A Hopeless Generation

We live in a society now that is not energized with Hope. The generation that we find ourselves in the 21st century is practically Hopeless. When I say generation, I'm not talking about simply the "young people" or the "on-coming" generation. I'm talking about the people who are alive during this age and era. Socially and culturally (not necessarily individually) we are a Hopeless Generation. Why do I say that?

Hope is the ability to look beyond the present and current circumstances and envision a brighter tomorrow and a better future. Hope is not simply some type of enthusiastic optimism in the midst of trying and tedious times. Hope is being able to identify and assess what tomorrow is going to look like, a brighter tomorrow, even though there's nothing about the present that suggests that tomorrow is possible (Romans 8). That is why I say we are a Hopeless Generation; there's no vision of tomorrow that suggests it's going to be significantly better than today. No Hope.

The real challenge with this is the Witness of the Church. If anybody should be hopeful it is the children of God. However, because we as the body of Christ have failed to be renewed in the spirit of our minds (Ephesians 4), we have developed a social and cultural perspective that is commensurate with that of the world. No Hope. So what are we to do in the midst of a generation, a country and a culture that offers no hope for a brighter future and a better tomorrow?

Saints, believe it or not, we may not have to do anything. In a matter of days, (that could be weeks, that could be months) God is getting ready to turn some things around. When the Lord releases His Judgment upon America, people will be desperate, including government officials and community leaders, to find hope anywhere they can. The beauty of it will be, the only Hope that will be available will be in God. People will start talking about God that you didn't even think knew the Name of Jesus. People will start talking about Prayer that previously were "anti-church". It's going to come to pass. And when it does, in His Everlasting Mercy, God is going to offer Salvation, Deliverance and Restoration to those who put their trust and faith in His Name. As the elect and chosen of Christ, all we need to do is be prepared. Now is not the time to go to sleep. Now is not the time to become self-centered. Now is not the time to seek self-pity. Now is not the time to indulge in self-pleasure. Now is the time to deny yourself, be sober and hope to the end for the Grace that is to be brought unto us at the Revelation of Jesus Christ (Matthew 16, 1Peter 1). The God we serve is the God of All Hope (Romans 15); and as we prepare to go into 2016, He is ready to minister Hope to a Hopeless Generation.

The Key to Prosperity

I haven't met a person yet that didn't want to Prosper. Whether it's prosperity in their finances, in their health, in their career, in their relationships; everybody wants to prosper and be successful. However, a lot of people, including Christians, don't understand what to do to achieve Prosperity. For the record, just because you're a Christian doesn't automatically mean that you're going to prosper and be blessed. Being a Christian and a child of God gives you "access" to being prosperous in Christ and in the Lord. But it's like having a brand new car in the driveway and not having the keys; you're not going anywhere. Such is the case with many believers, we don't have The Key to Prosperity.

The bible says in Second Chronicles chapter twenty, "Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper". I heard a prophet say once, we have a lot of established churches because we believe in the Lord God, but we don't have a lot of prosperous churches because we don't know how to receive the prophetic word. We're in a day now saints where if you want to prosper, you're going to need more than just the "pastoral word" that you hear on Sunday mornings. For the record, the pastoral office and the prophetic office are not synonymous (Ephesians 4). I'm not saying don't go to church on Sunday morning. And I'm not saying don't listen to what your pastor has to say. What I am saying is that if your pastor isn't a prophet or operates in a prophetic anointing, you're going to need more than what you're getting in order to Prosper. This is a spiritual reality that the church must come to grips with, if we want to become a Prosperous Church. We have to understand rank in the Body of Christ and in the Kingdom of God. In order to prosper, it's not enough just to believe in God and believe in Christ, you have to believe His prophets, the prophetic word of the Lord.

The Lord told Joshua in Joshua chapter one, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success". If you're going to be prosperous you have to be a student of the Word of God. We still have too many professing Christians that do not read their Bibles for themselves. This is not correct. You can't grow spiritually and mature in the Lord just hearing a word from God one day out of the week. It's not going to happen. We must become disciplined and learn to read and study the Word of God, day and night. If we learn to read the Word and heed the prophetic voice of God through His prophets, we will embrace the Key to Prosperity.
 

The Fairness of God

Recently I was having a discussion with a friend of mine in regards to the Fairness of God. We were exploring the question, is God fair? My response was a resounding, no He is not. And can I tell you something, I'm glad about it! There may be many of you that are going through situations right now that you feel that you don't "deserve" to be in. You're finding yourself assessing your situation and questioning the Fairness of God. "Lord, this isn't fair. I don't deserve this". I won't question whether or not you deserve to be going through what you're going through. But to me, what is unquestionable is the Fairness of God. To me, God is absolutely, Not Fair.

Let's first talk about what we as "sinful creatures" really deserve. If God gave us what we deserve in regards to our obedience to Him, our loyalty to Him, our submission to Him, our worship of Him; would we be where we are right now? The bible says that the wages of sin are death (Romans 6). Have any of you sinned "lately"? If you have then you "deserve" to die. So then, if you're simply alive and breathing, within the Justice of God, that's not fair. Do you see what I'm saying? We like to look at the Fairness of God in light of what we're going through at the time, not in light of what we deserve overall within the economy of God.

Then let's look at the Fairness of God in regards to the treatment of His own Son. The bible says that Jesus was without sin (2Corinthians 5). Yet He was crucified on the Cross for our sins and iniquities (Isaiah 53). Is this fair? Is it fair for a Man who did nothing wrong to suffer a brutal and humiliating death just so a sinful humanity could be reconciled to God? I don't think so. And remember, it was the will of God that Jesus died on the Cross for the sins of the world (Isaiah 53). So, once again, when we think about our own Eternal Salvation and the price that Jesus had to pay, surely The Father is not Fair.

Yet, let's examine one other area of the Fairness of God. Favor is not Fair. Is there any one of us that "deserves" the Favor of God? The times He's blessed you, the times He's delivered you, the times He's healed you, the times He's made a way out of no way; did you deserve that? The times that He's let you live while others have gone on to their grave; were you "better" than that other person? No you were not. The reason you weren't in the accident, the reason your life was spared is because God is not Fair. We generally describe it as The Grace of God, God's unmerited favor. This is significant, because we're getting ready to enter a season where God is going to pour out His Miracle Blessings upon His chosen and elect, while others have to deal with the consequences of Judgment. I can assure you, it won't look fair. But at the end of the day, God is Sovereign and God is Just. I'm just so glad that God is not Fair.

Change is Coming

As we acknowledge the first official day of winter and the drawing of the end of the year, we want to recognize that Change is Coming. The weather is different (unseasonably warm) and people are still on edge regarding the terrorist attacks that are taking place around the world. But be not deceived, things are getting ready to change in our country, and in our world.


I don't have a timeline or an exact date, but I can assure that as we go into 2016 (and remember, 2015 isn't over just yet) we are going to experience some things that we have not witnessed or experienced in our lifetime. The scripture says very clearly that because the Judgment of God is not always swift, men do not always heed the warning and word of God as they should (Ecclesiastes 8). However, the word of Judgment that God has issued, particularly for America, is still in effect. Don't let the times lull you to sleep. We serve a very Merciful God. He wants all men to come to repentance (2Peter 3).
But the time is short, and the Judgment of God is imminent.


At the same time, as the children of God and believers in Christ, we too want to recognize that Change is Coming. For a lot of believers, it's been a dry season. Things are not moving quite the way you would want them to, and things are not changing as fast as you'd like for them to change. I say to you my brothers and sisters, Be Patient (Hebrews 6). God is not slack concerning His Promise. He knows what time it is, and at His Appointed Time He will release the Miracle Blessings for which He has prepared for His Chosen. But what we want to do is be expecting the Change. Not just a change in our external and situational circumstances; but a Change in our Inner-Being. Yes saints, God is getting ready to manifest a Supernatural Work in His chosen people. Unfortunately, not all of God's children are chosen (Matthew 22). But for those who are, who have taken the time to get prepared. For those who are, who have allowed the Holy Spirit to discipline them, and sanctify them, and consecrate them unto the Lord. For those who have aligned themselves with God's Perfect Will for their lives (Romans 12), Change is Coming. All we have to do is Hang in There. Satan is busy. But greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world (1John 4). It won't be much longer children of God. For in due season, Change is Coming.

Training Camp

If you are familiar with Football, then you are familiar with the concept of Training Camp. Every year, before the official season begins, every football team (professional football) holds what is called a Training Camp. During this Camp, all of the players who intend to play on the team come out to participate in this Camp. Not everybody who comes to the Camp, makes the team. Some people get cut. During the Camp, the coaches assess the ability of each player, to see if they have what it takes to make the roster. The Camp allows the players to develop their skills, and more than anything else, learn the techniques and methods that the coaches want the players to learn and for the team to execute. Training Camp ends when the official season begins.

The concept of Training Camp is applicable to the church and the Body of Christ. Many Christians are conditioned by the "stay busy" mindset of our digitalized culture. People have to always be doing "something". However, this is not the Way of God. Every now and then, instead of God having His people move, He has them to make camp. In other words, Be Still. Many of us have found ourselves in a season of "Camping". Not a lot is going on; personally, relationally, financially, ministerially, it just seems like things have been at a stand still, for an extended period of time. A lot of us, particularly if you're ministry-minded and service-driven, feel like something must be wrong if things aren't "moving" in your life. However saints, this assessment is incorrect. Part of God's dealing with His people is to have them Be Still and "camp" for a season. If this is the Season that God has you in and has "had" you in, don't be frustrated, don't be upset, and don't think that "something is wrong". Believe it or not, you're right where God has ordained for you to be.

In the Old Testament, when God was leading the children of Israel through the Wilderness, there were several times where He had them to make camp and just stay at a particular location for a specific period of time (Numbers 9). The children of Israel knew not to break camp until the Cloud lifted and God directed them to move forward. It's the same with His army today. God has a purpose in keeping you still for a Season. An apostle shared a message that Jesus gave Him where the Lord said, "The strength of the army that marches will be determined by the quality of its camp. When it is time to stop and camp, it is to teach My people My ways. An army is an army whether it is in battle or at peace. You must learn how to camp, how to march, and how to fight. You will not do any one of these well unless you do them all well." I pray that you have a productive Training Camp.

The Inspiration of ISIS

Have you ever wondered what is the inspiration and motivation of ISIS? On the surface it looks like its just acts of terrorism or the desire to inflict violence and fear. Other perspectives may portray political and even religious motivations. All of these are true to a very large extent. But there's an inspiration that ISIS has that needs to be duly considered by the believer in Christ. Part of the inspiration of ISIS is what I'd like to describe as "eschatological". This is a word that is derived from the term "eschatology" which is the study of the end times. Members of ISIS are not strictly motivated by political aspirations, there are spiritual and eternal motivations as well.


One of the fundamental beliefs of Islam (not just ISIS) is that at the end of time Muslims will rule the world. They have a "messiah figure" likened unto Jesus Christ named the Mahdi. One scholar on the teachings and ideology of ISIS put it this way: "the Islamic State is no mere collection of psychopaths. It is a religious group with carefully considered beliefs, among them that it is a key agent of the coming apocalypse...".  Why is this important? Because part of what's driving these so-called "radical Islamists" is a view of the afterlife. It's hard to shut somebody down when they feel their reward for killing is beyond the rewards of their temporal existence. Recently a pizza store owner was arrested for supporting ISIS in New York. When he made a statement on why he participated, his response was, "a person who helps or sponsors a fighter to engage in violent jihad obtains the same religious rewards from Allah as the fighter himself". I'm sure no one suspected this New York business owner of being a "jihad supporter". But because of his religious beliefs, he was predisposed to this philosophy.

Why is all of this important? Because it's suspicious to me how Muslims can be so on fire for their faith and their beliefs to either lay down their lives or risk their civil freedoms (going to jail) in order to support the cause of the worldwide expansion of Islam in preparation for the end times. Christians have been offered this same hope, but where's our fire, where's our sacrifice, where's our willingness to suffer in order that we may "reign with Christ" (Romans 8)? The hope of the believer in Christ is that if we are faithful to Him, when Jesus returns we will rule and reign with Him (Revelation 20). All that we do during this temporal period is supposed to be driven by the rewards we receive in Eternity (2Corinthians 4). However, such is not the case for the "mainstream witness" of the church. Maybe we should take a lesson from the Muslims and re-examine the status and commitment of our faith to suffer and die for the advancement of the Kingdom of God. We would do well to assess for ourselves the inspiration of ISIS.

Not the Same God

Recently outside of Chicago, a Christian college suspended a professor over her comments regarding Christianity and Islam. The issue arose when the professor chose to wear a hijab-the headscarf worn by many Muslim women-during the season of Advent as a show of solidarity with the Muslims for the negative response many of them have been receiving in wake of the recent terrorist attacks. However, when she decided to make a statement on Facebook in regards to her actions, this is what she stated: "I stand in religious solidarity with Muslims because they, like me, a Christian, are people of the book. And as Pope Francis stated last week, we worship the same God".

Let me state for the record: Christians and Muslims do not worship the same God. Let me say it again, Christians and Muslims DO NOT worship the same God. If you are a professing Christian and a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, I implore you not to believe this lie. This is deception and a trick of the Devil. Do not believe it. Christians and Muslims do not worship the same God. If we did, do you think that Christianity would be outlawed in many Middle Eastern nations that practice Islam? You may say, well those are extremists; no they're not! Orthodox Islam (not just radical extremists) do not embrace the faith nor the tenets of belief of the Christian faith. Islam does not affirm the deity or Messiah-ship of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ. They acknowledge Him as a prophet, but not as the Son of God.

But let me break it down according to the word of God. The Bible says in the first chapter of the Gospel of Saint John, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God". Then the scripture goes on to say in that same chapter, "and the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us". The Word that became flesh was called Jesus, but the scripture already confirms that the Word was God; therefore we can scripturally conclude that JESUS WAS AND IS GOD. Muslims do not worship Jesus as God, Christians do. Therefore, we do not worship the same God.

Yes, Jesus is God the Son, He is not God the Father, that is Jehovah. But the issue is whether Christians and Muslims worship the same God. We as Christians worship Jesus as God, Muslims do not. Therefore, once again, we do not worship the same God. Saints please, I beseech thee, don't fall for this religious deception. What the Enemy wants to do is lull the believer to sleep and plant the seed in our minds of "oh yeah, it's ok, we all worship the same God". No we don't! Please don't fall for this lie. This is the groundwork of the Anti-Christ (1John 2, 1John 4). The Bible is clear, "one Lord, one faith, one baptism. One God and Father of all" (Ephesians 4). It is Not the Same God.

All Lust, No Love

I was reading a passage in the first chapter of Romans (The Message Translation) that described relationships as "all lust, no love". The passage really struck me as to accurately describing what has transpired in many of our relationships today. Even though we have major issues in our country in regards to same-sex marriage and transgender concerns, a lot of these matters have actually grown out of the delinquency and dysfunction of many of our heterosexual relationships. Even though male and female is natural, a lot of these relationships are still out of Divine Order.

What has to be examined, particularly by Christians, is: are the relationships that we're entering based on Lust or based on Love? Of course most of us want to believe it's Love; but there's a 50% divorce rate in America for a reason. And the last I heard, the statistics stated that the divorce rate amongst Christians was 60%. Christians are getting divorced in larger proportion than the world! Something is wrong with that picture.

So how do you know if it's Love or Lust? First off, being "in lust" with someone doesn't necessarily mean that you want to just rip their clothes off and jump in the bed with them (I hope that wasn't too graphic). A lot of people automatically associate lust with sex. The two are definitely closely related, but far from synonymous. You're being regulated by lust relationally when your first priority and focus in the relationship is you. We don't intend to be self-centered, but unfortunately, most of us are. Do they like me? Are we going to get together? How do they make me feel? Am I "happier" around them? How do they "complement me" in the long run? All of these are legitimate questions, but there's only one challenge; they're all about you! Self-centeredness is the root of all lust. No matter how mild and modest your selfishness may appear to be, it is the breeding ground for the manifestation of lust in your relationship.

Love doesn't think about self first. Not that it doesn't think about self at all, but it's not the primary focus. The primary focus of Love is God. When you're in a relationship that's based on Love, the first question you ask is, what is God going to get out of this? Is it God's Will for me to be with this person? Has the Lord brought us together? How has this person been divinely ordained to assist me in the fulfillment of God's purpose for my life? These are the questions that a Love-based relationship will ask. Then Love will ask, how can I support this person? How can I serve them? How has God gifted me to assist them in the fulfillment of God's purpose for their life? None of these questions revolve around Self.

Whether you're saved or not, all relationships that are based on lust end up with the same results. It's time we go back to the Father and let His Spirit, not our desires, not our attractions, not our ambitions, lead us and guide us in our personal relationships with the opposite sex. The Word of God is still true, "what...God hath joined together, let not man put asunder" (Mark 10). If we let the Spirit of God and His Love regulate our relationships, then we can be sure they will not be All Lust, No Love.

The Body of Christ

Generally when we think of the Body of Christ we think about the church. This of course is correct, but it has much more meaning than that. The Body of Christ is simply that, His Body. It's not just the church as a spiritual body-organization. It's not just the ecclesiastical gathering of the saints in the name of Jesus Christ. It is the "body" of Jesus Christ.


What we must remember about Jesus is that before He became a Man, He was The Word of God (John 1). The scripture says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God". Jesus as the Word was God. When the Word became flesh, His name was Jesus. So what we see is that Christ as the Word in the beginning was Eternal and was a Spirit. Jesus was a Spirit (The Word) manifested in a Body.


The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus, the Spirit of Christ (John 14). God the Father sent the Holy Spirit to the church on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2). Now that the Spirit of Jesus (the Holy Ghost) is here, all He's looking for is a body, human flesh. That's where we as believers come in. The whole plan of salvation, and the whole plan of creation for that matter, is to duplicate and replicate the Spirit of Jesus (Christ) in human form. Thus is the purpose and function of the church.


The bible says that Christ is the express image of God (Hebrews 1). The Book of Genesis says that God made humanity "in His image and after His likeness" (Genesis 1). God's Original Plan was to make a humanity that looked like His Son (which in fact was Himself, John 14). Now that humanity has been redeemed back to God (John 3), the original plan can be put back in motion.


The bible describes the believers as the Temple of God (1 Corinthians 6). The temple is the human body. The Body of Christ is simply the physical vessel that God wants to use to demonstrate and manifest the Divine, Eternal Personality of His Son, Jesus the Christ. The question is, are we available? Are you ready to let Jesus literally take over your body through the leadership an in-filling of the Holy Ghost? Before He gets your body, He has to get your mind. That's why the bible says that we have to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12). God is looking for a people who are ready to totally surrender to Him so that their bodies can be 100% devoted to the manifestation of the personality of Jesus Christ in the earth. When we commit ourselves to this mission and this charge, we will then establish the true witness of being The Body of Christ.

Perseverance

A while ago, maybe a couple of months, a prophet-friend of mine received a prophetic word from the Lord that they were allowed to share with me. The word wasn't very elaborate, but yet very succinct and powerful. The word was, Perseverance. A lot of times when the Lord speaks to this particular prophet, the Lord will simply give them one word, but the one word is usually loaded with prophetic meaning. This time around, the word that the prophet received was, Perseverance.

In the days ahead, and in order to get to and get through what God has allowed and ordained, you're going to need to operate in the spirit of Perseverance. I often mistake Perseverance with Persistence. This is incorrect. Persistence is the repetition of a particular action or pursuit with a certain degree of consistency. Perseverance is the demonstration of persistence in the midst of  adversity and disappointment. You demonstrate Perseverance when you're challenged to go through something that is disappointing and discouraging, yet you don't allow it to hinder the pursuit of your goals and ambitions. This is what God is looking for from His people.

It's the end of the year, and many of the saints are tired and worn out. Certain promises have been made, certain dreams believed in, and yet at the end of the day, for all intents and purposes, your situation looks pretty much the same as it did last year. And in some cases, may even appear to be worse. This is where God is calling you to demonstrate Perseverance.

I can assure you saints, God has not forgotten about you. If God has made you a promise, if there are certain things that you've been waiting on from the Lord and they still have yet to come to pass, exercise Perseverance.  I know you've demonstrated faith, that's why you've waited this long. But the Bible says in the 6th chapter of the Book of Hebrews that "through faith and patience inherit the promises". This is Perseverance.

Now is not the time to give up. Now is not the time to throw in the towel. Now is not the time to shrink back. Now is not the time to become indifferent. Now is the time to gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the Grace that is to brought unto you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ (1Peter 1). Hold on for just a little while longer. Your breakthrough is nigh! Simply ask the Holy Spirit to continue to develop within you the grace and spirit of Perseverance.

What is Islam?

We are in some very critical times right now, where the American people need to understand what we are up against as a nation. With the recent shootings in San Bernardino, California, we need to understand what is sponsoring these terrorist attacks in our nation and throughout the world. What cannot be denied, regardless of the comments of the media and the politicians, is that Muslims are behind the terror that is shaking our world. Muslims are individuals that adhere to the religious belief called Islam. The people who are massacring masses of innocent people across the globe are adherents to this religious faith described as Islam. Whether you want to label them as "radical" Muslims or "extremists", the bottom line is, they engage in these acts of war in the name of Islam. For this reason, it is imperative at this juncture that Americans have a better understanding of what Islam is and its perspective on America and the Western world's way of life. What I believe will perpetuate more danger is not necessarily prejudice or divisiveness, but ignorance of what we're up against and what is fueling the hatred that is set on destroying America.

So, what is Islam? Islam is the faith of nearly 1.5 billion people across the world that follows the teachings of the book the Quran and adheres to the teachings of their prophet, Mohammed. Many Muslims, particularly those in America, don't necessarily hold to the beliefs that are sponsoring the deadly acts of the terrorist caliphate called ISIS. However, it needs to be understood, even though they may not be "extremists", they do adhere to the Islamic faith. What we want to lay out is the "brand" of Islam that is sponsoring the war that we are currently in with ISIS. The brand of Islam that is sponsoring the types of deadly attacks that we witnessed last week in San Bernardino, is a supremacist political ideology that insists on imposing sharia, which is Islamic holy law, on the world. This Islamic ideology holds the belief that if a person doesn't convert to Islam, they should be stoned to death and executed. This is the belief of ISIS and other terrorist groups that operate in the name of Islam.

What needs to be understood by everyday Americans is that a June 2015 poll of Muslims living in the United States by the Center for Security Policy showed that 51% seek to embrace sharia over the U.S. Constitution. In addition, nearly one in four of Muslims polled believed that "it is legitimate to use violence to punish those who give offense to Islam by, for example, portraying the prophet Mohammed". One in five respondents agreed that "the use of violence is justified in order to make sharia law the law of the land in this country" while only 39% believed that Muslims in the U.S. should be subjected to American courts.

Why is all of this important? Because there's a seed that has been planted in our country, and the Bible is true, you reap what you sow (Galatians 6). Our departure from God, Christianity, has opened our nation up to the spirit of this religion that outright does not respect nor adhere to the American way of life. Islam, under sharia law, is incompatible with open elections, rights for minorities, trial by jury, and all other institutions familiar to the Western way of life; not to mention freedom of religion and freedom of speech. We are at war saints, in more ways than one. And if we want to survive and for this great nation of ours to be preserved, we need to repent and turn back to God, and submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ under the Covenant of His Blood.

We Are At War

We are in a very critical time in the United States of America, and it's time that we come to grips with where things really stand in our nation. We are at War. No matter how you slice it or dice it, this nation has a war on its hands that the American people need to be aware of. The latest shooting in San Bernardino, California should convince all of us that we are in a war. When a woman can leave a six-month old baby in order to fulfill a suicide mission in the name of terrorism, we are at War. Regardless of what the media pundits or the political candidates are saying or not saying, it's time we face the facts: We are at War.


As I've been stating for months, this should not be a surprise to anyone. This nation is under Divine Judgment. This too is a fact that, at some point or another if this nation wants to survive, America's going to have to face as well. You don't slap God in the face with the perversion and abomination of the legislation of same-sex marriage and not expect to experience Divine Accountability. Whether the general populace or even the church, recognizes it or not, this country was founded as a Christian nation. No, the witness of America has not always exemplified Christian principles, but the founding of this nation in the 17th and 18th centuries was based upon religious freedom and the Christian faith. God was responsible for the founding of America, and He's also the One responsible for making America the most prosperous nation in the world. But when you decide to forsake God and insult Him by denying His divine and sacred ways, He then will leave you to your own devices, which then results in national destruction.


The threat of ISIS is for real. The President can play it down if he wants, legislators can play "politically correct" if they choose to, but this terrorist organization is out to destroy America and Western culture (i.e Paris, France). And don't fool yourself, part of the destruction that they're out to mete out is not restricted to America but also the adherents of the Christian faith. This terrorist threat by ISIS is serious. It has already been prophetically declared that ISIS threats are in the making in this country during the Christmas season. God is trying to warn America and His people, GET READY FOR JUDGMENT.


God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind (2Timothy 1). As believers in Christ, we don't have to be afraid. All we have to do is be covered by the Blood of Jesus. But this is not something that we can do "haphazardly". Just as the children of Israel were "prophetically instructed" to put blood on the door posts of their homes in order to escape the Judgment that God executed against the nation of Egypt (Exodus 12), we too as Christians must "apply" the Blood of Jesus in our lives in order to be sufficiently covered from the Storm that is about to hit this country. It's time to recognize saints, We are at War.

The Feast of Dedication

Starting Sunday evening, December 6, The Feast of Dedication will commence. This is an 8 Day Celebration that is celebrated by the Jews. It is not one of the major Jewish feasts that are identified in the Old Testament. But it is noted in the New Testament, and was a Feast that was actually celebrated by Jesus (John 10). Therefore, if it was worth Jesus celebrating it, and the Holy Spirit taking time to record it in Scripture, then it's still worth the Body of Christ acknowledging it as well.

This Feast is generally recognized as Hanukkah, and is looked at as a Jewish parallel to Christmas. However, this is not the case. The historical aspects of this Feast are quite inspiring (which you can research on your own), but what strikes me about this particular Feast is the focus and the timing. This is the Feast of Dedication. This is a time like never before that we truly need to be Dedicated to the Lord. This is not the time to play. This is not the time to be waddling in habits and behavior that we know is outside of the Divine Will of God. This is not the time to be resisting the Revealed Will of God for your life. This is the time to be completely submitted and sold out to the Lord. Whatever you have to do to be in complete alignment with the Lord, now is the time to do it. I strongly urge you, whatever it is or has been that the Spirit has been convicting you of, Repent. If I can say it like this, the Lord's not playing (Acts 17). This Feast should be a time to Consecrate ourselves unto the Lord as this year comes near a close.

The last thing saints, these are some perilous times that we are living in right now. With the terror attacks in Paris, the shootings in Colorado and California, we are living in very dangerous times. None of this is coincidence. I've said it for months now, when you turn your back on God, Divine Judgment is inevitable. But can I tell you something? It's far from over. The Father is lifting His Hand off America. Not to punish us, but to call us back to repentance so that as a nation, we will turn back to Him. Now is the time to make sure that you are covered by the Blood of Jesus. Now is the time to renew our Dedication to Him.

God-Sense v.s non-sense

If you are striving to have an intimate walk with Christ and develop your relationship with God, then probably at some point you've questioned some of the things that God has called you to do. Have you ever said, "you want me to do what Lord"? This is normal as God stretches our faith and challenges us to grow in Him. However, one of the reasons why we're apt to digress into this mode of Divine Interrogation is because we haven't learned to distinguish between God-Sense and non-sense. A lot of times, when God tells us to do something, it just doesn't make sense. But that doesn't necessarily mean that it's non-sense. We must learn to differentiate between the two.


What we must establish and learn to embrace is the fact that God's ways are not our ways and that God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55). With this being the case, it would stand to reason that God's Eternal and Omniscient thought process is going to infinitely exceed ours. Therefore, we should come to expect that the things that God is calling us to do and the things for which He is leading us to are not going to register with our human and finite perspective. This has to become a given. Why? So that when God gives you a directive or commandment, you won't be "looking" for it to make sense. Believe it or not, this will reduce a lot of anxiety and stress in regards to the execution and manifestation of God's Divine Will for your life.


Once you've settled that what God is telling you doesn't make sense "to you", and that it is a given, then you will be challenged to move into the gear of faith. This is why the Bible says that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11). If you're trying to serve God within the context of your logic and rationale, you're going to be frustrated and you're going to run out of steam. But once you understand that as finite humans we're just not going to "get" what God is doing, then you can move into faith mode.


Faith is the means by which we can appropriately relate to God and begin to perceive what He is doing. When we walk by faith and not by sight (2Corinthians 5), the Spirit begins to renew our minds and give us revelation that will register with our spirits. Once the activity and movement of God begins to register with our spirits, the Lord begins to settle it in our minds, and by faith, it begins to make sense.


There are some things that The Father is getting ready to release and manifest in the earth that, by all rational appearances, is not going to make sense. As believers in Christ, we can't afford to get bogged down in that type of unbelief. We have to make sure that we gird up our faith and are walking by God-sense, not non-sense.

The Grief of God

Grief is an epidemic that affects the world. If you're human and are of age (which is relative), then you've experienced grief. Grief is an emotional and psychological response to an experience of loss in one's life. If a person has experienced a significant loss in their life, then they've experienced grief. People who have lost loved ones to death, have experienced grief. People who have gotten divorced or had a serious break-up, have experienced grief. People who have lost their jobs, and sometimes even retirement, have experienced grief. There are many instances where people grieve the loss of something or someone. But have we ever taken the time to consider the Grief of God? A lot of times, we think of God as this Distant, Cosmic Being who's in control of everything and decides the fate of every person's life and being. This assessment of God is incorrect. Nobody feels as much as God. Nobody is as Sensitive as God. Nobody is more caring than God. No one is more considerate than God. As Christians, we more than anybody else need to remember that GOD IS LOVE (1John 4). And when you really love someone, you're more prone to be hurt than if your concern is "surface" and self-oriented. God is not superficial and His Love is not selfish. He loves us with an Eternal and Sacrificial Love (John 3). So because of our lack of regard and sensitivity towards God, whether we realize it or not, it hurts Him. Consequently we have the issue of The Grief of God.


The bible says to "grieve not the Holy Spirit" (Ephesians 4). When Jesus entered Jerusalem prior to His Crucifixion, He wept (Luke 19). This was a sign of Grief. What is it that Grieves the Heart of God? It is our blatant Disobedience and Disregard for Him as God. God has mercy for sins (Psalm 136). We think that God is this Heavenly Tyrant just waiting to punish humanity because we've "messed up". This is not the Spirit of God. No parent, who is sane, is ready to throw their child out of the house or beat them up just because they "did something wrong". That's what kids and children do. But what breaks a parent's heart is when that child has no regard for the authority and discipline of their parent. You tell the child what to do and there's no respect, no consideration. They won't do what you say and they don't want to gain a better understanding of why they should have to do it. This is what will break a mother or father's heart. Such is the same with God. God loves His creation and He loves His children. When we make it clear that we are not going to do what God says. When there's no conviction of sin, no wrestle between right and wrong, no spirit of repentance and submission; this is what sponsors The Grief of God.


I can assure you saints, God is Grieving right now. He's grieving over His church, and He's grieving over His nation, America. In both instances, this country and many of our congregations have refused to submit and subscribe to the Divine Will of God. The God we serve is a God of Patience (Romans 15). He gives us time to repent (Revelation 2). But when we make it clear to Him that we have no intention of surrendering to His Will, then it breaks His Heart.


The Call to Repentance is about to expire. The Season of Judgment is about to commence. When the Judgment of God is released upon His church and upon this country, people will still be given the opportunity to turn to God; but what could've been avoided and abated will have to be experienced and endured. It will be the results of a people who had no regard for The Grief of God.

Get Better, Not Bitter

Many of us have had experiences where someone hurt our feelings, did us wrong or dogged us out. I'm sure all of us at some level have been betrayed or our trust broken in a relationship. Pain unfortunately is a part of life. But how we handle the pain and how we handle the hurt is a Choice. This is very critical for Christians, because as believers in Christ who have been saved by Grace, we have an obligation and a responsibility to forgive (Matthew 6). Some us are still angry, some of us are still hurt, some of us are still mad about what happened to us years and years ago. This is not the Will of God. It is not God's will for us to be bitter, it's God's Will for us to get Better. Our salvific destiny hinges on the fact of whether we have the capacity to forgive others as Christ has forgiven us (Colossians 3).


One of the ways that we can get Better and not bitter is to recognize the need for Healing. Whether it's the loss of a loved one through death, a divorce or a break-up of a significant relationship. Whether it's the loss of a job or some other type of hurt that you've been challenged to endure; people are quick to say, "I'm Ok". This is not always an accurate response to their emotional state and condition. I'm sure people want to "believe" that they're ok, but in a lot of instances, they are not. It's time that we start admitting and acknowledging, no I'm not ok. Yes I still hurt, yes I still cry about it, yes I'm still angry, yes I'm still mad. It's ok to feel that way, it's just not ok to "stay that way" (Ephesians 4). And if you're in denial about where you are emotionally in regards to the hurt and pain you've been through, you're not going to heal and the pain is going to grow into bitterness and resentment. Once again, this is not the Will of God. We've got to take the time to say "ouch". We must acknowledge the need to be healed.


Another means of not getting bitter and getting Better is to talk to someone. There are too many people that are "holding the pain in". I know sometimes it's hard to find people to talk to about your personal and intimate feelings; but the word of God says that we should confess our faults one to another that we may be healed (James 5). This is why I am a strong proponent of Counseling. I know there are some Christians that are too "spiritual" to take advantage of this resource, but it is needed, even for a lot of believers. Sometimes, we just don't have the capacity to work through a painful and hurtful situation on our own. We need help. And if your support system isn't sufficient to assist you emotionally and psychologically through some of your painful episodes in life, a good counselor may be the answer to your prayers.


Finally saints, keep in mind that at the end of the day, being bitter simply is not the Divine Will of God (Ephesians 4). No matter how you justify it to yourself, as a child of God and a believer in Christ, you simply don't have the right to hold bitterness in your heart. And as I referenced earlier, holding onto bitterness can have dangerous eternal repercussions for your life. Give your pain to God. Let Him minister to you and heal the wounds and hurts that you've absorbed in life. Learn to let the Grace of God make you Better, not bitter.