Jonah – Path Without End

“Belly of the Whale” / Prayer

August 30, 2020August 30, 2020 Path Without End

75364021-1200px The storm rages and Jonah is thrown overboard into the violent sea! You know the story. Is America throwing “church as we have known it” overboard? Statistics say they are. Is traditional church being rejected? And yet Jesus is not traditional church, and he rises above!

Have you ever noticed in your walk with God, how if you “defile” yourself for a time, then it takes a little while to get that intimate Anointing back? As Priest of God we’ve all been there. It’s a most basic lesson of understanding the power and Anointing of God. The Old Testament spoke of it symbolically as eating or touching unclean animals. Or if you had touched a dead thing. The O.T. painted us a picture how intentional sin can “defile” us, and then there was a time period of cleansing before the Priest could perform his priestly duties again. I call this our 3-Days in the belly of the fish.

Jonah was in a heck of a predicament, wasn’t he? And yet it took him 3 days before he could pray a prayer that God actually answered! Are we in that same spiritual condition?

“… And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights. Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish.” (Jonah 1:17b & 2:1)

Jonah had definitely slid into a distant relationship with God, and was sailing farther and farther away until the fish brought him back, and even then Jonah still had an attitude. God continued working on him even as God was saving Nineveh.

What is it going to take to get the church back into a position of power and Anointing with God? I believe I see the great fish coming! We are in the storm now, Jonah has been woken by the unbelievers and told to pray, but he has not yet admitted to this storm being his fault! It is his fault because he is not preaching God’s message that was given! Not only that, but he is sailing AWAY from the will of God, choosing to go to Tarshish rather than Nineveh, because those people were so evil! They deserve to die! (He decided.) Hard hearted.

Jonah was planning on living a blessed life in Tarshish rather than preach to the heathens the warnings and judgments of God. Have we not done the same? The storm is here! We have been woken and told to pray! But Jonah’s prayers were no good until after 3 days in the fish belly! We’ve not had our 3 days yet. We’re not Skypeople living by our wings. We’re destined for fish food.

So…what kind of a fish, and what kind of a belly does God have “planned” for us??? God is very intentional in these things, you know.

Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea…

Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah.

In our New Covenant God also warns us about a life of sin, unholiness, defiling our temples, which have become our very body. We are called to be Skypeople, not Earthdwellers living in defilement! We have forsaken our sacred ways! We don’t live by our wings, but we live as normal men! A life below, not above! A kingdom below, not above! A life of carnality, not Priesthood! We’d rather live in Tarshish!

We have much better means of forgiveness and restoration now, through Christ Jesus, but believe me, in severe cases, God still has his GREAT FISH! And the last verse of the O.T. is still a warning ending in the word “CURSE”! I believe we are there. We have pushed God’s buttons too many times and crossed an invisible line.

Now the heathens have not thrown us overboard yet, but they sure are beginning to think about it. HATE SPEECH! RACISM! GENDERISM! ABORTION, CONTROLLING POLITICS, HOMOSEXUALITY! EQUAL RIGHTS IN THE CHURCH! They have a lot of reasons already prepared. We’ve actually gone soft on these subjects, but they don’t see it that way, nor do they want us to have a chance to get stronger.

During the time of this election, they are throwing their lots and asking their gods for a revelation of who is the cause of this perfect storm? We already know who the lots fell to, Jonah. We have caused a political storm they will no longer tolerate. So the tolerant will cease to be tolerant in the name of being tolerant.

In 18 more days the “50 Day White House Siege” begins. The lots are being rolled. The storm continues raging and it will not go away until God’s people get right with God again. Until they can pray the prayer that God hears.

Leviticus 18:24- > “Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, for the people I am driving out before you have defiled themselves in all these ways. Because the entire land has become defiled, I am punishing the people who live there. I will cause the land to vomit them out.” (Like the fish vomited Jonah?)

The land is defiled with hate, violence, lies, murder of babies, divorce, adultery, lust, materialism, selfishness, homosexuality, perversion, and how much more can it stand? In all this the church has been asleep. Now the storm is upon us. If God will hear our prayers as he did Nineveh, perhaps we can shorten out time in the belly. It’s up to us, the church, God’s people who paid the price for a ticket to Tarshish rather than following Jesus.

“The night watchmen found me as they made their rounds. They beat and bruised me and stripped off my veil, those watchmen on the walls.” (S. of S. 5:7)

snowy owl in Colorado — Are we awoke now?

Heart and Soul of Nation.

August 27, 2020 Path Without End

75364021-1200px I keep hearing Politicians talking about this election is for nothing less than the “heart and soul” of this nation. To that I ask what do Politicians know about the “soul”? This only confirms to me what we have said, the church has lost her way, and now the soul is in the hands of politics? The Ark has been captured. Eli and his wicked sons have cost us dearly. The Philistines have ransacked us! That which is the church’s territory is in the hands of the heathens! It reminds me of Constantine influencing the church of 300 A.D. Will we down the road, see the dark place that road led before?

Most Politicians I’ve seen over the years will speak any lie you want to hear if it gets them elected. They flip flop. The very person they were exposing as so vile a few days ago, will suddenly become best friends and endorsing them. Where is honor, integrity, and truth? They show little knowledge of true morality. They endorse the murder of pre-born babies. They live in wealth and luxury. They love money and power. They might be denied communion by their Priest. They will use whatever is available to sabotage a nation’s well-being for their own agenda. They hurt the very people they claim to defend. They allow lawlessness if it promotes their agenda, and again, many innocent people are hurt, including the businesses of hard working people. How long should I make this list? These are the people fighting for our soul? And the church? They seem to have embraced politics as the answer. Have they embraced Constantine? And do we have a choice at this point? Maybe not. Just like Jonah, he really had very little choice in the storm.

Here’s a wake-up call, people. Here’s a news flash! Politics don’t save a soul! We are well into uncharted waters that will surely create a huge hurricane storm of Jonah proportions before this is over. And then, perhaps a Jonah will rise out of the belly of the whale who preaches a true message, as he is forced to sit in the hot sun, miserable. Not a pretty picture.

Now we have a scandal with Jerry Falwell Jr.. What has happened to Christianity in America? Jesus said if we truly followed him, we would be hated and persecuted. However, was that hate supposed to be derived from politics, because the church became a political entity? Or was it other things, like saving souls and being anti-worldly, anti-materialistc, and pro- God? Pro- Word of God? We have succeeded in being hated, but I don’t think it is for the same reasons Jesus was.

I believe in the flux of all this change is the chance to make a different choice than Jonah made. Those who truly hear the voice of God see opportunity. The fields are white unto harvest! However, King Saul must be recognized as a king having no clothes. The Anointing has left him and he is tormented of demons. God is in the caves with David. God is alive and well, and so is the new wine rising for such a time as is coming. We will know more after we see what happens in this election, sad to say. We have allowed everything to become about this election. And when it happens I believe we will see great chaos like we’ve never seen before. And in such times as these a new wine should flow, but are we such a wine skin?

Now is the time to hear God and catch the wave. Trump moved the American Embassy to Jerusalem. He took the stand every President before him coward away from. Now we see more movement towards peace in that area. Trump is involved, “The Art of the Deal”. That is one of his claims to fame. And what does it all mean? New times are coming! End Times are coming! But that 7 year period could still be many years away. Much could still happen if David succeeds in bringing the Ark back into Jerusalem, even as Trump moved an embassy! But that’s church territory! Not politicians!

Now is not the time to be more worldly, more materialistic. Now is the time to live in the high places of God’s Spirit. Be the Skypeople we claim to be. Learn what it means to live by our wings, our spirit man, rather than the dirt of our flesh. Again, Jesus said we would be hated, but for what reasons? Check the Beatitudes. Does God expect us to vote as godly as possible? Surely he does. But can’t we do that without becoming a political platform?

Many times what looks good at the time also conflicts with what Jesus actually said and did. In those times true wisdom stays in faith in Jesus. We follow him. We mount up with the wings of the eagle. We do what Jesus did even in spite of how it may look to our human reasoning. And when we don’t… that 20/20 hindsight eventually confirms the error of our way. As for me and my house, we will follow the Lord and the example he set for us. Constantine led to a dark place before, and will do so again. Jesus is always the true light!

Sail on, brothers and sisters. Sail a sacred ship.

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In these chaotic times, with a hurricane rising in the future, where lies true north? Your soul knows. Your soul will find the way, if you pray and obey. The set of our wings!

Old Paths – Micro Church? #1

July 3, 2020July 3, 2020 Path Without End

9021 Will modern church fight the Sea Change in spite of “over whelming” evidence of her failure in America? Why do I specify America? Because it seems we have not failed so badly overseas. It appears our dollars invested to send missionaries to third world countries, and such, is resulting in much multiplication and revival! But why is that? Is it because our American version of church is succeeding there? Not according to the studies I have read. They are succeeding for exactly the opposite reasons!

These oversea revivals are not adopting the big church modern system, but they are doing it much more closely to what the Early Church of the Old Ways did! House to house! What we see throughout our New Testament! Isn’t that interesting! You say No? Maybe? We will see.

And in a time when the American church should be self examining and asking why all this has come upon us “on our watch”, we do not self-examine, but simply say to pray, vote for Trump, and we will overcome! (Where is the humble yourself, repent, turn from your wicked ways, seek my face?) If this is your answer for where we are going, then what is your reasoning on how we got here? Have you yet to even admit it is the modern church that is responsible to God for America’s condition? And if these be judgments from God, then who has caused them, the unsaved world who do not know what they do? Or a modern church who is supposed to know what they do?

I must give Mario Murillo credit for this. I believe he pointed out our SIN in scripture, and once I saw it, I needed no further explanation because it was all so plain! I don’t know the details he has taught on this, but here is what seems so prophetically accurate to me, and yes…this does relate to our new SERIES of Old Paths and Micro Churches. I’m so excited to be finally getting fully into this.

I recommend one and all to read Jonah in detail, for yourself, but here are a few points for us to “launch” with. 1)…The Lord gave a message to Jonah! This is 1:1 of Jonah! And what did he do with it? He did not speak it! He refused to even go to those people that the message was for…and he RAN from God!

He was to warn of coming judgment, but refused! You may say we have had lots of people screaming judgment for years. Yes…but did you listen to them? And the message of the modern church has not been judgment, but prosperity and success and king theology! It says in verse 3, Jonah did not preach the message of the Lord, but got up and went in the opposite direction! He went “DOWN” to Joppa and got on a ship for Tarshish, whose name in the Greek means = a stone, a jem, a reverse! And when I think of a “jem”, I think of money, prosperity, materialism!

2)…But the Lord hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart! (Remember the vision I’ve shared in detail in previous articles? The whirlwinds, dry corn shucks, and wire fences? And two old gates?) Fearing for their lives these unsaved men started praying to their gods for divine help! But Jonah was not praying in the storm, he was sleeping! (Vrs. 5)

3)…The captain of the ship demands for Jonah to pray to his God also! This is like the world telling the church to wake up and pray! What are you doing sleeping in a storm like this? And soon, it is discovered, the whole storm is because of Jonah! It is not because of these ungodly men who know not what they do, but because of Jonah who knows exactly what he is doing! The storm has come on ALL of them because of Jonah, God’s man, not anyone else! This is our fault, church! And are you examining your modern ways to figure out why? Or must we be thrown overboard, by the world, into the sea, to be swallowed by a fish, before we will finally get serious about our calling as Priests in the earth!

We will be having much more to say about Jonah and the church, for example…in chapter 2, verse 10, it says the fish “spit” or “vomited” Jonah out of his mouth! That sounds a whole lot like the church of Laodicea to me! And what have we already been saying? But even as Jonah is spit out on that beach, he still has serious attitude issues! But I don’t want to just spend time on how we got here, but also where we go from here. In this series I want to talk about both. We need to speak about what Jonah did, and also what Jesus DID!

The clock is coming full circle! Is the church becoming as the Jewish church was in Jesus day? Jesus looked at the Pharisees and said, when speaking of Nineveh! > “The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah.”

“Now someone greater than Jonah is here — but you refuse to repent.” (Matt. 12:41b)

He goes on to say, “Now someone greater than Solomon is here — but you refuse to listen.”

Refusal to take this seriously. Refusal to repent or listen. I no longer claim to be a Christian. I have tried to correct my habit of speech developed over many years of being a Christian. I try to always specify “I am a follower of Jesus”. I need to go deep into that, also. The modern church has so tainted the name of “Christian”, that I can no longer use that title in good conscience.

However, the name of Jesus still stands pure! If you truly follow Jesus, which is Christianity in its purest and simplest form, people will still respect you. But what does that mean? How have we sullied the name, Christian? Do you even understand? Love of money…king theology… power… sexual unfaithfulness. And related to power…”politics” now also “marks” the name Christian/church/Bible, in the eyes of the world. The world knows Jesus never went political, even though baited more than once by the disciples.

Do I plan to vote? Yes. Do I make a major issue out of politics? No. I focus on the transformation of hearts in Christ Jesus. I never want to speak of politics to the point someone will not listen to me concerning Jesus. Only if I were called of God to that work would I become that vocal, and God does call such people. But the church as a whole is meant to be preaching the Gospel! And multiplying through discipleship! Like salt out of a shaker!

Did you know the death of Billy Graham has proven itself to be a spiritual marker in time, for this nation? And consider this, even though Billy Graham was associated with every President we ever had, it seems, but he was not political! The few times he crossed that line he said he regretted! The young Rev. Graham got involved with Nixon and crossed the line. But the older Graham had learned! He was advisor to both Clinton and Reagan! He told “Christianity Today” in 2011 that he would have ‘steered clear of politics” and he had crossed the line a few times but would not do that now! He did not join the Moral Majority or the Religious Right! How do you think he was able to advise someone like Clinton and also Bush, or Jimmy Carter, and also Reagan? And yet remain above it all!

Billy Graham focused on changing hearts in the power of God, and then a right heart votes godly! And good political leaders with a true desire to serve the people become available. But in a world growing more and more worldly, it don’t matter how political you may get, soon, there will be no good choices! (And some would say we’re already there!) This storm is because of the church running from God’s true message and true ways! And the world plans to throw us in the deep blue raging sea! At least Jonah admitted it was because of him.

If the modern church fails to admit its sin, will God still prepare a fish for us? Or simply let us drown? If we are spit out on the beach, will we preach it then, or just remain a beach bum? Building sandcastles, and lamenting the days of yore?

I firmly believe when the first church in Acts was simply growing larger and larger in that one place, God was saying, “This is not what I want, guys.” So he put his Believers in a salt shaker and began shaking the bottle, because they were simply piling up in a large hump, in one place, not seasoning the whole plate at all! So he allowed persecution and sent them out like salt to sprinkle throughout the land and multiply. Invade, saturate, multiply, fight decay, and season the experience of life for all to see!

Is this thing being called “Micro Church”, the new move of God? Is it God trying to get us back to the wisdom and Holy Spirit power of the old ways? Are we in big lumps that don’t know how to truly be the “family” of God, experiencing shallow relationships instead of the deep? We have so much more to say on this subject, as to Modern Church…Micro Church…Jonah…and Jesus!

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