic help, and Christ’s authority. As we will see tomorrow, the war is over America’s calling and destiny. Pray with me: Jesus, thank You for giving Your prophetic anointing to the church through the Holy Spirit. A remnant is truly listening and praying. We know that the road, the journey we are on must be one of worship; angels will join us on this holy road. Our worship releases the wind of Holy Spirit and brings Your presence, not only as our Shepherd, but also as the White Horse Rider, our glorious King. On this road of restoration for America, we humbly accept our calling to partake of Your Kingly anointing. You have placed us in Your troop, the Ekklesia, the Troop of the King. You have dressed us for war and given us strength for battle, pictured by war horses. Thank You Holy Spirit for speaking to us through this dream, giving strategy and encouragement. We ask You to stir the hearts of more believers to listen and take seriously Your warnings and instructions. And as we hear You, we ask that the next era of Kingdom activity be the greatest ever! In Christ’s name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that we will worship, and ride into battle with the authority of our King, Jesus. Click on the link below to watch the full video. You can learn more about Dr. Greg Hood at GregHood.org.

He Has Risen! As He was beginning His earthly ministry, Jesus visited John the Baptist, who publicly announced concerning Him, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29, 36). Two of John’s disciples heard this stunning announcement and decided to check Him out. As they followed Jesus, He noticed, turned to them, and asked, “What do you seek?” Their answer was interesting. “Rabbi (which translated means ‘Teacher’), where are you staying?” “Come, and you will see,” was His invitation to them. They took Him up on His offer and ended up spending the day with Him (v. 39). Warning: If you’re happy with things as they are, spending a day with Jesus isn’t a good idea! Having a private audience with Him for an entire day, face to face, IS going to change you. Radically. I suppose the conversation could be superficial at first: “What were You thinking when You made porcupines? The zebra’s stripes? How many stars are there? How about galaxies?” From there, perhaps you would segue into questions concerning Jesus and God: “How old were You when You first realized who You actually were? What does God look like?” At some point, however, you would no doubt transition into personal questions concerning yourself and your future. Everyone thinks about purpose. Experts tell us the desire to know our purpose is one of the strongest desires we humans have. Believing we have a purpose is directly related to self-esteem, self-worth, and ultimately, personal fulfillment. Did these two men ask Jesus about this? We don’t know for certain. We do know that one of them was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother (v. 40), who became one of Christ’s twelve disciples. Something he heard while with Jesus impacted him so greatly he decided on a career change! Destiny flows from days spent with Jesus. Another revelation Andrew received that day had to do with, not his own identity, but Christ’s. He began the day by referring to Jesus as a teacher (”Rabbi”); he ended it by calling Him the Messiah. “He found first his own brother Simon, and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which translated means Christ)” (John 1:41). Andrew received the two most important revelations needed for a successful life that day: who Christ is, which is the key to unlocking everything else in life, and who he was. When those two things are known, destiny is unlocked. The purpose of anything is found in the mind of its creator, not in itself. True self-identity comes from identifying and knowing the One who made us. You’ll never really find yourself until you find Him. Andrew found both that day. No wonder we have an identity issue in our nation, we have robbed a generation of knowing their Creator. Those who reject their Maker sentence themselves to a wasted life. Seeking self-awareness apart from God is like a journey without a destination. Watching this saddens and angers me deeply. I do not enjoy talking about judgment. But all of Christ’s Words are on the table. He had great anger toward those who abused children. “But 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 deserves!” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭6‬ ‭TPT‬‬). Scary words from the Supreme Judge. There will be a day of reckoning. At the end of Christ’s ministry, two more of His followers had a revelatory encounter with Him. The meeting occurred just after the Cross and, though they didn’t know it, the Resurrection. To say their world had just turned topsy-turvy would be a gross understatement. To have discovered, lived with, and traveled with Jesus for three years, only to lose Him, would be life’s cruelest injustice. These two men had heard earlier in the day that Christ had risen from the dead. But, really, who would believe two grief-stricken ladies claiming to have been visited by angels? That’s quite a stretch. And those supposed angels informed the women that Christ rose from the dead? Delusional. As they walked the seven-mile journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus, they were discussing this too-good-to-be-true report and all that had transpired over the past few days. They were discouraged, confused, and disillusioned. That’s when He arrived. “And it came about that while they were conversing and discussing, Jesus Himself approached, and began traveling with them. But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him” (Luke 24:15-16). “What are you discussing?” He asked. As if He didn’t know! They gave Jesus a brief summary, expressing their surprise that He would even have to ask. “What else would we be discussing?” was their inference. It seems everyone in Jerusalem could think of little else than what had transpired with Christ the last few days, since so many of them had thought He might be the long-awaited Messiah. They spoke to Him of their devastation and also of the rumor that He had risen from the dead. Jesus, His identity still hidden from them, “Explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures” (v. 27), including the fact He needed to suffer and die. Wouldn’t you like to hear that recording! When I get to heaven, the video room will be one of my first stops. Though they still didn’t know it was Jesus, His words were impacting their hearts. “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us… explaining the Scriptures to us?” they stated (v. 32). When they reached their destination, the men pled with Jesus to spend the night. The Lord agreed to do so, and during dinner, “He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him” (vv. 30-31). He disappeared from their sight at that moment. Sleep was now out of the question. So they hurried back the seven miles to Jerusalem with the good news: Christ was, indeed, risen. I find it more than a coincidence that after hiding from these men who He was, the Lord chose to release the revelation “in the breaking of the bread” (v. 35). After all, He was the “bread of life” that had been “broken” for them (see John 6:33, 35, 48-51), and they could now partake of His resurrection life. Was the timing of the revelation His way of saying to them, “The sustenance you need is now available? Sup with Me (Revelation 3:20), and I will reveal to you the things you need to know?” I believe so. I also believe He is saying the same to us. We can eat the bread of life by feeding on His words (Matthew 4:4). Eat them. As you do, revelation will come, and He will unveil Himself to you, just as He did these two men. At some point, your Creator will also reveal to you your purpose and destiny, just as He did for Andrew. Spend a day with Jesus…He is risen. Pray with me: Father, we just celebrated our Lord’s victory over sin, death, hell, and the grave. He triumphed fully and now ever lives to be our Apostle, Mediator, High Priest, and King. Thank You for this amazing, costly, and wonderful plan. As we walk with You, we pray for a greater revelation of Christ’s victory. We are one with Him spiritually, infused with His nature, more than conquerors, able to do all things through His strength. Increase revelation of these things, but also that we are His Ekklesia on earth, assigned to represent Him. Awaken us to this! May the revelation be ever-increasing. And we continue, as we always will, to declare that Holy Spirit is now orchestrating history’s greatest revival. We bind the work of demonic powers attempting to stop this, enforcing Christ’s magnificent victory at Calvary. Come in greater power, Kingdom of God. Will of God, be accomplished. We pray these things in the risen Messiah’s name, Yeshua. Our decree: We decree that death was conquered and has lost its sting. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Portions of today’s post were taken from my book The Pleasure of His Company, published by Baker Books.

Love’s Motivation First, I want to say thank you for the tremendous feedback we received from the three posts last week on forgiveness and being released from the wounds of the past. We do not usually know until later how certain things we are led to say or do are needed and appreciated. It seems that these teachings were very timely and a great blessing to many. Thank you again for the feedback. As you know, if you follow these daily posts on a regular basis, my goal is certainly to focus on issues that need corporate prayer. However, they are also intended to be devotionals and teachings, to help you in your personal walk and growth. And, of course, they are meant to inform you of issues you may not hear of elsewhere, that need our prayers. I want to pick up on a teaching I gave a week or so ago regarding God‘s instructions to Joshua when he was assuming the leadership over Israel. In that post, I pointed out that when Joshua was about to step into this important assignment, which involved possessing the promised inheritance God spoke of to Abraham, Yahweh began with some very interesting instructions: “Remember the basics, Joshua. Listen to Me, obey Me, meditate in My words, don’t be afraid,” and more. Have your devotions first, then go to war! Nothing should ever stand in the way of our personal times with our Father. It should be understood that the book of Joshua is a picture for us of how to possess or inherit our spiritual promises from God. What Israel did physically - possess the land - we do spiritually. We are to apply the lessons and principles given to them in order to possess our spiritual inheritance in Christ. Joshua was not the original name given to this leader. His name was changed from Hoshea to Joshua, which comes from the same Hebrew word as Yeshua, because he was going to be a very wonderful type or picture of Christ. Just as Joshua led Israel into their inheritance, Christ would lead us into ours. And many lessons are to be gleaned from Israel’s experiences and applied to the possessing of our promises. Here is our lesson from the book of Joshua for today. Seven times in the first chapter of Joshua the word “command” is used by Holy Spirit. Twice the phrase, “be careful to do, according to all” was used. This means a total of nine times in the first chapter when preparing Israel to possess their inheritance, God emphasized the need to obey Him very carefully. It is as though Yahweh was telling them, “Settle this now. You do not have the freedom to think about whether or not you will obey Me. You must obey Me immediately and without hesitation. This is not a suggestion; it is a requirement.” The first act of obedience was then required. The Lord told Joshua, “Start packing. In three days you are going to cross over the Jordan and begin this war.” No debate. No negotiating on the timing. Just, “Get started. You have three days.” One would think that after 40 years of waiting God could’ve given this multitude of people more than three days to pack everything and prepare to move. But, no. God had a schedule in mind and He did not want them to wait. This would be done in His timing. They did not realize that much of what they did was based on God's eternal calendar, that the day of their crossing over would one day coincide with the events of the cross. God’s timing was about more than their convenience and certainly beyond their understanding. But He needed it done on that day. “So start packing, Joshua.” Some Christians want to find out what God wants, then they’ll decide whether or not they want to do it. This is a recipe for failure. We must decide, in advance, that He is in charge and we will do whatever He asks of us, whatever the cost, regardless of how much it stretches our faith. We must obey if we are to inherit our provision through Christ. We may not always like the process, but we will always love the fruit. This does not mean we are “earning” God’s blessings. It means we are walking in step with His instructions, which guarantee life and victory. God’s commandments and instructions are to bless us, protect us, lead us in the right ways, bring freedom to us, and advance His purposes - not to produce bondage or a performance mentality. Simply stated, He knows what is best. We are to say along with the Psalmist, “I delight to do your will” (Psalm 40:8). There are five New Testament words for a servant/serving. One day I will teach on all of them in a post. But two of them are doulos and latris. A doulos was a bond-slave. Latris, however, from the verb form latreuo, means to serve, not out of compulsion but from relationship. A parent serves his or her family by providing and caring for them - not as a slave but out of the motivation of love. This is latreuo. Romans 12:1 tells us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God, “which is our reasonable service.” (KJV) Other versions of Scripture translate the phrase differently, and appropriately so: “which is our reasonable service of worship.” (NASV) They do this because the word is latreuo, not doulos. We are not being told to present our bodies as a living sacrifice because we are God’s slaves, but rather to do so because we are in relationship with Him and we want to please Him. He knows what is best for us and we trust Him. And as we do this it is considered worship, not just service. Yes, God owns us. This is true by the right of creation, but also because we are bought with a price by the blood of Jesus (1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23). As Lord, He can tell us to do anything He wants. And the apostle, Paul, regularly referred to himself as a doulos, God’s bondslave. In the early days of the Charismatic Movement we frequently sang the song, “He is Lord.” And He is. But God’s heart is not to treat us as slaves “owned” by Him, but to relate to us as His children and friends (John 15:14-15). He wants us to serve Him from a heart of love and worship, from relationship. When we move into this type of relationship with Him we become co-laborers with God, working together with Him. We embrace the great commission as a co-mission. Our hearts have become one with His and we want what He wants. We’re members of Abba’s household of faith. This motivation changes everything. Yes, Paul referred to himself as a bond slave, but he also said the love of God constrained him to do what he did (2 Corinthians 5:14). As we move forward in praying and working toward the great harvest that is beginning, we must establish that we will obey God fully. But we must also realize that we are His partners, friends, and kids. As the Senior Partner, He will give us direction, but He delights in involving us in the process. Pray with me: Father, Your heart toward us is amazing. As the infinite God, You want relationship with a human family. We are overwhelmed at Your incredible plan of the ages: creating us, redeeming us, and giving us a membership in Your heavenly family. May we never take this for granted. We are reminded today that You are indeed the Lord and Master. You are Almighty God. But You are also Father. Abba. You love us with an everlasting love. And as we pray, may we always remember that we are working together with You, not just for You. So as we intercede today, we remember that we are agreeing with You, not attempting to talk You into something. We ask for revival and the great harvest because You want that. We ask for salvation to come to people because it’s what You want. We ask for miracles because You want to perform them. We ask for deliverance because You want to set people free. We extend the victory of the cross into the earth now and we declare a spirit of deliverance be released throughout the world. We call forth the great awakening and harvest that is in Your heart and release it into the earth now, in the mighty name of Jesus. Our decree: We decree that we are co-laborers with God on the earth and as such, we move in His plan and authority. We bind every work of darkness that is attempting to thwart the purposes of God on the earth. We forbid its success. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Passion Week: Redemption Began In Gethsemane “Leaving there, He went, as He so often did, to Mount Olives. The disciples followed Him. When they arrived at the place, He said, ‘Pray that you don’t give in to temptation.’” (Luke 22:39 MSG) “The place” spoken of by Luke was Gethsemane. It had become Christ’s favorite place of prayer; notice the phrase, “as He so often did.” This is how Judas, who had left the last supper early, knew where to take the soldiers to find Him. Christ would spend three hours there that night agonizing over the ordeal He was facing. During this time, He would wrestle with His natural, human desire for this cup of suffering to pass from Him: “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). The agony of these three hours was horrific, much worse than most people realize. Luke tells us Christ started this time of prayer on His knees. Matthew adds that He eventually fell on His face in agony. Mark added that He fell repeatedly. In other words, Christ would kneel, then fall on His face. He would rise to His feet again, only to fall once more - first to His knees, then onto His face. At one point, the agony of what He was experiencing, as well as the knowledge of what was coming, became so great that the capillaries in His face burst, and blood mixed with sweat oozed through the pores of His skin (Luke 22:44). This is a painful medical condition known as hematidrosis. “Doctors don't know exactly what triggers hematidrosis, in part because it's so rare. They think it could be related to the body's ‘fight or flight’ response… Sometimes it seems to be caused by extreme distress or fear, such as facing death, torture, or severe ongoing abuse. It's probably where the term ‘sweating blood,’ meaning a great effort, comes from.” (1) “While the extent of blood loss generally is minimal, hematidrosis also results in the skin becoming extremely tender and fragile.”(2) I believe our redemption was actually beginning here when the first drop of Christ’s blood was shed, even before He reached the Cross. Through a blending of the Gospel accounts, and with more in-depth definitions of the words chosen by Holy Spirit, we can gain a more complete picture of what Jesus truly experienced in the garden. When He “withdrew” from the disciples to pray by Himself (Luke 22:41), Luke uses a stronger word than the other Gospel writers, apospao, which means “to tear away.”(3) Wuest translates it accordingly, “He tore himself away from them.” Probably more than any time in His life, Christ wanted the comfort of being with friends, yet He knew He would have to face this ordeal alone. We are told by Matthew and Mark that Yeshua became “sore amazed, exceedingly sorrowful and very heavy” in His mind and emotions (Matthew 26.37-38; Mark 14:33-34 KJV). More literal definitions of the Greek words used give us poignant descriptions of what He was feeling: Ademonein: “to be troubled and in anguish, to be in a state of great anxiety; used of one who is rendered helpless, disoriented, agitated, and anguished by the threat of an approaching event.”(4) Perilupus: “to be very sad, environed or surrounded with deep grief.”(5) Ekthambeisthai: “to be exceedingly astonished, either with wonder or fear; to be in the grip of a shuddering horror.”(6) Wuest says Christ was “thoroughly alarmed.” Though He knew in advance this trauma was coming, the intensity of it was even greater than what He had expected. It was alarming to Him! Astonishing. Disorienting. Horrifying. Matthew tells us Jesus was agonizing “to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38). The word used demands that this be taken literally. Though death could never have taken Christ before the time came for Him to yield up His spirit, in a strictly human sense, here in the garden, His body was close to death. Again, I believe our redemption - specifically, taking the emotional wounds, rejections, and sorrows of the entire world upon Himself - began here in the garden of Gethsemane. Isaiah prophesied of Christ: “He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging, we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:3-5 NASB) Don’t waste a moment of Christ’s suffering for you. Everything He did was redemptive. Every second of suffering and abuse was for you and me, taking our place. Let it bring healing to every part of your soul that may be hurting. Jesus wants you healed from every form of abuse, rejection, betrayal, and loss. He paid for this! Receive it. After three hours of agony, Christ prevailed. He broke through into peace, and His spirit was now in complete control of every emotion. At this point, Judas came with soldiers and betrayed Christ with a kiss, kataphileo (7). The word reveals that this was more than just the friendly kiss on the cheek (phileo) (8), a common greeting in many countries. The prefix kata (9) strengthens it, implying a stronger affection, perhaps with a hug or a lingering kiss on the cheek. That is why Jesus questioned Judas, “Are you betraying me with this type of affection, Judas?” (Luke 22:48) Christ then asks the soldiers, “Who are you seeking?” When they told Him, He simply said, “I AM” (John 18:4-5). Jesus did NOT say “I am He,” as most translations state. He spoke His God-name from throughout eternity: “I AM.” And the power of His words, of His name, knocked the soldiers backward onto the ground (verse 6). Christ is, indeed, Almighty God. At this point, Peter, perhaps emboldened by what happened to the soldiers, pulled out a sword and cut off the ear of Malchus, a servant of the High Priest. Jesus promptly touched Malchus and healed his ear! (Luke 22:51) The great I AM, indeed! The Healer! The Great Physician! The Creator! And in this time of His suffering, the Savior is seen ministering to His enemies. At this point, Jesus was led away to be tried, beaten, and crucified. We will look at this tomorrow. Pray with me: Father, the agony You must have felt during Christ’s sufferings had to have been immeasurable. The temptation to answer His prayer, “Let this cup pass from Me,” must have been overwhelming. But You knew there was no other way to save us - our sins required a perfect, sinless substitute. You who spared not Your own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall You not also with Him, freely give us all things! (Romans 8:32) Thank You! And Jesus, words fail us. You, the Prince of Peace, suffered overwhelming mental anguish and emotional trauma for us. You allowed Yourself to feel the pressure until Your capillaries burst and Your skin oozed blood. Through this, You now give us unexplainable peace and unspeakable joy. We worship You today. We exalt You above all others. We love You from the depths of our hearts. May our incense of worship rise before You, bringing the pleasure You so deserve. As incredible as it sounds, we are the reward of Your suffering. Satisfy Your heart even more in this hour - send revival to the earth! Bring a billion souls into Your family in this coming revival. Your Father, who cannot lie, gave You the nations as Your inheritance. No one can take them from You. Holy Spirit, show the world just how wonderful this God-Man is. Open their eyes to His glory, His selfless love, His humility. Give them dreams about Him that awaken desire - a longing to know Him. Surely, there is no one like Him - give them a taste! Let not the wicked stop this. Ruin their plans, judge their strategies, thwart their efforts…and reveal this glorious Man. And in His name, we pray, Amen. Tomorrow we will be having communion together as we remember the day known as Good Friday, the day of Christ’s death. Click on the link below to watch the full video. ______________________________ https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/hematidrosis-hematohidrosis https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hematidrosis This is a combined definition from these sources: Strong, James. The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990. Thayer, Joseph Henry. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1977. Vine, W.E. The Expanded Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 1984. Zodhiates, Spiros, The Complete Word Study Dictionary. Iowa Falls, IA: Word Bible Publishers, 1992. 4. Ibid 5. Ibid 6. Ibid 7. Ibid 8. Ibid 9. Ibid

Passion Week: The Alabaster Box It is unfortunate for us to try and focus on something as important and holy as Christ’s Passion week, while also needing to watch and comment on the chaos occurring in our nation. What is happening with President Trump is unprecedented, literally, and one more example of the corruption and polarization in America. As I’m sure you know by now, there were no surprises in Trump’s indictment, and the expert legal analysts I’m hearing believe the charges are motivated by politics, and have no chance of succeeding (unless it is from a stacked jury). The likely motivation for this is to plant negative thoughts about Trump in the minds of voters and be a distraction to him and his campaign. I will certainly say more about this in the future, and we will continue to pray for America, our government, and the work Holy Spirit needs to do to heal our land. Today, however, let’s move on to Christ’s final week on earth, leading up to the Cross. During the week of Christ’s Passion, we are told the story of a woman anointing Christ’s head and feet with very expensive ointment. “Now Jesus was in Bethany, in the home of Simon, a man Jesus had healed of leprosy. And as He was reclining at the table, a woman came into the house, with an alabaster flask filled with the highest quality of fragrant and expensive oil. She came to Jesus, and with a gesture of extreme devotion, she broke the flask and poured out the precious oil over His head. But some were highly indignant when they saw this, and they complained to one another, saying, ‘What a total waste! It could have been sold for a great sum, and the money could have benefited the poor.’ So they scolded her harshly. Jesus said to them, ‘Leave her alone! Why are you so critical of this woman? She has honored me with this beautiful act of kindness. You will always have the poor, whom you can help whenever you want, but you will not always have Me. When she poured the fragrant oil over Me, she was preparing My body in advance of My burial. She has done all that she could to honor Me. I promise you that as this wonderful gospel spreads all over the world, the story of her lavish devotion to Me will be mentioned in memory of her.’” (‭‭Mark‬ ‭14:3-9‬ ‭TPT‬‬) This oil was very expensive, worth a year’s wages based on the average income of the day. We know from John’s account (John 12:1-8) that this was done by the same Mary who sat at Christ’s feet, mesmerized by His words, in Luke 10:38-42. She was the sister of Martha and Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead. The timing of Mary’s offering was just days before His death, and Jesus said she was anointing Him for His burial. Whether Mary had grasped the reality of His words about His imminent death and resurrection, or whether Jesus was simply applying the offering in that light is unclear. Two things we do know: It was a very costly offering from Mary, and it was precious to the Lord. “Wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done shall be spoken of in memory of her,” He stated (Matthew 26:13). Some speculate that the scent of this powerful perfume would have lingered in Christ’s hair for several days. Did the fragrance help sustain Him as He agonized in Gethsemane? Perhaps the sweet aroma comforted Him through the tortuous six hours on the Cross. Never underestimate the fragrance of worship. Others in the room thought Mary’s offering to be a waste. Some actually scolded her (Mark 14:5). I know the feeling. When I canceled all other activities for three months in our church in Colorado Springs, lavishing ninety days of 24/7 worship on the Lord, I, too, was criticized. One influential Christian leader rebuked me, calling the ninety days of worship “a complete waste of time.” It’s fascinating just how much perspectives can differ. For me, those three months remain the best three months of my life. They were my alabaster box of costly perfume, the greatest offering I’ve had the honor of giving Christ. For the person who rebuked me, they were a complete waste of time. Never allow the lack of revelation in others to cheapen your offering. Like Mary, give Christ your best. Others may mock your sacrifice of time, but go ahead and “waste” it on Him. Some will scold you, as they did Mary, calling your passionate praise too radical, but pour out your offering in spite of their ridicule. Still others will label your extravagant worship as excessive. Religious zeal. Don’t let their misguided criticism deter you - pour out your costly perfume! The list of Christ’s followers in the room as Mary anointed Jesus is quite the who’s who. The twelve disciples were present. You’d think they would have understood that Jesus was more than worth this offering, but they were too practical: “It should have been given to the poor,” was their protest. Christ’s thoughts? “Go ahead and anoint Me; there will be ample time to care for the poor after I’m gone.” Simon, the former leper, was present. This was actually his home. One might think his new skin, replaced appendages, and restored life would merit the “wasting” of some costly perfume on Jesus. Evidently not - he didn’t come to Mary’s defense. And then there was Lazarus, Mary’s brother, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. He had been dead so long that he stank. Surely he would see the validity of his sister’s costly perfume sacrifice. But no, Lazarus didn’t come to her defense, either. Could it be that the others’ familiarity with Christ had lessened their wonder of Him, their awe? We don’t know. They certainly didn’t come to Mary’s defense. We do know that only one worshiper that day had the fullness of love and revelation necessary to anoint the Savior. How sadly typical. So many miss opportunities to lavish affection on Him. It is not uncommon for me to see church attendees waste opportunities to break their alabaster box of love and pour it on the Master. They’ve been in His presence so often, sang so many songs and prayed so many prayers that, well, the experience just isn’t quite worth what it used to be. So, they give Him token praise and watered-down worship. Cheap perfume. I doubt if the fragrance makes it past Sunday lunch. But while the others that day wasted an opportunity to comfort God, Mary poured out her costly perfume. Its fragrance sustained Him through Gethsemane, the beatings, mocking, lashing, spittle, spikes, dislocations, and thorns. Don’t allow another day to go by without becoming one of the “fragrance creators.” Let nothing deter you. Your alabaster box is your heart; your love and worship are the perfume. Break it open and pour it out. At the scent of your offering, He’ll meet with you. And He’ll cherish your worship, just as He did Mary’s. Pray with me: Father, thank You for including Mary‘s story in Your Holy Book. We are impressed and motivated by her example, yes. But just as importantly, we are awed by Christ’s moving acceptance and appreciation of it. May we today always give Him our best. May the fragrance of worship ascend to Him daily from our hearts and lives. May You, Abba, always find a sweet fragrance of worship ascending before Your throne. We love You very much. Jesus, thank You for Your amazing, unfathomable humility. We will never know just how much You humbled Yourself to serve us as You did. You became human, touchable, breakable. Your love is unmatched. We worship You today with our hearts and our words. And we gratefully partake of Your life, righteousness, strength, healing, and wholeness. We continue to pray for the turning of our nation and for our government to be transformed. Change those who can be changed; replace the others. You are the God of salvation; bring it to this land. And we wholeheartedly include other nations in this prayer - send revival throughout the earth. We pray all of this in Jesus’ name. Amen. Our decree: We declare that we are passionate worshipers of our great God, and will break our alabaster box, giving Him all of our love and honor. Click here to watch/hear Cece Winans perform the song, The Alabaster Box. This is one of our favorites. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Pre-post statement: Because we post the GH15s very early in the morning, they must be completed the evening before. Therefore, this post was completed Monday, before the arraignment of President Trump. I will comment on the arraignment in tomorrow’s post. However, before I read today’s, let’s briefly pray for him: Father, we thank You for the way You have used Donald Trump. He was the most pro-life President America has ever had. Minorities prospered under his leadership more than under any other President. He protected America and supported Your causes. We ask You to strengthen him in this time and give the outcome You desire regarding the charges against him. And we ask for Your will concerning his future to be accomplished. In Christ’s name, Amen. Passion Week: The Man, Christ Jesus We are entering the week leading up to Resurrection Sunday, often referred to as The Passion Week. Christ actually began experiencing the emotional pressure of what was coming several weeks before the Cross occurred. Most people fail to consider that Jesus was truly human, with real emotions and the ability to feel pain. He experienced grief, sorrow, anger, and disappointment, enjoyed friendships, knew joy and laughter, felt hunger and thirst, grew tired and sleepy. Though fully God, Jesus was also human, but without the Adamic fallen nature. He had to be in order to represent us as a legal substitute. As one who was truly human, Christ didn’t simply flip over into God mode when things got tough in order to not experience the pain or trauma. Philippians 2:6-7 tell us that “although He existed in the form of God, [He] did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.” Let Christ be human. As I stated above, weeks before the Cross Christ began feeling the pressure. When He said, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62), Jesus was thinking of Himself. The passage begins by saying, “Jesus let nothing distract him from departing for Jerusalem because the time for him to be lifted up drew near, and he was full of passion to complete his mission there.” ‭‭(Luke‬ ‭9:51‬ ‭TPT‬‬) Jesus knew that in Jerusalem He would face arrest, torture, and agonizing death. But He set off firmly and unflinchingly, committed to finishing His mission. There would be no backing out, and nothing would deter Him from accomplishing His purpose. Isaiah prophesied this determination: “The Lord God has opened My ear; and I was not disobedient, nor did I turn back. I gave My back to those who strike Me, And My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard; I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting. For the Lord God helps Me, Therefore, I am not disgraced; Therefore, I have set My face like flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed” (Isaiah 50:5-7 NASB). Christ knew this passage was speaking of Him and realized He was entering the season of its fulfillment. So He set His face like flint, put His hand to the plow, and turned toward Jerusalem, beginning what would become His final trek to this city. Traveling by foot and stopping along the way to minister and rest, the journey would take several weeks. Luke, in his gospel, reveals the humanness of Christ more than the other Gospel writers. Under Holy Spirit’s guidance, each Gospel writer had a different goal in his writing. This is why each man shared different (not contradictory) accounts of Christ’s works and teachings. Matthew, for example, wrote his Gospel primarily to the Jews; he was, therefore, revealing Christ as the King of God’s Kingdom. Mark wrote to Romans; hence, he wrote of Jesus as a man of action, filled with power and under authority. John wrote to all humankind, presenting Him as truly God. Luke was writing primarily to Gentiles and Greeks; he presented the humanness of Christ - He was truly a man and, therefore, qualified to be our substitute at the Cross. In revealing Christ’s humanness, Luke wants us to know that from this point onward, the pressure began building in the Son of Man. Jesus was having to remain very focused in order to deal with this pressure. Eleven times after the above verse (9:51), Luke mentions that Christ was journeying toward Jerusalem and, therefore, the Cross. He was focused on the mission and would not waver. In Chapter 12, Luke quotes Him as saying, “I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished” (verse 50). “Distressed” is the Greek word sunecho (Strongs 4912), a very strong word meaning “to be held fast, like a prisoner.” It also means “to be confined, constrained, pressed together so as to not be able to move (like a city under siege);” figuratively, sunecho meant “to be in a mental state of anguish.” Kenneth Wuest’s expanded and very literal translation of the New Testament renders this verse: “I have an immersion by which I will be overwhelmed, and I am being hard pressed from every side until it be consummated.” In other words, though weeks out from the Cross, the strain in Christ was already very intense! Jesus knew what was about to occur and was dreading it. The focus required in order to press on toward Jerusalem was so intense that it could be seen on His countenance. In Luke 9:53, Christ was rejected by a Samaritan village “Because His face was as though He would go to Jerusalem.” Although there was great friction between Jews and Samaritans, Christ had earlier been accepted by a village in Samaria after ministering to “the woman at the well” (see John 4). On this occasion, however, they would not receive Him. Why? They were offended because He couldn’t seem to take His focus off Jerusalem. What did this look like? There must have been many pensive gazes, perhaps even some grimaces, as Christ kept turning His face toward Jerusalem and the Cross. This became so obvious that the Samaritans, who were rejected and looked down upon by the Jews, had finally had enough. Of course, they didn’t understand. Noone did. This was something Christ was having to endure alone. And with His face set like flint, He journeyed on - moving toward His destiny. “And He was passing through from one village to another, teaching, and proceeding on His way to Jerusalem” (Luke 13:22). For several weeks, the journey continued, and the pressure built until Jesus rounded the last curve and crested the last hill. When the city came into view, He burst into tears. Christ’s emotions were now raw, sensitive, and bottled up. Like a pent-up dam that could take no more pressure, He released His emotions. Jesus loved this city; He loved the people. Yet He knew Jerusalem would reject Him and, in the future, experience great devastation. As this mix of emotions erupted to the surface, Yeshua let it all out. And He did more than cry. Again, quoting from Wuest’s New Testament, “...having caught sight of the city, He burst into tears, weeping audibly over it” (Luke 19:41). What a picture. And what must the disciples and those following Christ have thought as He “burst into tears” and sobbed? How often this man surprised and amazed them. Power, authority, humility, wisdom, intellect, love and yes, passion were all exhibited by the Son of Man. And they would soon see His anger. After composing Himself, Christ went directly to the Temple and drove out those who were selling their wares, making His “house of prayer...a robber’s den,” (Luke 19:45-46). This was indeed anger, but it wasn’t a temporary loss of self-control. The Temple was intended by God to picture us humans, created to be the dwelling place/temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16). The defilement Jesus was seeing reminded Him of the defilement in us, which He was about to cleanse at the Cross, just days from then. He was demonstrating what He had come to do: cleanse His temple - US! And Christ was intense about it. Spend some time this week reflecting on the passion of Christ. Journey through the week with Him. Thank Him for the price He paid. Worship Him not only as God, the Creator, but also as Son of Man, the Redeemer. And let Him be human. Pray with me: Father, thank You for Your incredible love and commitment to us. Thank You for the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world. You are amazing. We are deeply moved by being able to call You Abba, Papa. And Jesus, thank You for the incarnation - being willing to become one of us. Isaiah called You Immanuel, “God with us” (Isaiah 7:14). Daniel called You “son of man” (Daniel 7:13). Thank You for the tears. Thank You for the love. Thank You for the suffering and pain. Thank You for the Cross - thank You for dying. And thank You for winning, for conquering death and the grave, for overcoming sin and its evil hold on us. Thank You for sharing Abba with us. Thank You for sharing Your throne with us. Manifest Yourself through us in this era, we pray. May the world see who You are, Yeshua, and Your glory as the church You are building matures into the Ekklesia You envisioned. Continue to mature us into people worthy of bearing Your name. Amen. Our decree: We declare that the sufferings of Christ were not in vain, and His blood will never lose its power. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

We Own A Right Time A picture, as they say, is worth a thousand words. Knowing this, God sculpted and shaped a vivid picture of hope deferred in the form of a mountain - wouldn't you know it would be a mountain! Rugged. Barren. Big. Its very name Horeb, means “desolation, a waste place, barrenness, dryness.” Yep, all synonyms of hope deferred. I sometimes think of this mountain when praying for America. This is the place Moses ended up for much of his forty-year exile, shoveling dung instead of bathing in royal hot tubs. There can be no more severe case of hope deferred than what Moses experienced, having lost his royal inheritance and, it seemed, his destiny. I realize “it ain’t over ‘til it’s over,” but after disappearing for forty years, a dream is usually over. Especially if you’re 80 years old! But thankfully, like many mountains, Horeb had treasure hidden within it. Not only would this barren piece of rock be a picture of exile-induced heart disease, but it would also become a glorious example of conquered hope deferred and healed heart disease. Horeb gives us a glimpse of life on the other side of our pain. The events associated with this mountain portray God’s amazing ability to heal, restore hope and purpose, and bring abundant treasure from ugly mountains. Horeb didn’t remain horrible for Moses, and it won’t for us. The transformation of Horeb’s symbolism became so complete, its power so harnessed by the hand of God, that it eventually became known as “the mountain of God.” (Exodus 3:1). It doesn’t get any better than that! God can so transform the “Horeb seasons” of our lives that one day all we’ll see when we look back at them is Him - the mountain of God. There is gold in this mountain, and we will find it! This became especially real to me a few years back when I found myself in a season of hope deferred, much of which had been caused by betrayal. One afternoon, while seeking the Lord for comfort, He threw me quite a curve. “I need for you to embrace the pain,” He spoke very clearly. What a strange and seemingly cruel statement to hear from a loving Father who supposedly had great plans for my welfare and a future filled with hope. What I did not realize, however, was that God wanted to do more than simply remove my pain; He also wanted to use it for my good. God never wastes our pain; before He removes it, He makes it serve us. Horeb becomes our gym and the pharaoh who sent us there our trainer. And ultimately, like God, whose nature we inherited, we will win. He always wins, and we can, also. I want to be very clear that God wasn’t telling me betrayal is good, nor that He caused it. God doesn’t initiate evil, but He does make it serve Him – and us. He needed me to embrace the pain, NOT so I could hurt, but in order to grab it, wrestle it to the mat, and claim my prize! God doesn’t call evil good, as some people are prone to do. Pain isn’t good; it tells us something is wrong. Death is an enemy. Emotional wounds can break our hearts. God doesn’t make light of our pain, and He isn’t playing weird mind games with us, trying to convince us that bad is good. He IS saying, however, that no matter how deep the wound and great the pain, He knows how to heal and transform it - and not just into scar tissue. He will use its lessons to make us better, healthier, richer, and well positioned for a fulfilling future. Horeb need not be terminal! Learn the lessons from this ugly mountain, and find the buried treasure hidden in it. One of the first things Horeb will teach us, and one of the most important, is the power of perseverance. Don’t downplay this one – it’s huge. Waiting isn’t easy, and nothing truer can be said than that waiting is associated with hope deferred. However, learning to wait without wavering will make you successful in life. God wants to strengthen your endurance through your experience at Horeb, so you can be like a distance runner who can run long distances without damaging the heart or lungs. Moses is one of the all-time record holders for waiting. After fleeing from Pharaoh and becoming an object lesson on deferred hopes and diseased hearts for 40 years, he found it hard to believe God could ever use him again – let alone awaken his dreaming heart. But after a session of arguing with God on this mountain (see Exodus 3-4), he decided to give it a try and became the all-time greatest poster boy for restored hope. Sometimes what is perceived as the death of a vision is really just waiting for its divine time! That’s why persistence is so crucial. This could prove to be one of the greatest assets you’ll mine from this mountain. Rick DeVos, the co-founder of Amway and former owner of the Orlando Magic basketball team, says of persistence: “Persistence is the single most important ingredient of success in life…When confronted with a failure or disappointment, you have only two choices: You can give up, or you can persist…If I could pass on one character trait to young people in the world – one single quality that would help them achieve success in life – it would be persistence. It’s more important than intellect, athletic ability, good looks or personal magnetism. Persistence comes from a deep place in the soul. It is a God-given compensation for what we lack in other areas of our life. Never underestimate its power.”(1) All great men and women have learned to persevere. Galatians 6:9 encourages us to do so without losing heart: “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” At times, like Moses, our wait is because we have not yet arrived at God’s “due time.” The words “due time” in this verse come from the Greek phrase, “idios kairos” and, when fully understood, are filled with reason to persevere. Kairos means “the right time; the opportune point in time at which something should be done.” The second word, idios, denotes “ownership.” This verse is telling us not to lose heart while waiting for something God has promised us, because we own a right time for the promise to arrive. Knowing this makes waiting much easier. I’ve waited over 35 years for America’s - and the entire world’s - next great wave of revival. Twenty-five of those years have been on the front lines. Not quite as long as Moses, Caleb, and Joshua, but I can see their tail lights. During that span, my nation has become a Horeb - desolate, barren, and dry - but I’m starting to see “burning bushes” and hear awakening words from heaven. Open your eyes, see the flame, and listen to the God of resurrection life: “America shall be saved, the bones will live, and I WILL have my harvest!” Pray with me: Father, thank You for giving us inspirational stories in Your Word, for allowing us to see into the lives of overcomers and heroes. Thank You for showing us their challenges, failures, and recoveries. You are the God who makes Horeb serve us. You tell us unequivocally that Horeb is meant to be conquered and turned into a place of strength and breakthrough. We have all visited this mountain, and our entire nation now lives there. But You, God, transform Horebs! You have not given up on America - because You have not given up on the earth. We’ve been knocked down, but You, our Trainer/Manager, have not “thrown in the towel.” To the contrary, You are in our corner with the smelling salts, water bottles, and Holy Spirit’s power. We see the burning bush, and we are listening for Your voice (Exodus 3). We have seen the bones coming together and can hear them rattling - not the death rattle, as some would contend - but the rattling of realignment (Ezekiel 37). We can hear Your laugh of derision toward Your enemies as You listen to them decree their supposed victory over You (Psalm 2). And now we decree Your words over this nation: “America shall be saved.” We decree over the nations: “You are the inheritance of Jesus Christ, and He will have members in His family from every one of you.” We decree over our prodigals and family members: “We shall be saved, and so shall our household.” And we declare over the workers of iniquity in this nation: “The King is coming to shake you from your positions of power.” Our decree: We decree that our desolation and barrenness are being infused with resurrection life. Portions of today’s post were taken from my book The Power of Hope, published by Charisma House. Click on the link below to watch the full video. ________________________________________ Rich DeVos, Hope From My Heart (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2000), pp. 27, 33.

The Scarlet Cord (Today, we are going to take communion together. You may want to pause the video and get your communion elements ready.) “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.” (1) These are the opening lines of the song, Solid Rock, written in 1834 by Edward Mote, a Baptist pastor from England. The well-known refrain states: “On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand.” (2) The refrain of this hymn is based on Matthew 7:24-27, which anyone who’s attended Sunday school will recognize as the parable of The Wise and the Foolish Builders. The passage says: “Anyone who hears these words of mine and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain poured down, the rivers flooded over, and the wind blew hard against that house. But it did not fall, because it was built on rock. But anyone who hears these words of mine and does not obey them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain poured down, the rivers flooded over, the wind blew hard against that house, and it fell. And what a terrible fall that was!” (GNT) Most of the words of this song, not just the refrain, are based in Scripture. Edward Mote must have been a man who loved God’s Word. He had come to understand that hope was found in Christ, and clearly embraced this truth in his life. I’m sure Mote had no idea the powerful song he ended up writing would become a classic, reminding the millions who would sing it that hope is found in Jesus. The Lord tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 that He has good plans and a hope-filled future for us. The hope He gives motivates us to pursue the future He has planned. This allows us to also impart hope, which puts wind beneath the wings of others. Hope looks past any fog or darkness that may encroach on our path and lights our way forward. In my book, The Power of Hope, I state that “Hope does in our hearts what seeds do in the earth. Without hope, life is sterile and unfruitful; dreams won’t be conceived; destinies won’t be realized. Hope is essential because it is the seed, the starting line, the genesis, and the launch pad. It is, in fact, the incubator where faith is birthed: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for,” God tells us (Hebrews 11:1 KJV, emphasis added). If there is no hope for the future, there will be no faith to face it - let alone build it.” (3) Strong’s concordance tells us the word “hope” in Jeremiah 29:11 is the word “tiqvah”. It has two meanings: “an expectancy;” and “a cord, as an attachment.” The second definition is especially fascinating. Hope connects us to our future. This brings us back to the words of Mote’s song, “Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” At some point, while walking along life’s path with the Lord, this powerful truth became a revelation, and he shared it with all the world in his hymn. Tiqvah’s definition as a “cord or rope” is used this way in Joshua 2:18. A woman named Rahab hid the Israelite spies when they came to check out Jericho. Because she helped them, they agreed to save her and her family from the destruction coming to Jericho. The spies gave her a red cord and told her to hang it in her window. They cautioned her to be sure all of her extended family members were in the room with the cord, and all would be saved. In verse 21, she accepted their offer. It was a very good thing she did. The entire city and its inhabitants were destroyed; only Rahab and her family survived. The passage reads, “When we come into the land, you must leave this scarlet cord [tiqvah - hope] hanging from the window through which you let us down… ‘I accept your terms,’ she replied. And, she sent them on their way, leaving the scarlet rope [hope] hanging from the window” (verses 18-21 NLT). Rahab was being asked to place her hope in these men and the God she knew was with them. Their promise to her was a covenant expressed in the blood-red cord. Most biblical scholars see this as a prophetic picture of Christ’s shed blood, which is where we place our hope and trust. This symbolism seems even more likely when we realize Rahab later married an Israelite from the tribe of Judah, Salmon, and became the mother of Boaz. Boaz and Ruth gave us Obed, the father of Jesse, the father of David. King David was one of Rahab’s descendants; she was part of Christ’s lineage! That Jesus descended from Rahab makes it almost certain that the scarlet cord symbolized the redeeming, covenantal blood of Christ, through which we are saved. One verse of Mote’s song says, “His oath, His covenant, His blood, support me in the whelming flood; when all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay.” Let’s put all our hope in God’s covenant with us, knowing we are saved by, tethered to, and anchored solidly in His love and plan. Communion is our declaration that when all around us gives way, Christ is our hope and stay. We are foundationed on Him, our rock, which will never fail to support us. His blood, the scarlet cord, “hangs” from the windows of our hearts and is the surety, the guarantee, of our covenant with God (Hebrews 7:22). He cannot and will not fail. Christ’s blood grafts us into God’s family, just as the cord grafted Rahab into Israel. And not as a second-class citizen - Rahab became a carrier of the royal seed, one of the mothers of Messianic redemption. Put your hope and faith in the blood of Christ - it will not fail! Pray with me: Father, we ask You to restore Your people from hope-deferred. You tell us hope-deferred makes our hearts sick (Proverbs 13:12). Heal them, spiritually and emotionally, so they can be hope-givers to those around them. Many have been in a season of disappointment; some have even abandoned hope, and lost faith in You. They’ve allowed circumstances to determine how they see and relate to You. But hope can spawn faith, correct our vision, and bring us into right relationship with You! You are good, faithful, and have a plan to bring us into a hope-filled future. As we take the bread of communion together today, we break off of Your people fear, disillusionment, hope-deferred, weak hearts, and confusion. We declare Your promise of “no fear,” and release “power, love, and a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). We declare over them the spirit of faith (2 Corinthians 4:13). Through Your covenant, our hope and faith are strong for ourselves, our families, and our nation. (Eat the bread) And as we take the cup today, representing Your blood, we declare, as Rahab did for herself and her family, that we are no longer outsiders, outcasts. We’re in the family now, the household of faith, Your family. As Your kids, we’re Your heirs, joint-heirs with Christ. We stand in this truth today, declaring that we and our families, like Rahab, shall be saved, by the scarlet cord, the blood of a better and eternal covenant - Christ’s. (Drink the cup). Our decree: We declare that a hope-filled church will reflect Jesus, rejoicing in hope, standing patient in tribulation, and remaining constant in prayer. Click on the link below to watch the full video. _________________________ “My Hope is Built” by Edward Mote. Public domain. Ibid Dutch Sheets, The Power of Hope, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Publishing Group, 2002), p 3.

Reject Shallow Living, Refuse Small Dreaming A study reported in the May 2010 issue of Atherosclerosis, said participants who were persistently depressed had a twofold increased risk of narrowing of the arteries. The study took place over a period of ten years, with participants being assessed at least three different times during that ten-year period for depression symptoms.(1) “This is the same magnitude of increased risk that one sees in comparing a pack-a-day smoker to a nonsmoker. (2) Incredible. Hopelessness, if not checked, is a death sentence. A recent study in the British Medical Journal confirms this, reporting that people with serious depression were two-thirds more likely to die prematurely; even those with mild depression had a 16 percent higher risk of dying compared to individuals who were distress free.(3) You can die from sorrow! God told us this a long time ago. Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” Most of us think only of our emotional or spiritual heart when we read this, but science is now proving that the verse is true of physical hearts as well. Hope deferred creates a diseased heart, both emotionally and physically. And with a diseased heart, no one can run life’s race effectively. “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” we are exhorted in Hebrews 12:1. Lack of endurance, however, is one of the first results of heart disease. We may run, but we won’t run far. The loss of hope is crippling, making us little more than spectators in life. “Run in such a way that you may win,” the Lord urges us through Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 9:24. You’ll never do that with a diseased heart. When hope deferred sets in, not only are we unable to win - sometimes, we can’t even finish the race. There’s no doubt about it: hope-deferred “heart disease” is a killer. The Lord doesn’t want the pain, frustration, or disillusionment of hope deferred to affect our hearts in any way. He wants us to run the race of life enthusiastically, effectively, and with pleasure, enjoying the journey. We live in an era of incredible challenge and unprecedented change. Technology is increasing at astounding rates of speed; the global landscape is in an unstable and volatile state, with the possibility of nuclear war once again in the news; famine, disease, and violence are on the rise. The number of humans trafficked and enslaved is higher than any time in history; the insanity and depravity of leaders in America and around the world have reached shocking levels; the hearts of people are failing them from fear. Thoreau's famous quote, “The mass of men live lives of quiet desperation,” has never been more apropos. And yet, desperation - humankind’s inevitable realization that there is no human answer - always becomes the womb of God’s opportunity. His unstoppable march through history forces its way through the chaos and resistance of fallen humanity and into the opportune time of breakthrough and harvest. When this occurs, the body of Christ must recognize it and take action. Every generation of the church must have its own “for such a time as this” epiphany, a corporate revelation of a corporate purpose, and that this reason for their existence has arrived. You and I have come to ours. The church of 2023 is now staring at the greatest opportunity ever afforded the body of Christ. The stage is set. The full restoration of Christ’s gifts and anointings has been accomplished; the revelation being released from Holy Spirit is at profound levels; our incredible technology and modes of travel give us the ability to reach all the world with the gospel; and the desperation of a confused and hopeless populace has created a ripe harvest. We’ve been called to participate in the greatest Kingdom expansion in all of history. Like Esther, we must recognize and accept our moment, rise to our reason for existing at this specific time, shake off all fear, and cast off all limitations. We must reject shallow living and refuse small dreaming. We must not measure success by temporal, human goals, nor bow to the reprehensible idol of personal kingdom building. Determine that you will be part of God’s answer, a difference-maker, an agent of change. Be a voice - He must be heard through you. Be a giver of life - part of God’s answer to a desperate and hungry world. Stay low, but dream high. There is no Plan B. Pray with me: Father, decades of complacency, disengagement, and lack of discernment in the church allowed evil forces to gain strong footholds in our land. Through the catastrophic election of 2020, these forces intend to finish off America’s strength and her partnership with You. Once again, we repent on behalf of our nation for 50 years of choosing darkness over light. We repent for electing people who do not know or honor You. And we repent for acquiescing to satan’s strategies. Forgive and cleanse us. In these troubling times of darkness and abounding evil, our hope in You anchors our souls. Our faith in Your love and grace is steadfast and immovable. You are using the difficulties we’re experiencing, the lunacy of seared consciences, and the fragile state of the world to create great desperation. This is producing a ripe harvest. You told us that when we discern the time for spiritual rain, an outpouring of Holy Spirit, we must ask for it (Zechariah 10:1). We do so now: send Your rain. And we pray for a great awareness to come to Your people, an awareness of the opportunity of our times. We pray for faith to arise in the church regarding Your heart and purposes. Help us keep our focus on You. We ask You to awaken in the church a sense of destiny. We join our faith for this now, and also for the breaking of fear and hopelessness off the body of Christ. We bind spirits of fear and confusion, and release the spirit of revelation to the church. In Christ’s name. Our decree: We decree that hope, faith, and strength are rising in the Ekklesia. Fear will not rule us. Portions of today’s post were taken from my book The Power of Hope published by Charisma House. Click on the link below to watch the full video. _____________________________ Mark Hamer, Mika Kivimaki, Avijit Lahiri, Michael G. Marmot, and Andrew Steptoe, “Persistent Cognitive Depressive Symptoms Associated With Coronary Calcification.” Atherosclerosis 210, no. 1 (May 2010); 209-213, http: //www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2877780/ (accessed October 1, 2013). New York Times, “Despair and Risk of Artery Disease,” September 3, 1997, http://wwwnytimes.com/1997/09/03/us/despair-and-risk-of-artery-disease.html (accessed October 1, 2013). Tom C. Russ, Emmanuel Stamatakis, Mark Hamer, John M. Starr, Mika Kivimaki, and G. David Batty, “Association Between Psychological Distress and Mortality: Individual Participant Pooled Analysis of 10 Prospective Cohort Studies,” British Medical Journal 345 (July 31, 2012): e4933, http://www.bmj.com/content/345/bmj.e4933 (accessed October 1, 2013).

We Must Play Hope’s Song America is mourning another senseless shooting. The shock of innocent children, as well as adults, being mercilessly killed is hard to cope with. The reality is that America is diseased on the inside. More of our kids will die today of overdoses; others will be killed in gang-related violence; still, others will take their own lives. As I stated yesterday, no human can fix us; only God, through a spiritual awakening, can heal America. We must continue to contend for this. To foster hope, I am sharing some thoughts today from my book, The Power of Hope. We must continue to believe, even as we grieve. People sometimes refer to their difficult times as “winter seasons.” There is a powerful picture associated with this in Ezekiel 47. The prophet Ezekiel was given a vision of the river of life. The river produced life and healing everywhere it went. Interestingly, the Hebrew word for “river” in the passage is nachal, and means “a stream, especially a winter torrent.” (1) Some streams and rivers are dry during parts of the year. They fill up, however, when there is rain or, as in this case, the spring thaw melts the snow and ice on the mountains. Tiny rivulets develop, coming together to form streams and, eventually, becoming nachalim (rivers). Though Ezekiel’s “winter river” began as a trickle in verse 1, it eventually became a mighty, unfordable river by verse 5. God’s healing river often begins as a trickle. We can be confident, however, that it will deepen, that God will use the snow and ice of our winter to bring a deep flow of His healing power to us. Our season will change. For those who are confused and disillusioned… For the heart grieving from pain and loss… For the faithful but weary soldier whose streambed is dry… For those who have lost their first love connection to Him… For the rejected of the world who are heartsick with hope deferred…your season is changing… The warmth of spring will do its work, summer is coming. Thank God winter doesn’t last forever. The river of healing will flow to us, and we will drink of its healing power. As the following story states, there is a song in you. One night a discouraged man in London was on his way to drown himself. At that moment, his life did not seem worth living. As he walked along the street, he stopped and looked at a painting in a shop window. It was George Frederic Watt’s Hope - a woman, blindfolded, sitting on top of the world, holding a lyre with but one string. Yet still hoping and believing the instrument will make music, she is ready to strike it. The man, as he stood looking at that painting, said to himself: “Well, I have one string - I have a little boy at home.” So he returned home to his son. (2) When we feel there is nothing left, we must look again. The prophet Habakkuk said the flock might be dead and gone, there might be no fruit in the orchard, and the hillsides might be bare. But still “I will exult in the Lord,” he said. “I will rejoice in the God of my salvation” (see Habakkuk 3:17-19). There was music possible yet! And there is still music in our nation. We must play hope’s song, even in the dark night of the soul. Job, in his hellish suffering, said the Lord “gives songs in the night” (Job 35:10). David, during his time of exile, said, “His song will be with me in the night” (Psalm 42:8). Paul and Silas, beaten, bleeding and in chains, “about midnight…were praying and singing hymns of praise to God” (Acts 16:25). There is hope in the night, and there is music somewhere in our broken nation. Don’t give up! A passage in the Song of Solomon speaks of the end of “winter”: “My beloved responded and said to me, ‘Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come along. For behold, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers have already appeared in the land; the time has arrived for pruning the vines, and the voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land. The fig tree has ripened its figs, and the vines in blossom have given forth their fragrance. Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come along!’” (Song of Solomon 2:10-13 NASB) Working Things Together for Good Psalm 51 was written by a man experiencing hope deferred. King David had lost his first-love connection with God, which resulted in sin and a winter season. The following prayer he offered was answered: “God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life…Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my sails” (vv. 10, 12, The Message). God wants to do that for America and for you. A fresh start…a Genesis week…out of exile…a fresh wind - that’s what He wants for us. A well-known verse in Romans speaks of God taking our pain, hurts, and destruction and bringing good from them. It is actually one of the most famous verses in the entire Bible: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). This verse packs an even greater power than most people realize. The phrase “work together” is from the Greek word sunergeo, from which we get the English words synergy and synergism. Synergism is “the working together of two or more to produce an effect greater than the sum of their individual effects.” (3) In choosing this word, God is promising He will take all of the bad, all of the pain, and every attempt of the enemy to destroy our faith - “all things” - and then put Himself in the mix, infusing the evils with His miraculous power. I will synergize with them, He says, and the good in Me will overpower the bad in them. Amazing! Disappointment, plus pain, plus loss, is used for something good when God’s river of healing enters. Believing in this truth is part of restoring hope. When complimented on her homemade biscuits by Dr. Harry Ironside, the cook responded, “Just consider what goes into the making of these biscuits. By itself, the flour doesn’t taste good; neither does the baking powder, nor the shortening, nor any other ingredient. However, when I mix them all together and put them in the oven, they’re transformed. They come out just right.” Much of life can taste bad. But God is able to combine these “ingredients” of our life in such a way that when He is finished, the result is good. (4) God is going to send His river to America. It is, even now rising. He will heal, save, and restore. Keep your appeals strong - they are saving our land. Pray with me: Father, grief does not contradict or negate faith. We pray for Your comfort to those experiencing unspeakable pain. And though we grieve for our broken nation, we believe You are coming to release Your river of healing. Yes, we have been in an icy winter. Without a doubt, there is no hope for us but You. However, You are merciful, and You don’t abandon people or nations in their times of wandering. Your heart is always to redeem, and our hope is in You. As many well-meaning people today formulate plans and discuss ideas to try and fix America, we are keenly aware that unless You build the house, they labor in vain. Bring the awakening we cry out for. Convict millions in America over our rejection of You. Help them see that our sick condition is due to this, and that the only cure is to return. Bring Your warmth and thaw frozen hearts until the winter in America is over, and the river of Your healing flows with its full force. Strengthen the intercessors. Keep them strong, hope-filled, and full of faith. Remind them that You bring good even out of evil and can even use the plans of evil people to do so, just as You did for Joseph. We draw on You for strength, and we will persevere in our prayers. Our decree: We decree that the level of God’s healing river is rising, and He will heal our land. Today’s post was taken from my book The Power of Hope Click on the link below to watch the full video. __________________________ James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), s.v. OT:5158, “nachal.” Oden, 100 Meditations on Hope, p 72. Dictionary.com, Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, s.v. “synergism,” http://dictionary.reference.com/cite.html?qh=synergism&ia=ced (accessed October 2, 2013). Adapted from Edward K. Powell, Fresh Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1997), p 118.

Prayer Will Save America Today, I want to encourage you regarding the movement of prayer occurring here and around the world. Hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of American believers, are praying daily for our nation. Many more around the world also pray for America, knowing that we are the most powerful nation on earth, and that we stand for freedom and goodness. If America falls to tyranny, it’s the end of freedom for all. They also see the deterioration and loss of our strength, character, and wisdom - and they are concerned. God is raising up many good people in our land to fight in practical ways for our recovery, to reverse the progress of the leftists and progressives, awakening our nation from her slumber and delivering us from deception. HOWEVER, America moved from serious to critical condition some time ago, and is now on life support. She can no longer sustain or heal herself. No human effort, no amount of good laws, programs, or appropriate education can save us - we are too far gone. Only God can save America. President Trump’s tenure as President is an example of this. The vast majority of his ideas, policies, and ideas were sound. Because of this, great progress was made in a short amount of time. However, an evil political system, corrupt politicized agencies, dishonest media, and power-hungry globalists opposed him ruthlessly and incessantly. He and his policies were and are such a threat to them that they hate Trump with virulent hatred. And their level of entrenchment and control is such that they were able to remove him and install a cognitively challenged puppet, allowing them to rule behind the scenes. The result: all of the progress made under Trump was lost. Our borders are open, drugs and criminals are pouring in with millions of other people. We are weak on the world stage, and our military is under-supplied. Our economy is in shambles. We went from being energy independent to being dependent on our enemies. We promote godless perversion over morality and parental rights. And we could go on. The point? Only God, through a spiritual awakening, can bring sustained healing and recovery to America. And Yahweh’s salvation of a nation doesn’t result from Him simply choosing to suppress evil and send blessings. It occurs as hearts turn to Him, which brings a return to His Word and ways. This disempowers darkness and its control, releasing heaven’s blessing and wisdom, and delivers a nation from its insanity and deception. Only then will the good ideas work, and good people succeed. Prayer births these spiritual changes. Nothing else. That is why we must continue to pray. And we will! Numerous ministries and organizations have organized prayer efforts of their own, and much cross-pollination occurs. This prayer is saving America. Today, I’m highlighting one such ministry’s efforts, those of Clay and Susan Nash. Ceci and I have walked closely with Clay and Susan for several years and consider them not only colleagues, but friends. Clay has filled in for me here on GH15, and we minister together several times a year throughout the nation. Five years ago Holy Spirit instructed him to begin a daily prayer call, which has grown to thousands and has become very powerful. He, along with several other leaders regularly on the call, will be hosting a gathering in a few weeks to pray for America. I will be there, as well. Here is Clay’s summary of the prayer calls and information regarding this upcoming gathering: “In May of 2018, when I became aware of Justice Kennedy’s announcement to retire, I was flooded with the reality that we must have a conservative Justice to replace him. In prayer, God instructed me to start a weekly prayer call, and I did so. Brett Kavanaugh was nominated for this Supreme Court seat, and an intense battle began, which we were able to cover in prayer. During those prayer calls, we often had 4000 participants! “After that assignment, God instructed me to continue the prayer call DAILY - for the nation, for President Trump, and for the 2020 Election. During that season, the number of participants increased to between 6-7000 thousand a day, with more listening to the recordings. We named this call ‘The Josiah Company.’ “After the 2020 elections, it became clear that Holy Spirit was telling us - confirmed by many requests - to continue the daily calls, which we have done to this day. They are also recorded and transcribed. Hundreds join us live, and thousands of people listen to it or read the transcript later. The number needed to join the calls is 719.718.6038. The times when they take place are: • Mondays at 2:22pm ET • Tuesdays at 9:00pm ET • Wednesdays through Fridays at 2:22pm ET. “Over these five years, we have had well over 10,000 people join us on the calls. We’ve heard from thousands how they have grown in their understanding of prayer and authority. As we frequently add prophetic decrees to our prayers, many have learned from this and transitioned in their praying from priestly petitions only, to kingly decrees as well. An 83-year-old, who had functioned as an intercessor for many years, told me that after doing so she experienced more answers to prayer in 9 months than she had in several years. Others have referred to the calls as a ‘lifeline of hope.’ “In the fall of 2022, I received instructions to pray on the daily calls for all 50 states, one state per day for 50 days. We began doing so on February 20th and will finish on April 28th. This assignment has enjoyed great favor from Holy Spirit. From February 20th through March, we have experienced a minimum of 850 people a day on the call, some days increasing to almost 2000. Another 35,000 have listened to the recordings later to agree with us in prayer. “Over the past five years, many participants have asked me to host a national gathering through which many of them can come together for extended prayer, meet the hosts, and to also meet others from their state. I feel Holy Spirit is saying it is now time for this. We have scheduled the Josiah Company Convocation for April 20-22, 2023, in Conway, Arkansas, where we will pray over all 50 states, along with our nation in general. We will also operate prophetically and follow Holy Spirit’s leading. This gathering is NOT limited only to those who have participated on the calls. However, you MUST register in order to attend, as we can only accommodate 1000 people.” Registration for the gathering, along with all necessary information, is on Clay’s website ClayNash.org. If you have other questions, you can contact his assistant at Dawn@claynash.org. Join us if you can. And jump on the calls! Pray with me: Father, You have awakened many in Your church to the power of prayer. We have grown in our understanding of how to partner with You in releasing Your will and purposes on the earth. We have much to learn, but we are growing. Please continue fanning these flames. Stir a passion in many more to become involved, to invest more of their time in Kingdom causes. We pray for the various groups and networks of people involved in prayer. Give them understanding and wisdom, not only in how to pray, but also regarding what to pray. Encourage them. Remove all weariness or discouragement from the intercessors. Give them the funds and resources they need. Cause the right people to align with each group. Give all of us a heart to work together. Bless and prosper this convocation You have called Clay Nash to convene. Send those whom You want to be a part of it. Help us to be very strategic while there. And Father, we never want to miss an opportunity to call forth awakening, revival, and breakthrough in our land. Save us from evil, deliver us from evil people, strategies, and activities. We declare that evil will not prosper in our land. Send the fire of revival. Release power, signs and wonders. Encourage Your people, especially Your leaders, in this difficult time. We ask for these things in the name of Jesus. Our decree: We decree that prayer and intercession will rise to higher and higher levels in America and around the world. Again, the Prayer Call number is 719.718.6038. The times of the calls are listed above. Click on the link below to watch the full video.