We Hear the Cry!!!

Make a Difference!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-01-25T07:44:00.000-08:00

You CAN make a difference!!!

Heart Cry International is in search of young adults willing to participate in misson trips to Guatemala or Uganda in June of 2010. If you are 15 to 25, one of these trips will be perfect! To learn more, check out our website at http://heartcryinternational.com.

Faith in ACTION...

2009-10-12T10:43:00.000-07:00

It's easy to say we care...but if our words aren't followed by action, they are simply words. Genuine love can't be felt without some kind of expression. So...how does your life give evidence to your faith?

In the side panel, we've linked to a ministry called "Voice of the Martyrs." This is a group started long ago by a survivor of the Holocost. It helps people of the persecuted church around the world. You can make a difference at the click of a button without spending a dime. Something to consider...

We're recruiting teams for trips to Guatemala and Uganda in June. We need more hands to get the job done. Praying for the nations is great - but what if you added feet and hands, a living voice in the nations? Check out: http://heartcryinternational and click on the globe for more info.

Then there's the lost youth in your town. When was the last time you reached out to the kid no one ever hangs out with? Invite friends and non-friends to your local Youth Group. Make a difference. It's crazy to watch someone drown without throwing the life-ring you hold in your hands.

We're recruiting library books, soap, toothbrushes and small toothpastes for needy kids. You can spend $5 at the dollar store and help someone. It's easier than you think.

Let your actions SPEAK what's in your heart. Then tell us in the comment portion below...how are YOU making a difference?

Too Young to Care???

2009-10-07T13:25:00.001-07:00

Some people have very low expectations of today's youth. They think you are self-absorbed and materialistic. They think you're only concerned with having a good time.

I know differently.

I've watched your generation surround the flagpole at your high school to pray for God to move on your campus. I've watched you host philanthropic events at your college to help children in war-torn nations. I've witnessed your zeal first-hand and been challenged by it.

Why don't more people recognize the potential and passion of your generation?

Maybe it's because the lost, addicted, troubled youth are louder and more obvious. If so, it's time to let your voice be heard. Step up to a new level of boldness and get involved in God's current activity in the earth. Show my generation what your generation can do...

We're watching and praying for you...

Pastor Carla
HCI Co-Founder

Time to Grow Up!

2009-09-30T07:58:00.000-07:00

I love young adults! You have so much energy and zeal. I feel younger and more radical in faith when surrounded by you. You challenge the mind-sets of my generation and resist the grip of religion. You ask questions and dislike routine. You aren't afraid to stand out in the crowd - to be different. Your strengths and passion for God ignite my own and I feel ready to change the world!

What some of you fail to realize is that my generation has something to offer you too! We have traveled the roads you're just discovering. We know what might block your progress and slow your forward momentum. We have gained understanding that flows from years spent in intimate fellowship with God. If you let us participate in your journey, you can avoid mistakes and painful bumps that could've been avoided. We need each other!

Some of my generation settled for compromise and hypocrisy rather than genuine Christianity. Some took on forms of religion rather than personal relationship with Christ. Some have done nothing with the natural and spiritual wealth they enjoyed to help someone else. We've not always lived real faith and provided you with godly examples to follow. For that, I am truly sorry...

HOWEVER, some of us have loved God with all of our hearts and sincerely tried to live what we believe. Some of us have given God all we are and have and participated in what He's doing to change the world. We have the same radical faith as some of you, locked in aging bodies but lived to the best of our abilities - and we care about you. We want to you do far more with God that we have done. We are your fan-club, cheering you on every step of the way.

Look for us. We are the genuinely Christian parent, pastor, teacher, grandparent, neighbor, coach who reaches out to you each day. See past our imperfections to see the motivation of our hearts. Let us into your lives. Listen to our stories and lessons gained from our own journey. We are shoulders to lean on, wisdom to glean from, and helping hands to keep you standing on your feet. We're here...

Pastor Carla Ives
HCI Co-Founder

CHALLENGE: What Christian adult has most impacted your life and how?

Calling All Young Adults - Ages 13-30!

2009-09-14T15:36:00.000-07:00

This is YOUR chance to MAKE A DIFFERANCE!

Stop talking about how cold the CHURCH is until you're ready to HEAT it up!

Stop dreaming of taking the gospel to the poor and DO it!

Stop focusing on the things YOU want and look for ways to give other what they NEED!

You CAN make a difference.

Take a short-term mission trip with Heart Cry Internation this summer. Impact the lives of malnutrioned children and their families in Guatemala. Leave your mark on the lives of street children in Uganda. Bring aid to unschooled children in remote villages of Nigeria.

Are you ready?
Go to our website at http://heartcryinternational.com and click on the spinning globe. Fill out your ministry app and the skills assessment form and send it to us via email or to: PO Box 387; Shepherd, MI 48883.

If you're within driving distance, come for our informational meeting at The Potter's House in Mt.Pleasant, MI on October 4th at 4 p.m.

What's stopping you?

Youth Making a Difference...

2009-08-28T08:02:00.000-07:00

Introducing: Emeka Gbogboade!

Emeka is the son of Pastor Wole Gbogboade, President of Reach the Children of Africa. Emeka is in his mid-20's and attends university in Nigeria. He is what I call a REAL Christian.

Emeka has a ministry. It is not publicized, doesn't earn him fame or popularity, and usually goes unseen by others. His ministry is simply caring about people. He focuses on doing what he CAN do to make their lives a little better. That might be teaching a youth how to play the drums, or teaching a bunch of kids how to play football (soccer in Nigeria). He looks for opportunities to use whatever he has to help others.

Emeka played the drums in his dad's church for many years. One night in a dream, he saw a keyboard above him. In the dream, he began to play it. When he woke up, he knew God had supernaturally given him the ability to play. He has been playing the keyboard ever since, helping with worship and in a Jazz Band with guys from the university. He dared to try the impossible, and found it possible!

Emeka is friends with Steve Carey of The Drive TV program created for youth here in the USA and in Australia. Steve spent over a month in Nigeria with a HCI Internship program, ministering to the youth and helping at the school. Steve is a REAL Christian too - he lives what he believes. He and Emeka are much alike and are changing the world from both sides. You can read their blogs by clicking on the links noted in the side panel - don't miss it!

How are YOU making a difference? Comment below...

Let NO ONE Despise Your Youth!

2009-08-06T08:23:00.000-07:00

Paul the Apostle told a much younger Timothy, "Let no man despise your youth!" He understood that age does not always mean greater wisdom, zeal, or anointing. God uses ANYONE of ANY AGE who is surrendered to Him! He is looking for the "Timothy's" of today who have heard His cry and are ready to change the world.

This blog is for you...to help you to get the training, encouragement, and OPPORTUNITY to make a difference. This post is only the beginning! In weeks to come there will be more ministry opportunities, testimonies, and short lessons to help you to participate in world missions. Don't miss it!

This is YOUR blog - comment, write a testimony, share a life-changing lesson you've learned. We'll be looking for your info! If you'd like to be placed on our HCI Email Update or Mailing List - send us your contact info at: info@heartcryinternational.com.

Pastor Ron and I have never seen a generation of young people so skilled, so zealous, and so ready to change the world! God is doing amazing things through Heart Cry International and we need you! You can do ANYTHING God calls you to do!

Lots of Love!
Pastor Carla
HCI Co-Founder

Ministry Ethics Course - Part Four

2009-07-04T07:59:00.000-07:00

(To complete this course, you will need to read the previous posts. It is required that you comment after each posting, answering posed questions,to receive a certificate of completion from HCI.)

Submission is NOT an Old Testament concept. In today's world, individualism has been expanded to include total independance and the freedom to "do your own thing," but this is not a biblical definition. We are born individuals, each having personal gifts, abilities, feelings, thoughts,and bodies. We are individually significant to God, our families, and the world. Yet we are forever connected in relationship, evolving from the same Father and sharing His same love.

Though times, styles, and worldly ways have changed, God ways remain the same. The New Testament is filled with examples of Biblical submission that are applicable today:

Read: Matthew 1:18-25 & Luke 1:26-33

Mary submitted to God's Word; His authority even when she didn't fully understand it. Can we do the same?

Read: Matthew 3:13-17

Jesus submitted to water baptism, a seemingly insignificant religious rite, in simple obedience to his Father. Are we willing to do the same?

Read: Luke 4

Satan submitted to Jesus in the wilderness. Jesus always had the last Word in every conversation. Every sickness and disease submitted to His Word. Demons fled at His Word. Unlike Adam in Genesis 3, Jesus used His God-given authority and spoke the Word. What are WE doing with the authority we have been given?

Read: John 5 & Matthew 8:5-13

Jesus submitted to His Father in everything He did and spoke. How submitted are we?

Read: Isaiah 50:4-7, Isaiah 53:7, & Philippians 2:5-11

Jesus submitted Himself unto death. No cost was to great in His determination to do the will of His Father; in His love for the lost. What cost are we willing to pay?

Jesus was able to exercise God's authority because He had placed Himself under His authority. When we are trying to exercise spiritual authority and seem to be failing, we need to evalute if WE are living in submission to our Authority,Jesus Christ.

Share your thoughts on this topic...

Ministerial Ethics Course; Part 3

2009-06-09T04:28:00.000-07:00

(You will need to place your responses in the comment portion directly following this post to receive the HCI certificate at the end of the course. Participation is vital. It allows you to engage in the lesson and consider the truths presented.)

Read: Genesis 3:7-24

There are always consequences for rebellion. When Adam and Eve failed to obey God's simple command and chose to eat the forbidden fruit, several things happened:

1. Man suddenly knew his nakedness. He felt exposed. He experienced shame for the first time. He felt a need to cover himself; to hide from others. His view of himself was damaged and changed forever.

2. Man experienced separation from God. He couldn't enter His Presence. He couldn't communicate with God as he had before. He found himself avoiding intimacy with God. He felt fear for the first time.

3. The man and his wife were divided from one another. Their view of one another was altered. They weren't "on the same team" anymore. They hid their bodies from one another. Shame entered their relationship.

4. The man and woman became irresponsible, blaming one another for their sin. They refused to take responsibility for their personal decisions. Therefore they did not seek forgiveness - for they could not repent without claiming ownership of their sin.

5. What was simple before sin, became difficult afterward. Reaping a harvest from the earth would now require sweat and great effort. Man would have to work harder than he did before. Though he could continue to reap a harvest, it would be more difficult than before.

6. Mankind would have greater pain and difficulty in reproducing others like themselves. They would be unable to reproduce others reflecting the pure image of God now that sin had entered their lives. They would instead reproduce with pain others like themselves, in disobedience and sin.

Thank God for His mercy! He immediately put a plan into effect that would eventually remedy the suffering created by man's disobedience. One day the Seed of the woman would come, born of the Spirit, and walk in perfect obedience to God. This Son of Adam, Son of God would pay the ultimate price for man's sin and restore original holiness and freedom once again. Christ would come as Savior to redeem mankind with His sacrifice. What a wonderful Savior!

In conclusion,we should remember the following truths presented by the Ministerial Ethics course thus far:

1. Biblical authority places God's Word above ALL else...God's Word IS His authority.

2. Satan is behind every act of rebellion against the authority of God.

3. Satan will challenge and contradict God's word.

4. Man must choose either to submit or to rebel against God's Word/authority.

5. Disobedience to God's Word (rebellion) produces negative consequences.

Discussion Questions:

What did you learn from this lesson? How will this lesson impact your life?

Read Genesis, Chapters 6 - 9.

Why did God send the flood to destroy the whole earth?

What do you think obedience to God cost Noah?

What was the result of Noah's obedience?

Ministerial Ethics #2: The First Rebellion Against Biblical Authority

2009-04-27T13:44:00.000-07:00

If you are new to this course, you will want to read and respond to the previous post in our archives to complete the class. Please place your questions and reponses in the comment portion at the end of this post.With God's Word comes a challenge. Each time we read it, hear it, or comprehend it we must choose to either obey or disobey His Word. It has been this way since the beginning.

READ: Genesis 1:26-31 & 2:15-17.

As God spoke, a command was issued. His Word is never an option; there is never a maybe. His Word carries His kingly authority and His power supports each command. In these scriptures, mankind was given a command to have dominion (kingdom rule) over every living thing; to replenish and multiply and subdue. With the command came the authority to fulfill it. The moment the Word was given, man had the ability to rule and reign. Man had the ability, the promise, and the support of heaven to obey.

I am sure that Adam and Eve fully intended to obey their Creator. They had never known disobedience. They had no reason to doubt His Word. Until the voice in the garden contradicted the Word of God, they had no real opportunity to choose to obey. With the challenge of God's character and Word came the test of man's obedience. It is not enough to say we believe; we must live what we believe.

READ: Genesis 3:1-24

When Adam and Eve were faced with an opportunity to choose, they decided to disobey God. There's was not an angry rebellion. They had never been hurt by God. No one forced them to disobey. They simply chose to obey the lies of a serpent who had given them nothing, rejecting the truth of a God Who had given them everything. Their disobedience manifested in three ways:

1) They acted contrary to God's command, eating the forbidden fruit.
2) They did not exercise (use) the authority that had been given to them.
3) They did not subdue the enemy, but rather allowed him to subdue them.

The result was immediately painful. Man suddenly knew his nakedness. He felt shame. He feared God and hid from His Presence. He did take responsibility for his actions, but sought to blame his mistakes on others. This divided husband and wife and later divided son against son, resulting in a death. (Genesis 4:8) The easy things became difficult. The opportunity to reproduce others who would be obedient to God became impossible without God's Divine intervention.

READ: Genesis 3:14-17

When man rebelled, God immediately implemented a plan for his redemption. In this plan, He announced the coming of the Savior and introduced a new kingdom order. This order carried the following characteristics:

1) Man would be at enmity (an enemy; hatred; in hostility with; on opposite sides; in opposition to) the serpent. In this God made it absolutely clear that never again was man to entertain conversation/communication with the enemy. Whenever man heard words that contradicted God's commands, he was to set himself firmly against the voice.

2) The Seed of Man would one day crush the head (chief part; turning) of the serpent. God declared the enemy's doom. Despite his efforts, the Seed of Man would one day crush all powers and principalities of darkness. This was the promise.

3) The woman would forever after seek the counsel of her husband. She would no longer operate with an independent spirit. Her disobedience was the result of entertaining conversation with one who contradicted God's Word. She lingered, looked, and eventually ate. She sought no counsel and asked no questions. God established a new order in which she would still have the inclination to lead and act independantly, but would now submit to the counsel and direction of another. This was not meant to be a punishment, but rather a protection for her. God took no delight in Eve's fall. He loved her!

4) The husband would forever after lead his bride. Adam's sin was found in his silence. When he saw his wife eat, he remained silent. When he heard the enemy's lies, he spoke not a word. He exercise no authority, though he had all authority over the enemy. He could have commanded the enemy to die, leave, or be silent - but instead he silently bowed to the serpent's deception. Adam abdicated his God-given authority and demonstrated no leadership. In the new order, he would be required to speak up and direct his family in the ways of God. Silence would not be an option.

Earlier in the study, we realized that rebellion has many faces. It is not always angry, or a reaction to being wounded or wronged by another. Rebellion need not be loud or violent. It can be quiet, sweet, and very appealing. Yet the truth is that the kindest peron can still be considered rebellious if they choose to act independantly or in opposition to God's Word. The look of rebellion does not change the results or the sin.

In reflection, do you now see areas of rebellion in your life?

What must change for you to walk in greater obedience to God?

Take a moment to repent for all past rebellion and ask God to change your heart. He will do it!

Ministerial Ethics - The Importance of Understanding Biblical Authority

2009-04-20T05:25:00.000-07:00

Below are the first notes in our Ministerial Ethics Course Syllabus. Please read them carefully and print them if possible for further study. Questions may be submitted by commenting at the end of the post and will be answered in the comment section.

The issue of authority and submission has been a stumbling stone for the Church from the beginning. Failure to understand the authority given to us by God resulted in the exploitation and loss of that authority. Failure to honor and willingly submit to God’s authority resulted in sin and devastation. Submission to ungodly authority – to demonic influence – resulted in pain and suffering. Ministries throughout history have been destroyed by the abuse of authority or prideful rebellion.

If we are to minister with Christ, we will need to understand His authority. If we are to share in our Father’s business (John 5) as Jesus did, we must allow our Father to lead as Jesus did. We must learn how to exercise the authority given to us in the way God intended so that the ministry will not be hindered. There have been unnecessary wounds inflicted on the Church simply because the five-fold ministry gifts exercised too much or not enough authority over them.

Christ compared His relationship to the Church to the relationship of a husband and wife through the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 5. When the wife is cherished, nurtured and loved, she respects and honors her husband. Christ did not tell the Church to willingly submit to a heartless, self-motivated, self-gratifying, self-promoting dictator. Because He first loved us, we can freely love and honor Him. Because He gave so much to purchase our freedom, we gladly use our freedom to serve Him. This is the nature of leadership. It is leading and submitting out of love for one another.

The fear of submission often manifests as pride, rebellion, and opposition among God’s people. The Feminists would remove the term “submission” from every marriage vow and teaching. Perhaps this is because the term has been greatly abused over time. We understand submission to be the relinquishment of all authority, personal desire or thought. We think it is equated with slavery. Our concept of submission may be of a master with his dog – the dog simply does as it’s told and licks the master's hand. This perspective may be why the local church has declined in recent history. For the Church to be what she was created to be, submission must be redefined.

Course Questions:

What does submission mean to you?

Do you struggle with submission to authority?

Do you sincerely love those you lead in ministry?

(Please feel free to post your answers in the comment section.)

Healing Comes in Many Forms

2009-04-14T04:44:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Healing comes in many forms. As my body has been resting and recovering, my soul has been renewed as well. I have had hours of quiet that have taken me deeper in both God and self-encounters these past two months. I have learned greater truths about myself and my Heavenly Father. These truths have healed and freed me in new ways.

I have struggled for weeks knowing what to do with this blog. I began it as a way to provide mentoring and discipleship to my pastors, teachers, and co-laborers on foreign soil. My love for my friends is great and I genuinely desire to assist them in their personal walk and courageous work.

This blog has been reinvented several times over the past few years. While I will continue to share prophetic insight God may give, the focus of the this blog will now return fully to its original goal. Both my husband and I will be offering teaching here that will benefit our beloved co-laborers as well as provide you with information you can use to teach others in your spheres of influence.

God's Word is powerful. The Bible has never diminished in power. Of all the evangelistic methods and efforts ever used, the Word of God remains the surest, most effective way to win the lost. God's Word transforms thinking, behavior, and heart. The work accomplished by God's Word and Spirit in the life of a man or woman is unshakeable, immovable, and will never fade.

I will be recommending books for you to purchase that will enhance the courses my husband or I will be teaching this year. I'll begin with a course entitled, "Ministerial Ethics." This course teaches Christian ethics that apply to all believers, most especially those in ministry. The only booklet suggested with this course is an allegory called, "In the Field with My Father." It is only available through Heart Cry International. The cost is $10. Email us at heartcry@live.com or contact us through the website if you wish to order it.

My time of rest is nearly finished. I am stronger everyday, but my life is forever changed. Thank you for your prayers. May we all remain focused, healthy, and strong in days to come!

Serving with My Father,

Pastor Carla Ives
Heart Cry International

My Healing Journey - Part IV

2009-03-22T22:25:00.000-07:00

Sometimes a simple scripture shared in conversation takes root in your heart and begins to change you. So it has been with me this past week. A dear friend and I spent time comparing the lessons being taught us by the Holy Spirit in recent days. In passing, she shared a revelation she had of Psalm 2. While she read the passage to me, the Father began to draw my thoughts to the authority we have as believers to bind the enemy. In Psalm 2, I heard...

"The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and His Anointed, saying "Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us."

Suddenly I realized that the Anointed with the Father had bound the enemy. The enemy desired freedom, but could not find it. The enemy was under the dominion of the Anointed and the Father laughed at the enemy's thoughts to overthrow their bonds. The Anointed had authority to bind the enemies of God!

This scripture is a prophetic psalm concerning Christ. As the Anointed One, He had all authority over the enemy. When He encountered the powers of darkness, He bound the enemy with a Word. When He encountered the spirit of infirmity, He cast it out with a Word. When He encountered the Spirit of death, He overcame it with a Word. When He encountered all forms of disease and suffering, He overpowered it with His Word. Once Jesus spoke, there was no discussion or fighting needed. The battle was ended and the person set free!

Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever. He is the Anointed One Who claimed ALL authority over principalities and powers at the cross. His Word continues to carry His authority and power. But today His Word and authority has been reproduced in thousands of believers who have received His Spirit and proclaim His Word. The Word of God has the same power to bind the forces of darkness as it did in days of old.

As we encounter the fruits of darkness - demonic strongholds/spirits of sickness, disease, suffering and torment - may we stand in the anointing we have received by the the coming of the Holy Spirit as sons and daughters of God. May we boldly proclaim the Word and will of God. God's Word will transform lives as we faithfully proclaim it. God's Word is the final authority. His Word ends every discussion. There is no battle when the Word of God is asserted with faith - the battle is ended at His Word. There is no argument against His power and authority. It is no debate.

God wants us to understand the authority He possesses and has given to His people. He wants us to speak His Word. For us to do this, we must believer that He truly has ALL authority. We will waver and fear if we do not genuinely believe in His right and power to rule and reign. If we believe, we will join Him in laughter when the enemy threatens to break the bonds we have placed upon him - we'll be fearless! And we will be loosed from the influence and activity of the enemy as we pray.

How powerful is God today? How powerful is His spoken Word? Do we believe? These are the questions I am confronting in my own heart. Sometimes faith is easier spoken than lived...I want to fully live what I believe. This healing journey cannot be complete without the exercising of the spiritual authority I have been entrusted with in His life and in His Word. Today I speak to the sickness and weakness afflicting my body, binding it in the wonderful Name of Jesus, in the authority of the Anointed One, by the power of His Spirit. I declare my body freed/loosed from every symptom of sickness. I will not accept anything less than what the Bible declares is mine in Christ Jesus. To accept less is to dishonor Christ's sacrifice and Kingly authority. He IS God!

My Healing Journey - Part III

2009-03-18T13:07:00.000-07:00

In my country, we often judge things by a scale of what is “bad” and what is “worse.” Lust in the mind is “bad”, but pornography is worse; hiding vital tax information to avoid paying is bad, but stealing is worse. We do the same with the miracles of Jesus. We assume He could and can heal some who were badly sick, but we do not expect to see people raised from a deathbed. We believe Jesus can heal some who are sick, but rarely expect Him to heal all. There are some situations, sicknesses, and difficulties in this life that we deem too impossible, too “far gone” to heal.

According to the Bible, our “scale” is faulty. Jesus said that if a man lusts in his heart it as if he already committed adultery in reality. He said “false weights” are an abomination and stealing is taking anything that is not yours…including tax money that legally belongs to the government. And in the Bible, Jesus healed all who were sick – no disease was beyond His healing reach.

In Matthew 4:23-24, we see evidence of the limitless power of Christ. As He preached the gospel of the kingdom – the rule and reign of God – healing power was activated! Matthew’s eye-witness account testifies that Jesus healed ALL kinds of sickness and ALL kinds of diseases among the people. If you were to look up all of the key words in this passage in a Bible Concordance, you would find that Jesus did far more than heal toothaches and back problems. He healed, waited upon, menially served and cured, healed, relieved ALL who were sick…all who were physically OR morally bad, diseased, evil, miserable, and sore. He healed ALL who were sick and afflicted, held by, compressed, held as a prisoner by, perplexed or preoccupied by, constrained, kept in, held in by, stopped or taken with various diseases, infirmities, and sickness. He healed ALL who had various diseases and torments – meaning He not only healed the sickness but He went to the base or root of the issue and healed it too! Jesus healed those who were demon-possessed, crazy, or who were paralytics. He healed them ALL!

The word used for “paralytic” is defined as “the palsy, dissolved, loosened, relaxed, feeble, destroyed, or broken. It comes from a root word meaning “to deceive, delude” and “to destroy, ruin, break”. This means that Jesus healed those who were weak and feeble – whose body was too relaxed and no longer did what it was supposed to do. Perhaps this indicates a neurological disease whereby there is a breakdown in communication – a “deception” – between the mind and body. The mind screams action to the body, but the body does not receive the true message and lies dormant. Even in these terrible conditions, the sick were made completely well. There is nothing to hard for God!

If we are to receive our healing>, we must believe that it is ours to have. We must believe that Jesus paid the price to give us the healing; that we have legal right to it. We must believe that no sickness, disease, mental/spiritual/physical condition is beyond the reach of His healing hand. If we do not believe Jesus heals ALL, we will never fully accept that He can and will heal us. We leave the gate of our minds and hearts open wide to doubt and unbelief. Either the Bible is true, or it is not. Either Jesus healed and heals ALL, or He heals no one at all. There is no “sliding scale” of what God can and cannot do.

Jesus healed and heals, cures, and relieves EVERY sickness, disease, torment, and demonic attack. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever! He heals the sickness and root issues causing or allowing the sickness. He heals the paralytic and restores the crazed mind to wholeness. There is nothing He cannot do! All things are possible with Him! He IS God!

My Healing Journey - Part II

2009-03-14T15:11:00.000-07:00

Matthew 4:23-24

Jesus preached the gospel of the KINGDOM…His was not a message of simple comfort or distant hope; it was a message of power, dominion, and promise! He proclaimed the rule and reign of God come to earth. This dominion was beyond every other power and authority. Therefore, whenever and wherever He encountered those under the control of disease or torment, He dispossessed the infirmity and brought His Father’s kingdom rule instead.

Before any act of healing occurred, the gospel of the kingdom was preached. What was the reason for this? Perhaps because the people had so long lived under the rule of darkness and suffering that they could not have hope or faith for any other way of life. They had not experienced God’s healing touch in their lifetime. The promise of Isaiah 53 was a distant dream, longed for but no longer anticipated. Before they could “believe to receive” their healing, they had to grow a living faith. Faith comes through hearing the Word of God. As Jesus spoke the gospel of the kingdom, they began to understand the unlimited power and kingdom authority of their God. With the coming of Christ, sickness lost all jurisdiction over their lives. All principalities and powers were secondary to His supreme Lordship.

Immediately following this kingdom proclamation, people were healed/cured/relieved of all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. They had HEARD the Word of God, been built up in faith, and every single person received their healing! This is where I think we sometimes miss the obvious in regards to healing…we focus on having a revelation of the authority of Christ; the authority we have in Christ Jesus or look for the level of faith in the sick and blame apparent failure to receive on one or the other. Perhaps we simply missed a step?

When we or those we minister to are in need of healing, one of the first steps is to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom. Remind ourselves, the sick, and the powers of darkness Who has all authority; all power. Meditate on the supremacy of Christ and of the legal right we have been given to heal and be healed. Allign our speech with the Word of God. As we “preach” to ourselves and others, faith comes/arises/awakens! Faith obtains, takes hold of what we need.
Healing is not a power struggle, authority issue, or gamble…God has ALL power and authority and has given it to us; healing and the legal right to heal others has been given. It is often a simple issue of faith. As our faith grows, our ability to receive grows. Therefore, one key to our receiving is to continue growing and developing our faith through the meditation and proclamation of God’s Word!

I am walking through a “valley” myself at this time. I need to receive the healing provided for me at the cross so that I can continue in the abundant life and work God has so wonderfully allowed. There have been moments in recent months when I have been bombarded with thoughts that accuse me of having “little faith” and having failed God or others, or of the unfaithfulness and insensitivity of my heavenly Father. The enemy wants me to question my Father’s goodness and my Friend, the Holy Spirit’s, Presence in my life. However, I recognize the serpent’s lies for what they are – lies. I can choose to ignore him. I can choose, even when in pain, to believe what my Father said and continues to say. I can choose what I will “preach” to my own body and soul. What I “proclaim” will determine what I believe in the end – more than what any person or doctor speaks. I can despair that I have not yet received the relief of every symptom OR I can continue to preach the gospel of the kingdom to my body and soul, building faith to apprehend all that has been given to me. I am not trying to obtain something belonging to Christ – I am simply in the process of opening a package already given to me. Healing is mine!

Let’s grow our faith together…feel free to comment and share your thoughts with me. I’m determined to see God’s goodness emerge in a powerful way on and after my present journey. He IS faithful!

My Healing Journey - Part I

2009-03-05T11:09:00.000-08:00

Life threw me an unexpected curve recently. I was confronted with health issues I've never dealt with before. Currently, I am undergoing tests and doctor's appointments to determine the source of the problem. This is a new experience for me - and to be honest, I don't like it! Smile.

I have had to cancel a trip to Romania & Moldova, as well as release other ministry obligations that I truly enjoy. While I know it is but for a season, it has been difficult. I am a teacher. My heart fills rich satisfaction and joy when I am able to teach truths that help others. I've been doing this for nearly 30 years, and know it is God's will for my life. As I thought on this, I realized I can still help others by sharing my present journey. I can share the truths I am learning along the way and rejoice in the victory with those who journey with me.

Here is what I KNOW so far: 1) I am going to regain and surpass my former strength! 2) I already have my healing - Christ in me, the Hope of Glory! 3) God is GOOD and is working ALL things for my good.

When the symptoms first manifested, I chose to ignore them...until God made it clear that ignoring symptoms isn't faith. Faith looks infirmity in the eye and deals with it. I felt led to set aside all books and tapes on healing and instead, study it for myself. I believe the Father wants to reveal these truths to me in a personal way...teach me things I've not seen or understood before. I am studying with great anticipation and already learning new things! God's Word is AMAZING!

Here is one of the first truths He revealed to me...

Matthew 4:23-24 shares the dawning of Christ's earthly ministry. He is on the road, traveling about, teaching in the synogogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom - the rule and reign, the dominion of God. But His ministry is more than words...it is action. It is more than promotion of theological theories or doctrine...it is an expression of truth. As He travels, teaching and preaching, He also heals.

The word "healing" and "healed" in the scripture portion come from a Greek word meaning, "to wait upon menially, to adore God, to relieve of disease, to heal, cure, worship." Jesus preached the gospel and then He got down to earth's level and demonstrated it. He taught the kingdom and then brought the kingdom. He confronted the reigning principalities and powers and replaced their rule with His Own. No sickness could stand in His Presence. One Word from His lips was enough to evict the disease that held the person as a prisoner for so long. It was miraculous!

Why don't we see more of this today? I've been studying and meditating on this topic for days. I am coming to understand that there are many reasons for the lack of healing, signs, and wonders in the church today. It is not one thing - but many - that hinders the manifestation of God's kingdom. A few of the reasons are perhaps addressed in this scripture. Let's consider two insights gained from these verses:

First, the people came to Jesus with expectancy. They didn't come expecting to return the way they came! It undoubtably took effort to get the sick to Jesus, but the people transporting them were convinced it was worth it. They believed Jesus would heal. They didn't pray for healing while building their coffin! They believed. They hoped. They were convinced of His power and ability, as well as His willingness to heal. Are we?

Secondly, I believe Jesus delighted in healing the sick. This is why they could come to Him with such expectation. Based on the definition of the word "healing" used in this passage, I believe that every healing and/or relieving of disease was an act of worship to Jesus. When He healed someone, He was loving His Father...for His Father loved these people. He was honoring His Father's supremecy and power over sickness and demonic manifestations. He was adoring His Father's creation. This is the only explanation for the King of all Kings to personally (menially) take the time and effort to relieve each person of their disease. He lowered Himself. He cared.

When ministering to the sick or coming to Christ for healing of our own bodies, we too must come with expectation. We can expect Jesus to heal them or us for so many reasons! From this portion alone, we know He delights in healing. He's willing to take the time and effort. He sees relieving their pain, suffering, sickness,or bondage, as an act of worship - He sees healing us as an act of adoration. This eliminates the doubt of His willingness to heal.

Let us pray with expectation!

The Dreamer Cometh - Part Two

2009-02-16T12:02:00.000-08:00

“And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.” (Joel 2:28-29)

When God poured out His Spirit, not only did they speak with new tongues and preach in the streets and heal the sick and raise the dead…they DREAMED. The OLD MEN…the ones who might think their life was over, that it was too late, that they had missed their moment, that their dreams would never come to pass would DREAM DREAMS…they would receive new images and pictures in their imagination from God that they were to speak until they came to pass. They were to own the dreams, exercise authority, and possess it until it became reality.

There are so many "dream-killers" in today's world. Disappointments, economic reports and pressures, negative opinions, along with our apparent inabilities can cause the dream to fade or disappear altogether. Some people lost their ability to hope or dream of life being any different long ago. They are focused on simple survival. Life is what it is. They have accepted simple existance. If they can make it alive to the finish line, that's good enough for them.

But is it? Isn't there something inside of us that screams for more? Isn't there a sense of adventure that quivers within? God put that there! He gave us an ability to not only think, but to SEE with our minds. He gave us our imagination so we could see what He sees...so we could dream with Him!

Remember the woman with the issue of blood. For twelve years she suffered and spent all of her wealth on medicine in hopes of getting well. Nothing worked. Then she sees Jesus coming down the street. In her mind the thought comes, "If I can just touch the hem of His robe/garment, I can be healed!' Before she moved an inch in His direction, she saw the scene unfolding in her mind. Words create pictures. When her thoughts became words, they became a mental picture of what she hoped for. The woman had a DREAM of being healed. When the timing was right, she reached out her hand and grabbed the hem of Jesus - and her DREAM became REALITY! Somehow the woman was able to press past 12 years of disappointment, negative reports, and personal pain to take hold of a new dream...and her dream came true!

There are dreams God will awaken in the young and old today…there are new dreams that will be painted on our hearts. God is about to do the “new thing” declared two years ago! And our eyes will see it!

“Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold (see) I will do a new (fresh) thing, now (from this time forth and continuing) it shall spring forth; shall you not know (see) it?” (Isaiah 43:18-19)

God wants us to see what He sees…to dream with Him. He has a dream for this hour that He has been preparing for. We have a part to play in His dream.

So, Dreamer...what picture has God painted on your heart for this hour?

The Dreamer Cometh...Part I

2009-02-10T15:29:00.000-08:00

In every generation, there has been a dream.

God has given us incredible imaginations with the ability to see things that are not. This is the realm where faith lives. It is where God allows us to imagine what He could do if we would cooperate with Him. It is the place of hidden vision and living hope. Here we see what we will be rather than what we are. We see what the world could be instead of what it is.

Martin Luther King had it. When he cried, "I have a dream..." there was nothing in the natural to evidence the dream. The African American people were still oppressed and fighting for rights and privileges due every man. But as the man saw the dream, spoke the dream, and cooperated with God the dream became a reality!

God has a dream for this generation. He wants us to see what He is doing and will do. He wants us to be His voice to proclaim the dream, pray the dream, and cooperate with Him to bring it to pass. Many of you reading this have held big dreams in your hearts for many years. NOW is the time of fulfillment.

In Genesis 37:1-20, we find a young, spoiled boy who loved God and heard His Voice. He dreamed God-dreams. When he dreamed the first dream, I'm sure he thought it was coming to pass that very week. He probably did not expect the dream to die before it lived. Yet it did...

Where is your dream today? Does it seem far off? Have you lost heart in seeing it fulfilled? I believe God is resurrecting old dreams and imparting new for this hour.

“Then they said to one another, ‘Look, this dreamer is coming!”
Genesis 37:19

This was a powerful statement. Look at what the words mean in the Strong's Concordance:

DREAMER: Master, Owner + Babble; Captain, Chief, Those to whom it is due; Those given to it; Those that have/hath it; RT – Master; to have dominion over.

DREAM: A dream; RT – To bind firmly, to be or make plump, to dream.

COMING/COMETH: To bring forth; To bring to pass; To come to pass.

When Joseph said, “I have dreamed”…it meant “I have a mental image/picture/vision from God that is now bound firmly to my heart and mind and is growing every day!”

God has a mental image/picture/vision for you that is fixed, that He wants to bind firmly to your heart and mind; a vision that lives and grows…

His brothers and father knew that when someone dreamed a God-dream, it was a declaration of what would be…it would come to pass. They intervened to stop the dream from coming to pass…but no human intervention could prevent it.

When the brothers saw Joseph and called him “dreamer” they were saying, “Here comes that one who has mastered, owned and spoken his dream; who is due all he dreamed of, who has given himself to the dream and possesses it; the one who has mastered the dream and taken authority over it. He and his dream are coming – he is bringing it forth, it is coming to pass!”

Where are the dreams you once dreamed? How long has it been since you dared to dream? Dreams are never given by God to tease us, to cause us to hope only to later be disappointed. God-dreams are not fantasy. Fantasy is what your mind imagines to escape the void and emptiness of life when you have no God-dream. God wants to awaken dreams in us. He wants us to remember. He wants us to allow Him to paint new pictures; new images on the canvas of our imagination. This is the year of fulfillment…

Get Started...

2009-01-19T07:29:00.000-08:00

This past week we were visited by Pastor Hosea Nelson Kyasooka from Kampala, Uganda. He is a dear friend and the pastor we work with there. He is a humble man of great faith. God has used him to challenge us in life-changing ways in during our trip to Uganda last summer.

Pastor Kyasooka operates under one ministry philosophy...God dreams big dreams. Most of us know this. When we receive a God-dream, we begin to prepare ourselves and gather the finances, staff, resources, and support needed to bring it to pass. This may take years. We wait and wait until we have nearly forgotten the dream to step out in pursuit of it. In some cases, we may miss it altogether by waiting so long. Not so with Pastor Kyasooka!

Pastor believes that if God gives you the dream, He will provide for it. We must step out with what we have and do what we can, even while we gather the people and resources needed to fulfill it. He believes that if step out and do what we can with what we have, God will reward our faith and supernaturally provide. He has lived by this in his ministry and experienced miraculous provision time and again. He lives "on the edge" of a miracle every single day.

His philosophy sparked a new level of activity for Ron and I. Since returning from Kampala, we have been stepping out to do what we can with what we have, even while gathering resources and support needed to fulfill the gigantic God-dream we hold in our hearts. A new zeal and excitement about the vision has surged and we are now seeing God's miraculous provision flow into HCI in various ways. Some miracles are little and others big - but all are a sign of God's delight in our steps of faith.

May we encourage you to adopt this philosophy too? If God puts something in your heart to do - perhaps a new ministry or business, or something for your local church, Heart Cry International, or a family member - do something! As you bathe the vision in prayer, look at what you have in your hands. Do what you can with what you have. As you step out, we know you too will experience the miraculous provision of God. You will see the dream become reality.

This is a time to act...not just to talk, think, or even pray. Jesus prayed AND He did something. Prayer moves the hand of God. It stirs up the waters and compels action. What might happen - how would the world be impacted - if each of us did what we can with what we have and believed God for more? Let's try it and see!

It's Time to Go...

2009-01-12T09:04:00.000-08:00

In the 30 years I have been serving God, I have never experienced a day like this. We are primed to impact the entire world for Jesus. We have everything we need. We have the wisdom and understanding, the technology and media, the communication skills and open doors needed to bring Christ into every nation. There has never been a time like this.

I believe that we will see a surge of missionary activity in the next three years. Despite the struggling economy, God's people will be activated in service in numbers surpassing past great waves of Christian service. The five-fold ministry will begin to function as the equipping, vision-casting force they were meant to be and the people will be the ones to plow the seed into new ground, reaping the harvest of revival. I can never thank God enough for allowing me to be alive to share in this day!

Many of you are feeling the stirring of this day in your soul. What can you do? I want to give you a few thoughts that will help you to navigate your way from "call" to "service."

First: You have waited on God for the call to become clear. Now stand in His Presence and devour His Word until you can trust Him enough to do it. It is when you still distrust His love, goodness, or desire to use you, that you falter and turn back from the call. When you know God gave the call and can be trusted to see you through, you are fearless! No demon of hell can stop you.

Second: Find your mentor. Who are the apostles, teachers, pastors, and prophets God has given you? They will guide you through and provide the counsel and accountability needed for the journey. You can learn from their lives. Develop covenant relationships. You will not be able to fulfill the call alone.

Third: Determine the first step you are to take, and take it! Don't wait until circumstances seem perfect. The enemy will make sure things never seem to be quite right...ignore circumstances and move at God's command. Let Him nudge you forward. Don't worry if you can't see beyond the first step - it's probably clearer from where you will be standing after you take the step!

Fourth: Beware of burning bridges. This is a time for building them. Beware of the enemy's strategy to divide and destroy. As you pursue the "call", the enemy will tempt you to break relationships that now seem detrimental or unnecessary. Beware of doing "your own thing." God is forming a vast machinery that will harvest the earth in one sweep someday. Your call is but one part of what God will need in this day. Your sound but one sound. Your gift but one gift. Love one another...

This may seem over-simplified advice. It is what I sense the Spirit of God saying to me as well. There are many plans for mobilizing people in ministry. This is the way of common man - you and I - seeking to follow Christ in our generation. Just follow!

This morning as I prepared to write this blog, I heard one line over and over again in my spirit..."Tell them it's time to go." As I waited here for understanding, this message spilled over...

"It's time to go. You have come through the season of dreaming. You have passed through the season of preparation. You will soon be past the time of birthing. It's time to go.

It's time to run with the vision, take hold of the promise, and apprehend the impossible. It's time to take the risk. I know that the next step seems unclear and you fear missing the mark, but you will not find firm footing until you step out. You know Me. You know My Voice. You hear My heart. Trust that I will not fail you. The risk you fear is not that you will fail me...in truth, it has been that I will fail you. And I CANNOT fail.

I have opened the gateways. I have created the bridges needed for communication, travel, and media to take you where I want you to be. I have woven you into the fabric of new relationships and resources needed. You cannot see them for you fear the risk...but they are there. Trust Me.

When your knees are knocking and your hands trembling, look at Me. The question has never been, are YOU able? The question is, am I able? Once you have settled this question in your heart, nothing will be impossible for you.

I am looking for those to share the day with Me. You have dreamed with Me and I have loved it. Now will you work with Me? Will you put your hand to the plow with Me? Will you scoop up lost humanity in your arms with Me and heal them? i am done talking. I am ready to act. I cannot hold My hands back any longer waiting for the church to arise. Those who rise up now will know what it is to DO what I Am DOING. Don't wait to see who will come with you. Step out. You'll find yourself a part of a remnant that shares your heart and vision.

It's time to go!"

Pioneering the Ancient Paths

2009-01-05T22:07:00.000-08:00

In a recent time of prayer, I recieved a vision from God. I saw a wagon train of believers moving slowly up the side of a mountain. There was a path before them that looked impassable. Some turned around and worked their way back down the mountain - they didn't even try to get through. Others examined the obstacles and overgrowth blocking the path and determined it would be too hard to get through. It seemed impossible. They sat in their wagons and planned their retreat with sad hearts. It was obvious that the trail had not been used for many years, and the thought of reopening it was overwhelming to most.

Then I heard a Voice saying, "Your generation has been called and prepared for this path. You are pioneering the ancient paths long neglected and abandoned by your fathers. It is the path of the great Healing Movement, Faith Movement, and powerful Tent Revivals of former years, when signs and wonders shook the nations with evidence of My power. Over time, the path was abandoned and overgrown with weeds. Obstacles fell into the path and settled into place over the years. To look at the path you would think it impassable. BUT...there is a way through. It is time for you to break out! I have prepared a way. If you will stay close to My Spirit, I will guide you through. There has always been a way through for those willing to follow."

This Word from God became a personal challenge to me. How bad did I want what was on the other side of the mountain? Was I willing to press through? Then I realized that once I made it through, the path would be open for the generations coming directly behind me! In my heart, I pictured myself grabbing hold of His hand and following Him through the maze created by the obstacles and overgrowth. He was right! He had prepared a way in the wilderness as promised. The valley on the other side was lush and green, springing up with life and brilliant colors.

You and I have read and studied about the "valley" for many years. We've pictured the beauty of the miraculous, the awesomeness of God's power. We've longed for His glory. We've looked for new ways and new methods to take us there...but in the end, there is only one way. Jesus IS the Way! We have to stay close and follow Him as He leads. We must refuse to be discouraged by seeming obstacles and difficulties. Our determination to get to the other side must be firm. This is the path our forefathers took when they walked in the supernatural power of God and witnessed His signs and wonders firsthand. It wasn't a moment - it was a movement that endured for many years. It was only as men began to neglect the ancient path of prayer and intimacy with God; of simple obedience to Him that the light of His glory dimmed and became a distant thing. What an opportunity is given to us!

It is time for us to stop looking for the "new" Word, new method, new wave or ways and simply do what our forefathers did when they experienced what we desire so much to see. Stay close and let the Holy Spirit lead. Love God and honor Him with simple, unquestioning obedience. This is the ancient path that leads to manifestations of His life and power. There is no other way! Let's pioneer the ancient paths together!

2009 will be a year of completion, fulfillment, and establishing. This is the year many will enter the "valley." It is time...

Personal Insight for Those in Ministry

2008-12-15T09:52:00.000-08:00

Last night I sat alone in the dark, with only the lights of the Christmas tree glowing. I enjoyed the Presence of God so near as my Father, my Brother, and my beloved Friend. This past year I have learned what it means to be Family with Him. I have found a Father so wonderful and faithful, so affectionate and affirming! I have embraced my Father's Firstborn, Jesus, as my Brother and accepted His gift of sharing our Father's inheritance. I have deepened my friendship with Holy Spirit, Who daily counsels and guides me. The Trinity, once allusive and hard to comprehend, has become a precious Threesome to me.

This revelation of my heavenly "Family" has dramatically changed my view of life and ministry in 2008. For years I was driven by a need to perform because I believed that God gave each of us responsibilities - tasks, ministries, businesses - to do FOR Him. They were ours to grow or destroy. This created a pressure resulting in cycles of discouragement and burn-out over the years. When I finally received the truth that I, as a born-of-the-Spirit daughter of my Father, am in the Family Business - everything changed! I am working with my Father, Brother, and Best Friend in my Father's business. His business cannot fail! His business will never be destroyed! I am not responsible for running the business nor can I take credit for it. It is HIS. I simply do what He is doing.

I once had a picture of ministry that looked like a corporate business meeting. The CEO met with His leaders at a large table with professional papers and graphs. There was presentation of need, correction, and goal-setting. Deadlines were put into place. The pressure was on. Everyone left with a serious face, ready to run! Now my daily meetings seem more like a family gathering. I meet with my Father, Brother, and Friend around a large kitchen table filled with those same papers and fun snacks. We are enjoying being together and there is laughter as we fellowship. There is no pressure. We discuss the same issues with the understanding that every goal and task is OURS. That makes all the difference...

If I could say anything to those of you who are young (or old) in ministry, it would be this: Slow down and take time to simply SIT with your heavenly Father, your Brother, Jesus, and your Best Friend, Holy Spirit. Enjoy your spiritual Family. Embrace your Father's business and lay aside any notion of your own. Erase all personal agenda and let Him set the course of your life. Ministry is not a doorway of opportunity for you to prove yourself, fulfill your destiny, or to make a difference. Ministry is your Father's business, introduced and established in/through the life of Jesus, your Brother. The Holy Spirit is Chief Operations Officer, making sure the Father's wishes and instructions are made known and His plans moving forward. You simply listen to and cooperate with Him. You can't make or break your Father's business. Surely you can help or hinder it by the decisions you make...but you can't stop it. Be released from any man-made pressure to perform. Enjoy the ministry. Enjoy your Family!

The beautiful thing about this Family Business is that you get to share in the full inheritance without the burden of running the business or making all of the decisions. You give your hands and feet to the ministry and He does all the rest. The burden is carried by your Father. And He loves you. He chose to adopt you as His own. He knew your strengths and weaknesses before you did. Your Brother, Jesus, loves you too. He has already taken the punishment for any mistakes you have made or will make. He purchased everything you need to do what you will be asked to do with His death and resurrection. God IS love and Holy Spirit loves you too. He is an ever-present Friend, ready to instruct and guide you every minute of the day. You are never alone. Your job is not to make the decisions, but to listen until you hear the decision already made in heaven. Doesn't that make your job easier???

As you look to the New Year, may it be with new-found joy and expectation. There will be MANY changes in 2009. For much of the world, there will be increased hardship. But for those in the Family of God, there will be abundant provision, peace, and joy. I'm sitting at my Father's table and am determined to know Him even better in the months ahead. How about you?

Things are About to Change!

2008-12-08T06:25:00.000-08:00

Things are about to change.

You can't stop it. You can't avoid it. You can't wish it away.

Change IS coming.

Everytime I stepped outside yesterday, the weather changed. One minute it was bright and sunny. In the next it was cloudy and overcast. When I next ventured outside, it was snowing! A few hours later it was dark and bitterly cold. All of this change occurred in one day. It was unpredictable, quick, and surprised me every time. It was also unpreventable and came independantly of any human effort.

Get ready - we are in a season of change, Friend. We are about to experience a leap in momentum as things begin to evolve and change at a rapid pace. We can't stop it nor can we make it happen. Change will occur in a day. Big changes that will not be what you expected. You will be surprised many times!

This morning the Holy Spirit revealed to me that there will be a PUSH in the Spirit realm that will bring about a quick process of BIRTH in the natural realm in the final days of 2008. There will be dramatic shifts in perspective, performance, knowledge, and understanding. There will be ministry shifts that include a "changing of the guard", new roles and job descriptions, new allignments and relationships in these final weeks of December to allow for BIRTH of new vision and ministry to take place.

Some of you feel the "groanings" of intercession and your heart beating with the sense of impending change. Give yourself to it. Don't fight it. The quicker we are to respond to the PUSH, the quicker the BIRTH will come!

I remember many years ago visiting a woman at the hospital who was in labor. She was curled up in a little ball in great pain. Her waiting and labor had been long and she was weary. She asked me one question before I prayed for her. "Does it have to hurt like this?" I discovered that she had been resisting the labor and inclination to push for hours! She didn't want to hurt. She just wanted it to be over with. However, when she finally understood that the pain was necessary and the effort to push was not something she could avoid, she gave herself to it! She relaxed and flowed with the "groanings" and soon pushed with all her might, birthing a beautiful new baby girl.

Some have delayed the BIRTH of new vision, ministry, and moves of God because of their fear of the pain and effort. But only with the PUSH can the "baby" come! This is a time for us to relax and allow ourselves to fully cooperate with God. Refuse all resistance. Let Him guide you through the process. Lean on Him. Trust Him. And PUSH when He says to! There's something new God is doing in and through you in 2009.

We can look at change as a negative experience or as a new opportunity. The choice is ours. If we see change as a new opportunity, we will embrace it fully and eagerly anticipate the future. The change God brings to you may be painful for a time, but it will produce NEW LIFE and vitality for you. Though the change may require the letting go of some things, it will fill your hands with new things. There is nothing to fear. God is in controll. So....PUSH!

The Power of Truth - Part Two

2008-11-25T08:34:00.000-08:00

“But now, says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you O Israel; Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you, when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you, For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel…since your were precious in My sight, you have been honored, and I have loved you…fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, and gather you from the west; I will say to the north, Give them up! And to the south, Do not keep them back! Bring my sons from afar, and my daughters from the end of the earth…Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old, behold I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it?”
Excerpts from Isaiah 43

Christ elected the church to rule and reign with Him, to represent Him in the earth once again. WE are God’s elected officials to bring transformation to the earth through the only message and power able to change man’s heart and very nature – the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the power of Truth. As Satan rules only with the power of deception, so the church can only bring the rule of God through the power of truth.

“I have put My words in your mouth; I have covered you with the shadow of My hand, that I may plant the heavens, lay the foundations of the earth, and say to Zion, you are My people.
(Isaiah 51:16) “Awake, awake!”

Truth has fallen in the streets…

For truth to “fall” it must be let go of or never received. God challenged Israel with this verse. Though they were chosen, loved, and valued by God, they were no longer receiving truth and they were letting go of truth they had known. For the state of the elect to change, they would need to change. They would need to embrace truth about God and themselves and then choose to respond to that truth. They would have to hold on to that truth so they could continue to be blessed. As Israel turned from sin and compromise and embraced truth, God’s blessing would be released on them and the nation they dwelled in would be impacted. The prayers of a righteous people are heard and answered. God intended His people would be influencers of the earth – not the other way around!

Let’s compare the church today with the elect of Isaiah’s time in the first two chapters:
In Israel: There was sin and iniquity (crooked ways) (1:4); fainting hearts and wounded people (1:5-6); sacrifice without obedience (1:11); doing of evil (1:16); oppression of others (1:17); no defending of the fatherless or widow (1:17); rebellion/stealing (1:23); a following after reward (1:23); mixing with Eastern ways/religious tolerance(2:5); love of mammon/money (2:7); materialism (2:7); idolatry of self-effort/accomplishment (2:8); subjection to idols.

Because of these issues in the elect, the nation they dwelled in was desolate, cities burned with fire, strangers devouring the land, war, filled with love of mammon and idolatry, economic and environmental hardships and under God’s judgment with the elect. For the nation to change, the elect would have to change.

Are we ready???

The Power of Truth; Part One

2008-11-17T11:39:00.000-08:00

The Book of Isaiah is a prophecy to Israel – to God’s elect; and because of Christ, Who grafted all who believe into the chosen people, it is a prophecy to the church of every generation.

“For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith, for if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of not effect,lll therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not onlhy to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.”
Romans 4:13-17

It is another “book of revelation” in many ways. Historically, God spoke to Israel to reveal truth to them. They were walking in a realm of deception that had allowed them to slowly integrate with the lost world around them in values, relationships, speech, behaviors, and pleasure. They had lost their first love; lost sight of their Abrahamic covenant with God, and therefore lost their way. In His mercy, God challenged them with truth about Himself and about themselves.
In this prophecy, God confronts them with a truth they had forgotten – that the condition of the church/God’s people is NOT dependent or founded upon the condition of the nation they dwell in. Rather, the condition of the nation IS dependant and founded upon the condition of the church who dwells in that nation. If the church is blessed…the nation is blessed.

Two weeks ago a long presidential campaign in America came to an end. Some are rejoicing; others are not. Regardless of our feelings about the outcome, we can all agree that this campaign was historic in the millions of dollars spent, the hours and aggressive volunteerism served, the emotional force behind each campaign, and the bombardment of the candidates through every avenue of modern media. All of this to elect one man to one governmental position in one nation of the world. The hope of each campaign was to elect a man who could bring transformation to America. Both promised it…but in truth, neither could or can bring total transformation to our country. They can change laws, but neither has the power to change the heart or nature of man. Only God can do that. This is why we can have hope.

God elected His people to a governmental position in the earth from the dawn of creation. He empowered man with governmental authority expressed in word and prayer. Obedience to God secured that authority so that man need never be subjection to Satan or to any other thing. Disobedience to God in Eden laid that authority at Satan’s feet, but Jesus Christ took it back!

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His Name will be called, Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His Kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”

Isaiah 9:6-7

I believe the word of the Lord to the church in this hour is to stand up and be heard. No more wallowing in disappointments. No more responding in fear to negative economic, environmental, or news reports the same way the world does. We have the message that can transform nations! We have the ability to pray and move the hand of God on behalf of America. We can wade into all streams of society and bring the Glory of God with us. God has the last Word in our lives. He alone is Lord! Our God is on the Throne!

Prophetic Insight from Isaiah 1:1-16

2008-11-03T09:54:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow America elects our next President. In my lifetime there has never been a presidential election that so divided the church. This division has leaked into families, even marriages, and created a breakdown of unity in the body of Christ. It has become a personal issue that touches every life - even those of the unborn. What does God say about all of this?

God has recently awakened me anew to the Book of Isaiah. In every verse, I hear a new mandate, challenge, or encouragement to the church. If we believe that the future of our nation rests in the hands of one of two men and a Congress that cannot seem to agree, we will live in fear. However, if we realize that God is behind the recent shaking up of our nation's government and economy, we will be moved to cooperate with Him in a greater way than ever before. God wants us to understand what He is doing in this hour. He wants us to participate in this move. To participate fully, we will need to understand what is happening even now.

My husband made a statement from the pulpit yesterday that I believe summarizes what we need to hear. He said that God had spoken to him on Tuesday morning saying that "how the church responds to this election is more important than who is elected into office." This is important because it recognizes the fact that the condition of the nation is directly impacted by the condition of the church. For years, we have believed the opposite. We have gauged our expectations for the church upon what is happening to our nation environmentally, economically, and politically. If the world looked secure, the church had great expectations. If the world looked unstable, the church halted giving, reduced missionary efforts, and began watering down truth to grow their congregations to create a new, false sense of security. We had it wrong for a long time, but no more. God is teaching us...

Too often the Body of Christ forgets the "Head," failing to honor Christ as "Owner" and "Master." We have resisted these titles and focused on the authority He has given us. We need to know the authority He has given, but also the authority HE has. His authority surpasses our own. His power, influence, wisdom, ability,and governmental authority is complete. We do ourselves a disservice when we fail to realize the responsibility our Lord and Master assumes for our provision, protection, and care. With the Titles come responsibility for the church that He gladly receives. This should give us great peace! God IS in control!

Sadly, much of the church today is laden still with iniquities - crooked ways and perspectives produced by sin. Whether the sin was our own or of those who sinned against us, it has resulted in ungodly tendencies of thought and behavior that hinder our spiritual advance. God is ready to bring fresh revelation of His redemption through the cross so that we might be set free. For those who will receive conviction of and deliverance from sin through the blood of Christ, there is an incredible opportunity for growth and freedom.

How can we know the condition of the church? Simply look at the nation surrounding the church. When the Body of Christ is laden with iniquity, corruption, and backsliding; when the church is marred by sick or unhealthy mind-sets and weakness of heart, wounded, bruised, and without genuine shepherds to tend to their needs, the same issues will abound in the nation. When the condition of the elect is deteriorating, the country will inevitably be desolated, cities destroyed, land and wealth taken by "strangers." Whatever God does in the earth, He does for His family. He seeks to add to His family new sons and daughters from the earth, but He brings either blessing or correction according to what His family needs. When His children are alligned in right relationship with Him, His blessing is upon them and their land. When His children are disobedient and contaminated by sin, He corrects them to awaken them to their need of change. Their land feels the correction as well. Again, the condition of the church is directly reflected in the condition of the nation it dwells in.

There is a remnant in every nation that has been strategically positioned by God for this hour. Because of the remnant, God stays His hand of judgment. Because of the remnant's intercession for the land and people, they are spared destruction. This is why we must pray! Sacrificing time, talent, money, and energy isn't enough to bring transformation to America. Sacrifice is futile when it comes from a church filled with crooked ways and thinking, perverted in purpose and identity. The bloodshed of the "Abels" - the innocents murdered by abortion, genocide, and abuse cries out against the church. Why? Because our prayer and stand for rightousness has the power to end it! This is why our prayers go so long unanswered.

There is only one way to turn things around for America - or for any nation. Whatever we want to see in America we must aim to see first in our own lives. Do we want a nation that follows after righteousness? Then WE must live righteousnessly before God. Do we want prayer returned to the schools and government offices of America? Then WE must be people of prayer. Do we want and end of abortion and abuse in our country? Then WE must take a stand against it. If we want God's Voice, Hand, and Heart revealed to America, WE must be ready to be His Voice, His Hand, and His Heart. The church is God's answer to the needs of this nation. Let the church arise!

Why the World Cannot Change

2008-10-27T11:35:00.001-07:00

Our world is in need of intervention. Man is giving it his "best shot." Government leaders, environmentalists, educators, medical specialists, humanitarians, activists, and even children are convening to find solutions to the earth's problems. So far, there has been much talk and very little change. Mankind is straining to fix what is wrong with the world, but finding disappointment at every turn.

The world cannot fix or change itself.

The world was never designed to problem solve or transform itself. It was created by God (Genesis 1) to facilitate relationship with Him, to perpetuate life, goodness, and the kingdom of God. Sin and destruction wasn't in the original design. The painful realities of our world today were not planned by God. Therefore, the world is not equipped to change these realities. It is at the mercy of...who?

God is often blamed for the condition of the world. The church often blames the world for the condition it is in. We pray and fast and call for solemn assemblies to see the world awaken to its' sin and need of salvation. We believe that either God has failed or is bringing judgment to the world. We believe that Satan has been allowed to ravage our world because of its evil.

If we believe this, we are wrong.

I have recently felt led to study the book of Isaiah. Though I've read it repeatedly over the past 30 years, I am amazed by the fresh understanding I am now receiving. God's Word is new every day! It takes a lifetime to study and digest the truth. Even then, I am sure we enter the heavenlies with so much more to learn.

Here is the basic truth I am discovering in Isaiah...the condition of the CHURCH is reflected in the condition of our world. In days to come, I'll take the time to look at this in depth. For now, I want to introduce a series of thoughts for prayer and contemplation.

Throughout the Bible, we read accounts and promises of God blessing a city because of the righteous that dwell there. We read of prophets and apostles who brought transformation to entire cities by bold proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have received the promised Holy Spirit Who empowers us to be witnesses, representatives of Christ in the earth. We have been given spiritual authority to bring God's kingdom rule and reign. We have the Word of God in our mouth that brings transformation. We have the ability to pray and move heaven and earth. If we know these statements are true, we must then reconsider why the world is now in need of intervention.

Are we crying out for God to do what we are supposed to be doing?

The church (the body of Christ; born-again believers) cannot bring transformation to the world until it is first transformed. When the same sin, bondage, and deception lies running rampant in the world is found within the lives of the church, how can we hope to bring change? If God's blessing is not resting upon a nation, where are the righteous? If judgment is coming to a nation, is it intended for the people of that nation OR for the slumbering church in that nation? These are questions I'm laying before God in my own life.

I am resting in the promise of a remnant of true believers who are spread across the face of the earth. They are the "match" that will strike a fire that will bring transformation to the church and then to the world! They are God's chosen vessals to carry His life and message in spoken Word with power and demonstrations of His compassion. This remnant is comprised of men and women of all ages, colors, and cultures who are being stirred up and pressed into a greater pursuit of God in this hour. They are passionate. They are determined. They are hungry for more. They are weary of hearing what God DID and want what God IS to be manifest. They are tired of inactivity and silence. They are ready to make a difference in the world.

I am one of this host of believers. I want to see Jesus glorified in my world. I want to SEE what I've been taught to expect. I want to KNOW HIM. I am ready to let God deal with the innermost parts of me. I am open to change. I am willing to hear. I am praying for the church as never before in my life. I love the church. I understand her purpose. I want to see her become all God intended so the world can be transformed.

The world is at the mercy of....the church.