A Proper Way to Handle Tragedy

One of the things that our world has been challenged to deal with over the last several months is Tragedy. With the terrorist attacks in Paris, Brussels and San Bernardino, California, our world has grieved for the countless families and communities that have lost loved ones and friends to senseless, murderous attacks. A lot of times, when Tragedy like this hits a nation or community, people generally don't know how to respond. I still remember September 11, 2001, the terrorist attacks that hit New York and Washington D.C. Even at that time, people just didn't know what to do or even how to process such a national travesty. But believe it or not, there is A Proper Way to Handle Tragedy.

All of us either have been or will be challenged to go through and endure Tragedy and Adversity. Whether it's the loss of a loved one, the break-up of your family, the loss of a job, some type of accident or injury that a loved one or even yourself has had to endure: all of us go through periods of life that stress us and stretch us beyond the norm and our regular emotional capacity. Many of us go through Depression. Some of us get bitter and mad at life. Some of us even try to "turn it over to God". However, even though these are popular coping mechanisms, they may not necessarily represent A Proper Way to Handle Tragedy.

The scripture says in the first chapter of the book of Job, that Job was satanically attacked with Divine Permission. Satan attacked his wealth, his family and eventually his health. But the scripture says that when Tragedy hit Job's home he "fell down upon the ground, and worshipped" (Job 1). This represents A Proper Way to Handle Tragedy. When Tragedy hits your door, what we need to do is Worship God. This is a challenge because what most of us are apt to do when we are forced to endure turbulent times, is to respond emotionally and cognitively. However, this is where the problem is saints. We've got to stop responding to every major issue within the confines and construct of our feelings and emotions. We must learn to respond to Tragedy by our faith.  Job was able to respond to the Tragedy in his life by worshiping God because he was a man of faith. He wasn't regulated by his feelings or his intellect; he was regulated by his faith and trust in God. Therefore, when hard times hit him personally, he knew that A Proper Response to Tragedy was to Worship the God that gave him his very breath and life.

Saints, in the words of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, we've got some difficult days ahead. We're going to see some hard times in this nation that we haven't witnessed in nearly a century; maybe even never before in the history of our nation. When these hard times hit America, many people are going to want to respond in despair, rebellion, violence, retreat, resignation, hopelessness and the list goes on. But as the people of God, we won't need to respond this way. We will know the Proper Way to Handle Tragedy. We will simply get down on our knees and Worship God; knowing that our Father has already made the way for His children.

Wake Up!

A few months ago I was speaking with a prophet of God, and they were sharing with me a revelation and a word that the Lord had given to them. In their description, they basically shared with me that when the Lord releases the Kingdom Move that He's about to release in the earth and the ensuing Judgment comes, people are going to be asleep. This is my concern, for the world and for the Body of Christ. There are too many of us that are walking about in a daze and asleep and unconscious to the spiritual dynamics that are taking place all around us. For this reason I sound the alarm and say, Wake Up!

Saints, I can't stress this enough, the Lord is coming soon. Once again, when people hear this, they put it in a dispensational context and only think of the Return of the Lord in regards to the end of the world and the Second Coming of Christ. Even though this interpretation is correct, Jesus's Return is not restricted to this eschatological event. Jesus still Visits His people today. And with that understanding, we need to be prepared for His Visitation to Set Things in Order in the earth and particularly in the church before His Ultimate Return (Revelation 20). For this reason it needs to be understood, we don't have much time. Now is not the time to be operating knowingly outside of the Divine Will of God for your life. Now is not the time to be compromising your witness just to be "accepted" and to "get along". No saints. Now is the time to, Wake Up!

The scriptures say in Romans chapter 13, "knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep". Do you know what time it is? Are you aware of what it is that God wants to do and is doing during this season in your life? This is where a lot of people, particularly Christians, miss it in terms of knowing what time it is. We get distracted by things that are primarily temporal, and lose our focus on the things that God has prepared and ordained for our lives. The challenge with this is that in order to properly align yourself with the Divine Will of God for your life, you have to deny your self. This is what most people don't want to do and for the most part, refuse to do. But this is where we fall to sleep. You can indulge your desires. You can reach for that which promotes and satisfies you. But in the end, you're still going to be held accountable to God, particularly if you are a Christian. And the Bible is true, "be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Galatians 6). It would be better for us to buckle down and pay the price now, than to be negligent and spiritually irresponsible and have to pay the price later. And when I say later, I'm not talking about in the "bye and bye"; I'm talking about very shortly in the days to come. Let's be wise saints. Let us gird up the loins of our mind and be sober; for it is time to, Wake Up!

Get In the Ark

As I have stated on numerous occasions, the Judgment of God is ready to take place, in the church and in this nation. This is something that as the people of God we need to be prepared for. No matter how "rosy" things may appear right now (whatever that may look like for you), be not deceived, Judgment Day is coming. The bible says that Judgment must start at the house of God (1Peter 4), then it will take place throughout the nation. I cannot stress enough, the Judgment of God is set to hit America. We must and will give account for our legislation of same-sex marriage. However, before God deals with the nation, He will first deal with His people, the church. Therefore, it is time that we Get in the Ark.

If you read Genesis chapters 6 and 7, you'll see the various dynamics that led to God's World-Wide Judgment through the Flood. In Genesis 6 the scripture says that "the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose". There are various interpretations of this text, but isn't it interesting that, no matter how you slice it, the issue was still dealing with marriage?  The scripture says that "they took them wives". That's a reference to marriage; an in this instance an "unholy alliance". This is what we must be careful of saints, getting involved relationally, organizationally, ministerially and spiritually into "unholy alliances"-relationships and associations that are not ordained of God. This is what sponsored the Judgment of God through the Flood.

Noah was called out by God because he had found grace in the eyes of God and he was just and perfect (Genesis 6). If there's ever a time that you want to "get right with God" it is now. The Holy Spirit is Faithful. The Lord is letting His people know what areas they need to "get their act together" in if they want to be spared the consequences of His Judgment. But the key to safety and preservation for Noah and his family is found in Genesis 7. God says to Noah, "Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee I have seen righteous before Me in this generation". The key to Noah and his family's preservation during the Flood of Judgment was to Get in the Ark. Notice, even though the Lord had declared Noah righteous and perfect, his righteous status was not the key to his Protection and Preservation from the Flood; Getting in the Ark was. Saints, the Ark is symbolic of Jesus Christ, and what we need to do now is Repent and Get into the Ark; get into Christ, hide in Him. Let the Lord be our Refuge. Let us learn to hide under His Wings and under the Shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91). This is something many of us still have to learn because we're still naturally inclined to find security and refuge in people and things. Those days are over. In order to survive in the days to come, Christ, the Ark of God, will have to be our Primary Source of Refuge and Safety. The Time is now saints. It's time for His people to Get In the Ark.

The Endurance of Solitude

If you're going to be a Disciple of Christ and a follower of the Lord Jesus, one of the things that you will have to accept is the reality of being Alone. Being Alone is not a popular social condition in our society today. With all of the social media and constant interaction with people over the internet, it seems like human interaction is a phenomenon that is supposed to take place 24/7. But when you're following Jesus, when you're committed to serving the Lord, the dynamics of human interaction change drastically. For those who plan to go with Jesus "all the way", we must begin to learn The Endurance of Solitude.

Let's be honest and admit that the majority of the population (regardless of national status or geographical location) is not trying to follow Jesus. It's one thing to profess Christianity, it's another thing to be an ardent, die-hard Disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's why Jesus said that many are called but few are chosen (Matthew 22). Isolation and estrangement are a bitter pill to swallow. Most if not all of us, want to be accepted and want to be received. But the reality of the true Christian journey is that most of the time, we will not. It is The Endurance of Solitude.

Being Alone is one thing. Standing by yourself is hard enough. But having to internalize a sense of alienation and ostracization in the midst of a group or a crowd, can be very unsettling-emotionally and psychologically. This is where a lot of Christians fall short. Because we are so conditioned to be regulated by "social reinforcement", when we don't receive it, we faint and give up the race. We just begin to "blend in" so that we don't stick out and "offend" anybody. This is not the Will of God. If it were just a crowd of "strangers", it might be a little different. But how do you handle when your own "family" begins to question you and criticize you? How do you handle it when your biggest adversary is actually your spouse or your children? What do you do when the people in your own congregation begin to turn on you? Such is The Endurance of Solitude.

The scripture says in the first chapter of the Gospel of Saint John, that Jesus "came unto His own and His own received Him not". Jesus understood the challenge of experiencing The Endurance of Solitude. He knew what it was like to be Alone, to be misunderstood, to be rejected and mistreated. But this did not deter Him from His Divine Mission, and neither should it deter us. Jesus was able to embrace The Endurance of Solitude because He understood that the Father was always with Him (John 8). And saints, we have the same Assurance. The Lord has promised never to leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13). If we're going to follow Jesus to the Cross, we're not going to be able to depend on earthly support or human reinforcement. We must depend strictly and solely on Divine Assurance and Support from the Lord. It's the only way that we'll be able to meet the challenge of The Endurance of Solitude.

A Resurrection Focus

As we prepare to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ, let us understand that the key to a proper and appropriate celebration of this salvific and redemptive Event is having the proper Focus. Many times, when we celebrate the Birth, the Crucifixion, the Death and the Resurrection of our Lord, we tend to get caught up in the religious emotional experience. Yes, considering Jesus died for the penalty of our sins, we should be more than emotional and celebratory of the Sacrifice that our Lord made for us as His children. But it needs to go deeper than just emotional expression. We need to have a Resurrection Focus so that we can bear the fruit for which Jesus shed His Blood to receive.

When Jesus rose from the dead, the scripture says that He spent forty days with the disciples, teaching them those things pertaining to the Kingdom of God (Acts 1). Part of having a proper Resurrection Focus is to be focused on the Kingdom of God. If you pay close attention to the text, you'll notice that Jesus doesn't necessarily spend time with the disciples teaching them about "the church". And let me say for the record, church and congregational ministry and the Kingdom of God are not synonymous. During this season, we need to renew our focus, not so much on church ministry, but Kingdom Manifestation. We must be focused on receiving a Move of God that will usher in His Kingdom, on earth as it is in Heaven (Matthew 6).

The scripture also says in the third chapter of Colossians, that if we have been risen with Christ then we should seek those things which are above, not those things which are on the earth. A Resurrection Focus requires a Heavenly Focus. Somewhere, the saying was adopted that you can be so heavenly minded that you're no earthly good. This is a lie. One of the problems with the witness of the church is that we're not Heavenly Minded enough. As a matter of fact, once our Focus is renewed to the Heavenly Realm, we'll be more earthly good than we've ever been before. Why? Because that's where Jesus is! The scripture admonishes us to seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. The Throne of the Kingdom is in Christ at the Right Hand of the Father. This is where we need to Focus. Our affection, our focus, our passion, our desire; all of this needs to be directed towards Heaven. Once again, why? Because once we as the people of God develop a laser focus on the things of Heaven, we'll be able by the Spirit to access the Power necessary to transform the things of the earth. Saints it's Time. No more distractions, no more wrong paths. Let us become disciplined and allow the Holy Spirit to groom us and teach us so that we can demonstrate and exemplify A Resurrection Focus.

Changed

One of the things that believers in Christ need to be expecting as we approach the Season of the Kingdom of God, is to be Changed. Our society has become addicted and obsessed with "seeing change", but I don't think that we are equally as concerned with the prospect of Being Changed. President Barack Obama in 2008, ran a presidential campaign based on the hope and promise of Change. This presidential election of 2016 is hinging on the candidates being able to "change things" in America. However, as a believer in Christ, our hope should not be in a presidential candidate or a governmental system. Our hope is in Christ! Therefore, let us not focus on seeing change, let us focus on Being Changed.


In the Book of Romans chapter 6, the scripture talks about "walking in the newness of life". In 2Corinthians 5, the scripture talks about being a "new creature in Christ". However, if we're honest, many of the Christians that we know don't seem to "change" that much after they've accepted Christ or after having been in the church for an extended period of time. Let me serve notice saints, this is about to Change, and we need to be expecting it. We are entering a season of Divine Visitation. This is not something that the mainstream church regularly promotes or preaches to the people of God, but the reality of our Relationship with God is that God does come and Visit His people (John 14). When the people of God experience a Divine Visitation from the Lord, it is impossible for them to stay the same. They must be Changed.


This is what the Father is ready to do amongst His people who are sold out and sanctified unto Him (2Corinthians 6). The Father, along with the Son, is ready to Manifest Himself to His people in a Supernatural Way. When this transpires, the people of God will be Changed: physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually.


One of the major Changes that the people of God are about to experience across the board is Supernatural Healing. If I can say it like this, God is tired of His people being Sick. That's why the scripture says that by His Stripes we are Healed (Isaiah 53). I know that the people of God are "tired" of being sick. Tired of having to "always" go to the doctor. Tired of taking prescription medicine that throws your body even further out of whack. Tired of having to physically "thrust yourself" through the day. No more saints. Get ready to be physically Changed.


There are some of us who have had to endure Emotional and Psychological Scars. Family past and relational issues have hurt us and scarred us for life. But the Father is tired of His children continually operating in emotional pain and duress. He wants His people to be Free (Luke 4); Free from emotional and psychological Pain and Stress. The Father no longer wants His children to have relationships adversely affected by what they've experienced in the past. No more internal scars and unresolved issues saints; get ready to be emotionally and psychologically Changed.


Lastly saints, God wants His people to operate in Supernatural Power. No more of this lukewarm "church tradition". No more of this same 'ol "predictable Christianity". Uh uh saints, no mas. The Father is ready to release a New Anointing that will break yokes, set captives free and transform regions and countries for the Kingdom of God. Are you ready for it? If you are, then get ready to be Changed.

Taking Care of the Temple

As I speak with more and more of my Christian friends, I'm discovering that during this season, God is putting more of an emphasis on the maintenance and oversight of our physical bodies. Because God is a Spirit, many Christians tend to think that the Father does not put as much emphasis on the physical and biological aspect of our being. However, this is incorrect. God wants us to be Holy (1Thessalonians 5), which includes our spirit, soul and body. Therefore, the conclusion is, if a believer is not proactively taking care of their physical body and overall health, then they are not walking in the Holiness for which God has called us to as His children. For this reason, we must be more mindful in Taking Care of the Temple.


We must keep in mind that our bodies represent the Temple of God (1Corinthians 6). God dwells inside of us through the Presence of His Holy Spirit (Romans 8). With this in mind, we must understand that as physical temples, we are actually Hosting the Presence of God. This is major. God is not trying to dwell in a broken down, unfit, unhealthy Temple. The Father deserves better than this. It is not expedient for us in regards to the Presence of God within our bodies if we are always operating in sickness and pain, disease and illness. Once again, this is not the Will of God. For this reason, we must be committed in Taking Care of the Temple.


In Taking Care of the Temple, we must be mindful of what we eat. It's not scriptural, but there's an old saying that "you are what you eat". There is a degree of truth to this, because many of us put too much junk (food) in our bodies and then wonder why, physically speaking, we feel like Garbage. Saints, we must renew our minds in the area of diet and nutrition. The days of always eating cookies and soda-pop, potato chips and beer, hot dogs and other types of red meat and processed foods; at some point we have to Repent and develop a different way of thinking about our eating habits. Studies have shown that most of the illnesses and diseases that people experience are directly related to their diet. Which means, if we can learn to eat healthier we will have the experience of Being More Healthy.


Foods like fruit, vegetables, water, fish and chicken (if you just have to eat meat) are some of the options that we need to resort to in Taking Care of the Temple. This doesn't mean you have to become a Vegan or a Vegetarian. But what it does mean is that there is a Conscious Mind-Set to say that I am not going to continue to feed God's Temple with the things that I know will lead to its utter destruction. Once again, this is not the Will of God.


Lastly saints, we need to get more Rest and experience Less Stress. Some of us believe in Working Around the Clock and never allowing our bodies and our minds to get sufficient Rest. There's a Reason why God instructed His people to "rest on the Sabbath" (Exodus 20) and gave us the Divine Example of Resting on the seventh day in Creation (Genesis 2). Therefore, in Taking Care of the Temple, we must make sure we're getting Proper Rest for our bodies. Set a bed-time. That's not just for kids. We as adults need to "monitor" how much sleep we are getting and become regimented in securing it. And then, reduce your Stress. The things that you "know" are going to stress you out that you know you can avoid, do so. Hypertension and high-blood pressure are directly linked to Too Much Stress. Saints, if we can at least start here, we will start moving in the right direction of Taking Care of the Temple.

Swapping Your Birthright

One of the greatest threats to the Christian witness and the ministry of the church is the spirit of Compromise. As we get closer and closer to the Manifestation of the Kingdom of God, it is imperative that we as the people of God are willing to take a stand and not compromise our faith nor our principles of belief in the Word of God. Satan is going to try to seduce us (Genesis 3, Matthew 4) and make us think that the "short-cut" route will not hurt us. His deception will be on the order that it will almost seem "advantageous" across the board to take the "easy way out". But let us understand on the front end, this is not the Will of God. Jesus told Peter when he tried to tell Him that He would not have to suffer as the Messiah, "get thee behind me Satan". Why? Because he savored the things of man more than the things of God (Matthew 16). For this reason, we must be careful not to be guilty of Swapping our Birthright.


In the story of Jacob and Esau, the twin sons of the patriarch Isaac, the scripture talks about how Esau sold his birthright to Jacob his younger brother (Genesis 25). The reason this is significant is because every child of God has been granted a Divine Birthright in Christ Jesus (Acts 26). The challenge, however, is that it has to be inherited (Galatians 4). You don't receive the Birthright just because you're "born again". One must grow and develop into Spiritual Maturity in order to receive the Divine Birthright that the Father has ordained for every child of God. Because many Christians are not focused on obtaining the Birthright that God has ordained for them through the Blood of His Son Jesus, we operate in a perpetual state of spiritual immaturity and, as a result, end up Swapping Our Birthright.


Why did Esau sell his Birthright for a pot of soup? Number one, he didn't place the proper value on the Divine Birthright that he was to receive through inheritance as being the elder brother. The scripture says in the 3rd chapter of Galatians, that Jesus died for our sins in order that we might receive The Blessing of Abraham. Many Christians in the mainstream church do not understand the significance of the Blessing of Abraham in the individual Christian's life. The Favor, the Support, the Blessing, the Revelation, the Intervention, the Empowerment, the Victory, the Guidance, that Abraham received in his life were due to The Blessing that God had conferred upon him (Genesis 12). This same Blessing is available to the believer in Christ. When it was made available to Esau, he chose to be a sell-out.


The last thing that Esau did that led him to Swap his Birthright is that he put his Personal Provision over his Divine Inheritance. Esau was focused on the flesh and the appeasement and satisfaction of his appetite. This is not the will of God. That's why the scripture admonishes us to Crucify the Flesh (Galatians 5). We must operate in the faith that God will supply all of our need according to His Riches in Glory, by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4). We must quit being preoccupied with our needs in the natural and in the flesh, and begin to focus on the Heavenly Provision and Blessing that the Father has ordained for us as His children. If we do not make this shift and transition, like Esau, we too will be guilty of Swapping Our Birthright.

Operating in the Invisible

In terms of operating in the natural realm, most people, including Christians, are used to functioning based upon what we can see and what is tangible, visible or empirical. This of course makes sense, but it is not totally the way of God. If we are going to operate within the Realm of the Kingdom of God, we must begin to learn how to Operate within the Invisible. The Realm that God is calling His people to in this season is not a visible one, it is Invisible. That is why Jesus made it clear that those who worship the Father must do it in spirit and in truth (John 4). The Spirit Realm is an Invisible Realm. If we as the people of God do not learn to make this transition, we will be extremely restricted as it relates to experiencing and manifesting the Kingdom of God.

The Kingdom of God is an Invisible Realm that then has Visible Manifestation. The Kingdom of God doesn't start in the Natural, it manifests in the Natural; but it starts in the Spirit. Let's first start with God. God is Invisible. You cannot see God, but we witness the "Manifestation of God" through nature and His works (Romans 1). However, even with physical demonstration of the reality of God, people still choose not to believe in Him. Why? Because believing in God requires faith. The Bible says that we walk by faith, not by sight (2Corinthians 5). The scripture says that Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11). In order to please God, we must Operate by Faith, which is Operating in the Invisible.

Another dimension of the Kingdom that gets mentioned but not necessarily sufficiently addressed is the subject of Angels. If one is going to Operate in the Invisible and be a worker in the Kingdom of God, you must understand and expect the Supernatural interaction of Angelic Activity. Many Christians are familiar with Angels, but we have not been taught how to "work" with Angels, let alone their function in the Kingdom of God. The reason this is significant is because, once again, Angels are Invisible. They are all around us, but we cannot see them. They can and do manifest in the natural at times; but just because they can't always be visibly witnessed doesn't mean that they aren't constantly active. We must allow the Holy Spirit to renew our minds so that we can receive a better understanding of the role of the Angelic in the advancement of the Kingdom of God.

Lastly, we must keep in mind that as ambassadors of the Kingdom of God, we are operating in Spiritual Warfare. Satan and demonic emissaries are constantly seeking how they can destroy the believer in Christ (John 10). However, once again, the warfare for which we are engaged is Invisible. The Warfare for which we have been called is primarily fought in the Mind. That's why we are admonished to take every thought captive for Christ (2Corinthians 10). Satan wants your mind; but so does God. That's why the Word says, "let this Mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2). The scripture also says, "be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12). Don't be fooled or enthralled by what you see in the natural. Don't become a prisoner to what you can see and touch and feel. Understand that the True Reality is located in the Invisible Realm. And if we are to be vessels of God unto the ushering in of His Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven, then we must begin Operating in the Invisible.

When Are You Due?

Recently I was taking care of some business, and I ran across a woman that was attending to some of my administrative needs. She is pregnant, and while she was working I asked her, when are you due? Saints, there are many of us that are pregnant in the Spirit. Pregnant with gifts, pregnant with callings, pregnant with anointing, pregnant with visions, pregnant with dreams; you are Spiritually Pregnant. And the question is, When Are You Due? This is a significant question because, in the natural, no woman is trying to be pregnant "indefinitely". There's a point of conception, and there's a point of birth. As the children of God, we need to have an idea of when the birthing time will take place. So I ask you again, When Are You Due?

The first question you need to raise is, Are You Due? There are some people that are not Due. They haven't "paid" their dues. They've been unfaithful, they've been disobedient, they've been self-centered, they've been self-serving, and they haven't submitted themselves to the Divine Will of God for their lives. For those of you who have been living in this state, your Due Date in the Spirit may not be determined yet. We must be honest with ourselves. Yes, all of us make mistakes, and yes all of us have room to grow. But you know in your spirit when you are on the path and doing what God has called and ordained you to do, for and during a particular season. So don't play games. Even when a woman doesn't "know" she's pregnant, at some point she begins to "show". Remember, a tree is known by the fruit it bears (Luke 6).

Then saints, there are "signs" of pregnancy. When a woman is about to give birth, her whole body changes. Her stomach is big because she's carrying a child. Her face is fatter because she's gained weight. Her appetite increases because she's "eating for two". She even experiences "morning sickness" because of the various complications that are naturally associated with a pregnancy. Such is the case when you are Pregnant in the Spirit. It's not going to be easy. As a matter of fact, the longer the duration of the pregnancy, the harder physically it gets. Such is the case in the Spirit. If things are getting harder, if you're being stretched even the more, it might be a "sign" that your Due Date is nigh. Don't mistake hardness for the absence of God or proper execution of authentic spirituality. This misconception is a mistake that we make that undermines our faith. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made a quote for which I totally concur, "the line of progress is never straight". If you've had some "curves and turns" in your spiritual journey as of late. If it seems like things aren't "straight" and you've gotten off course, you might be closer to your Due Date than you think.

Lastly saints, the scripture says, "in Due Season we shall reap, if we faint not" (Galatians 6). A prophet recently shared with me a word they received from the Lord that said, and I paraphrase, "the measures are in place for the turnaround. But things won't be released until my people turn and seek My Face". Saints, unlike in the natural, you can Delay your Due Date. God will not deliver if things are not In Order. The Kingdom is all about Divine Order. Therefore, the answer to the question has a lot to do with are you ready for what God is ready to Birth? If not, then your Due Season could be protracted and delayed. And what I'm learning is, if you're not careful, you can actually be a victim of a Spiritual Miscarriage. You can lose what God has conceived to be birthed in and through you. Don't let this happen to you saints. Be diligent, be sober, be obedient and Turn, and in the Spirit you'll have discernment of When You Are Due.

Wait

When Jesus was resurrected from the dead, the Scripture says that He spent 40 days with His disciples, teaching them things pertaining to the Kingdom of God (Acts 1). One of the main things that He said in His conversation and preparation of them for the Manifestation of the Kingdom was to "wait for the promise of the Father". Saints, if we are going to be properly positioned and prepared for the Kingdom Movement that God is getting ready to release upon the earth, it is imperative that we learn how to Wait.

There are many of us that have been in preparation mode for the Next Move of God for quite some time now. Some of you have made major sacrifices in the interest of having God's Divine Will fulfilled in your life. However, with every passing day, with the challenges, the sacrifice, the inconvenience, the misunderstandings; you're getting to the point where you're like, when Lord, when? But saints, instead of getting frustrated, instead of getting discouraged, instead of being on the verge of throwing in the towel, you simply need to Wait.

Remember Abraham, who is the father of faith and the witness for whom we are strongly encouraged to model. In regards to the Promise that the Father made to Him, he had to wait 25 years (Hebrews 11). That's a quarter of a century. Most of us ( I can't speak for everyone of course) haven't had to wait that long. And I would suspect that most of us haven't been "waiting" that long (if you understand what I mean). But the scripture says about Abraham, "after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise" (Hebrews 6). He had to Wait. Even though his faith had to be executed immediately, the promise for which he was believing God did not. This we must understand saints, we've got to, during this season, learn and continue to Wait on God.

But here's what we want to remember. When you go back to the Book of Acts, after the disciples had followed Jesus's instructions and Waited in Jerusalem (Acts 1), the scripture says that Suddenly there came a sound from Heaven (Acts 2). Saints, we need to balance our "expectation" with the understanding and reality that when this thing hits that God is going to do, it's going to be Suddenly. I heard a prophet share that when the Lord broke it down to them, it was going to be Quick and Sudden, Quickly-Suddenly. What this means is that, for all intents and purposes, you ain't gonna be ready for what God is getting ready to do no way. So instead of moaning and groaning about what ain't happening and what you don't have and what you're going through; Wait. Use this time to continue to prepare. Use this time to allow the Holy Spirit to continue to renew your mind. Use this time to get a better idea of what you're actually being called to do during this next Season. There's plenty for all of us to do, if we simply learn to Wait.

Don't Be Mad at God

Bitterness, anger and resentment are issues that a lot of people, including the people of God, have to work out and work through. If these are issues that you know are lurking in your spirit, I would strongly suggest that you be very prayerful, and ask the Lord to deliver you from these ungodly spirits (Ephesians 4). For where God is getting ready to take His people, we cannot afford to be operating with unforgiveness and bitterness in our hearts. And remember, the Scripture says very clearly that if you don't forgive your brothers and sisters their trespasses, then the Father will not forgive you of your sins either (Matthew 6). Trust me, whatever someone has done or not done to you is not worth burning in hell for eternity. So by the Grace of God, let us learn to truly forgive those who sin against us.

However, what I'm discovering is that there are people, once again the children of God, who aren't only mad at other people (and in some cases mad at themselves) but they're also mad at God. This is not something that the church likes to readily admit, but it's the truth. There are more than a few Christians who are truly upset with the Lord. They're not going to admit it because it's not the "Christian thing to do" to be mad at God, but they are nonetheless. Saints, we first have to be real with ourselves and then we must proceed to make peace with God. Please, whatever you do, Don't Be Mad with God.

One of the reasons why some people are Mad at God is because of how certain things have gone down in their lives. A lot of people question God's love for them based upon how a Sovereign God has allowed some pretty jacked up things to transpire in their lives. Let us first understand that God is not to blame for some of the messed up things that have gone down in your life. If you want to blame anybody in the spirit realm, blame the Devil! He's the only one committed to raising hell in your life. But quit all this, "Lord if you really loved me, then you wouldn't have let "so and so" happen to me". This attitude and spirit is not of God. God Loves You. Please hear me, GOD LOVES YOU!  So quit blaming God for the problems and hardships and heartaches you've had to endure in your life. The Bible says, "and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8). God has a purpose for what He's allowed you to go through, and It's Good; but in order to receive it, you have to stop being Mad at God.

Lastly saints, if we're going to stop being Mad at God, we must adopt the posture and position of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. In the Garden of Gethsemane, before the worst suffering any man has ever endured on the earth, Jesus said, "not My will, but ThyWill be done" (Luke 22). There was a supernatural resignation to the Will of The Father on behalf of The Son. There's a mystery to human existence that we have yet to fully embrace, even as believers in Christ: IT'S NOT ABOUT US. Whether we realize it or not, it really is ALL ABOUT GOD. And once we resign our self-centeredness and ego to this Eternal Reality, we will understand that it really profits us nothing to Be Mad at God.

The Choice is Yours

One of the greatest gifts that God has given humanity that distinguishes us from all other living creatures is Freedom of Choice. A lot of people refer to it as "free will", but technically this is incorrect. Because we are created beings, our will is going to be subject to something or someone; ultimately either God or Satan (Romans 6). Part of the Satanic deception is for human beings to think that they are "free" because they can "do what they want to do". But this is not true. Humans do what they're "led" to do. The question is, what spirit is leading you, is it the Spirit of God or is it the spirit of the devil? However, the blessing is that God has given us Choice. We're not forced to serve God and we're not forced to serve Satan, we've been given Freedom of Choice. So in terms of the direction that your life is headed in and the ultimate fulfillment of your destiny, The Choice is Yours.

This message is truly significant for the church today, because God has an Eternal Destiny that He has ordained for every child of God that has accepted His Son Jesus as their Lord and Savior (Jeremiah 29). However, God is not going to "force" His Plans on anyone, not even His children. Therefore, we have to make a Choice. Have you ever wondered why the world is in the shape that it's in? It's because of the Choices that people are making. Have you ever wondered why the church doesn't make more of a difference? It's because of the Choices that we are making. Remember, God has put the control of the earth into the hands of men (Psalm 115). So we can't, as many people tend to do, blame the plight of the world on the "indifference" of God. I'm sure every one of us has heard at some point or another, "if God really loved us, why does He allow the world to be in the shape that it's in?". No, the better question is, if we as human beings really loved ourselves and this planet, why would we allow it to be in the shape that it's in? But at the end of the day, it all goes back to the Choices that we make.

I would urge everyone of us to truly examine with great scrutiny the various Choices that we're being challenged to make during this season. Whether it be career choices, financial choices, health choices, relational choices, ministerial choices; we need to be very prayerful about the Choices we're making right now because, believe it or not, they could actually determine your Destiny. That's why Repentance is so critical during this season. God is giving ALL OF US an opportunity to make the Choice to Turn from some of the delinquent and dysfunctional decisions and Choices that we've made over the last few years, last few months, last few weeks and even the last few days. It's serious saints. In a minute, the Door is going to be closed and you'll then have to "live" with the Choices you've made. Don't be like Esau who sought repentance with tears but could not find it (Hebrews 12). God has a bright future ahead for all of us. But there's also a path of death and destruction that lies ahead as well. Just remember, The Choice is Yours.

Marriage Is Not Equal

I was reading an article the other day where President Obama was talking about "Marriage Rights". The implication of his statements were that now that same-sex marriage has been legalized, marriage has now been made available "equally" to everyone. I was in a church discussion a few days ago, and the same issue came up in terms of people being "treated equally" in regards to marriage in the church. Let's set the record straight: Marriage Is Not Equal. This is what you're going to hear now in regards to the propaganda to reinforce same-sex marriage; that marriage needs to be equal across the board and that "everybody" has a right to marry who they want to. However, as Christians and members of the Body of Christ, our stand needs to be that "marriage rights" and the equality thereof, does not represent the Divine Will of God.

Let us establish once again that Marriage was designed by God strictly for a man with a woman. Marriage is a heterosexual enterprise, not a homosexual one. This is something that the church has to stand on and stand for. We cannot compromise the sanctity and sacredness of Marriage. Marriage is not a secular invention, it is a Sacred Institution. Man didn't come up with the idea of marriage, God did! Therefore, He alone reserves the "right" to determine what marriage is, what it should be, and who has "the right" to participate in the institution for which He as God instituted and ordained. For this reason, the church must take the stand and say No, Marriage is not Equal.

We're coming to a point saints where the church's faith is going to be tested on this issue. Collectively we failed the test last year in 2015 when we allowed the Supreme Court to legislate across the country same-sex marriage in every state. Now you've got Christians talking about, since it's constitutional, then the church has the responsibility to honor marriage amongst all couples. No we don't! It is not the responsibility of the church to uphold the Constitution of the United States; it's the responsibility of the church to stand on the Word of God.  Whenever the laws of our nation conflict with the Divine Law of God, then we as the children of God must stand on the Word, regardless of what the law says. This is why Peter said in the Book of Acts, "we should obey God rather than men" (Acts 5). At some point saints, the church must take a stand.

This issue of same-sex marriage has not been swept under the rug, particularly with the Lord. The Judgment is set. I believe the Lord is still giving America time to repent of this perverted and abominable legislation; and the repentance must start with the church! We must take the stand and acknowledge to the Lord that we've been wrong in our silent sanction of same-sex marriage. We must raise our voice and take a stand for our God. If we continue to be complicit and complacent in regards to this slap in God's Face, then the Judgement that has been set for this country will transpire, starting with the church. But it doesn't have to be that way if we would simply recognize, according to the word of God, that Marriage Is Not Equal.

It's Time to Get Out of the Church

Believe it or not, one of the things that I believe can actually affect one's spirituality detrimentally is to stay too long in the church. Many Christians (I don't know if I would say most) have grown up in the church and been in the church most if not all of their lives. They know all the church hymns. They know popular scripture verses in the Bible. They understand church protocol and all of the do's and don'ts of going to church. But at the end of the day, for many church-going Christians, you don't see any substantive change that's going to literally transform the world. For this reason I say, It's Time to Get Out of the Church.

Let me say very quickly that this statement is not intended to cast any type of negative light upon the church. The church is still the Body of Christ (1Corinthians 12). But what ends up happening to a lot of Christians who actually stay in church too long is that their focus gets off. When a person stays in the organized church for too long, they start to focus more on the church instead of The Kingdom of God. Jesus didn't say seek ye first the church, He said seek ye first the Kingdom (Matthew 6). Unfortunately, the Ministry of the Kingdom and the ministry of the church, oftentimes, are not the same. For this reason, if one is going to focus on the Kingdom the way Jesus prescribed, at some point they will discover that It's Time to Get Out of the Church.

Am I advocating or suggesting that you leave your local congregation? Not necessarily. Am I denouncing one having a church membership and being affiliated with a local congregation? No I am not. What I am saying is that if there is not a Kingdom Focus being facilitated by the church for which you associate and are affiliated, then yes, It's Time to Get Out of the Church. I didn't say it's time to "leave the church". You can stay a member of a local congregation if the Holy Spirit is leading you to stay. But one cannot sustain a Kingdom Focus and fulfill their Kingdom Destiny if at some point they don't Get Out of the Church.

The Kingdom of God will not be found in the church. The Kingdom of God will be found in the world (Acts 1). First off, the church is not a place or a building: the church consists of the people of God who are born again believers in Christ. God has commissioned us to take the message of the Kingdom as the church to the world. But how can we do that if we're always "in the church", in the building, in the sanctuary? We can't. Yes, Jesus ministered in the temple and in the synagogue. But He primarily ministered in the streets, meeting people's needs. That's where the church needs to go. Let's get Outside of the four walls of the places we congregate as the church. Let's get Outside of our church dogma and tradition. Let's get Outside of our preconceived notions and misconceptions about "people in the world" and what they think about Christians and Christianity. Let's get Outside of our comfort zones and stretch into the Kingdom Manifestation that Christ is calling for from His church and His people during this season. Saints, we can no longer simply "do" church anymore. We must answer the Call to be the church and to be a Witness for the Kingdom Revolution that God is ready to release in these upcoming days. And in order to do that, as believers in Christ, we must recognize that It's Time to Get Out of the Church.

The Suspension of the Miraculous

I have often wondered why the mainstream church doesn't witness the amount of Miracles in the life of our congregations as was witnessed in the first century church found in the Book of Acts. We can come up with all types of legitimate explanations: lack of faith, lack of order, lack of obedience, lack of spiritual power. And to a certain extent, all of these things are contributing factors to why we don't witness on a regular basis Miracles, Signs and Wonders in the mainstream American church. But I'd like to suggest another reason today as well, and that is the Spirit of Offense. When the people of God or a community of faith displays or indulges in a Spirit of Offense, then what you experience is The Suspension of the Miraculous.

To be Offended means to experience insult, displeasure, anger or resentment in response to something or someone. Many people carry with them a Spirit of Offense. This means that they are "easily" insulted or angered by the actions or attitudes of others. We generally describe a person like this as one who "wears their heart on their sleeves" or is like "super-sensitive". However, a Spirit of Offense isn't always marked by these characteristics. A lot of times, when people have been hurt, if those wounds have not been healed and they aren't operating in a spirit of forgiveness, they can find themselves subject to a Spirit of Offense. It's not like they're "trying" to be overly sensitive; but because of previous wounds, (emotionally, psychologically, relationally) that haven't been fully addressed and resolved, then they tend to get Offended more easily and more often than others. This is not of God. And the reason this is something that the church needs to deal with is because the Spirit of Offense Suspends the Activity of God, particularly the Supernatural and the Miraculous.

In Matthew chapter 13, Jesus had gone to his hometown to minister. The Bible says that the people were "offended in Him" and as a result, "He did not many mighty works there". What was the source of their Offense? Jesus was a "hometown boy", and they just couldn't believe that someone who they had grown up with and knew His family, could actually be this Great. Saints, one of the biggest problems in the church, particularly in the ministry, is the spirit of Equalizing. When people aren't secure in themselves then it's hard for them to appreciate and embrace you when how God is using you is "greater" than how He's using them. This is one example of a Spirit of Offense, and it needs to be cast out of the church. We will not be in a position corporately, as the Body of Christ, to receive a Supernatural Move of God if we're always in "comparison mode". Learn to embrace and secure who and where you are, and praise God for that. And be honest. Some of us are experiencing "mediocre ministries" because of poor decisions we've made and the exercise of unbelief (Matthew 13). Saints, let us ask God to deliver us from any bitterness, or resentment, or insecurity that is fostering and nurturing within us a Spirit of Offense. If not, we too will experience The Suspension of the Miraculous.

Heading for a Fall

We are in a Season of Preparation. The Lord is preparing His chosen for the Manifestation of the Kingdom of God. Part of the objective of the Kingdom Movement will be to take territory from the Enemy. The kingdom of darkness has area that will be dispossessed and taken over for God in the name of Jesus Christ. Therefore, with this type of spiritual warfare lying ahead, the Enemy would love nothing more than to wipe out the soldiers of the Lord before the Battle even begins. For this reason we must be watchful to make sure we're not Heading for a Fall.

I would suspect there are several of you that have received what I would call "prophetic warnings" from the Lord. Whether it's through a dream, a prophetic word, or a situation for which the Spirit is giving you discernment; the Lord is warning you of a situation that is to come. I want to urge you to take heed to the word of the Lord. Now is not the time to be "nonchalant" when it comes to what God is saying in your life. What I have witnessed (for which I have been guilty of too) is that when the people of God receive a direct word of warning from the Lord, they have a tendency to dismiss it. This is not wise. The general explanation is that the word doesn't necessarily "register" with their spirit. They don't necessarily "see" why the word was given, or even "what's the big deal?". Saints, this is what we need to understand: when God gives you a specific spiritual warning in a particular area of your life, He gives it because you don't see it coming. If you were aware of it, if you were conscious of it, if you were already in preparation mode, you wouldn't need God to speak to you about it. Therefore, the proper response to a prophetic warning, regardless of the context, is Humility, not comprehension. One of the flaws of faith that many saints make is that they try to "understand" a word given by the Lord rather than simply believe the word that's given by the Lord. Remember, we walk by faith and not by sight (2Corinthians 5). So when that word comes, quit trying to analyze it and see if it makes sense. Just receive it. Otherwise, you'll find yourself Heading for a Fall.

When you look at the various Falls that have transpired in scripture, it's specifically because people did not heed the warning and the word of the Lord. Adam and Eve were specifically warned, if you eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, you shall surely die (Genesis 2). When Peter denied Christ before His Crucifixion, Jesus had specifically warned Peter what was going to happen and told him what to do to avoid it (Matthew 26). But Peter didn't listen. The scripture says, "let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" (1Corinthians 10). Let us make sure during this season, as the Evil One is on the prowl (1Peter 5), that we are heeding the word that the Lord is giving to us. Otherwise, we'll be Heading for a Fall.

Receiving your Inheritance

Part of the Manifestation of the Kingdom of God is the Inheritance of the saints. There is an Inheritance that God has ordained for His children. But it has to be received; it's not automatic. One of the reasons why the witness of the mainstream church is so severely diminished in our society is because there are too many of us as Christians that are not walking in our Inheritance. If we could truly answer the Call of Jesus and function as the light of the world and the salt of the earth in the context of our Divine Inheritance as the children of God, the world would be much more interested and intrigued about this thing we call Christianity. Therefore, we want to be mindful of what it takes in order to Receive our Inheritance.

One definition of Inheritance is, that which is received by genetic transmission. We are in line to receive a Divine Inheritance because we are indeed the very children of God. So what is it that we receive or inherit via genetic transmission? Eternal Life (Luke 10) Now, when we first hear this, our initial inclination is to think about what we will receive from God after we die. This, of course, makes sense since in the Natural, people generally don't receive an inheritance until after the decease of the person issuing it. But the spiritual fact in Christianity is that the Benefactor of the Inheritance has already died; and His Name is Jesus! So we don't have to wait till we personally die before we can receive the Inheritance for which Jesus died in order for us to receive in this life.

Another challenge with Receiving Our Inheritance is not totally understanding the nature of Eternal Life. Once again, the general connotation of Eternal Life is that it's an experience that we will have in the bye and bye. That basically it constitutes us going to Heaven after we leave this earth. Generally we process Eternal Life as the reward of Salvation. Even though this is partially true, the general concept is incorrect. Eternal Life isn't simply about an established heavenly residence in the after-life. No saints. Eternal Life is THE LIFE OF GOD. Please hear me, the Inheritance of the saints in Christ is THE LIFE OF GOD (2Peter 1). Can you imagine living LIKE GOD? Can you imagine ACTING LIKE GOD? Can you fathom operating in and demonstrating  THE POWER OF GOD? This, my brothers and sisters, is the Inheritance of the Saints in this life. But you won't access that for which you're not apprised. Therefore, many Christians don't attain to that for which God has prepared and reserved for us as His children. However, Jesus demonstrated the Manifestation of this Inheritance as He functioned on the earth as the Son of God.

In order to Receive this Inheritance, there are two things we must do: Be Mature and Be Sanctified. Jesus says in the 26th chapter of the Book of Acts, "that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified". We must be set apart unto Christ if we're going to qualify to Receive our Inheritance. Then Galatians chapter 4 says, "the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all". Spiritual immaturity will disqualify you from functioning in your Inheritance. Let us be faithful and let us be diligent to do all that we must do to Receive our Inheritance.

A Response to Rebuke

Many commentators have examined the "motive" if you will, behind the betrayal of Judas. Of course we know that his betrayal was satanically induced and sponsored, but from more of a humanistic standpoint, what was going on with Judas that would allow him to betray His Master and Lord? Some commentators have suggested that Judas was "politically" motivated in terms of trying to "push" Jesus towards a showdown with the Roman government. This would incite the rebellion and "force" Jesus, if you will, to at that point set up His Davidic Kingdom and restore the kingdom to Israel (Acts 1). Others of course, have simply reasoned that Judas was basically a traitor, a "Benedict Arnold", and that no matter what, he was going to sell out Jesus. I think both of these perspectives have some merit, but there's another perspective I would like to propose.


If you look at the timing of Judas' betrayal of Jesus, it took place immediately after he had been rebuked by Jesus (Matthew 26). Remember the story where Jesus and His disciples went to dinner over Simon the leper's house, and the woman came out and anointed Jesus' feet with an alabaster box of precious ointment? The disciples were indignant at this "act of waste", and Jesus immediately "checked" them, or rebuked them. The direct rebuke of Judas by Jesus is found in The Gospel of John chapter 12; but in Matthew 26, immediately after the rebuke from Jesus, the scripture says that "then...Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests". I'm of the persuasion that part of what incited Judas to his dastardly act of betrayal was his Response to Rebuke.


When Jesus rebuked Judas and the disciples (but I believe particularly Judas), it exposed that the Lord and the disciples were "not on the same page". Judas was exposed that his agenda and the Agenda of Christ were not synonymous. Saints, this is what we have to check and be mindful of. There are many times where what we want to do and what we're reaching for, does not reflect the agenda and divine will of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. This is a problem. Note that what Judas was proposing was not "bad". His issue was that instead of the woman "wasting" the ointment on something for which he didn't understand nor had received adequate revelation, she should've sold the ointment and the money given to the poor. Not a bad idea per se. But it wasn't The Will of God. Saints, there are some things that some of us are doing right now, and they really aren't that bad. But they don't represent The Divine Will of God.


The God we serve is Faithful. Which means, if we find ourselves doing something or complaining about something that seems right but doesn't reflect His Will, He's going to rebuke us. He's Faithful to do it, because He loves us. He will rebuke you through a dream, through a sermon, through a prophetic word, through a scripture, or even through a conversation with someone or something you hear, you think "arbitrarily". God is Faithful to rebuke us when we're straying away from His Divine Will, regardless of what we think.


Then here comes the test. What will be our Response to the Divine Rebuke? This, my brothers and sisters, is where the rubber meets the road. What we are supposed to do is Submit and Repent. If God says it, our response should simply be "Yes Sir". You don't need to understand it, you don't need to comprehend it, you just need to believe that if God said it, then it's the Right Way, period. Judas didn't do this. Neither did Peter do this when he was rebuked in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26). And because they did not have a proper Response to Rebuke, it led to betrayal and denial. Saints, there are some of us, whether we can see it or not, that are on the verge of either betraying Christ or denying Him. Remember, these men were disciples, committed followers of Jesus. But it did not preclude them from betraying or denying Him. Why? I believe, in large part, because they did not offer a proper Response to Rebuke. Let us not be guilty of this sin and this flaw. When God rebukes us, let us humble ourselves and govern ourselves accordingly. Let us repent and allow the Holy Spirit to renew our minds so that we can think with the Mind of Christ. Let us be mindful to offer unto the Lord  a proper Response to Rebuke.

Processing the Pain

One of the things that we're finding in our society right now, that I don't think is being given enough attention, is the fact that many people are hurting. A lot of the violence, a lot of the "senseless" murders, a lot of the family dysfunction, is all growing out of the pain that people are feeling that has not been duly addressed or resolved. Some of the "back and forth" that we're seeing in our political campaigns, grows out of a lot of hurt feelings, rejection and disappointment, that people are using the political stage in order to "vent". And in a lot of our churches, the church splits (congregations dividing and separating), the congregational dissension and in-fighting, a lot of it grows out of Christians who too are wrestling with unresolved pain. If we as the people of God are going to establish the Kingdom Witness that the Father is calling us to, it is important and imperative that we learn the art and the skill of Processing the Pain.


The means by which many people, including Christians, tend to deal with their pain is by ignoring and suppressing it. Emotionally and psychologically, this is ineffective. You can't deny when something hurts. The proper response to an encounter with pain is to say "ouch". There has to be a reaction, an emotional reaction to the pain one has been challenged to go through and internalize. If you are of age, you have been through something, and more than likely "some things", that have hurt your feelings, that have depressed your soul, that have disappointed and discouraged you. People have let you down. People have betrayed you. People have turned on you. People have disappointed you. In response to these hurtful situations you need to at least admit the hurt and the pain that you've been challenged to face. Many people choose not to do this, to their own psychological and emotional dismay. You can't deny the truth of your feelings. And what people don't understand is that, even when you choose to "act" like nothing's wrong, that pain doesn't go away; it just festers. This is why a lot of people are "losing their minds"; not just because of "stress", but because of unresolved pain that has eaten away at the fabric of the mental faculties of their mind. Unresolved pain is like the cancer of the soul.


We must confess our pain. We must acknowledge that we are hurting. Yes, what my parents did or did not do has hurt me. Yes, what my spouse did or did not do has hurt me. Yes, the response of my children, has hurt me. Yes, the way they did me on my job, the way they treated me at my church; it hurt me. Once you've acknowledged the pain, then you have the responsibility to forgive. Forgiveness is not an emotional process, it is a spiritual decision. People think that it takes "time" to forgive someone. This is incorrect. It may take time to "heal from the pain"; but forgiveness is a decision that can be executed immediately. Do not confuse the need to heal with the need to forgive. The word forgiveness means "the release of a debt". It's actually a business term, that means if you owed me money, you're no longer accountable for the debt; you've been "forgiven". So when somebody does you wrong, even though you may still be experiencing the pain of what they did to you, you can still release them from the debt of owing you anything for what was done to you, even "owing" you an apology.


This is why Jesus made it a point to forgive those who crucified Him while He was still on the cross (Luke 23). In the midst of His pain, in the midst of His agony, He made it a point to forgive, in the midst of His processing the pain of the crucifixion. We have the charge saints to forgive others as Christ has forgiven us (Ephesians 4). As we do, let us make sure to learn the art of Processing the Pain.

When It's Too Late To Repent

We are in a Season of Repentance. The word Repent in the Greek means "to think again". I'm sure that many of us, if you are seriously seeking the Lord, are being challenged to re-think, re-consider, re-assess, re-view, re-lease, re-ceive, re-fuse, re-concile, re-new, re-construct, re-ject, re-vive; some things. Repent. This is the Season to Repent. There was a time when God allowed us to "get away" with some things, if you will, based on our Ignorance. But God is calling all men to Repent (Acts 17). But there will come a time when there will be no time to Repent. The Season of Repentance will have expired. That's why we want to turn and make the shifts and changes that God is calling us to make now, before it's Too Late Too Repent.

When we look at Scripture, we find several scenarios that demonstrate When It's Too Late To Repent. Let's look at the disciple Judas. Remember, this was a man who was in Jesus' inner circle. He traveled with Jesus, ate with Jesus, followed Him. Judas was also the one who betrayed our Master (Luke 22). But then, when Judas realized the mistake he had made in betraying his Master, he went back to the Pharisees to give them back their money and repent. But it was too late (Matthew 27). And afterwards he went and hanged himself.

Then we have Peter, one of Jesus' closest disciples. Peter was the one who told Jesus that he was willing to die for Him (Matthew 26). And yes, Peter was bold in the confrontation in the Garden of Gethsemane, even cutting off a man's ear (John 18). But when the hour came for Peter to take a stand for the Lord, just as Jesus prophesied, he denied the Lord 3 times (Matthew 26). And the scripture says that Peter went out and wept bitterly, because it was too late to repent.

Lastly, Hebrews chapter 12 talks about the fallacy of Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. The scripture says that "he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears". It was too late for him to repent. Also, isn't it interesting that when Jesus started His Public Ministry, that the Prophet of Repentance, John the Baptist, was imprisoned (Mark 1). Even though Jesus still preached repentance, the Season of Repentance that was the prelude to the Manifestation of the King, had officially expired with the imprisonment of John the Baptist. Saints please, don't play with this thing. Be sober, be vigilant, so that when the Time of the Father comes, you won't be one weeping because it's Too Late To Repent.

Are You Ready For This?

As we continue to press in patience and expectation for the Manifestation of the Kingdom of God, it is time that we really sit down and do what Jesus commanded us to do, and that is to "count the cost" (Luke 14). We are getting ready to move into a Season where everything we've learned and everything that God has chosen to reveal to us over the last several years is going to be tested. It will no longer be theoretical, we will be challenged to make it practical. With this in mind, I ask you the question, Are You Ready For This?

There are two distinguishing marks to the manifestation of the Kingdom of God in the earth realm: casting out of demons and healing the sick. Jesus made it clear after He was raised from the dead, that "these signs shall follow them that believe...they shall cast out devils...they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover" (Mark 16). This is what we need to expect as we enter the Kingdom Move of God. But I would suspect that many of us have not had a lot of experience with the casting out of demons and the supernatural healing of diseases in Jesus' Name. Once again, for this reason I ask, Are You Ready For This?

Demonic activity is not something that is generally addressed, let alone confronted, in the mainstream church. Yes, many Christians still technically "believe" in demons; but in terms of some sort of "exorcism ministry" or seeing demons dealt with on a regular basis, for many if not most Christians, this is not the norm. In order to get ready for what God is getting ready to manifest in the demonstration of His Kingdom, we must begin to wrap our minds around the reality of the demonic realm. Saints, demons are real. If we believe that the Devil (Satan) is real, then it just stands to reason that his angels (demons) are real as well. If we don't "believe" in the tangible reality of demonic beings, then we will not be in position to allow the Holy Spirit to teach us how to appropriately and effectively deal with them. Demonic activity is responsible for a lot of the hell that our world is going through right now. But don't be deceived, there is plenty of demonic activity in the church, from the pulpit to the pew. Just because people are not rolling in the floors and vomiting up green yuck, doesn't mean that demonic activity isn't taking place within our churches. Christ has commissioned us to cast them out, and we must be ready for this.

There are more than a few Healing Ministries in our churches today, Praise God. However, a lot of the healing is being restricted to "healing evangelists" or certain "anointed" preachers or individuals. Yes, there are certain individuals that God has specifically anointed and ordained for the Healing Ministry, but Jesus says in Mark 16 that laying hands on the sick and the recovery thereof will be a sign of those that believe. Which means, if you are a believer in Christ, then you have the call to lay hands on people and see them get healed, in Jesus' Name. Many of us would never even "imagine" praying for someone with the legitimate "expectation" that they are going to be supernaturally healed. A lot of times, when we pray for someone who is sick, we're kind of "hoping" that God heals them. And of course, if He doesn't, then it wasn't "in God's Will" for them to be healed. But at least we prayed. Wrong. The Bible is putting the onus on us to lay hands on the sick for them to receive their healing, not on God. I know that generally we're not accustomed to this, but that's because, once again, we've been majoring in church, not the Kingdom of God. So as we move forward, you need to start preparing to lay your hands on the sick, with the faith that the Covenant God Jehovah, through the Blood of Jesus Christ, will Heal through you, in Jesus' Name.

We're getting ready to enter a very radical mind-set saints; a major departure from what we generally know as "church". We're getting ready to go back to how it was in the Book of Acts, persecution and all. The days of being "Sunday Morning Christians" are just about over. Either you're serious about Christ or you're not. Either you're seeking Him and His Kingdom Power, or you're not. This Spiritual Shift is going to transpire sooner than you think. Before you know it, it's going to take place Quickly and Suddenly. I ask you again, Are You Ready For This?

The Voice of Preparation

We are in a season of Preparation. In His Mercy, Grace and Kindness, the Father is giving His children, His chosen and the world a further opportunity to, as the songwriter aptly put it, "get right with God, and do it Now". This season of Preparation is important because, once it ends, it ends. We will not be able to get these days back. So it is imperative that we heed The Voice of Preparation.

The Spirit Realm of God is regulated by Sound. I don't fully understand it, but the way God communicates His Will to His people and to the world is via Sound. The scripture says in the tenth chapter of Romans, "have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world". When the Holy Ghost came on the Day of Pentecost, He ushered in the Age of the Church and the Age of Grace through a "sound from heaven" (Acts 2). Many times, not exclusively, God will manifest this Sound of Heaven through A Voice. More often than not, it is a Prophetic Voice. This is why it is so important to give heed to the prophetic anointing that God is increasing during this season. If someone you know is operating with a prophetic call or a prophetic anointing, listen to them! And if you, yourself, are operating within a prophetic calling or gifting, continue to do what Paul admonished his son in the ministry to do, "stir up the gift" (2Timothy 1). We must pay attention to the Prophetic Voice of Preparation.

Prior to the Manifestation of Jesus's Ministry as the Son of God and the coming Messiah to Israel, God ordained and sanctioned a Voice. This Voice was that of the prophet, John the Baptist. His was a Voice of Preparation. The Gospel of Mark chapter one reads, "As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight". What was John the Baptist prophetically preparing the people for? The Coming of Christ. Saints, I know it may be hard for us to wrap our theological minds around this prophetic belief, but we need to understand by faith that JESUS IS COMING! The reason I'm framing it like this is because I'm not talking about the "Return of Christ" in regards to His thousand-year Millennial Kingdom (Revelation 20). I'm talking about a Season of Visitation where Jesus visibly returns to the earth to further prepare and equip His Church for (what many believe will be) this final Kingdom Move before the dispensation of the Gentiles is concluded (Acts 3).

The key to this Preparation is Repentance. The word repentance in the Greek means "to think again". If you're being open and available to the movement of the Spirit in your life during this Season of Preparation, then you're being challenged to "re-think" some things. Some previous concepts, some prior relationships, some established beliefs; God is challenging you to "think again". Repent. Don't resist this process saints. Why? Because the Lord is preparing us for the Coming of the King. The King is Coming...the King IS COMING. And if we heed the Voice of Preparation that God is issuing in our lives, then we will be ready for our Master's Arrival.

Where Are You?

As we continue to prepare for the Kingdom Movement that is going to hit the earth, it is imperative that we take the time to do Self-Inventory. Self-Identification is key as we continue to progress through this season. We are in the midst of a Season of Transition. I'm sure that for many of us, things seem to be changing in our lives right before our very eyes. Some things by consent, other things without our consent. Some things seem to be changing for our good, other things seem be turning out not so good (Romans 8). The reason these things are occurring at this time is because there is a Shifting taking place in the Heavens. A friend of mine described it as a "stirring" in the Heavens. As things continue to shift and stir in the Heavenly Realm, it's just a matter of time before this Heavenly Stir begins to manifest itself in the earth realm. The Father is giving us time to make the necessary adjustments, so that when He releases what He's ordained for the earth, His chosen and elect are prepared. For this reason we must be able to sufficiently answer the question, Where Are You?

This is the question we all need to be asking ourselves right about now; Where Are You? Where are you physically, in your body, in your health, in the consecration and sanctification of your temple unto the Lord? (Romans 12) Where are you in your soul; emotionally, psychologically, relationally? Where are you in your spirit? Is your faith operating at the level for which God has prescribed for you in this season? Do you have any lingering bitterness or unforgiveness that is affecting your spiritual growth and walk with God? Are you intense about your relationship with the Lord, or are you lukewarm and borderline indifferent? (Revelation 3) Where Are You? We need to be asking these questions now, because when the Judgment of God hits the earth, we won't have time to ask these questions. Judgment is report card time. Once the grade is issued, it's too late to re-take the test. So once again I ask, Where Are You?

This is the same question that God asked Adam when he disobeyed Him in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). God asked Adam, "Where art thou?" It was obvious that Adam was not where he was supposed to be because of sin. But look at the questions God raised to him according to Adam's various responses. "Who told thee thou was naked?" Watch the basis of your Self-Identification. God didn't argue with Adam's self-assessment, He questioned the source. "Hast thou eaten of the tree...?" Watch what you're digesting and internalizing in your mind, spirit as well as your body. We can't afford to make ourselves available to hear and watch everything, particularly that which God has forbidden.

Then Adam plays the blame game. Isn't it interesting that a lot of our issues in terms of Where We Are, at some level, involve a member of the opposite sex? Whether it's a spouse, a friend, a family member or an associate; a lot of times we tend to blame "where we are" on somebody else; and it's usually someone of the opposite sex. But remember, God "brought" Eve to Adam (Genesis 2). The Father knew how the story was going to go down; because a lot of times our interaction with the opposite sex tends to "expose" where we really are. Now is not the time saints to make excuses. Let us gird up the loins of our mind, let us be sober and vigilant, and let us allow the Holy Spirit to reveal to truthfully, Where Are You?