Tag: Last Days

“Night Watcher” #4 / Old Wine

Path Without End

75364021-1200px I spent most of my day today with the Lord. It’s now about 10:30 at night and my mind rumbles with thoughts of frustration at a message I just heard. Its been at least 6 months since I listened to a message from the last Traditional church I left. It was a church of 800. They held two Sunday morning services and they can be heard on their Internet site.

After leaving 3 years ago, I have made it a point to occasionally check in on what they are currently preaching. So far the messages have never made me regret leaving, and today’s was exceptionally sad. The preacher was pleading for people to come back after weeks of the Covid virtual church services. It seems a lot of people have not been coming back, and not just this church, but many.

The Pastor started out by recognizing this problem has been going on way before Covid, but the pandemic had now shifted church exodus into hyper-drive! He gave some statistics. He admitted we have slid into a post-Christian culture. This has happened while under the watch of Traditional church, and yet he was presenting his case for a return to Traditional church! What’s the old saying? You can’t keep doing the same thing and expect different results? But he was.

He gave statistics that this year was already on course to see a 15% drop in church attendance even before Covid! And now, it would be even worse. He said that just to keep up with the birthrate in our country, you need 10,000 new churches every year! But instead of 10,000 churches opening, it would be 10,000 closing, causing a 20,000 church short fall! One-third of churches are about to close their doors due to Covid, and yet he continued only offering the same pattern of church we have had for many years now. He kept preaching the old wine that is being rejected.

He never once mentioned the Micro church movement. He never once mentioned Home churches. He spoke of the church in the book of Acts but never once mentioned them as Home churches. Instead, he went to the Old Testament to try and prove the need for large churches! He used the Old Testament temples as a pattern! This cannot be supported by the New Covenant, so he went to the Old, just like Pastors do on tithing, but Jesus fulfilled the Old and gave us the New!

By Old Testament standards, Jesus could not even be a Priest, let alone our High Priest, because he was not of the tribe of Levi. Jesus was of the tribe of Judah! Jesus made major changes in what we call church. He fulfilled the Old and took everything to a higher level. The book of Hebrews is excellent on this very subject.

Anyway, it was so sad listening to this man give the statics, the evidence, the proof of how badly our modern system is not working, and yet plead a case for still working it! He also explained people are dropping off the Virtual church services also! Virtual church is not working! It is called “Screen Fatigue”! How very interesting.

In our little Fellowship we have had no need for virtual church, and our Fellowship has continued functioning without a hitch. But this Pastor insinuated through his entire message that a Home church is not really “gathering yourself together”. He insinuated it is the “falling away”, and we need to get back in the four walls of the church buildings. Never mind Jesus said where two or three are gathered in my name, I am in their midst. He never explained that scripture. But most likely his big church is bleeding not only people, but money! House churches won’t work to his big church agenda. His message was so full of his personal bias that it defiled the whole message.

Now when I left 3 years ago, everyone was excited that big changes were coming to that church. I told my wife then, churches are always saying this. We will see if they can turn this big ship? Well, evidently they did not, because guess what…big changes are coming to this church again! Wow! Get excited everybody! But what are the big changes this time? What is the new vision this time? The people are tired of the hype and old wine. They are leaving looking for the fresh bread from heaven. People are realizing this king has no clothes, and they are voicing it by simply leaving.

We can already see Jonah being thrown overboard, but if we think this is bad, be ready for November elections! The Progressives already blame the church for electing Trump. They see “Jonah” as the cause of this storm! And no matter who wins in November, there is likely going to be an explosion! Forewarned is prepared. Right?

On that note, I warned people against the church becoming political. This Pastor also mentioned he knew many churches being torn apart by politics! Preach the Word! And if that don’t cause someone to vote right, then nothing will anyway! Don’t sacrifice your testimony in Christ over politics! Change hearts through the Gospel of Christ, that is our assignment as priest in this earth.

Church…get ready for November. Most of the church has painted itself into this corner. If persecution is required to reshape the church, I see it coming. So be wise and make spiritual preparations now. Get back to majoring on the Gospel majors, and minoring on the minors. David and his mighty men endured the storms and eventually brought the Ark back where it belonged. Seek the anointing. Only God’s power back in the house will change the day.

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“They beat and bruised me and stripped off my veil, those watchmen on the walls.”

 

“Night Watcher” #3 / Jonah

Path Without End

75364021-1200px Who can tell me what the very last word in the Old Testament is? Who can tell me the last word God spoke before hundreds of years of silence? It is the word “curse”.

It’s Sunday morning and I’m in my quiet place watching and listening. I like to always write something on Sundays, and what am I hearing? There are many idols set in the high places that God’s people have forsaken. How have we forsaken them? Why do we bow to these idols? Where are the Elijah’s?

God spoke of a return of a type of Elijah, a type of John the Baptist, and a return of the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers. And then He threatened/ warned, if this did not happen…well… the exact words are: “lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” (Book of Revelation begins?)

We are at such a point again. The church, through the power of the Holy Spirit, has kept Antichrist at bay for many centuries, but scripture plainly says the return of the Lord will be after the Antichrist is revealed, and a great falling away of people. If the church is no longer anointed/ powerful enough to hold back the coming of the Antichrist and his revelation, then all the curses of the book of Revelation cannot be far behind. This is what is at stake. The stakes are high!

If America is not living in a perfect storm/ CURSE right now, then I don’t know what it is. We now see the Postal Services being added to the mix. They were on course to lose 11 billion dollars! So Trump appoints a man to “fix” it. But how do we know this is not his way of sabotaging mail-in voting? The honest answer is, you can’t! But is there a real problem with the Postal Service and also mail-in fraud? Yes there is! Again, a perfect storm! And each side wants control of that pawn! Are we reduced to pawns rather than prayer? If our prayers have no power, then yes!

Is this perfect storm/ CURSE actually caused by the worldliness of our modern day church? As Eli and his wicked sons lost the Ark of the Covenant  and brought about a King Saul; and as Jonah the prophet of God running from his assignment, are we in a God-given curse such as Elijah brought upon his day by praying for drought, famine, death, and CURSE? Elijah obeyed God in praying for a curse! Is that the prayer God is answering today?

Is it possible that there are times when a CURSE is the only FIX? And if so, get ready church, because until King Saul is finally overthrown, the Davids of this world must walk in wisdom as they continue bringing the next great move of God. Of which, David was Israel’s greatest moment in history! But before all that he was an outcast and criminal, surviving in caves! Ever feel that way?

Prior to that greatness, in the days of the Prophet Samuel there had been major problems in the House of God, by way of the priesthood of Eli and his sons. Lets just say they had become very worldly. This spiritual condition in the Temple contributed to the people demanding a “king”. God told Samuel to give the people what they wanted and they got “King Saul”, and he was impressive to look at, but as time went by some major flaws were revealed, such as great pride.

His personal pride was so so strong that he would give into people in order to make them happy and himself look good, but he disobeyed God. His pride was also so strong, he tried to murder David! He realized he had lost God’s anointing and now David had it. Saul was tormented of demons, and sought to kill the next move of God. Will we be guilty of such a thing?

On the ship that day with Jonah, the pagans were doing everything they knew to survive that storm, but nothing was working, and the ship was going down. I see our country even now, doing everything it can think of to stop this storm, but the words “peace be still” are not working. There is an evil in all the high places of our land, and it seeks to set on fire the course of nature until the foundations of our country all burn down and new foundations can be set. And in this fire, even as the Prophet Samuel was powerful in the midst of his time, and a shepherd boy named David was rising, there is a new wine and a new wine skin forming!

Which comes first, the wine, or the wine skin? I would say the wine! Why is there a need for the wine skin until the new wine? David was being anointed long before he actually gained his platform. But we are in this time, church. Whether we believe Microchurches are the answer, the new wine skin, or simply getting back to early church ways, which I believe Microchurches are a part of.

If Trump is reelected and brings prosperity back to our country, how will the modern church change? Will they not seek prosperity and blessing even more? Will the hate against a hypocrite church professing to follow Jesus, who forsook wealth and materialism, will not that hate continue growing until they will rise up and throw the church overboard? In this perfect storm, the curse either comes on the church now, or a greater hate/curse later. Jonah is on course to find his whale’s belly. And in the midst of all that, I believe David will come forth, and there will be many battles to be fought for the city Jerusalem to rise with the power of the Ark again.

“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)

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“Secret Gardens” #1 / Microchurch

Path Without End

20200804_180842 The best kept secret in town, they sometimes say. It usually refers to a special place not yet discovered by very many.

Our house is becoming a House church. I have so changed this house you wouldn’t believe it, but now, even though not complete, considerable ministry is growing here, along with our “Bird Garden” sanctuary we have started.

Yesterday we had a couple here for marriage counseling. They did not have to go to some Pastor’s office at the church building, they came to our home. We set up a table and 4 chairs. We had some drinks and easy snacks. Music played in the background. The bird sanctuary glowed through the French doors with all the activity of our small animal refuge. We have 2 ground squirrels, a rabbit, a male cardinal and 2 females, 2 hummingbirds, lots of sparrows, 2 squirrels, a small pond fed from our basement sump pump (lol), and of course the unexpected creatures that visit.

We were not on any schedule. We made a “His” and “Hers” sheet as we helped them communicate about issues. My wife was a big help with the ladies side of things. It was not real professional, but it was personal, cozy, non-threatening, and real. We shared our home with them, and they shared their struggles. I think they have a real good chance of making it. We scheduled a date to play Yatzee at the same table in 2 weeks. We will see how they are doing.

This is our Secret Garden growing. Brian Sanders and his book “UNDERGROUND CHURCH” has inspired me to be more “creative” with ideas for outreach/ missionary outreach, thinking outside the box. We have an idea and we are moving towards it. It involves dogs and young people needing role models in gang ridden areas. We expect to succeed in our target. I look forward to sharing more as it goes, and as it grows. We plan to launch in October.

If you’re looking for the new move of God in this New World coming, I highly recommend Brian Sanders book. I also recommend “The Forgotten Ways” by Alan Hirsch. (I am currently reading.)

God is never surprised, so why has the church been caught flat-footed so many times? Those who move with God are never behind the times, but actually ahead. The New World is coming, and there is a church already preparing for her. Those who don’t “move”, but are institutional, will be caught flat again, indeed, already are. The people of Israel lived in tents so they could stay in the fire and in the cloud. This new wine skin, this new wine, does the same. This next move is full of movement, outside the institutional church, in the streets and in the homes.

Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves, Jesus said. Micro-groups, Micro-churches, Home-churches, may be small, but they are hard to target, as was Elijah. Small enough to be hard to target, yet big enough to still be deadly. Jesus is the Alpha of our pack, know what I mean?

Let’s get back to what Jesus actually did, and what the early church actually did. We have come full circle, it is time again. Don’t be caught flat-footed. Take wing!

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A Sea Change has come.

 

“New World Coming” #1 / Bibles?

Path Without End

“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

 Bibles burned in Portland? The American Flag and the Bible burning together! That should be no surprise to anyone. It was only a matter of time before their true hate would be revealed even more. “Once upon a time” the Bible and America were one, but the tug-of-war being waged between the New World and the Old rages on, and the Old is slowly sliding towards this New World in which the Bible, God’s Word, is not welcome! (At least not in its true form.)

Statistics show this once Christian nation is now Post-Christian. In other words, the Church is slowly losing the cultural tug-of-war, unless some new strength, some new wine, some new Anointing comes from somewhere. Do we have a plan, church? Or just more of the same. Maintain course. Maintain the slow slide. It usually accelerates towards the end.

When the New World comes, the Bible will be the most hated of all books, and will be considered the most dangerous of all books! Therefore, so will be Christians.

“So the Word became flesh and made his home among us.” (John 1:14a)

Modern Christian of today, do you understand that when Jesus said, “Follow Me”, that He was and is the Word, the Bible in flesh form? In other words, when we accepted the call to follow Christ, we were also accepting the call to follow the Bible, they are ONE.

In the same way as the Bible, in its true form, is not welcome in most Communistic countries, hence the underground church in China, it is not welcome in this New World coming. Where does that put us? In that fire pictured above?

The two pictures above are related. They are of the same spirit. I have written of the “Burning Man Event” in the Nevada desert. This same spirit of the New World coming pervades. What will be the role of the church in this New World? What will be your role as a Christian? Do we go underground? Do we end up 6 feet under, or raptured? Are we the wise or the foolish virgins?

I believe the easiest way to grow a new forest is simply keep setting fire to the old one until it all burns down. There is no great strategy here. Simply keep causing chaos, disruption, hate, and disorder until there is a “combustion point” and then grow a new forest out of the ashes of the old.

The Progessives no longer hide their true agenda. They have listed their goals. It is a Socialist agenda. That is the New World they want to grow, a Socialist and New Age religion agenda, and as they grow more angry, hate-filled, and desperate, they no longer care what they have to do to get it. They do not give pause to burning Bibles or our flag. These people are screaming out with the old and in with the new.

Is it really America’s fault that their life is so miserable, that they have it so bad, they want to burn it all down and start over? But this time, the Bible will have no part of its foundation. So what will be the foundation? Humanistic ideas. Man can do better than God. Man is god. Woman is god. And our Bible stands in direct opposition to the New World agenda. The Bible must burn!

Most Christians will probably ignore this Bible burning and excuse it as just a few people caught up in the emotion of the time. It’s not a serious thing, they will tell themself. But what if it is not just a few people? What if this small group is actually expressing the true feelings of a whole lot of people steadily growing in this country, and in this New World? Then what?

Hollywood is usually a pretty good picture of where we are going, after all, it is a major brain-washing and herd -manipulating machine. Pay close attention to what the new movies are cleverly seasoned with. Tell me it is just a small group of people.

“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes, and harmless as doves.” (Matt. 10:16)

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“Of Doves & Demons” #2 / Microchurch.

Path Without End

 

 If they can silence us, we lose.

“But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders.” (John 7:13)

Courage/ Fear/ Leaders. I see 3 main elements in that scripture, and we have the same 3 today. I see a scripture saying there was a “lack” of courage, an “abundance” of fear, and a group of “evil” leaders. Human nature never changes, therefore, history always repeats. But where is wisdom in this? It is strangely missing.

I keep hearing a phrase today: “Good Trouble”. Has anyone written up the boundary lines of just exactly what that is? When someone puts a Pro-Trump sticker on their bumper and then their car is mysteriously beaten with a baseball bat, or keyed, is that good trouble? When a simple man stands outside his own store and preaches Jesus, but he is suddenly shot dead, is that good trouble? When stores are “looted” by protesters/ rioters, is that called good trouble? It use to be called “criminal”! When buildings are set fire it use to be called “arson”. But now it’s good trouble? When media constantly twist the truth, in other words, they lie. Is that the new good? When churches are set fire, statues violently torn down, people cursed out and threatened, guns pulled on people setting in their car, or risking a nation’s election for the sake of your personal gain, is that good trouble?

Followers of Christ, it is not wrong to be afraid because the threat is very real, but we must not be silent! Silence crucified our Lord!

The evil leaders used lies, money, and threats to stir up an illusion of HATE, because people of dishonor can be manipulated. Hate then causes fear because the “HATERS” will attack you, whether by word/tongue, or even physically attack you or your possessions. The threat is very real, and the fear too, but what of courage? Please allow me to point out, we are not called to courage alone… but to courage & wisdom!

“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.” (Matt. 10:16)

In warfare it is well said, “Know thy enemy”. The snake is our enemy. Do you know how to stop a snake? Be the eagle! They that wait upon the Lord! The Anointing!

Here’s some spiritual wisdom. It is very foolish to have departed from the ways of our Lord. Somehow, while asking the question: What Would Jesus Do?”, we forgot to ask “What DID Jesus do?” Our modern church system is not what Jesus, nor the Apostles, nor the early church fathers DID, and we have lost the Anointing. Lets get it back! If not in mass, then in micro! If not as a whole, then as a person! As in personally! It can start with you and I.

I believe Jesus is taking his church back to the beginning, back to Pre-Constantine time, and that is why the gates of hell will not prevail against her! And in the book of Acts you see the very large church of Jerusalem being shaken like a salt shaker and people going forth! Going forth to saturate the land! Fill the communities! And become HARD TO TARGET!

Eagles are hard for snakes to target. Eagles live in the high places, not the low. Eagles have the advantage of the high ground, even unto the sky. They swoop down from above and then disappear. They live in pairs, and raise their children to also be eagles. They work as a team.

Elijah was an eagle. The Bible says Elijah will show up again, in the last days. He was hard to target! He would sweep in, declare a thing, or do a thing, and disappear! He was a man just like us, but also a man of great prayer, and he was Anointed! He had a mantle, a covering from God! We must be of great prayer too!

The snake uses silence to attack their enemy with that forked tongue. The snake creeps up on its prey by way of silence, flipping that forked tongue all the way, smelling its way along. Once they are close enough, then comes the fangs and poison. They know that words truly are mightier than any man-made sword or gun or bomb. They must frighten us into silence in order to win. It is basic snake strategy. The scriptures show they did it to Jesus. The enemy does not change his tactics because he knows this works! We see it all over the world, evil leaders using fear to maintain their power, or gain power. They sensor the airwaves. They control speech. No freedom of speech. SILENT! Or else.

The Jerusalem church was very easy to target. That church was God’s launching pad for his Gospel rocket, but was never meant to be the plan once space was achieved. It was a launching pad of great power and force to go forth and saturate the earth, but it also took persecution to get the people to see God’s big picture. Have we lost sight of the big picture? It is human nature. So God shook the shaker sending them forth, and they were not silent!

Jesus kept it simple and real. Why have we turned church into a “building” and a repeating “program”? But if we learn from the wolves we as sheep have been sent into, we would know that a wolf pack is small enough to be hard to target, and yet big enough to still be deadly in its effect.

I truly believe Micro church is the new wine and new wine skin. The persecution is coming and it’s just a matter of time. The sooner each of us get back to doing what Jesus actually DID, the better off we will be. The sooner each of us get back to simply “following Jesus”, the better off each of us will be. For we will receive a wisdom of how to be truly effective in our day.

Elisha had asked for a double-portion of the Anointing. Elijah said he had asked for a hard thing, but when Elisha took up Elijah’s mantle, he shouted, Where is the God of Elijah? And God answered!

Jesus said, “Follow Me.”

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“Of Doves & Demons” #1

Path Without End

 “…and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.” (Isa. 10:27b)

How do you win a battle of Love verses Hate, words verses guns, or doves verses demons? It cannot be done through the flesh. This brings us back to where we need to be, people of God. Our carnal ways will be our demise. We must relearn what we have forgotten. We must get back to where Jesus started us. BACK TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, and something called the ANOINTING!

In this world bullets are feared, and rightly so; but in the bigger world, the world this little world was birthed from, the Anointing is feared most of all, because of the Anointed One, whose name is the name above all names…Jesus!

But some tried to use the name of Jesus, and the demons said…Peter and Paul we know, but who are you! (Then proceeded to beat them!) There must be the Anointing. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof will fail. Have we forgotten His way?

Here’s our situation… as followers of Christ we are called to Love in a world that Hates, and especially hates us! How do we survive? How can we win? It’s Mission Impossible!

UNLESS… there is a God in heaven who will once again grant his power on us as he did Samson back in the day! But who of us are ready to pay the price of the anointing? Who of us are so hungry for more of God that He is all we can think about, and we seek Him as in the Song of Songs?

The HATE is evident to see, that is the problem, but now we need the solution to the problem. This new series “Of Doves & Demons” I am hoping will run for awhile. I think God has much to say and we have much to relearn. We have much to regain of what we have lost, as David bringing the Ark of the Covenant back into Jerusalem.

In just this past month, our little Fellowship that we like to call: “CHURCH EVERYWHERE”, has seen 2 unexplainable powerful touches of God upon a few people. I have longed for such things but never seen it before on this level! This is new for me! It was literally the power of a sovereign God touching hearts in a way beyond us! I honestly believe it was supernatural in nature, and the only thing different I have done is seek God specifically for His “Anointing”.

I have studied and sought. I am still studying and seeking and I must begin sharing thoughts as God inspires.

It is easy to see the strategy of the enemy> HATE. Steal, kill, and destroy! He’s actually not very creative. Powerful people are using their tongues to set on fire the course of nature. It is set on fire of hell! But they have a strange fire, God’s Word speaks of it, and we have a holy fire. Yes, the Church must get back to fighting strange fire with holy fire! This is the Anointing, and it is the supernatural power of God.

There is so much to say on this. It comes at a cost, priest of the Most-High God. Are we ready to perform the sacrifices we are called to perform? If we are, then just like Elijah, there will be fire from heaven! And the priest of Baal will fall!

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“Church on Fire”#2

Path Without End

warfare Are you personally powered up for what is coming? Jesus said you shall receive POWER after that the Holy Spirit comes upon you. Are we a Holy Spirit “prepper” as the 5 wise virgins were? How do we even do that? There is so much we have forgotten, but need to remember.

I am a “Prepper”, but not so much of material things, I have a little, but I’m mostly concerned about not running out of light! When your lamp goes out there is only darkness. And what is this darkness coming? What is our Father warning us to be powered up for?

Have you been reading the Tea Leaves? They are so easy to see and read because the enemy has become so emboldened! They don’t even hide it anymore!

“These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world HATE you, ye know that it HATED me before it HATED you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own:…” (John 15: 17-)

They call it Hate Speech. By the new world definition we are the haters because we believe certain things are “sin”, certain things are wrong, things not approved by God, things ungodly, things judged by our Bible, and if we stand by God’s STANDARD, we are to be labeled HATERS and persecuted. Are you ready? There is no dodging this bullet short of betraying our Lord. Turning apostate!

“When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.” (Isa. 59:19b)

But our standard is HATE SPEECH! Do we still speak? Or go silent on certain topics? Betray the Word of God, Jesus. Do we still hold a standard? Not a standard chosen by us, or written by us, but by God! The world says God is the HATER! If He exist, they say, He is cruel, and a hater. All of this is His fault. The world refuses to own its own mess.

Notice the “Spirit of the Lord” is where the POWER is. Not us. God’s word confirms this over and over again. Have we forgotten? The Holy Spirit is the Power House in us! But what if we run dry?

What is this Anointing our Bible teaches, and our Lord spoke so highly of? King Saul was anointed to be king over Israel, but he kept disobeying God. Finally God sent Samuel with the Ram’s Horn to pour out the Anointing upon a shepherd boy named, David. When Samuel did this, the Anointing “left” King Saul and “came upon” David! David now walked in the power of God, but King Saul received a tormenting demonic spirit! We must talk about this. King Saul was then filled with jealousy over David, and wanted to kill him!

As God’s Anointing is lifting from those ministries who will “give into” the world, beware of the jealousy! But David now had the power. Or should I say the power rested upon him. Even while he was on the run, and Saul still upon the throne with a huge army at his beckon call, the real power was on David. But what know we of this POWER today? We need that power again! We need it yesterday!

The problem is this POWER of the Holy Spirit will cost you, and I’m not talking about just your money. Or some imaginary 10%. It will reach into EVERY part of your life. Jesus said we have a cross to bear, too. A cross is a cross! Again, I want to emphasize what the wise virgins told the foolish…

“Then all those virgins got up and put their own lamps in order. And the foolish said to the wise, GIVE us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. But the wise replied, There will not be enough for us and for you; go instead to the dealers and BUY for yourselves. But while they were gone away to BUY, the bridegroom came, and those who were prepared (preppers) went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut.” (Matt. 25: 7-10)

The foolish wanted the wise to just “GIVE” the oil to them. Easy-peasy. Instant mash potatoes. No sacrifice! No time! Instant crop in the field ready to harvest! How long did it take for Samson’s hair to grow back, and then to pray that prayer that God answered? The wise knew how foolish the request was, and gave them the only true answer.

Priest are called to love and sacrifice. Those of the King Theology, or King Saul Theology, do not like this message. I once knew a Pastor of a church of 800 who asked if he could preach my notes on the priesthood. Of course I said he could and he was doing a fine job of it, until… There were those getting upset and ready to leave. He then switched to preach the “King Theology” as a balance, they say. And now my life has taken a strange parallel to David’s, like an outcast. Good thing he didn’t have me preaching it. So out of respect to the Pastor, rather than cause division from within, I left with this message to share outside the four walls of those places.

God was about to judge King Saul’s kingdom. Everyone went through a lot during that time. David and his men suffered, even though he did no wrong! Jonathon and his armor bearer died in battle. King Saul died. But eventually, after much turmoil and suffering, Israel ended up with the best King they ever had. You could say that God had fixed things. The best things can be fixed with flawed man. It’s never perfect except in Christ.

So are we powered up like David was? Do we have a heart like David to sacrifice whatever it takes to bring the Ark of the Covenant, the power of God, back into the Church again? How do we BUY the oil that poured out on David’s head? What is currency with God? What is heaven’s currency? It is nothing less than true love! A marriage feast! Does your heart so long for more of Him that nothing else matters? Do we hunger and thirst for more of the Holy Spirit in us? He is that power.

In “Church on Fire” #1, we used scripture from Song of Solomon to relate this Holy Spirit love that is dripping with the Anointing of our Savior. Remember the door latch dripping with myrrh and spices? What of this oil Samuel poured out of the Ram’s Horn upon David? Exodus 30:22 speaks of the spices and oil mixed to create the holy Anointing oil. And Song of Solomon speaks of a garden “enclosed”, but praying for the wind to blow the spices forth out of the garden! Such a beautiful picture.

Jesus said, you shall receive power “after” that the Holy Spirit comes on you. And later, in chapter 4, the whole room was shaken and the Holy Spirit fell on them “again”! A second time! We can have more! The world drains us. Do we understand what the 5 wise virgins understood? Do we realize Jesus shared that parable, and others, for our learning? So we could live wise? But the young woman in the Song hesitated to leave her comfort zone, her bed, and the Anointing left! She went out into the night, the darkness, and was beaten by the watchmen! Are we prepared?

I see an ugly time coming. I see an Anointing shifting. I see great HATE and jealousy, but not by the ones who are commanded to love! This world is setting up its own judges of HATE. It seems those who hate the most, get to decide who the haters are. And Jesus said it would be so. But like David, and the 5 wise virgins, Holy Spirit preppers will prosper! He prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemy! What are you willing to pay to be on fire? Let us pray like Elijah prayed.

I’m now 125 pages into this book.
It has been excellent!

I’m now 125 pages into this book. It has been excellent! And I still puzzle over that title. I find it fascinating. Somehow it relates to today.

I also finished Brian Sander’s book: “UNDERGROUND CHURCH” I love the song they are singing. We are God’s songbirds in a world infested with snakes.

“Church on Fire” #1

Path Without End

warfare In the Hunger Games, Katniss became known as “The girl on fire”. The world needs to see a church on fire, but how much have we forgotten about the “Call of the Holy Spirit”? Has Samson lost his power? Will his hair grow again? Realize, that hair don’t grow overnight. We better get started!

This oil don’t come cheap! God paid the highest of all prices for our salvation, but what are we willing to pay to be on fire! Will we leap from our comfort zone at the sound of His voice?

“I slept, but my heart was awake, when I heard my lover knocking and calling:

‘Open to me, my treasure, my darling, my dove, my perfect one.

My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night.’

But I responded, ‘I have taken off my robe. Should I get dressed again?

I have washed my feet. Should I get them soiled?’

My lover tried to unlatch the door, and my heart thrilled within me.

I jumped up to open the door for my love, and my hands dripped with perfume.

My fingers dripped with lovely myrrh as I pulled back the bolt.

I opened to my lover, but he was gone!”

Song of Solomon 5: 2-6a

He was gone, but the handle still dripped with His “Anointing”.

The power is not in our words, or in us at all, it is in His Anointing. She went out into the night to find Him! But the watchmen found her, and beat her, and stripped off her veil!

“My heart sank. I searched for him but could not find him anywhere.

I called to him, but there was no reply.

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.”

We need to get back to the “Anointing”. Have we forgotten the path? Are we lost in the night, or cozy in our bed? The 5 wise virgins told the 5 foolish to go and “BUY” their own oil. What is the price of God’s oil today? Is it going for cheap? We need to talk more about this. I fear too many of us have forgotten how this thing really works, or perhaps we never knew to begin with. It is of the “Old Ways”! Will we hunger and thirst for true righteousness again? Are we personally a house of powerful prayer? Or is there no Anointing? Beware…the watchmen are coming.

We must talk much more of this, if there is any hope of our future. A church not on fire is a lifeless thing! A church with a “strange” fire is a demonic thing!

warfare

 

 

“Micro/Macro”- Prophetic Poetry

Path Without End

“Micro/Macro”

It was a prank. Right?

Someone loosened the cap? You gave it a shake?

The salt poured out all in one place?

Ruined your meal!

Like a rocket from a lifting pad, so the church began…Jerusalem!

But free of gravity…orbit achieved…space… “Go forth!”

Did they not understand God’s true plan?

Salt in a lump heals no land!

But salt in a shaker?

Is it time again?

To be tossed about spending ourself; sharing our money, houses, and homes?

The pursuit of wealth, possessions, and fame! What have we gained?

Loose the gravity! Be free in Christ! And change the world!

Macro salt is a Dead Sea, a Lot’s wife, a church spewed out,

a body left behind.

Micro salt sprinkled about, a land seasoned, well…

that’s just plain good!

Has it not always been so?

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Do you have a Hunger Games story?

Path Without End

20200719_073715 What is your personal Hunger Games story? I believe most people have at least one. 

I have collected special movies that inspire me over the years, and I have often pondered if I had to choose just one movie series, which would it be? I do not find it an easy choice, but I finally decided it would absolutely have to be the “Hunger Games”.

When the first movie came out and I learned it was about people forced in an arena and must fight to the death till only one person is still alive, I really questioned if that was a movie I wanted to see? But I soon discovered there is so much more to these movies! They have very deep messages that particularly appeal to me, and with the newest addition to the series, “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”, the message of the Mockingjay becomes even deeper, and more complete.

I’m only 63 pages into the book, so don’t worry, I don’t plan on any spoilers here, other than the story is AWESOME so far! I’m completely hooked! But as we are in the midst of a SEA CHANGE on planet earth, and also in my own path concerning ministry, I want to start using “The Hunger Games” as an analogy at this site.

I love good analogies. As you know, one of my favorites as a follower of Christ is to live my life like a sailboat with only my sail to catch the wind of heaven and power my vessel. I call this being a Soul Sailor, and several past articles have pertained to being this Soul Sailor.

But as to The Hunger Games, for me, it is all about what it takes for a vision to catch fire and become an inspiration to others. To cause a real movement there has to be at least one main leader who becomes the Lightning Rod for that vision. There will be other leaders too, who probably have smaller platforms, all working together to play their part in the big wave of the movement, but there must be the Lightning Rods, and just how do you catch Lightning in a bottle?

George Floyd probably did not plan on becoming such a lightning catcher on the day he died. He paid for this movement with his life, like many others down through time have, when they caught lightning in a bottle and cast it forth. Sometimes we become a Lightning Rod by accident, but most of the time there is something about the person that perfectly suits them to the task, and such was Katniss of the Hunger Games. This is the magic of these movies, the rising of a symbol of inspiration and fire! The rising of such a person, even though unbeknownst to herself. Circumstances beyond her control played a big part in ordering her path.

She never planned to become the Mockingjay. It was others who saw it in her, and began pulling it out. And now that I think about it, when she shoots that arrow into the lightning and short circuits the whole arena? WOW!!! How symbolic! Lightning in a bottle! And she was willing to die, if that were to happen.

Katniss volunteered for the Hunger Games to save her little sister. She only had a slim chance of surviving. She put herself between death and her sister. She had a talent with the bow, and she loved nature. She knew how to hunt and survive in the woods. She had beauty, was fit and athletic, she had a chance, but no one could be sure what would happen, and Katniss was not even aware of what she was becoming for a long time! She didn’t even want it in the beginning, but they crossed the line! Sometimes something crosses a line with us, and then that’s it, GAME ON!

Brian Sanders and his book/church, “UNDERGROUND CHURCH”, has become a Lightning Rod for me. He is a Mockingjay. Jesus Christ is my ultimate Mockingjay, but I also have others, smaller ones you could say, and I would love to be one in my own small way. That is why we have sought God for a vision, a holy task, a mission to go forth with and it shall develop as we go. The vision has come and we intend to pursue! It’s my Lightning in a bottle sent from Christ to inspire!

Most people are playing a Hunger Game. We are a people of desires! Appetites! Hunger! Wants! Emotions! ETC! But what have we chosen? What do we spend our time fighting for because we desire it? That’s what it comes down to, you know. What is that Lightning in a bottle for us? In our culture of SUCCESS, many are those seeking wealth, materialism, a castle, a personal empire, fame, fortune, pleasure, SELF, etc. etc. Snow was a leader too! He caught lightening in a bottle! But as we well know, so did Hitler, and leaders can be just as evil, as they can be good. What are we personally hungry for? Where do our appetites take us? What are you a Mockingjay for?

The people who know us, when they think of us, what would they say we are a Mockingjay for? In the Hunger Games the bird had become a symbol of rebellion against the rich and powerful of Panem. The Jabberjay was sent out to die! But somehow it survived by mating with the mockingbird, and became a bird known as the mockingjay. It did not die, it adapted and thrived! I believe that is already happening in what we call “church” today. A Sea Change is happening. To what are we to adapt? Do we surrender to worldliness, or is there a great victory ahead for all those sold out to Christ? King Saul was falling even as a little shepherd boy was rising!

“Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” (Matt. 5:6) For those who claim to follow Christ, this should be our hunger.

For some of us, Christ and God’s Kingdom is our Lightning in a bottle! At least for a time, the idea of the Mockingjay will become a regular analogy of this site. What does it take to become a leader others are inspired to follow? Are we a Lightning Rod for Christ? Do we hunger for righteousness? Will we catch Lightning in a bottle and give it to others to drink from? There is death connected to this Lightning, but also life abundant! Choose you this day…

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The title of the book also completely intrigues me. “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”.