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* 7 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/september-15-2022 September 15, 2022 Your Voice Matters I was in the Sunday service of a large church the weekend President Trump was to make his decision regarding retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy’s replacement. This decision was one that had the potential of shifting the balance of power on the Supreme Court to a conservative, pro-constitutionalist majority, something America desperately needed and intercessors had prayed for since the 1960s. Doubtlessly, the decision was so monumental it would impact several generations - the lives of those present that day, their children, and even their grandchildren. The appointment President Trump eventually made, along with the next Justice he appointed, will absolutely be two of the most significant governmental decisions of our lifetimes. The Justices he appointed were part of lifting a horrible curse off America. In light of this decision’s magnitude, I kept waiting for someone in the service to lead in prayer for wisdom and guidance to POTUS Trump, for Holy Spirit to lead him in making the right decision. If not a 15-30 minute time of corporate prayer - perhaps this was more important than the sermon that day! - then maybe 10 minutes, or even 5. After all, the pastor himself referred to the congregation that day as “a praying church.” Nothing. Perhaps someone will at least mention it when praying over the offering or sermon, I thought. When no prayer was offered, I held out hope that they would encourage people to pray regarding this on their own. As you have probably guessed by now, it was never even mentioned! I was stunned, grieved, and angry. Tragically, this is the norm, not the exception. Does your church pray corporately and publicly regarding national decisions of this nature? Sadly, it most likely does not. And statistics tell us half of those seated around you on a Sunday morning won’t even vote. As we discussed yesterday, we continue to pay a high price for our avoidance of and forfeiture of government. A while back, Nancy Pelosi blocked votes on bills to ban taxpayer-funded abortions dozens of times. Instead, she and her colleagues in Congress voted unanimously to eliminate the 40-year-old Hyde Amendment, which prevents taxpayer dollars from being used for “most abortions in Medicaid and other federal programs. It is credited with saving 2.4 million babies’ lives…Republican members offered several amendments that would’ve restored Hyde protection to the budget…Democrats refused to allow consideration of any pro-life amendments.”(1) Biden also rejected the Hyde Amendment.(2) As they say, “Elections have consequences.” Perhaps the following will motivate Christians to pray and vote. Everett Piper, in a Washington Times article, quotes Jasmine Hilton from the Washington Post: “A judge on Thursday (August 25, 2022), dismissed a complaint against the Montgomery Country school board by parents who alleged that the system’s student gender-identity guidelines violated their state and constitutional rights. “Three parents, who filed anonymously in 2020 against the Montgomery Country Board of Education, argued that the guidelines curtailed their ability ‘to direct the care, custody, education, and control of their minor children,’ under the Fourteenth Amendment, according to a memorandum opinion. “The parents said that the Montgomery County Public School ‘2020-2021 Guidelines for Student Gender Identity’ were designed to work around parental involvement ‘in a pivotal decision’ in their children’s lives and that the guidelines ‘enable school personnel to allow children to transition socially to a different gender identity at school’ without parents’ notice or consent. “In the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, Judge Paul W. Grimm sided with the MCBE’s argument that the guidelines advance the state’s goal of protecting students’ safety and privacy. According to [his] memo, the ‘MCBE certainly has a legitimate interest in providing a safe and supportive environment for all MCPS students, including those who are transgender and gender nonconforming,’ Grimm then [concluded], ‘And the Guidelines are certainly rationally related to achieving that result.’”(3) “So there you have it,” Piper says. “Today’s schools are teaching your sons and daughters that a female isn’t a biological fact and that it’s perfectly healthy for a boy to pretend to be a girl, and when you object, you’re told to stand down because, after all, your children belong to the government, not you. Your children are literally ‘owned’ by Big Brother and his reeducation camps, otherwise known as your local public schools. The message you’re hearing is loud and clear: ‘These children are ours, not yours.’ “And lest you think this is just about the left’s strange fixation on sex; it’s not. “These are the same schools that are teaching your kids to judge people by the color of their skin rather than the content of their character. These are the same teachers who claim that 2+2=4 is the product of white privilege and that the use of Socratic logic is racist. These are the smart folks who are telling your sons and daughters that our Constitution is xenophobic, America is systemically evil, and that capitalism is bad while communism is good. “And while all of this is going on your local school board is telling you that you have no right to know about or object to anything they are teaching your progeny.”(4) We can change this by praying AND voting! Columnist Sudi Kate Gliebe, the cofounder of Patriots’ Campaign Ministry, wrote for Baptist Press on September 28, 2012, “Politics is not a hobby like scrapbooking. Getting involved should not be an option. Politics, whether we like it or not, affects every area of our lives… ‘We the People’ means that all of us are responsible to preserve our republic.” The Family Research Council said, “With most elections being decided by smaller and smaller margins, we cannot win the public debate over the critical issues of faith, family, and freedom if like-minded Americans stay home on Election Day.” “Meeting the challenges facing the nation will require a greater level of commitment from believers than has been necessary in generations,” FRC said in explaining the importance of its get-out-the-vote effort. Creditable sources estimate that out of 60 million Christians in the United States, only 30 million of them vote in any given election or are even registered to vote. Did you get that - 30 million Christians do not vote. Can you imagine what a difference it would make if 60 million Christians actually voted and did so based on biblical values? While there are many wonderful websites and folks who are helping to inform conservatives about issues and their need to vote, I’d like to introduce you to another very successful one. MyFaithVotes.org is a wonderfully informative website through which you can find information concerning upcoming elections in YOUR states, articles about upcoming bills in Congress of which you need to be aware, and much more. If you follow their prompts, you will find all the information needed regarding important upcoming election dates in YOUR state, information about absentee voting, etc. They have done the work for you! They also have extensive tools for CHURCHES, including multi-media, bulletin inserts, and much more. These tools encourage people to vote for leaders with traditional and biblical values. This year they are running a simple, yet very impactful campaign to influence conservatives who aren’t actively participating in important elections. I’m sharing this information because some of you have asked our office how you can get involved - how you can encourage people to vote and also obtain the information needed to be more informed. This organization can aid you in that search, and you can do it from home! My Faith Votes has the current names/addresses of thousands of registered voters who are pro-life, pro-traditional family, who either don’t vote, or are inconsistent in doing so. If you’d like to help change this, you can go to this link on their website: www.myfaithvotes.org/startwriting. They will supply a free digital packet with complete, easy-to-follow information, including a letter they have written. You will supply the printing of the letter, envelope, and stamp. They also provide a return address to use in order to maintain your privacy. Records show that 30% and more of those who receive these letters are motivated to vote. You will have a positive effect on 30-50% of the recipients of the letters you send. Nationally, My Faith Votes has helped generate thousands of biblically motivated votes, helping turn elections. Think about it - with a couple of hours of your time and a few dollars, you can help elect godly, righteous leaders. Please consider getting behind this! Pray with me: Father, in Christ’s name, we thank You for the awakening we see beginning in the church. The sleeping giant is stirring. Cause the alarm clock to become louder and louder. Make it impossible for Christians in America to silence the alarm or override it with other activities and thoughts. Our hearts, though breaking over many issues, are also filled with faith that You are about to change things dramatically. The conscience of a nation will be brought back to life. The heart of a complacent and passive church is being and will continue to be, awakened. Thank You for Your grace and Your mercy. And Father, as believers awaken from complacency and lethargy, motivate them to vote. Give organizations like My Faith Votes great success and participation as they implement Your creative ideas. I ask You to lead many people to participate in their efforts. Thank You for turning this nation around. We are very grateful that You have not given up on America. And since You have not, we won’t give up on her. Your verdict has been rendered: America shall be saved! So be it. And we, Your family, will do our part to see this occur. In Christ’s name, we pray this. Amen. Our decree: We declare that we, the church, will involve ourselves in every level and facet of government, releasing the authority and blessing of God into the earth through our prayers and actions. *********************** Click on the link below to watch the full video. ________________________________ https://www.lifenews.com/2021/07/29/house-democrats-pass-bill-to-eliminate-hyde-amendment-make-americans-fund-abortions/ Ibid https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/08/20/gender-transition-identity-montgomery-county/ https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/aug/26/your-children-are-literally-owned-by-big-brother-a/

* 6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/september-14-202 September 14, 2022 The Big Lie In every election cycle, I am accused by some of being too political. I’m used to it. In reality, I have chosen not to affiliate with either political party, to ensure and demonstrate that I am calling for prayer without a political bias or motivation. (I freely admit to a biblical bias.) Much of the negativity toward involvement in government is that people don’t distinguish between government and politics, especially the political spirit. I realize government and politics are inseparable twins, but they ARE different. I, too, dislike the political spirit that manifests in the governmental process, though I realize in today’s world, this is unavoidable. Though I am turned off by this spirit, I am very energized by the concept and function of government, as is God. I’ve said many times, God is not political, but He is governmental. In fact, God IS government. Isaiah 33:22 tells us He is our Lawgiver, our Judge, and our King. He is also the Lord and Ruler over the earth, all governmental terms. I was quite taken aback when Holy Spirit first spoke to me, “I AM government.” As I pondered the above verse and this statement, I realized the entire account of Scripture is about government and authority, dealing with the question of who will rule the earth. Will it be Jesus, the Creator; or will it be satan, the usurper? God will win. His biggest challenge in this battle, however, is that His plan of governing earth is to accomplish it through people. Whether it be government in a home, city, or nation, this is the plan. To properly understand His heart in this, we must realize that God’s governing authority is not intended to be controlling and dictatorial, but nurture, train, and instruct. He is love, and He is a good Father. As such, He desires to release His oversight through a loving, caring, and covering relationship. Jesus, Creator and Lord over all the earth, wept over Jerusalem, saying He wanted to protect and nurture them as a mother hen does her chicks under her protective wings (Luke 13:34). In Luke 19:44, He used the term “bishop” or “overseer” (episkope) to describe this relationship. Jesus always governs through loving, serving, instructing, and disciplining, not through dictatorial commands. Obviously, this covering and nurturing aspect of God‘s authority does not negate His right to command, insist, or judge rebellion, just as being a loving parent doesn’t. It simply places these activities in the proper context of protection, care, and training, rather than tyrannical control. Whether in the home, a city, state, or nation, God intends for His delegated authority to provide covering, protection, instruction, justice, peace, and more. Satan is a deceiver, however, and tells us God‘s government is oppressive. He sold this lie to Eve, telling her that partaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil would make her “like God” (Genesis 3:5). He distorted the Father’s heart, implying that “God is holding out on you, suppressing you, keeping you from deserved pleasure and full potential.” Satanic lies still convince people God’s governmental heart is oppressive, cruel, legalistic, and seeks to deprive us. When Eve heard that the tree was “desirable” to make her wise, the word used was chamad. Noted Hebrew and Greek scholar, Spiros Zodhiates, says the word means “ungoverned desires.”(1) What an eye-opening revelation! This is also the word for covet. Since the Fall, our human will and nature are prone to reject God’s principles and guidelines for life, refusing to be governed by His boundaries and ways - wanting to do our own thing. This propensity leads to rebellion, suffering, and evil. When unchecked, as it is in America, this rebellion moves further and further into “ungoverned desires.” Ultimately, it ends in depravity: murder, hate, slavery, abuse, rape, sexual perversion, covenant breaking, abortion, oppression, self-centeredness, fatherlessness, lust for power and control (dictatorships, tyranny, etc.), and many other perversions. This self-centeredness is what leads to a political spirit, which is really a self-centered lust for power. This defiles God‘s plan for righteous government. It is cruel and evil, depraved enough to kill Jesus! And here is part of the ensuing tragedy: Because satan and fallen humans abuse the process, many Christians (including leaders) ignore the process, believing the lie that “God isn’t interested in government - it is carnal, evil, and corrupt.” This is a classic example of “throwing the baby out with the bathwater.” By default, it allows satan and the abusers to abuse government even more! God told us satan is very cunning. In fact, this was the first thing stated about him in Scripture: “Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast…” (Genesis 3:1). He has worked his craftiness and sold Christians the lie that we should stay out of government, thereby removing one of God’s primary, most significant channels for delivering His life, blessings, and justice into the earth. This allows satan and those without the biblical worldview our nation was founded on to fill the void. Our ignorance and consequent avoidance of government are empowering satan to destroy us! (Hosea 4:6) We are feeding the beast, and it is getting stronger. The anti-Christ and anti-Bible abusers of government in America now feel they have the right to: kill babies and make us pay for it sell the aborted babies’ body parts leave them to die on the abortion table when the process doesn’t work well (and celebrate these evil, reprehensible laws with cheering and lit-up buildings) reject God’s definition of marriage and define it themselves mock the Creator who called us “male and female” (Genesis 1:27) take ownership of our children and their bodies open our borders promote socialism rewrite our history, steal our roots and redefine our Constitution lie to us at will remove our free speech and much more. These abominations are being carried out by our government. If these issues are not spiritual, and therefore, the church’s responsibility to address, I’m not sure what is. I’m not espousing a physical overthrow of our government; in America, we have the incredible right to change our government at the ballot box. To ignore this right is irresponsible and incredibly destructive. Clean the baby – don’t throw it out! Clear weeds from the path, and open the debris-filled channel. Recover God’s plan – don’t abandon it! For Christians to separate God and the Bible from government is not only unscriptural, it is also illogical and irresponsible. Refusing to make a stand from our pulpits on these and other important issues is as unbiblical as it is devastating. Neglecting our responsibility to declare truth, to ignore our freedom to speak up and act literally empowers the evils of our day. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor, anti-Nazi dissident, and author of The Cost of Discipleship, poignantly stated, “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak, is to speak. Not to act, is to act.”(2) The great reformer Martin Luther King said, “To ignore evil is to become an accomplice to it.”(3) These warnings are as appropriate and applicable to the church of America today as they were at any time in history. We are now being weighed in the balances, and our decisions will tip the scales one way or the other. The church must reclaim her voice once again. Only about half of Americans claiming to be evangelical Christians are registered to vote, and many who are registered don’t bother to do so. Most statistics make it clear that evangelicals could turn any national election in America if we all voted, and did so based on biblical values rather than party lines or personality preferences. Tomorrow, I will introduce you to a simple plan that helps us reverse this. Pray with me: Father, we have surrendered much sacred ground in America. Our ignorance has caused us to abandon the old path and lose focus of Your ways. You have called us to be Your voice on the earth. Help us to regain this voice, as we love and serve our fellow humans. We ask You to break the deception off of the church that says government is evil, unclean, and something to be avoided. That it defiles our worship and teaching gatherings to talk about moral and biblical issues. While we shy away from this, others indoctrinate our children, shape our laws, and determine our national direction. Truth makes us free. Give boldness to Your people to speak truth - to do so in love, yes, but to do so. We ask You to break fear off the church. Break lethargy and complacency off of the church. Awaken us to the fire and passion You need us to embody. We ask for this in Christ’s name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that the church of Jesus Christ will regain its voice, trumpeting the gospel of the Kingdom. ****************** Click on the link below to watch the full video. _______________________________________ Spiros Zodhiates, Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible: New American Standard (Chattanooga, TN: AMG, 1990, 1867. https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/601807-silence-in-the-face-of-evil-is-itself-evil-god https://booktrib.com/2015/01/19/mlk-jr-quotes-appropriate-for-our-time/

6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/september-13-2022 September 13, 2022 The Assault Against Biblical Marriage Continues It requires constant vigilance to keep up with the left’s efforts to transform America. Our friends at IFA (Intercessors For America) have alerted us to another attempt at striking down righteous and sensible legislation from the past and rewriting it with a new woke doctrine. They tell us: “In what some say is an extreme response to the overturn of Roe v. Wade, the House - and now the Senate - has taken up a bill that would obliterate the longstanding Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). They call this fanatical bill the “Respect for Marriage Act,” but don’t be fooled by the name. It is not a respectful approach to marriage at all, but a radical sexual ideology pushed as a national doctrine. “If this bill is passed - it is now in the Senate and sadly has the backing of Senators in both parties - it would mean that states no longer have the authority or ability to define marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman. It would also require federal recognition of polygamy if one state chooses to recognize it. This bill not only woefully brings to an end the Defense Of Marriage Act (DOMA), but infringes on the religious freedom of millions of people of faith with this proposed federal law to uphold radical views on marriage. “Here is a message you can send to your Senators & Congressmen, or you can personalize it: ‘As a person of faith, I am deeply concerned about the recently proposed Respect for Marriage Act. It would not only fly in the face of our nation’s longstanding DOMA policy, but also goes against the grain of 5,000 years of traditional humanity. I am asking you to stand with traditional marriage, DOMA, and people of faith like me in your district. I am praying for you as you take your position on this issue.’”(1) Larry Tomczak recently wrote an article pointing out the need to remain alert to efforts such as these. In excerpts of the article, he says: “In our church on Sunday, a servant for Voice of the Martyrs ministry shared how he went to Sudan a few years ago to encourage Christians being persecuted. He was suddenly arrested, imprisoned for 14 months with ISIS killers, then sentenced to life imprisonment before God miraculously set him free. They falsely labeled him an ‘enemy of the state, attempting to undermine their government.’ Selah (ponder it). “Is [the current administration] doing what political leaders did in Sudan and other countries to intimidate the opposition and manipulate the masses into totalitarian control? Recently, in an ominous, almost Nazi-like setting with a blood-red backdrop, flanked by military guards (never before done in America), Biden declared with clenched fists that he was ‘defending our democracy in the battle for the soul of our nation!’ “In this nationally televised address coinciding with the previous day’s speech (when he called out traditional conservatives as ‘semi-fascists’), Biden issued a red alert regarding the patriotic supporters of former President Trump, labeling them as ‘extremists…angry… promoting violence… anti-Constitution… taking away contraceptives… stealing our freedoms…undermining our democracy.’ “He appeared to be echoing words from a letter he received from the National School Board Association alerting him (without providing support) of ‘extremists’ at school board meetings that are ‘the equivalent to a form of domestic terrorists.’ In the words of Democrat Party advisor Kurt Bardella, ‘The Republican Party is basically a terrorist cell operating in America.’” I do not identify as Republican or Democrat; I simply vote based on biblical values. There are individuals in both parties I would love to see go. No honest person, however, can deny that the Republican Party aligns more with biblical ideals and our Judeo-Christian roots than the Democratic Party. To this man, however, this equates to being terrorists. Tomczak went on to point out that “Biden says those who support and vote for Trump are the villains destroying America? Never mind the inflation, recession, shortages or gas problem, border chaos, fentanyl crisis, skyrocketing crime, corruption in the media or the weaponizing of government agencies.” I concur with Larry as he says, “I’m passionate to preserve our nation’s godly heritage; protect our children from evil by being ‘salt’ (see Matthew 5:13-16) holding back moral decay as Jesus directed; and honoring the covenant made by our founders to ‘advance the gospel for the glory of God’ (see Philippians 1:12-18). “We love America, warts and all, and as traditional conservatives, we stand unashamedly for God, country, one man and one woman marriage, the nuclear family, the sanctity of human life (womb to tomb), and genders assigned by God only. We believe the rights enunciated in our Constitution and Declaration of Independence come from God, not government. “The Democratic Party continues to harass former President Donald Trump and believes by keeping him in the news, they can keep the heat off this administration and the damage it has brought every American by its destructive policies and inept leadership. “Here’s the deal: Don’t allow yourself or those you influence to be deceived by the policies and propaganda put forth by the media and this administration. They want to tear down our Judeo-Christian system and replace it with secularist Marxism that fails every time it’s imposed. “Pray fervently. Ask God for spiritual discernment. Resist deception and tyranny. Communicate the truth. Vote values from a biblical worldview. Let’s stand in solidarity to clean America’s house and see another Great Awakening in our day! “‘Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States when men were free.’” - Ronald Reagan(2) ******* This quote from the great Ronald Reagan and shared by Tomczak is frighteningly true. Before you blow it off as just a scare tactic or exaggerated hyperbole, ask yourself what has happened to our free speech in the last two years. Remind yourself that concerned parents at school board meetings are now considered terrorists. (I will comment Thursday on judges ruling that schools can teach your children anything they want and support them in sex changes, without your consent or approval.) Face the fact that millions of people have illegally come into our nation in the last two years, some of them being terrorists, others bringing millions of doses of poisonous drugs, while still others trafficking women and children. I love every person that has crossed our southern border, and would do anything to see them saved and prosper, but this process is insane. Raise your voice against any of these things, and you are considered a fascist and dangerous to democracy. Perhaps we should listen to Mr. Reagan. Pray with me: Father, today we focus on our government. We are commanded to pray for them first and foremost (1 Timothy 2: 1-4). We pray wisdom for all, that evil will be removed, and godly leaders will be put in their seats of authority. We ask for leaders who will honor You and Your Word, honor and protect life, and honor the true content and meaning of our Constitution. And we ask for wisdom to be given them for reforming our nation back to its roots and purpose. We pray regarding the coming elections, which begin now with early voting and continue into November. Please move on the hearts of the church, not only to vote, but to do so guided first and foremost by biblical values. We Christians have given away so much influence and rule in our nation; help us to re-establish this in the voting booth. Cause truth to prevail regarding candidates and regarding the effects of their beliefs. Remove deception, dishonesty, and the distortion of truth. Move on the hearts of Christian leaders to speak out in this election cycle. And Father, our hearts ache for the children whose minds are being propagandized with evil doctrines, and whose bodies are being mutilated. We ask You to deliver us from this insidious, demonic effort to destroy them. We are desperate, we must have the revival You’ve spoken of. Please bring it and do so with great force - overwhelming force and power! Break the bands of wickedness off of our nation, rend the heavens and come down (Isaiah 64:1). We pray these things confidently, in the name of Jesus. Amen. Our decree: We decree, in the face of overwhelming evil, that America shall be saved..! ****************** Click on the link below to watch the full video. ________________________________ https://ifapray.org/take-action/?vvsrc=%2fcampaigns%2f97087%2frespond https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/13915-freedom-is-never-more-than-one-generation-away-from-extinction

7 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/september-12-2022 September 12, 2022 Total Commitment Jesus told His disciples, "Follow me." "Follow you where?" Would have been the obvious and fair question. "To the unknown," would have been His answer. Much like Jehovah's dealings with our spiritual father, Abraham, who was told to leave home but not where that would lead him, this was the offer Christ made to His disciples, "I don't want you picking and choosing the ways and places you're willing to follow Me. I want carte blanche access to your will. Follow Me...period." The rules haven't changed. Pioneers of change can't be those who need the security of the familiar. They are trailblazers. Uncommon and unqualified commitment, combined with a willingness to take risks, is what Christ requires; and it is an absolutely essential characteristic for those He uses as change-agents. All trailblazers and pioneers must have this type of dedication. The challenges are simply too great, the adversity too strong for light-hearted, shallow commitment. Change-agents must be "all in," or they will most certainly "back out." A non-advancing church in America has turned to routine, to living in the safety of the familiar, rather than moving into the challenges of cultural and societal transformation. Such a mindset produces "gazelle Christians." The African gazelle can jump fairly high and up to 30 feet in distance, yet can be confined in zoos with only a 3-foot high wall! The reason? Gazelles won't jump if they can't see where their feet will land. Like these timid, captive creatures, we will never escape our man-made walls and religious enclosures if we are controlled by a fear of the unknown. Jump..! Leave the familiar..! Finding the old road (Jeremiah 6:16) will require highly committed spiritual leaders - not only from those working in the church - but also from those employed in secular arenas. Far too often, we separate biblical ideals and principles from the secular realm. This is unbiblical. God's principles are applicable to all aspects of life and culture. Saving America's destiny will require radically committed, spiritual pioneers in government, education, business, and every other sector of American life - not just in our churches. Ronald Reagan was a secular leader who modeled radical commitment. Though serving in government, he was also a spiritual man. Combining spirituality, patriotism, and uncommon commitment, he was an example of the pioneer spirit. Only a person with radical commitment would stand on the world stage and, against the advice of all his advisors, forcefully decree, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”(1) Although he made this audacious statement while President in 1987, the seeds of a pioneer were growing in Mr. Reagan much earlier. On October 27, 1964, he issued the following poignant decree: "They say the world has become too complex for simple answers. They are wrong. There are no easy answers, but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is right."(2) May God give America more Ronald Reagan's..! His words remind me of those in 2 Corinthians 11:3, "But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ." Simple devotion. Simple answers. Doing the right thing isn't usually complicated - sometimes costly, yes, but not complicated. General George Patton was also a man of uncommon commitment. I love his heart. Patton's language was strong and raw, but it simply reflected his passion. And the intensity of his passionate heart always propelled him forward. In one difficult battle, when told by his officers of the need to retreat, Patton is quoted as saying, "Retreat, hell, we'll advance to the rear." You gotta love it. Winston Churchill led Great Britain and helped save the world from Hitler's Third Reich. What an important, committed leader he was. Led by his passion, determination, and amazing ability to communicate, England fought the good fight against Hitler when it looked like the Nazis were unstoppable. One of Churchill's many poignant quotes from that time was about duty: "The destiny of man is not measured by material computation. When great forces are on the move in the world, we learn we are spirits - not animals. There is something going on... which, whether we like it or not, spells duty" (italics mine).(3) Indeed..! Likewise, whether we like it or not, there are challenges in America today that spell "duty." Abortion spells duty. A spiritually lost generation spells duty. Gender confusion, an exploding sex trade, an anti-Christ spirit and attitude, an attack on traditional marriage, a compromising church - all of these, and many more problems in the world are issuing duty's call. God is asking for difference-makers to arise who are willing to find the old road of service, commitment, and sacrifice. A while back, I read the compelling book, Lone Survivor, by Marcus Luttrell. It is the story of the greatest loss ever suffered, up to that point in time, by the US Navy SEALs. Uncommon commitment is an understatement when describing the warriors in all of our special forces. I spent much time quietly and solitarily thinking about what I was reading. Among other things, I analyzed my level of commitment to Christ's great cause. Do I demonstrate the same level of commitment to Him those brave soldiers did to one another and to their cause? Just as the king in scripture, I felt I was "weighed in the balances and found wanting." (see Daniel 5:27) Most of us will never have to endure the physical pain and suffering those brave men endured, nor could we. But at a heart level, we should possess the same degree of commitment to Christ and His cause, including to this nation He raised up to be a light to the world. As I read portions of the SEALs' creed, I couldn't help but think parts of it should be the Christian's creed. I have included all of it here for you to read. But I will read a few portions. ******* In times of war or uncertainty, there is a special breed of warrior ready to answer our nation's call. A common man with uncommon desire to succeed. Forged by adversity, he stands alongside America's finest special operations forces to serve his country, the American people, and protect their way of life. I am that man. My Trident is a symbol of honor and heritage. Bestowed upon me by the heroes that have gone before, it embodies the trust of those I have sworn to protect. By wearing the Trident, I accept the responsibility of My chosen profession and way of life. It is a privilege that I must earn every day. My loyalty to Country and Team is beyond reproach. I humbly serve as a guardian to my fellow Americans, always ready to defend those who are unable to defend themselves. I do not advertise the nature of my work, nor seek recognition for my actions. I voluntarily accept the inherent hazards of my profession, placing the welfare and security of others before my own. I serve with Honor on and off the battlefield. The ability to control my emotions and my actions, regardless of the circumstance, sets me apart from other men. Uncompromising integrity is my standard. My character and honor are steadfast. My word is my bond. We expect to lead and be led. In the absence of orders, I will take charge, lead my teammates and accomplish the mission. I lead by example in all situations. I will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My Nation expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight. We demand discipline. We expect innovation. The lives of my teammates and the success of our mission depend on me - my technical skill, tactical proficiency, and attention to detail. My training is never complete. We train for war and fight to win. I stand ready to bring the full spectrum of combat power to bear in order to achieve my mission and the goals established by my country. The execution of my duties will be swift and violent when required yet guided by the very principles that I serve to defend. Brave men have fought and died building the proud tradition and feared reputation that I am bound to uphold. In the worst of conditions, the legacy of my teammate steadies my resolve and silently guides my every deed. I will not fail. (4) ******* Committed hearts like this in the church would change the world! Committed, spiritual special forces must rise up with their spiritual weapons before it is too late. America is in critical condition, on life-support. Having denied our Godly roots and the stability they provided, America is now adrift in the mooring-less ideologies of humanism, relativism, and socialism. The same idiocy that shuts down industries and food sources in order to save frogs, also fights to kill babies. Marriage between one man and one woman is mocked, while "marriage" between two men or two women is praised. The Constitution and its true intent are ignored. Depending on the source, Americans now acknowledge 60 or more gender options; so much for “male and female, He created them” (Genesis 1:27). We've lost our way. It is time for a generation of Godly, patriotic, committed pioneers to arise and lead us out of this maze of mindless ideas. If not, we will perish in the wilderness. I believe, however, these warriors are being raised up. And like the SEALs, they will NEVER quit!...they are NEVER out of the fight!...their training is NEVER complete..! ...they will NOT fail..! Pray with me: Father, as You move us into this great worldwide awakening, we pray that a new commitment to Your cause is an outflow of it. A total commitment to You, Your kingdom, and the commission You gave us. Raise up committed spiritual warriors in every realm of society. Just as natural soldiers must have discipline and a commitment to their cause, put hearts in us that will demonstrate these same qualities. We pledge to You that we will follow You without conditions. We will go where You send us, say what You tell us, and do as You command us. Unqualified commitment - that is what we will demonstrate. Lead us back to the old road of truth and life. Lead America back to her righteous roots, her destiny. Thank You for cutting us off from the evil in our past. We boldly declare: America shall be saved..! Our decree We decree that we will never quit, we are never out of the fight, and we will not fail..! ***************** Today’s post was taken from my book The Way Back. Click on the link below to watch the full video. Reagan, Ronald. Address at the Brandenburg Gate. 12 June, 1987. Coffey, Major T., Jr. Patriot hearts: An Anthology of American patriotism. (Colorado Springs, CO: Purple Mountain Publishing, 2000). 68. Ibid., 68. Naval Special Warfare Command. “SEAL Ethos? Creed.” (November 15, 2010). http://www.public.nav

10 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/september-9-2022 September 9, 2022 Connect the Dots I’m very excited about today’s post because I have a special guest, Pastor Clay Nash. Clay is not only a personal friend, but also a seasoned prophet, hearing from the Lord very clearly. Occasionally Clay sends amazing dreams for me personally, and also for the church at large. I’ve known Clay and Susan for many years and we have a great relationship. It’s been an incredible journey and I’m thrilled to have him on the program today. At the end of today’s post, you’ll find a link where you can find out more about Clay and his ministry. He also does a prayer call every afternoon at 2:22 PM EST, and every Tuesday night at 9 PM EST. Hundreds of people participate in the calls, agreeing in prayer together for our nation. You can find out how to join that call on Clay’s information provided at the end of today’s post. So, Clay, what’s on your heart today; what do you hear God saying? ************ Clay begins to share: “Thank you, Dutch. I’m honored to be with you and all the people who are part of Give Him 15. Today I want to talk about the Ekklesia becoming one. Ezra 3:1 says, ‘And all of Israel came into Jerusalem as one man.’ “I’d like to share two dreams with you. This first dream came a couple of years ago and took place at Cape Henry where Robert Hunt erected a cross. I am moved to tears each time I read the prayer and the covenant he made there. “In the dream, there was a tsunami wave coming. Leaders were there as well as other followers of Christ. As we saw the tsunami was coming, a plane flew by and had a message behind it: ‘Help is on the way!’ It was interesting that the message was waving vertically, not horizontally. “I believe, as the dream indicated, that help is coming! I believe not only is God, through Holy Spirit, coming to help us, but help is also coming through the Ekklesia. There are many watchmen on the wall and I am grateful for every one of them. Back in 2018, the Lord told me to start praying for the next Supreme Court Justice. We didn't know at that time that it would be Justice Kavaunaugh. I started praying in 2018, and thought it would be an assignment for only a few months. However, God had other plans. We’ve now been holding daily prayer for our nation since that time. It’s been wonderful. I will tell you, it’s been challenging at times, especially when you are traveling. But there has been a grace on it. I receive many emails asking that we not stop this daily time of concerted prayer. “But let’s talk about ‘becoming one,’ as I mentioned earlier. Jesus spoke in John chapter 17 about us being one with the Father. I believe there is a new dimension of the body of Christ - the Ekklesia, the praying church - coming together. It excites me, Dutch, especially in light of a recent prophetic encounter I had. “I recently preached at CityGate Church in Southaven, MS, on a Friday night. Sometime the next morning, I had a dream. Then, I got up that day, filmed a couple of YouTube videos, and then headed to Coleman, Alabama - but I didn’t remember the dream which is not unusual for me. “I got into the service in Coleman, turned around, and looked at the second row behind me. To my surprise, there sat a lady who had been in the dream. Dutch interjects: “Wait a minute. I want to make sure we get this. You saw a lady in the crowd, and then Holy Spirit brought the dream back to you, and you started remembering it then?” Clay responds: “Yes!” Dutch asked: “ Did you know this lady?” Clay shares: “No, I did not know her. My dream life has shifted this year and I regularly see an angel that guards the Justice Gate. In this particular dream, the angel mentioned the name ‘Destiny’ to me. He actually said, ‘I want to give Coleman, Alabama, a miracle like I gave Destiny’s mother.’ “I had not been to Coleman, Alabama in nine or ten years. I didn’t know anyone there named Destiny. I asked the lady who was in the second row (whom I saw in the dream), ‘Do you know a Destiny that has significance to this city - Coleman?’ She said, ‘Well, I have a niece named Destiny but she doesn’t live in Coleman.’ Then the lady next to her said, ‘I just started a church named ‘Destiny.’’ Well, I knew that wasn’t it. So we moved on and I started preaching. “As I was speaking, I mentioned this story, and a minister whom I know was there. He said, ‘I know who Destiny is! It is Deborah Joe Billinger’s daughter. Her mother was a back up singer to Leonard Skinner and was one of the band members who survived the awful plane crash. “Pastor Garrett (the host pastor) said, ‘Oh my goodness, I met Destiny two weeks ago in a restaurant where she works. I saw her name tag and gave her a [prophetic] word!’ “God began to knit this together and I didn’t even notice that a young man named Michael went over and sat by the pastor (Michael used to traveled with Eddie James). As they talked with each other on the front row, I continued preaching and because of the dream, we stopped to have prayer for Destiny. “I asked the Lord, ‘What do you have for Destiny? We ask that You begin to touch her.’ “Unknown to me, after talking with the pastor, Michael left the service and went to where Destiny was working. Although he did not personally know her, he walked up and began telling her that there was a prophet in a service there in Coleman that night who had a dream about her. “Destiny then went to her supervisor and told him she had to leave. She came to the church and actually walked the front. We began ministering prophetically to her. She has been heart broken. Her mother - who was not killed in the plane crash - had a Christian background and had turned back to God, serving Him. However, sadly, her mother died of cancer in 2010. This had devastated Destiny. “What we found out that night was about a week prior to this, Destiny had told the Lord, ‘I can’t reach out to you - I’m just done. If you don’t reach out to me, I’m not going to make it.’ We poured in the love of God and ministered more to her prophetically. Holy Spirit put new wind in her sail. She has a song writing ability like her mother. I prophesied to her about this and asked Holy Spirit to awaken the gift that was dormant. I was able to connect her to a Christian country music artist who is willing to mentor her. What an amazing story. “God is fitly joining us together. There is a synergy in the earth right now like I’ve never seen before. Here's what I want to show you - think about how God put this all together: “I have the dream, the lady on the second row didn't even attend that church, but decided to visit that night. Had she not come, I would not have been reminded of the dream. She even said, ‘I just knew I had to be here tonight.’ “The pastor shared that he had recently spoken to Destiny and told her, ‘You know, God has something for you. He's going to draw you back to Him.’ “Michael knew where Destiny worked, goes there and talks with her. Destiny hears something in what Michael says - she's desperate for God, then leaves work to come to the service. We all gather around and minister to her, prophesing healing to her wounds, disappointment, and loss of hope. God then begins the healing process. Actually, part of the prophetic word He said to her was, ‘I'm going to put you on the road to “Wellsville”’ and He began to heal her. “After receiving ministry that night, Destiny changed. She actually looked 10 to 15 years younger by the end of that service. What a night of healing for this young lady. “I'm saying that I was a dot that night, pastor Garrett was a dot, the lady on the second row was a dot, Michael was a dot, Destiny was a dot, and then the other dot was a church coming together in agreement with all of this. “A life was changed. Just think about it. The word of the Lord came to Destiny that she was going to write songs and people would be healed when they heard them. That's another dot. “The body of Christ, the praying church, the Ekklesia, especially those that have recognized their legislative ability in the spirit, who have married their priestly anointing to their kingly authority - we're all joining together. “This thing is changing. “The media gives us a bunch of lies - it's a bunch of talking points - they tell us what they want us to believe. I believe the body of Christ is going to come together. The nation is turning. Salvation is coming. Healing is coming. Manifestations are coming. Signs and wonders are coming. The Mavericks are coming in - the unbranded ones. “Somebody listening today is probably ‘unbranded.’ You haven’t found your ‘tribe.’ You haven't found where you ‘fit.’ Let me tell you why many people are Mavericks: because strong-willed people, insecure leaders can't deal with them. Mavericks, we need you in the body of Christ. We need your anointing. We need your authority. We need your giftings. A true leader is someone who can take a group of people and cause them to discover they have purpose and destiny. It's easy to lead people where they want to go, but it's the true leader who can take them into purpose and destiny. “Dutch, I'm seeing that happen. On the weekly call that I lead, we regularly have people ask, ‘Can you recommend a church near where I live?’ It's being fitly joined together. I’m excited about it.” Dutch then shares, “What an awesome dream, awesome word, Clay. I agree with you - God is connecting the dots. He's connecting us. “I remember when Chuck and I went to all 50 states back in 2003-2004 [The 50 State Tour]. Chuck used to do something interesting. As I spoke, he would hear a clear word from heaven he felt he was to share with the gathering RIGHT THEN! The first time he interrupted my message - of course it wasn't a rude interruption and he knew I was okay with it. He came up during my message, and would begin to prophesy because something I said triggered a word in him that he felt needed to be shared right then. That started happening more and more frequently as we were on this tour. Chuck would just jump in and then I would pray into what he had prophesied, or I would have a follow-up to what Chuck had shared. Sometimes I'd continue the message, or sometimes the message would shift a little because of Chuck’s word, but that happened on numerous occasions. “You know, you and I have been in services where four, five, or six people had a part of what God wanted to say to us in the gathering - some would have a word to be shared, some prayers that need to be prayed. I think it's an incredible thing how God is breaking down people's fears, their preconceived ideas of how it's supposed to work. He's showing us ‘I really can do more through all of you than I can one of you. I really can do more through the body than I can just the finger, or the arm.’ What you shared regarding your night in Coleman is an amazing lesson. There were quite a few people who each had a piece of what God wanted to do. “I think more of this is coming - we're going to go to a higher level. I think our services are going to look more like the book of Corinthians where one would have a word to be shared, then another. They all would add pieces, jumping in and sharing what they had received from the Lord. (see 1 Corinthians 14:26-33) “You know, there's a way to do that. We've demonstrated and proven there's a way to do it decently and in order (see 1 Corinthians 14:40), without chaos, without interruption, without people fighting for the microphone. You and I have demonstrated it many times. I believe more of this is coming to the church. I think the fruit of it is going to be incredible. “Clay, I’d like for you to pray into this. Share with us anything you want to say as we close, and then pray into it. We're going to all release our faith right now and believe that this is going to another level.” Pastor Clay begins to share and then prays, “Amen, Dutch. I’d like to share one thing before I pray. Friends, you're a dot. Find where you connect. Amen? Lives will be changed. But you must allow God to connect the dots. Now is that time. Pray With Me: “Father, I thank You for everyone agreeing with us on Give Him 15 today. I thank You, Father, for what Dutch and Ceci do. I thank You for how the impact of Give Him 15 is increasing. But Father, I declare over the Ekklesia, the watchmen on the wall, the praying church, let us become more sensitive to Holy Spirit that we can recognize when we're in that place where you want to connect us with others, so we can stand as the one new man. We desire to stand as a corporate man - the church - on the earth. Jesus, we ask that You stand tall through us. “Father, stir hearts right now. Stir them into a place of passion. We ask that they hunger and thirst for finding their place to become a dot you can connect. We ask that You do it, in Yeshua's name we pray. Amen.” ************ Dutch shares, “What a great word, Clay. What a great prayer. Thank You so much for sharing with us today, and thank all of You for joining us. “Clay has some great books - a lot of good teachings. Go to the link below and find out more about them. Learn how to get on Clay’s weekly calls that we mentioned earlier. You'll be blessed if you do. God's using them in extraordinary ways. “Thank you so much for joining us today. I appreciate it so much.” ************************* Click on the link below to watch the full video. To learn more about Pastor Clay, check out his website: claynash.org.

5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/september-8-2022 (5 more minutes if you read after the praye) September 8, 2022 What I Believe About Faith and Patriotism “Now when it was reported to…our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and that no breach remained in it, although at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates, [they] sent a message to me, saying, ‘Come, let us meet together…’ But they were planning to harm me. So I sent messengers to them, saying, ‘I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?’” (Nehemiah 6:1-3) As you can imagine, I receive criticism at times regarding my stand for truth. I have made it my policy to never “take the bait” and become distracted by my critics, nor do I defend myself against lies and dishonest criticism; they simply are not worth my time. As with one recent attack, most are nothing but half-truths, misrepresentations, out-of-context quotes, and blatant lies. DSM has always maintained true accountability, operated at the highest level of integrity, and will continue to do so. However, since there are those who periodically try to misdefine and distort my beliefs, I have considered for a while sharing a post stating what I do and do not believe about the Bible, government, America’s founding, other faiths, etc. This is not written for critics but for those who follow me; you’ll never have to wonder where I stand on key issues. Obviously, there is not space here for lengthy explanations, only brief statements, and this list is not complete. Statement of Faith (I espouse the teachings and beliefs of the Federation of Ministers and Churches International, of which I am a member. This is led by my spiritual father, Jim Hodges, with whom I’ve walked for over 40 years. Their statement of beliefs is shared below.) The Five Ministry Gifts of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-12) I believe all five ministry gifts Christ gave to the church - apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers - are to be used today and until Christ returns. (Regarding apostles, some are critical of and include me in an imaginary organization, NAR, which is an acronym standing for New Apostolic Reformation. In reality, this is not an organization or even an organized group. It was a phrase coined by Dr. C. Peter Wagner to describe what he believed would be the result of Holy Spirit’s restoration of apostles in the church. The true apostolic movement is led by no man, has no formal membership, and is not humanly organized in any way. However, may Dr. Wagner’s prediction prove true!) The Bible I believe the Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of God and must be the final authority for ALL of life. In other words, I maintain a biblical worldview. The Bible defines God, life, humans, marriage, righteousness, morality, sin, the way to experience a relationship with God, and more. (For more on this, see the FMCI Statement of Faith at the end of today’s post.) The Ekklesia I believe that when Christ spoke of building His church (ekklesia) in Matthew 16:18-19, He was referring not to buildings, organizations, synagogues/congregations, or worship gatherings; He was referring to an Ekklesia, as the word was used in His day and culture: a legislative, governing body of people. Therefore, I believe the church is to govern spiritually through spiritual authority delegated by Christ. This spiritual governance dethrones/immobilizes satanic forces and frees the hearts and minds of people to understand and follow God‘s principles. I do NOT believe the church is to dictate naturally through force, coercion, or violence. Our weapons and warfare are spiritual, not physical, and violence should never be condoned, except to protect innocent people and in times of war. I believe the church is also called to not only evangelize (Mark 16:15-18) but to disciple individuals and nations to Christ’s ways and principles (Matthew 28:18-19). (For more on this, see FMCI’s Statement of Faith below.) Other Religions/Faiths I believe people of other faiths (that do not espouse violence, physical, mental, and emotional abuse, and follow the laws of America) have a right to exist in our nation and worship freely. They should never be harmed or treated prejudicially. However, I also believe Jesus Christ is the only way to experience salvation and a relationship with God as Father. Therefore, it is our responsibility/duty to peacefully evangelize unbelievers, according to Mark 16:15-18. America’s Founding and Purpose I believe America was founded on Judeo-Christian, biblical principles, and that these standards should be maintained. I believe God initiated the birth of America and did so for the purpose of spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ to every nation. I believe this purpose is still valid and will be accomplished. The Separation of Church and State The phrase “separation of church and state” is not in America‘s Constitution. Our Founders were wise and careful to establish a Constitution that would not allow America to have a state religion, nor be ruled by one religious group. However, knowing that Jesus Christ is Creator and Lord over all the earth, they did so while also acknowledging God‘s sovereignty and imploring His continuous wisdom, protection, provision, and involvement. Patriotism I believe patriotism (“espousing the beliefs and vision of a father/s”) is appropriate and can be embraced without inappropriate emphases regarding one's nationality or birthplace. (Christian Nationalism is a phrase sometimes used to intimidate Christian patriots who become active governmentally. “Nationalism” is a word defined in dictionaries by both positive and negative definitions, most of them actually being positive, such as “loyalty or devotion to one's country; patriotism.” Negative meanings of the word generally speak of excessive or irrational patriotism, at the exclusion of other people and nations. Therefore, Christian Nationalism can be arrogant exclusivism on the part of Christians, or it can simply be born-again patriots. Since it can be defined both ways, it has become a meaningless phrase, used by deceptive and dishonest individuals to make ignorant, confusing, self-serving, and inaccurate accusations. Therefore, I reject the label. Biblically-based Christians and patriots understand that God loves all people and nations equally. Jesus died for the entire world. Though I believe He raised up America for world evangelization, as mentioned above, I do not believe this is an exclusive calling; all believers are called to this purpose.) I believe both faith and patriotism demand prayer for and involvement in government, at whatever level a nation allows. The freedoms we enjoy in America make it irresponsible to not be diligently involved in governmental policies and elections. REMINDER: We want to remind everyone about the September 12 deadline regarding Title Nine submissions. For more information regarding this, I refer you to our August 24th post entitled One of the Most Egregious Governmental Actions Yet. It’s important that we respond. Pray with me: Father, You told us that there would be persecution and false accusations as we represent You. You taught us to love, forgive, and pray for our enemies. We do so now, asking for their salvation. We know that our battle is with spiritual forces, not people. We continue to ask You for the exposure of evil in our nation, and the turning of America back to You. We also continue to pray against the assault on our children. We ask that they be delivered from indoctrination regarding their gender, and from evil attempts to transform their bodies. We stand in faith that You are sending a powerful revival that will break all confusion off of them, transform our schools, and bring millions into Your family. Please motivate many to respond to Congress before September 12 regarding the redefining of Title 9. Finally, we ask for the turning of America back to You through a great spiritual awakening. And we ask for a worldwide revival, nothing less than a billion soul harvest. All of this we ask for in Christ’s mighty name. Amen. Our decree: We declare that no weapon formed against us will prosper, and every tongue that rises against us in judgment will be condemned. ***************************** ___________PLEASE READ_________ FMCI’s Statement of Faith SECTION 1: THE HOLY SCRIPTURES The Bible is the very word of God; it is inerrant, infallible. inspired, and the final revelation of God to man. Both the Old and New Testaments have been inspired by God through plenary and verbal inspiration, thus securing for man an infallible record of truth. The Bible is fully authoritative providing the terms by which all the created universe must be interpreted, granting man an infallible rule of faith and practice, and revealing God’s will to man. The Bible has, by God’s providential care, been kept pure in all ages. Note: For a fuller expression of our faith in the Bible, we recommend and affirm the following document: The Chicago Statement On Biblical Inerrancy. This is available from the Federation. SECTION 2: THE DOCTRINE OF GOD There is only one living and true God, Creator and Sustainer of the universe, Who is self-existent, eternal, supreme, incomprehensible, almighty. God is Spirit in Whom all divine attributes or perfections inhere and from Whom they cannot be separated. God’s attributes are both incommunicable and communicable. These incommunicable attributes, of which man cannot partake and which emphasize God’s transcendence, are the independence or aseity* of God (God is sufficient unto Himself, dependent upon nothing besides His own being); the immutability of God (God does not and cannot change); the infinity of God (in relation to time, God is eternal, in relation to space, God is omnipresent); and the unity of God (God is singularly one and in no sense composed of parts or aspects that existed prior to Himself). The communicable attributes of God stress God’s immanence. God is light; God’s knowledge of Himself is self-contained, self-referential, and absolute. God is holy, internally and externally perfect. God is sovereign, omnipotent, working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and righteous will. God exists as a tri-personality, the Trinity, co-substantial without subordination, co-eternal, and co-equal; three distinct persons in unity whose diversity and unity are underived. SECTION 3: THE DOCTRINE OF MAN Man is created in God’s image, originally with moral attributes of true knowledge, true righteousness, and true holiness while, at the same time, possessing none of God’s incommunicable attributes. Man is like God, but on a creaturely scale. God is infinite, and man is finite. Man was created from the earth to have dominion over the earth. As a prophet, man was to interpret the world; as a priest, man was to guard the world and consecrate it to God’s glory; and as a king, man was to rule over the world as God’s vice-regent. As a creature, man was to live in accordance with the laws which God had placed in His creation, being both responsible and accountable to God. Adam and Eve, being tempted by Satan, sought to interpret the universe without reference to God. By this sin, they fell from their original communion with God. Defiled in all parts and faculties, man now inherits the guilt of sin, the corrupted nature, and the death of sin which passed to all Adam’s posterity. SECTION 4: THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, the second person in the Trinity (Godhead), existing from all eternity with the Father, fully equal with the Father; Who in the incarnation assumed a human nature. In Christ, the human and divine natures are so related that they are two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation. (Creed of Chalcedon). God, in His eternal purpose, chose His Son to be the mediator between God and man. Christ, as true Prophet, did reveal to man the will and word of God; as true Priest, did reconcile this world unto God by offering up Himself as the propitiatory sacrifice; and, as true King, did subdue, restrain, and conquer His people and all His enemies. Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, was made under the law, did perfectly fulfill the law, suffered, was crucified, and died. He was buried, yet saw no corruption; and on the third day, He arose from the dead. He ascended into heaven where He lives to make intercession and from where He rules from the throne of David until all His enemies are made His footstool. SECTION 5: THE DOCTRINE OF SALVATION By his fall, Adam not only corrupted himself and all his posterity, but also made necessary the infliction of the prescribed penalty of death. Man was morally polluted, guilty, and incapable of paying the incurred debt. God chose to accept the unmerited sufferings of Christ as just equivalent for the suffering due to sinners. Jesus, discharging the penalty due man through His vicarious suffering and death, has fully satisfied the justice of His Father and has purchased reconciliation and an everlasting inheritance for His people. Jesus restores man to holiness and life through His perfect obedience; the merits of Christ’s obedience are imputed to His people as their righteousness. Salvation is by grace; is wholly the gift of God received by faith. Good works are not meritorious ground but rather the fruit and proof of salvation. Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, Who proceeded from the Father and The Son and Who is co-equal with the Father and The Son, does apply to us the redemption Christ purchased for us. The Spirit, working conviction of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and revealing the person and work of Jesus Christ, is the Agent of regeneration, sanctification, and preservation. SECTION 6: THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH The universal church, which is invisible, consists of the whole number of God’s people, from all ages, gathered into one body under Christ’s headship. Endued with the power of the Holy Spirit, and commissioned to make disciples of all nations (ethnic groupings), the Church, God’s holy nation, is the steward of the Kingdom of God, proclaiming the Word, administering the sacraments (baptism and communion), and exercising discipline in terms of the Scripture. The local church, which is also the body of Christ, is called to represent and embody God’s will and purpose in a community and minister Christ’s life to all who will respond to the proclamation of the Kingdom of God. SECTION 7: THE DOCTRINE OF LAST THINGS God has appointed a day wherein He will judge all men by His Son and destroy the last enemy, i.e., death, at the return of His Son. The Bible teaches an optimistic eschatology. We believe that the Triune God has reigned sovereignly as King of all creation throughout all time and that Jesus is the present King of kings and Lord of lords. We affirm that God’s active reign through Christ will increase until it is consummated at the actual, physical, and bodily second coming of Christ. Millennial views will not be used as a test for orthodoxy. SECTION 8: SOME DOCTRINAL EMPHASES AND DISTINCTIVES We emphasize a covenantal approach to Biblical interpretation rather than a dispensational approach. We affirm the validity of spiritual (charismatic) gifts continuing until the consummation of the age. We believe that the Ascension gifts of Christ listed in Ephesians 4:11 continue until the church is glorified at the second coming. We also believe that these “Ascension Apostolic Teams” minister in, through, and beyond the local church. We believe that the Kingdom of God is present and eternal. We affirm that the Kingdom has come definitively in the Christ-Event (His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension); we believe that the Kingdom is coming progressively in history (like leaven in the lump and seed growing in the ground); and we believe that the Kingdom will come consummatively at the return of Christ. We believe marriage is between a man and a woman. ************************** Click on the link below to watch the full video.

6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/september-6-2022 September 6, 2022 Ceci and I are taking a day off, and have asked Cheryl Sacks to write and deliver today’s post. Cheryl is not only a respected author and prayer leader, but also a dear friend. In this post, she does a tremendous job of highlighting the importance of praying for leaders. And though we did not ask her to do so, Cheryl asks you to pray for Ceci and me, we appreciate her doing so. Pray for the spiritual leaders in your life! Here’s Cheryl. Raising Up a Prayer Shield for Leaders Today’s post is an urgent call to prayer for Christian leaders who are out on the spiritual front lines, day in and day out, and who are under great stress. The warfare to take back territory from the enemy is intense! I’m sure you know many such leaders (and may even be one yourself). Specifically, though, this post is to issue a call to pray for the leaders of this ministry, Dutch and Ceci Sheets. They would likely not issue such a call for themselves. But since they’ve asked me to fill in today while they take a much-needed day off, I will take my liberty to do that. I don’t have to tell you that Dutch and Ceci’s influence is massive. Dutch’s messages and books have transformed the prayer lives of millions of people around the world. Since the launching of Give Him 15, Dutch’s influence has exploded. To get right to the point, satan hates what leaders who are advancing the Kingdom are doing. Add to this the day-to-day demands of the ministry. Dutch and Ceci rarely mention these trials. They stand valiantly. They are determined to move forward. Yet satan is doing everything in his power to hinder Christian leaders right now, including Dutch and Ceci. Quite honestly, they need our prayers for healing, wisdom, and satan-defeating strategies. I’m reminded of the late Dr. C. Peter Wagner’s book, Prayer Shield, in which Dr. Wagner talks about what happens in the spirit realm when a leader becomes an increasing threat to satan. Dr. Wagner says: “The higher one goes in Christian leadership, the higher one goes on satan’s hit list.”[1] In Acts 12, we find that King Herod put two leaders on his hit list, Peter and James. He succeeded in killing one of them, but not the other. What made the difference? We don't know all the reasons. But Scripture does say something about Peter that it does not say about James. When Peter was in prison, the Word says "…the church made intercession for Peter without ceasing" (v. 5). Prayer made all the difference. Every leader needs a prayer shield, and the more people a leader influences, the more prayer he or she needs. Ceci shared with me recently that their office hears from hundreds daily who say that Give Him 15 is a lifeline for them. Many of these testimonies come from influential people (leaders themselves) from a wide range of backgrounds: politicians, authors, newscasters, doctors, attorneys, and university professors. During the height of the elections, Give Him 15 had 175,000 to 250,000 YouTube and Rumble daily viewers, with an additional 75,000 reading the post on the Give Him 15 Facebook pages, website, and app. Even as things have calmed down in that respect, Give Him 15 currently has 170,000 people joining in each day (via written post plus video). This wide reach has produced an opportunity not only to increase prayer but also to shape the next era of prayer in America—the Ekklesia era. The Lord is using the Give Him 15 posts to help shape a remnant movement. This comes with a weighty responsibility. I know many of you already pray for Dutch and Ceci and their spiritual assignment. But my husband, Hal, and I hear the Lord saying that we, their friends and partners, need to raise up a stronger intercessory prayer shield for them in this season. The idea of personal intercessory prayer teams for Christian leaders is not new. Moses, Aaron, and Hur served as an intercessory prayer team for Joshua in the battle with Amalek (see Exodus 17). In this passage, Israel was in a battle with the Amalekites. Joshua, the ministry leader, was down in the valley in the heat of combat while Moses, Aaron, and Hur were interceding on the hilltop overlooking the battlefield. Scripture tells us that as long as Moses’ arms and hands were up, touching God in intercession, Israel was winning the battle. However, when his arms were down, Israel was losing the battle. So Aaron and Hur came alongside Moses and held up his arms until the sun set. History records that Joshua defeated Amalek with the sword. An intercessory prayer team made the difference between victory and defeat for Joshua and for the nation of Israel.[2] Many other scriptures reference the power of intercessory prayer for leaders. We find in the New Testament that Jesus prayed for Simon Peter. Jesus said, “Simon, Simon, satan has desired to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail” (Luke 22:31-32, emphasis added). Today satan still desires to sift Christian leaders like wheat. As Jesus did, we must pray for our leaders, and I might add that we have a special responsibility to pray for those who minister to us personally. Satan knows if he can strike a leader and slow him down (or stop him altogether), exponential damage is done to the kingdom of God. As Marine Lt. Col. Tom Hemingway, who served in Vietnam, pointed out, “The front lines (officers, corporals, and sergeants) make up 18% of the total army but suffer 54% of the casualties.” He said that the enemy is told, “If you see a man giving directions, take aim, and shoot him.” Our enemy—satan—is out to destroy the one who is giving needed directions and instructions: THE GOD-ORDAINED SPIRITUAL LEADER. Because of this, it is vitally important to saturate in prayer every area of a leader’s life, including: Personal and family protection: spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally, relationally, and financially Wisdom and discernment in making decisions For their ministry or area of influence to be God-honoring and to thrive unhindered The ability to recognize spiritual attacks and an understanding of how to confront the powers of darkness An intercessory prayer team to hold up the arms of the leader so spiritual battles can be won. When we pray this way for Christian leaders like Dutch and Ceci, we raise up a shield that protects them from the attacks of the enemy. Our warfare prayers can quench the devil’s fiery darts before they reach their intended targets. We can call upon the Lord to open the heavens over them so they can hear and receive direction and strategy. In the power of Jesus’ name, we can release spiritual and physical health, vitality, and power to accomplish the assignment the Lord has given them. Pray with me: Heavenly Father, we lift up to You today our pastors and Christian leaders, especially those like Dutch and Ceci Sheets who pour into our lives daily. Thank You for Dutch and Ceci’s powerful impact in our lives and on the body of Christ. We thank You that You take hold of them with Your mighty righteous right hand—a hand of justice, of power, of victory, of salvation. Give them a spirit of wisdom, revelation, and discernment in every decision they make. Send Your Word and heal them and give them victory in every place where the enemy is resisting or attacking them. Fill them anew with Your Spirit. Refresh them. Strengthen them with Your incomparably great power according to Your glorious might, so they will have great endurance and patience, bearing fruit in every good work and joyfully giving thanks to You. Our decree: We declare that no weapon formed against Dutch and Ceci Sheets (their health, their family, or their ministry) will prosper. In the authority of Jesus’ name, we bind every scheme and attack of the enemy sent against them. We decree, according to Your Word, that Dutch and Ceci walk in health, healing, and victory. Lord, thank You that You loose Your warrior angels to surround them right now and encircle them with a wall of fire as in Zechariah 2:5. We bless them with Your peace that passes understanding, and an overwhelming sense of Your love, strength, and presence. ******************** Click on the link below to watch the full video. Cheryl Sacks is the best-selling author of The Prayer Saturated book series: The Prayer Saturated Church, Prayer-Saturated Kids, and The Prayer Saturated Family—How to Change the Atmosphere in Your Home through Prayer. Her newest book, Reclaim a Generation, 21 Days of Prayer for Schools, will be available soon at ReclaimAGeneration.com You can learn more about Cheryl and her husband Hal’s work at PrayerSaturated.life and BridgeBuilders.net [1] C. Peter Wagner, Prayer Shield (Ventura, Calif.: Regal, 1992), pp. 66-73. [2] Cheryl Sacks, The Prayer Saturated Church (Colorado Springs, Colo.: NavPress, 2004) p 126.

5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/september-2-2022 September 2, 2022 Be A Hebrew There is no greater example than Abraham of shifting into new seasons with God. In his first major shift, he had to change everything. God told him to leave the land of his father and relocate to the place He would show him. Abraham obeyed this monumental challenge. God was so impressed that He gave Abraham a new title: “the Hebrew” (Genesis 14:13). The root word is abar and it means “to cross over, out of or into; pass through; penetrate.” Abraham was called “the Hebrew” because he had crossed out of his homeland and into a new region, when instructed by the Lord to do so. Holy Spirit reminded me of this word, abar, and the insights associated with it, last weekend as I ministered in Tennessee. I feel strongly He wants me to emphasize its importance in this season. Although abar is often used in the generic sense of transitioning from one place to another, it is also used at times to denote very significant “crossings” that became landmark events in people’s lives, as was referenced in Abraham. Here are 4 examples: The word was involved in cutting covenant. The Lord “passed between” (abar) the pieces of the covenantal sacrifice Abram offered to God (Genesis 15:17). It is as though God was saying, “You have, in obedience, crossed over to Me, Abram; now I’m crossing over to you in covenantal alignment.” When God “crosses over” or comes to us, facets of His nature and character are revealed: God “passed by” (abar) Moses in Exodus 33:19-22, showing him His goodness and glory. Each generation must have its own “crossing over.” The Israelites were not true Hebrews just because their forefathers were - and neither are we: A new generation “crossed” (abar) into their inheritance in Joshua chapters 1-4. In Joshua 3:4, the Lord instructed Israel to watch or follow the ark of the covenant “for you have not passed [abar] this way before.” Crossing over or “passing through” pictures the release of God’s breath: The air passing through the jubilee trumpet was described as abar. Let’s apply these 4 meanings to America. God needs for us as a nation to “cross” back into a meaningful and covenantal relationship with Him. When we do, we receive the benefit of Him honoring covenant with us. Like Israel, we cannot rely only on what our forefathers have done to dedicate this nation to God; we must have our own crossing over in our day. As we do, Christ will breathe on us again, bringing true freedom and restoration. Finally, there is one other usage of abar that is significant and needs highlighting. Ezekiel chapter 47 describes a vision of the increasing levels of God’s river of life flowing out of the temple. The passage is filled with symbolism - the river flows into desert regions and brings life; everything it touches is healed; it generates many fish (souls). But another interesting point of the vision is that, the prophet had to pass through/cross over (abar) each new level of the river. Many have speculated as to why this was required. One interesting explanation relates to the fact that between each level there were 1000 cubits, then came the next level and another crossing. The number 1000, being a multiple of ten, is the biblical number of divine order and government. This would suggest that for every new level of God’s river of life, healing, and restoration to occur, there must be an acceptance of God’s order and government. In other words, His plan and rule must be followed. In America, this has not yet occurred. We have not yet been able to experience spiritual recovery and restoration back into the fullness of God’s blessing, though many have asked Him for it. This is because we must do more than ask; there is an order and pattern that must be followed. As this occurs, humbling ourselves, praying, seeking His face, repenting ( 2 Chronicles 7:14), we are then positioned (katartizo) for more of God’s healing river to flow. It is clear that God is realigning and repositioning America so we can “cross over” into a new era of revival and blessing. He is adjusting us, bringing healing to our broken places and dislocations. America is about to “cross over” into another great awakening, which will result in many salvations and the turning of a nation back to its God and its destiny. Curses will be broken, blessings released, and our God-given voice restored. What a privilege to partner with Him. Be a Hebrew! God is calling us, just as He did Abraham, to partner with Him for the salvation of the world. Obviously, our role is different from his - the flesh and blood Messiah will not come through our lineage; that appearance has already occurred. But He WILL come to earth spiritually through us. We are commissioned to carry Christ to the ends of the earth, planting His spiritual seed - the gospel - in people all over the world. Become His shofar! Allow His breath to pass through you (abar) and fill the earth with His presence. You’re a carrier of His Spirit, now release His Spirit. Be a Hebrew! Adapt! Change! Cross over! Be a Hebrew! Shift into the new season - it’s time! Pray with us: Father, we are spiritual descendants of Abraham. We have inherited his faith and his Hebrew nature: We are those who cross over. We are those who go out and come in. Like him, we are blessed in both directions - going out and coming in. When You say, “shift,” we do so. When You say, “it is a new season,” we move into it. When You say, “change,” we change. You have told us there is a significant merging of angelic and Ekklesia activity, energized with Your glory. You have said, we are shifting into a season of fulfilled promises and prophecies. You have said, “it is time,” and we are listening. As we now become Your shofars, releasing Your covenant breath into the earth, we ask You to fill it with unprecedented power and resurrection life. As we trumpet Your gospel, we are releasing Your jubilee life. We are announcing the good news that people can go free, have all of their debts forgiven, and receive back their lost inheritance. Fill us once more with Your river and send us into the earth to release abundant life! In the name of Yeshua, we ask this. Amen. Our decree: We declare that we are Hebrews, crossing over, going in, partnering with Yahweh in His great cause of redeeming the human race. ***************** Portions of todays post were taken from my book Releasing the Prophetic Destiny of a Nation. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/august-31-2022 August 31, 2022 Forward, Always Forward Yesterday we began looking at how to cooperate with divine shifts. The first principle was to recognize and embrace God’s opportunity to shift. The second principle is determine to respond in faith and move FORWARD! Divine shifts make the devil nervous. He knows they represent Kingdom progress, AND they remind him of Calvary. Satan had heard or read all the prophecies about the Messiah, yet he held out hope and fought God‘s plan. Then he saw the Virgin Birth and realized it was now God’s time for redemption. He had been dreading this for 4000 years. Though he couldn’t figure out exactly how God was going to redeem us, he realized it was unfolding. When the fullness of time came (Galatians 4:4), there was nothing the devil could do to halt the process. He knows he can’t stop God. BUT, he always attempts to influence the church in order to alter divine seasonal shifts (Daniel 7:25). He does this through discouragement, unbelief, apathy, or complacency. We must not yield to his attacks! We must realize that the times of difficulty we walk through are not the final verdict. Christ is coming with mercy and breakthrough! And when God says it’s time to shift into this, we must be ready to shift with Him. Yes, He will pull us out of our comfort zones and require faith. But when God says, “Time to move..!” it's decision time very quickly. We must rearrange whatever is necessary, adjust our lives, and move forward with Him. While speaking to a statewide representation of prayer leaders in Alaska several years ago, Holy Spirit said to me, “Tell Alaska to move forward into tomorrow, not into yesterday. What a strange word. What does that mean? I thought. The Lord then used a very unique aspect of Alaska’s geography to explain His play on words to me. (Follow closely or this could mess with your brain.) West of Alaska’s mainland is an island (Shemya) that is part of Alaska, but is on the other side of the International Date Line. Over on the island it’s already tomorrow. Conversely, if you’re on the island, the mainland is still in yesterday. Of course, wherever you are it’s today! Amazingly, Alaska has yesterday, today and tomorrow in it - simultaneously! How’s that for confusing!? (Sorry, some of you will be thinking about that for hours.) Back to Holy Spirit’s word. In Alaska you can literally travel toward tomorrow, or you can travel toward yesterday. Alaskans know this. And God used this picture as a play on words to say to them, “Move forward into tomorrow, not yesterday.” In the prayer gathering, Holy Spirit then began revealing the existence of a pattern, a cycle that often caused the Body of Christ in Alaska to become stuck in what He had done yesterday. This meant that whenever God tried to move them into new seasons (tomorrow), they would often abort it by moving right back into the old (what He had done yesterday). Yes, they were moving, but rather than moving forward, they were circling back into yesterday. We have all done this at times, going in circles rather than breaking out of the cycle and moving forward into the new. This can be caused by traditions and old mindsets. Fear or unbelief also causes this stagnation. And it can be caused by not hearing what Holy Spirit is saying. We must discern the times by listening to Him. Holy Spirit will always tell us when it is time to shift into a new season. In the Exodus, a generation of Israelites, when faced with opposition, said, “We’d rather go back to Egypt.” Yesterday! During Christ’s time on earth, John the Baptist announced that it was time for a shift; Jesus followed with the same message. Sadly, the religious leaders of the day said, “We’re happy with the old.” Perpetual yesterday was their preference. “Stop rocking the boat, messing with our traditions, asking us to adjust our theology,” they said. Jesus proceeded to shift without them. In the Jesus People Movement of the 70s, hippies began getting saved. Holy Spirit had shifted gears, changed the season. A church in California had several hundred of these young born again radicals show up one Sunday morning! They were barefoot, scantily dressed, some were dirty, and they were anything but religious. The elders challenged the pastor after the service to “do something about these kids. They’ll soil the carpet we just had installed.” The pastor replied that he would take care of it. When the elders showed up the following Sunday, he had removed all the carpet! The elders chose yesterday; the pastor chose tomorrow. Haggai 2:9 tells us, “The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts…” God‘s desire is that our “latter” always be greater than our “former.” In America, we are about to shift from plowing to reaping, from the wilderness to Canaan. I believe we’re about to shift from weakness to strength. God is going to shift us into a new season of power, signs and wonders, miracles, and deliverances. He’s going to shift many from sickness to health, from woundedness into wholeness, from torn families with prodigals into homes where prodigals now worship God. Yahweh is going to use the prayers we’ve prayed and the plowing we’ve done in the past season to create a fullness of time. Our God, who loves this young generation, is going to shift things in our schools and move in a powerful way. He will break all of the man-made laws that say He isn’t allowed there. He who loves to save is going to show Himself strong on behalf of a generation that doesn’t even realize what they are hungry for. Some people will try to stop Him, but they won’t succeed. The wind of the Spirit IS going to blow, revival is coming to America. We cannot shift the times and seasons; only God can do that (Daniel 2:20-21). But we can recognize the shift when He does so, and shift with Him. We can persevere and keep ourselves properly positioned, guarding against lethargy, complacency, and unbelief. We must anchor ourselves to the truth and stir our faith to believe that God can orchestrate changes rapidly. The mundane chronos seasons of plowing and persevering are necessary, but we must remember that God has the ability to shift things very quickly into opportune kairos seasons of harvest. Pray with me: Father, You’ve shown us that it isn’t enough just to simply keep moving; we must move FORWARD. In Your Kingdom this will always require faith. It also requires the spiritual discernment modeled by the tribe of Issachar (1 Chronicles 12:32). We desire to go from yesterday’s glory to new glory, today and tomorrow glory. Yesterday’s revivals were great but must be built upon. You are always adding floors and additions to the house You’re building. Give us eyes of vision and faith. America must be restored, reconstituted, and renewed. Cause the church to recognize this. Also, cause her to clearly see how integrally this is connected to worldwide harvest. Break believers out of stupors caused by self-centeredness, heal them of fear’s paralyzing hold, and awaken vision to partner with You in Your eternal cause. And Father, just as a remnant of Israel repented in Haggai’s day, allowing You to take them into a new phase of glory, a remnant of Americans have also repented. Now, do for us as You did for them - increase the glory!!! Cause Your glorious presence to produce salvation, deliverance, healings, and new beginnings. I ask You to manifest this for people even as we pray - NOW! Pour out Your Spirit in America and around the world! We ask for all this as Christ’s representatives and in His name. Our decree: Forward..! Only forward. Always forward..! ***************** Portions of today’s post were taken from two of my books: God’s Timing for Your Life and Releasing the Prophetic Destiny of a Nation. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/august-30-2022 August 30, 2022 Accept the Offer On Friday (August 26th), my brother Tim was on the post with me, and spoke of a word he had recently received from the Lord. I want to pick up on a portion of it today. He said there was coming a stronger merger of the two realms of Christ’s Kingdom - the natural and spiritual (or, we might say, the earthly and heavenly). This would result in new levels and manifestations of the Kingdom of God. Tim shared: ************ “Now begins a merger that will accelerate a new era Pentecost. Power and Kingdom authority will be seen on earth as never before. We have been prophesying this for a long time, and Holy Spirit says, ‘The merger is now occurring. Glory presence will now fill prepared territories, regions, and nations.’ “I’m assuming the Ekklesias are getting traction in these places. I also heard Holy Spirit say, ‘Surge after surge of the King’s manifest presence will spawn sudden miracles. The enemies of the Kingdom will be disoriented and will fight each other, resulting in freedoms decreed by King Jesus and His Ekklesia. This will be assisted by My angel armies, for I will surely release My mighty ones to labor with you; My mighty angels are moving into the earth realm.’ “This is the season we are entering now, a ‘merger’ of God’s glory and high-ranking angels partnering with the Ekklesia. The glory of God is going to amp up in certain regions and territories in such a way that it will spawn miracles and breakthroughs. I believe we are moving NOW - not years from now - into a season of suddenlies. Sudden strikes of high-ranking angels, under Holy Spirit’s supervision, fueled by the decrees of a functioning Ekklesia. “Dr. Jim Hodges [Tim’s and my spiritual father] was with us a few weeks ago and preached a great word, as usual. Then he began to pray and prophesy. As he did, I felt a shift! “Dutch, you and I are old enough to know how cars with standard transmissions and stick shifts operate. You use a clutch when shifting gears. Sometimes if the clutch is bad or the gears aren’t perfectly synchronized, the gears grind as an attempt is made to engage them. As Jim prayed, I felt that we were ‘grinding’ into gear, then we fully shifted. “I feel the Ekklesia as a whole is shifting into another gear. Holy Spirit is changing things, prophetic words are about to come to pass, and powerful angels are being released. Something has shifted, and we are moving into another gear.” ************ When speaking with Tim on Friday, I referenced a similar experience I had several years ago. I was worshiping and heard the sound of gears grinding. This was obviously not something I was hearing literally, but supernaturally in the spiritual realm. When I asked Holy Spirit what I was hearing, he said, “I’m trying to shift the church into another season.” He knew that by using this mechanical analogy, I would immediately understand what He was saying. Due to ignorance, uncertainty, resistance, hesitancy, etc., many in the church were resisting the shift/change. I’m sure there are those who would disagree with my contention that Holy Spirit was being hindered from shifting the church. They would contend that Holy Spirit could shift the body of Christ into a new season whenever He so desired. However, I would remind them of Israel, when they were delivered from Egypt, and Jerusalem during the time of Christ’s life on earth. Both generations were unable to shift fully into the next season and consequently became stuck in the previous one. This not only hindered them from receiving blessing, but also stalled their destiny. How do we position ourselves to shift into a new season? What can hinder this? We must look carefully at these questions. Today and the next couple of days, I want to teach some on how to shift into the new. The first step is to recognize and embrace the opportunity. John 5:1-9 tells the story of a paralyzed man healed by Jesus. It was believed by the Jews of the day that an angel periodically stirred the waters of the pool named Bethesda, located at the Sheep Gate, and the first person into the water was healed. The actual Greek text makes it difficult to discern if this angelic activity and the miraculous results actually occurred, but it is certainly clear that the people of the day believed it. At the Pool, Jesus approached a man who had been in a paralyzed condition for 38 years and asked what seemed like a strange question: “Do you truly long to be well?” (John 5:6 TPT). The man’s answer revealed that although he was waiting at the pool, he really had no hope of being healed. “I have no one to help me into the water and someone else always gets there first.” I believe Jesus asked the paralytic this question to point out that his hope was misplaced. Although he was waiting for the miraculous stirring of the pool, Yahweh was the source of the mercy he needed. A couple of feet and only seconds away from experiencing the new, just moments from total restoration, the man wasn’t able to recognize it. With misplaced faith and incredible hope-deferred, there was nothing within him that could respond with hope to Jesus’ question. The symbolism of this passage is stark. Bethesda means “house of lovingkindness or mercy.” The Sheep Gate next to it was where the lambs used for the sacrifices were brought into the Temple. Five, the number of porticoes around the pool, is the biblical number of grace. Putting these meanings and facts into the story paints the picture of Christ, THE Passover Lamb, entering our fallen, hopeless world to give us grace and mercy. Jesus came to bring wholeness and health to the “diseased” human race. This disabled man was staring at THE Lamb Himself, God’s gift of grace, the fulfillment of what everything around him pictured, yet didn’t realize it. An incredible opportunity, his kairos moment, had arrived, but he was too hopeless to recognize it. We must stay in faith and listen carefully to Holy Spirit - “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (Revelation 2:7) - in order to recognize the timing for God’s shifts. Reader’s Digest told of the late Harvey Penick: In the 1920s, Penick bought a red spiral notebook and began jotting down observations about golf. He never showed the book to anyone other than his son until 1991, when he shared it with a local writer and asked if he thought it was worth publishing. The man read it and told him yes. The writer presented it to Simon and Schuster, then left word with Penick’s wife the next evening that they had agreed to an advance of $90,000! When the writer told Penick, the golfing expert seemed troubled. Finally, Penick came clean. With all his medical bills, he said, there was no way he could advance Simon & Schuster that much money. The writer had to explain that Penick would be the recipient of the $90,000! His first golf book, Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book, sold more than a million copies, one of the biggest best-sellers in the history of sports books. His second book And If You Play Golf, You’re My Friend, sold nearly three-quarters of a million. (1) Whether it be book writing, physical miracles, or the salvation of a loved one, we sometimes live in the waiting stage so long that it becomes difficult to believe in God’s mercy when it is offered. Listen with faith! When God says it is time to shift, be ready to accept the offer. Pray with me: Father, thank You for moving us from glory to glory, strength to strength, and faith to faith. You are not a stagnant God! And You said there would be no end to the increase of Christ’s Kingdom (Isaiah 9:6-7). We are confident of this, our faith in You is strong. You have also spoken through prophetic voices that a new merger of Your glory, angelic warriors, and an empowered Ekklesia is coming. We determine now to participate in this. We will shift with You. We won’t miss it. We ask You for an infusion of strength, revelation, and power to shift us into this new season. We ask You for the miracles spoken of. We ask for the suddenlies. We ask for strong outpourings of your Spirit to spring up. We ask for an increase of prophetic anointing to discern and hear clearly what You are doing. And we ask that the fruit of this will be the rescue of millions of hearts around the world. Give us the billion soul harvest we have been hearing of in the spirit. We know that the shaking, here and elsewhere, is not finished. Continue to dismantle evil systems and render ineffective those who oppose You. We take the keys of Your kingdom now and bind every attempt to stop this divine shift, in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen. Our decree: We decree that we will shift into the new season being offered and experience the dynamic merging of heaven and earth. ************************** Portions of today’s post were taken from my book God’s Timing for Your Life. Click on the links below to watch the full video. ______________________________ Adaped from: Edward K. Rowell, Fresh Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Christianity Today, 1997), p 100.

7 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/august-29-2022 August 29, 2022 The Price of Freedom When Christ was preparing His original 12 world-changing pioneers, He made the cost clear to them: “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues.” (Matthew 10:16-17) “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.’” (Matthew 16:24 -25) What price did these first disciples eventually pay to partner with Christ? Were Christ's words simply symbolic language, not to be taken literally? Surely He wouldn't actually allow His followers to lay down their lives, would He? History answers these questions: ● Andrew was crucified. ● Bartholomew was crucified. ● James, the son of Alphaeus, was stoned to death. ● James, the son of Zebedee, was beheaded. ● John, the son of Zebedee, was tortured and banished to the uninhabited island of Patmos. ● Peter was crucified upside down. ● Philip was crucified upside down. ● Thomas was martyred in India. ● the apostle Paul and John the Baptist, not part of the original 12 disciples but two of Christ's early leaders, were beheaded. To be a true disciple of Christ - and a nation-changing pioneer - we must be willing to lay down our very lives. This mindset should permeate and influence all we do and live for. And if we are to see America turn, it is one of the non-negotiables. Another quality, therefore, that will be required in order to turn this nation around, is a determination that no cost is too great. William Wilberforce, who led the efforts to eradicate slavery from Great Britain, understood and demonstrated this. In the great movie about his life, Amazing Grace, Wilberforce's butler surprised him in a moment of private prayer. When asked if he had found God, Wilberforce's poignant reply was, "I think He found me." Indeed, God "found" Wilberforce, who became so joined to His heart and desires that no price was too great for the cause. This reformer’s passion to see the end of slavery caused him stomach ailments, nightmares, ridicule, and four decades of tireless work. Days before his death, however, the decisive vote came to eliminate slavery from England. Amazingly, when the law became formal three days after the vote, Wilberforce's spirit left this world! Thomas Buxton, a personal friend and member of the House of Commons at the time said of him, "The day which was the termination of his labors was the termination of his life."(1) Have you been found? Has the cause of Christ possessed you? When God led the early Pilgrims to this land - He was obviously involved in the process - they came with hearts willing to pay whatever price the dream would cost them. A part of their stated cause was, "For the Glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith..."(2) The Pilgrims arrived on a cramped and dirty ship, in sloshing water filled with human waste and vomit. And ill-prepared for the trials of this new land, including a brutal winter, more than half would perish before the end of their first summer. These Pilgrims weren't failures, however. Planting a cross on the beach where they landed at Cape Henry, and dedicating this land to the gospel and the glory of God, they created a holy legacy. Heaven still honors the trail they blazed and the prayers they prayed. Buried in the soil of freedom, they became a vital part of the heritage we now enjoy. Pioneers all, their legacies live. The price they paid to create an outpost for the gospel created a debt for those who followed, including us today. The debt we owe is not only to preserve freedom, but it is also to preserve this land as a light of truth - a beacon, a city on a hill - to all other nations. If we pay our debt today, the difficult trail we blaze back to the old road will become the glorious path our children walk tomorrow. America was formed with the blood, sweat, and tears of many price-paying pioneers. When John Adams was elected as a Boston delegate in 1770, he knew it was considered treason to the King of England; Adams believed the decision would cost him everything. He informed his wife Abigail, "I have accepted a seat in the House of Representatives, and thereby have consented to my own ruin..."(3) How many today would accept a seat in Congress if they knew it could cost them everything? In Adams' day, by the way, members of Congress weren't even paid a salary - only a small per diem. Not many currently in government would serve our nation without pay, let alone do so at the risk of their lives. Adams wasn't finished with his declaration, however. After informing Abigail that he had consented to his own ruin, this patriot pioneer continued, "...to your ruin, and the ruin of our children. I give you this warning, that you may prepare your mind for your fate."(4) Incredible, but Adams had been found! His love of liberty and his belief that God was raising up the United States of America meant that, to him, no price was too great to pay. How did Abigail feel about this? Betrayed? Horrified? Did she threaten to leave him? Not even close. She too, like Wilberforce, had been found. According to Adams, Abigail burst into tears and cried out, "Well, I am willing in this cause to run all risks with you, and be ruined with you, if you are ruined."(5) What amazing passion these two patriots possessed for the cause! Contrast this sacrificial and servant-motivated attitude with the selfish lust for prestige, power, and financial gain motivating many civic leaders in America today. The difference is disgusting. From buying and selling votes to taxpayer-funded vacations to private jets. For so many, Washington, D.C., has become the home of the rich, the famous, and the exploiters. At the signing of the Declaration of Independence a few years later, Adams, along with his fellow signers, again accepted the potential and probable cost of freedom: "For the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of the Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."(6) Adams would later state to Abigail, "I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure that it will cost us to maintain this Declaration and support and defend these states. Yet through all the gloom, I can see the rays of ravishing light and glory. I can see that the end is more than worth all the means."(7) If America is to find her way back to the old road, it will be because another generation of patriotic and God-honoring Americans put on pioneer mantles and search for it - no matter the cost. Some will accuse me of inappropriately marrying the love of God and country, but it is my love for God and His cause on the earth that fuels my passion for seeing America restored. Like Adams and our other founding fathers, I realize God chose to raise up this nation as part of His plan to redeem the human race. America wasn't established solely for us Americans. And it certainly wasn't for the enjoyment of the narcissistic "American Dream" we've allowed our desires to devolve into. Partnering with God in His great dream was to be our privilege and destiny. For this, no cost is too great. Let's pray and work to end selfishness in the church and in Washington, D.C. Let's cry out for another generation of pioneers who will lose their lives to find His; believers that will accept their debt to the cross and pay any price necessary to lead America back to the old road. “Go stand at the crossroads and look around. Ask for directions to the old road, the tried-and-true road. Then take it.” (Jeremiah 6:16, The Message) Pray with me: Father, we are grateful for those in the great cloud of witnesses who have paid such high prices for our cause. We are humbled by the sacrifices, so many of them have made. We ask You to forgive us in the American church for allowing our commitment to You and Your cause to become so low. Forgive us for preaching watered-down messages and a human-centered gospel. We agree in intercession today that in the coming revival, hearts will be awakened. Passion for You and Your kingdom will outweigh our devotion to self. Millions will give their hearts to You, and millions more will have their first love restored. You are worth our full devotion. Heal our broken nation. Lead us back to the old road of truth, integrity, righteousness, and common sense. Lead us back to servanthood, loving our neighbors, and the golden rule. Give us leaders who love and honor You and Your ways. Deliver us from evil rulers. We ask You for this in Christ’s name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that the purpose of God for America will not be lost - not on our watch. *************************** Portions of today’s post were taken from my book The Way Back. Click on the link below to watch the full video. __________________________ 1. Dyer, Steven G., Transforming a Nation: How England turned back to God in the eighteenth century. Can it happen in America?. (Oklahoma, OK : Steven J. Dyer, 2010). 54. 2. Mayflower Compact 1620. 3. Bennett, William J. Our sacred honor: Words of advice from the Founders in stories, letters, poems, and speeches. (New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1997), p 40. 4. Ibid. 5. Ibid. 6. Ibid., p 64. 7. Ibid.

7 min read (or 17 min video) https://www.givehim15.com/post/august-26-2022 August 26, 2022 The Gears Are Beginning to Grind As I mentioned to you last week, I’ll be featuring some of my prophetic friends on our Friday 15s. People are always asking me what God is saying, and are hungry for fresh insights and fresh strategies. There are a lot of voices out there, but we know people who are proven, and hear from God clearly. These are the ones who will be my Friday guests. Today we have my brother, Tim Sheets. He is a recognized leader here in America and around the world. God speaks to him in many ways - through the Word, dreams, prophetic words, etc. You’ll enjoy hearing him. So Tim, what’s on your heart today? *************** Tim Sheets shares: “It’s good to be with you today, Dutch. I’m hearing some things in the spirit that are very encouraging to me, and I hope to others, as well. There is so much that happens on the news that grabs our focus and becomes the message, and sometimes, you have to reset that message for yourself. “What I’m seeing is a hope-filled prophetic understanding concerning the time right now, because of the spiritual war season we are in through the mid-term elections, and probably beyond that. I’ve begun to sense a very aggressive moving of Holy Spirit connecting things, even connecting different prophetic words. There are thousands of prophetic words pointing to right now. I believe the synergizing of these words is going to cause some kind of spiritual explosion. The Ekklesia is starting to get a new mindset. For a while, the Ekklesia was a concept we taught. I believe we are now moving into an actual functioning of the concepts we have been preaching. When that happens, we will see something occur in the spirit realm. I want to share a prophetic word with you I believe is happening right now.” Tim then shares: “Holy Spirit recently spoke this to me: ‘Now begins the merger of Christ’s spiritual Kingdom in the earth realm with the Kingdom of heaven in the spirit realm, in ways and levels not seen before. This merger will accelerate a New Era Pentecost. Power and Kingdom authority will be seen on the earth as never before.’” Tim says, “We have been prophesying this for a long time, and Holy Spirit says that these two realms are now merging.” He continues, “‘Glory presence will now fill prepared territories, regions, and nations. The Ekklesias are getting traction in these places with surge after surge of the King’s manifest presence spawning sudden miracles.’ This is the season we are in right now. ‘The enemies of the Kingdom will be disoriented and will fight each other resulting in freedoms decreed by King Jesus and His Ekklesia. It will be assisted by My angel armies, for I will surely release My mighty ones to labor with you, My mighty angels are moving into the earth realm.’” Tim shares: “Something is happening in the spirit realm, and the mighty ones are referred to as high-ranking authorities (angels). Yes, hell has principalities and powers, but we do too (spiritual help). And ours are bigger, and ours are stronger. I’ve been pondering, ‘What is this merger now of these high-ranking angels partnering with the Ekklesia in certain regions and territories?’ I believe this is where the glory of God is going to amp up in such a way that it will spawn miracles and breakthroughs throughout regions. “I believe we are moving now - not years from now - into a season of suddenlies - sudden strikes of high-ranking authority angels under Holy Spirit’s supervision that are fueled by the decrees of a functioning Ekklesia. The Ekklesia is so powerful when you understand what Christ said. For years we didn’t understand - it was a just concept we taught and wondered when we would get it and thing would begin to occur. But something is now beginning to happen - the remnant is picking this up and starting to function as an actual functioning Ekklesia. “As this happens, different things can be done by Holy Spirit. He will add angels, and we really don’t understand just how powerful they are. But He is now saying that He is going to bring these angels into the earth realm. I don’t understand all of this, but I know Holy Spirit has plans for His Ekklesia to win some major victories. We are not going to lose. He is going to lead and guide us. I believe a few of these angels are some of the mighty ones we see in the Bible - they didn’t die. There are no angel graveyards. I believe the Ekklesias in different regions, have been building altars in their territories, where God is respected and honored. There are more prayers and the faith decrees are rising. Holy Spirit is saying that He is going to add to this, and bring mighty, high-ranking authority angels to partner and assist in our breakthroughs in the earth realm. And, Dutch, I'm feeling this is for now. “Dr. Hodges was with us a few weeks ago, and he preached a great word, as usual. But I asked him if he would pray over us. He began to pray a prophetic word, and as he did, I felt a shift! Let me describe it this way: “Dutch, you and I are old enough to know what a stick shift is. You pop that clutch when you’re shifting gears. Sometimes we hear gears grind before sliding into their proper place. I feel we are at that point where we are grinding to get into gear. As Dr. Hodges prayed, I felt we got into gear. I felt we were grinding, and as he prayed, we slipped into gear. “I sense the Ekklesia is shifting into another gear. Along with what Holy Spirit is doing, things are going to change and prophetic understanding is going to come to pass. Holy Spirit is now adding angels that are very strong and powerful. I have seen them and will talk about them soon, and even spoke about this in our recent Sunday morning service. But I’m confident and feel strongly that something has shifted, and we are moving into another gear. “The King said I’m going to build My church (the Ekklesia). He didn’t say He was building His nursery. Think about what He said, and it’s powerful. Matthew 16:18-19 (TPT) says: ‘I give you the name Peter, a stone. And this rock will be the bedrock foundation on which I will build my church—my legislative assembly, and the power of death will not be able to overpower it! I will give you the keys of heaven’s kingdom realm to forbid on earth that which is forbidden in heaven, and to release on earth that which is released in heaven.’ “The gates of hades will not overpowerful us (the church) or hold out against us. The church has been trying to hold out against hell. Hell can’t hold out against a true Ekklesia, and I believe the Ekklesia is now strong enough for what’s ahead. Keys to open doors are being handed to us; we’ve not had these keys before. And I believe these angels are part of this.” Dutch shares: “Tim, while you were talking, I remembered a service 15 or so years ago when I literally heard what you just described, a grinding sound. It sounded exactly like gears that weren't yet synchronized and were trying to shift into place. I asked God what I was hearing and He said to me, ‘The ages are trying to connect.’ I knew it wasn’t mystical - we go from season to season - but He was giving me a manifestation, something I could hear in the spirit. By hearing the gears, He was showing me that He was trying to shift us into the next season, but the church wasn’t quite ready. But now, I’m going to help push that gear into place; it’s going to happen. “I heard the Lord also say, ‘You need to help people understand how to shift WITH Me, and not fight the shift.’ I think we are in an incredible shift right now, going into the next phase. I believe there are some things God is going to clean up and shape up regarding His plans for the rest of this year. Next year an incredible shifting into the next phase will take place. But it actually starts now. It doesn’t happen overnight - it is starting to happen, and we, as the Ekklesia, are helping now. “This word really resonates with me, Tim and I think it’s right on. For these places where the Ekklesia is prepared, God’s about to bring forth some suddenlies. Why don't you pray into this now”: Tim prays: “Father, we thank You and give You glory for what You have done and what You’re doing. We ask You to supercharge Your Ekklesia with power from on high. Holy Spirit, take us on the journey that You have in mind for us. We ask You to open doors that have never been opened before with keys of authority that You are now giving. Help us supernaturally with the angels, with outpourings of Your Holy Spirit, and with revelation. “If some are discouraged today, let them be supercharged with hope. You have this, and You are going to shift us into another gear. It will take us into another realm where things accelerate, and we can move faster in the spirit. And we pray that the purpose and plan You have ordained for different regions - they’re all different, but what You’re doing will be blessed and indeed, kick into another gear with supernatural plans and purposes. And yes, Lord, we believe the gates of hell won’t prevail. In Jesus' name, we are going to overcome, and we’ll win. America shall be saved. Amen. Dutch finishes up: “Many people are agreeing with us, and I know everyone today appreciates you sharing with us, Tim. Thanks for being with us today. “You can join Tim on YouTube. I believe he has the best book of all time on angels. “Bless you, and I look forward to seeing you on Monday.” ********************** Click on the link below to watch the full video. You can learn more about Tim Sheets here. 211 likes. Post marked as liked

6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/august-25-2022 August 25, 2022 Treasure Mountain A picture, as they say, is worth a thousand words. Knowing this, God sculpted and shaped a vivid picture of hope deferred in the form of a mountain - wouldn't you know it would be a mountain! Rugged. Barren. Big. Its very name Horeb, means “desolation, a waste place, barrenness, dryness” - all synonyms of hope deferred. I sometimes think of this mountain when praying for America. This is the place where Moses ended up for much of his forty-year exile, shoveling dung instead of bathing in royal hot tubs. There can be no more severe case of hope deferred than what Moses experienced, having lost his royal inheritance and, it seemed, his destiny. I realize “it ain’t over ‘til it’s over,” but after disappearing for forty years, a dream is usually over. But thankfully, like many mountains, Horeb had treasure hidden within it. Not only would this barren piece of rock be a picture of exile-induced heart disease, but it would also become a glorious example of conquered hope deferred and healed heart disease. Horeb gives you a glimpse of life on the other side of your pain. The events associated with this place portray God’s amazing ability to heal, restore hope and purpose, and bring beautiful treasure from ugly mountains. Horeb didn’t remain horrible for Moses, and it won’t for you either. The transformation of Horeb became so complete, its power so harnessed by the hand of God, that it eventually became known as “the mountain of God.” (Exodus 3:1). It just doesn’t get any better than that! God can so transform the Horeb seasons of your life that one day all you will see when you look back at them is Him. “I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11, emphasis added). There is gold in this mountain, and you will find it! This became especially real to me a few years back when I found myself in a season of hope deferred, much of which had been caused by rejection and betrayal. While seeking the Lord for comfort one afternoon, He threw me quite a curve. “I need for you to embrace the pain,” He spoke very clearly. What a strange and seemingly cruel statement to hear from a loving Father who supposedly had great plans for my welfare and a future filled with hope. I did not realize, however, that God wanted more than to simply remove my pain; He also wanted to use it. God never wastes your pain; before He removes it, He makes it serve you. Horeb will become your gym and the pharaoh who sent you there your trainer. And ultimately, like God, whose nature you inherited, you will win. He always wins, and so can you. I want to be very clear that God wasn’t telling me betrayal is good, nor that He caused it. God doesn’t cause evil, but He does make it serve Him – and us. He needed for me to embrace the pain, not so I could hurt, but in order to grab it, wrestle it to the mat, and claim my prize! God doesn’t call evil good, as some people are prone to do. Pain isn’t good; it tells you something is wrong. Death is an enemy. Emotional wounds can break your heart. God doesn’t make light of your pain, and He isn’t playing weird mind games with you, trying to convince you that bad is good. He is saying, however, that no matter how great the wound and deep the pain, He knows how to heal and transform it. And not just into scar tissue. He will use its lessons to make you better, healthier, richer, and well positioned for a fulfilling future. Horeb isn’t terminal! Learn these lessons from this ugly mountain, and find the buried treasure you can take from it. One of the first things Horeb will have taught you, and one of the most important, is the power of perseverance. Don’t downplay this one – it’s huge. Waiting isn’t easy, and nothing truer can be said than that waiting is associated with hope deferred. Learning to wait without wavering will make you successful in life. God wants to strengthen your endurance through your experience at Horeb so that you can be like the distance runner who can run long distances without damaging the heart or lungs. Moses is one of the all-time record holders for waiting. After fleeing from Pharaoh and becoming an object lesson on deferred hopes and diseased hearts for 40 years, he found it hard to believe God could ever use him again – let alone awaken his dreaming heart. But after a season of arguing with God on this mountain (see Exodus 3-4), he decided to give it a try and became the all-time greatest poster boy for restored hope. Sometimes the perceived death of a vision is really just waiting for its divine time! That’s why persistence is so crucial. This could prove to be one of the greatest assets you’ll mine from this mountain. Rick DeVos, the co-founder of Amway and former owner of the Orlando Magic basketball team, says of persistence: “Persistence is the single most important ingredient of success in life…When confronted with a failure or disappointment, you have only two choices: You can give up, or you can persist…If I could pass on one character trait to young people in the world – one single quality that would help them achieve success in life – it would be persistence. It’s more important than intellect, athletic ability, good looks or personal magnetism. Persistence comes from a deep place in the soul. It is a God-given compensation for what we lack in other areas of our life. Never underestimate its power.”(1) All great men and women have learned to persevere. Galatians 6:9 encourages us to do so without losing heart: “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” Sometimes, like Moses, your wait is because you have not yet arrived at God’s “due time.” The words “due time” in this verse come from the Greek phrase, “idios kairos” and, when fully understood, are filled with reason to persevere. Kairos means “the right time; the opportune point in time at which something should be done.” The second word, idios, denotes “ownership.” This verse is telling you to not lose heart while waiting for something God has promised you, because you own a right time for the promise to arrive. Knowing this sure does make waiting easier. I’ve waited over 35 years for America’s - and the entire world’s - next great wave of revival. Twenty-five of those years have been on the front lines. Not quite as long as Moses, Caleb, and Joshua, but I can see their tail lights. During that span, my nation has become a Horeb - desolate, barren, and dry - but I’m starting to see “burning bushes” and hear awakening words from heaven. Open your eyes, see the flame, and listen to the God of resurrection life: “America shall be saved, the bones will live, and I WILL have my harvest!” Pray with me: Father, thank You for giving us inspirational stories in Your Word, for allowing us to see into the lives of overcomers and heroes. Thank You for showing us their challenges, failures, and recoveries. You are the God who makes Horeb serve us. You tell us unequivocally that Horeb is meant to be conquered and turned into a place of strength and breakthrough. We have all visited this mountain, and our entire nation now lives there. But God - YOU..! You have not given up on America - because You have not given up on the earth. We’ve been knocked down, but You, our Trainer/Manager, have not “thrown in the towel.” To the contrary, You are in our corner with the smelling salts, water bottles, and Holy Spirit’s power. We see the burning bush and we are listening for Your voice (Exodus 3). We have seen the bones coming together and can hear them rattling - not the death rattle, as some would contend - but the rattling of realignment (Ezekiel 37). We can hear Your laugh of derision toward Your enemies as You listen to them decree their supposed victory over You (Psalm 2). And now we decree Your words over this nation: “America shall be saved.” We decree over the nations: “You are the inheritance of Jesus Christ and He will have members in His family from every one of you.” We decree over our prodigals and family members: “We shall be saved, and so shall our household.” And we declare over the workers of iniquity in this nation: “The King is coming to shake you from your positions of power.” Our decree: We decree that our desolation and barrenness is being infused with resurrection life. *********************** Portions of today’s post were taken from my book The Power of Hope. Click on the link below to watch the full video. ________________________________________ Rich DeVos, Hope From My Heart (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2000), pp. 27, 33.

6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/august-24-2022 August 24, 2022 One of the Most Egregious Governmental Actions Yet Today I want to make you aware of the Biden administration’s attempt to expand Title IX. This has been called “one of the largest, most aggressive social engineering overreaches of the government in America’s history.”[1] It is nothing less than a federally mandated indoctrination of our children. Vernadette Broyles of Child and Parental Rights Campaign, says this regulation “will directly affect 77 million children, requiring the normalization and unquestioned acceptance of gender identity ideology as part of their school environment. The threat to parental rights, children’s physical, mental, and spiritual well-being, religious liberties, freedom of speech, girls’ safety and sports, and more is potentially devastating.”[2] What is Title IX? Title IX of the Education Amendments was enacted by Congress in 1972 to eliminate discrimination in education based upon sex (gender), against girls and women in particular.[3] It states: No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance . . . [4] When Title IX was passed, girls and women faced high barriers to pursuing educational opportunities, particularly in higher education.[5] Title IX was designed to remove those barriers, and now represents 50 years of progress in education made by girls and women. Title IX regulates every public K-12 school, college, and university in the nation, as well as every private school that takes federal funding. As a result, it has wide-reaching implications for tens of millions of children and parents across the country. The regulations implemented in Title IX were binary (based on two genders - male and female), recognizing biological distinctions where they matter and prohibiting discrimination based on biological sex (gender), as Congress intended. Until now. The Proposed Changes On July 12, 2022, the United States Department of Education (“USDOE”) published in the Federal Register a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to rewrite the federal regulations governing Title IX. The proposed revised regulations would expand the scope of Title IX, without Congressional approval, to include prohibiting “discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.” This effective rewrite of Title IX’s fundamental purpose would have many devastating consequences for parental rights, Free Speech, Free Exercise of Religion, girls’ sports, and children’s health and safety. Members of the public will have 60 days, or until September 12, 2022 to submit Comments to the USDOE outlining these harmful effects. I’ll say more about this momentarily. Here’s what the proposed new regulations will do: Create a New Category of Sex Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity They declare that preventing a student from participating in any school activity “consistent with their gender identity” subjects that student to harm. Failure to follow the new rules will risk loss of federal funding. Make Upholding Biological Reality a Form of “Sex-based Harassment” In place of “sexual harassment,” the new language is “sex-based harassment.” Actions like using a child’s given name and biologically accurate pronouns instead of a preferred name and pronouns may be regarded as sex-based harassment. Create a Head-On Collision With Parental Rights The new regulations require K-12 schools to affirm a child’s asserted gender identity as a matter of federal law. This will involve school officials in life-altering decisions affecting the health and well-being of children. They will further encourage school officials to usurp parental authority without notice to or the consent of, and even over the objections of parents when it comes to gender identity. This will potentially drive a wedge between children and their parents at the time when children need parents most. The regulations also expand Title IX’s reach to include what occurs outside of school. Because they deem failure to treat students consistent with their gender identity subjects that student to harm, activists will be able to report to state child protective services parents who uphold biological reality and refuse to allow school officials to endorse their child’s discordant gender identity. Since this would be federal law, the obligation to comply with the proposed regulations is not “alleviated by any state or local law or other requirement.” Therefore, these regulations will create legal uncertainty about the enforceability of state laws protecting parental rights where they conflict with the new federal Title IX regulations. This will assuredly be exploited by activist officials and likely require expensive court action to obtain a resolution to the conflicts. Require Schools to Open Up Their Privacy Facilities Based on Gender Identity Schools would be required to permit biological males who identify as females to use private facilities set aside for females and vice versa. Girls/women will have to surrender their right to privacy and be placed at increased risk for harassment or assault by males who claim a female identity. Jeopardize Girls’ and Women’s Athletic and Educational Opportunities These rules will require sex-separate sports to be based on gender identity instead of biological gender. This will force girls and women to compete on an unfair basis for athletic opportunities and scholarships against males and create significant risks of injury for girls and women. Ultimately Normalize Gender Identity Ideology and Harm Children’s Health These regulations will promote and normalize gender identity ideology in our schools as mandated policy and wrongfully encourage students to believe that “children can be born into the wrong body.” Many children will then pursue chemical and surgical alterations that can have irreversible life-altering consequences for them, such as sterility and life-long sexual dysfunction, interrupting healthy growth and development, loss of bone density, cognitive problems, blood clots, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Disproportionately Harm Minority and Other Disadvantaged Children While the proposed regulations would ensnare all children in a harmful ideology, they would disproportionately harm minority and other disadvantaged children who remain trapped in public schools, unable to flee the system. In May 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that in order for schools to receive funds for free student lunches, breakfasts, and other food items, they must comply with its interpretation of Title IX and other food-related programs.[6] To receive food assistance under the new rule, the Biden administration is forcing schools to comply with allowing boys to use girls’ changing and restroom facilities, and forcing teachers to use inaccurate pronouns for children who believe they are transgender. The National School Lunch Program feeds nearly 30 million children every day. None of these potential harms were contemplated by Congress when they enacted Title IX in 1972. Parents, faith and community leaders, and educators must speak out courageously and clearly about the many destructive consequences these regulations will have if implemented. We only have until September 12, 2022, to do so. What We Must Do For this situation, we must pray AND act now - before the September 12th deadline. Parents, grandparents, all of us who are concerned Americans, let’s do this. Here’s what we need for you to do: Go to this website: ChildParentRights.org/title-IX/ Watch the short but powerful VIDEO; then Scroll down to HERE’S WHAT TO DO. It will give you all the information you need. Please follow the instructions very carefully. CPRC has made this very easy as long as you follow their instructions carefully. They give you starter ideas/language for what needs to be said and where to submit your formal comment (it’s only a click). If you are computer challenged, ask a friend to help you. This is important. We need hundreds of thousands of people to do this over the next 2 weeks. Please share this with others. Pray with me: Father, we have nothing but compassion for those struggling with gender identity. But we reject every plan that forces unbiblical ideals and philosophies on us and our children. Continue to expose the evil agendas of those who oppose You and Your ways. We thank You for revealing their plans and exposing their foolish ideologies. Continue shining Your light on their many efforts. Forgive us as a nation for voting into government positions those who oppose and dishonor You and Your Word. And forgive us for allowing educators over the past 40 years to indoctrinate a generation of Americans with humanistic and unbiblical philosophies. Help us to reverse this. As Your Ekklesia on earth, we bind and forbid these efforts to indoctrinate and enslave our children. We boldly declare that they will fail, that the insanity of it will become clear. We ask You, Father, to cause millions of Americans to rise up and say “Enough!” Give wise strategies to those in government and legal professions. May they be given Your wisdom. And lastly, we ask You to move on hundreds of thousands of Americans to take action against this plan. We ask for all of this in the powerful name of Jesus. Our decree: We decree that the ungodly plans of the unrighteous will be exposed and will fail. ************************** Click on the link below to watch the full video. Much of today’s post was based on information obtained from Child and Parental Rights Campaign’s website (http://childparentrights.org/title-IX/) and used by permission. I encourage you to visit this website for more information, including how you can be involved. Ibid. Neal v. Bd. of Trs. of Cal. State Univs., 198 F.3d 763, 766 (9th Cir. 1999). 20 U.S.C. § 1681(a). North Haven Bod of Educ. V. Bell, 456 U.S. 512, 526-27 (1982). https://www.fns.usda.gov/news-item/usda-0100.22.

5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/august-22-2022 August 22, 2022 Don’t Take the Bait In Luke 17:1, Jesus tells us that offenses are inevitable; they WILL come. The Greek word for “offense” is skandalon. It is also translated as a “stumbling block,” a word or event which causes an individual to stumble or fall, figuratively speaking. This word is very fascinating. Skandalon literally means “a trap-stick.” (1) It was the trigger of a trap (usually made of wood) on which bait was placed; when the bait was taken by an animal, the trap was sprung. Skandalon is also the Greek word from which we get our English word, scandal. When we, like an unsuspecting animal, take certain types of bait, we are trapped and often find ourselves in a scandalous situation. It also became the word for an “offense.” An offense is a result of “taking the bait” when wronged. Thus the phrase “pick up an offense.” When we have been wronged or mistreated, the key to remaining free from bitterness and lasting pain is to not pick up the offense - don’t take the bait. Jesus told us very clearly that we WILL be baited - offenses WILL come. We must not pick them up - they are traps! The bait in an animal trap is food the creature finds appealing, something it desires to eat. How else could the trap actually be successful? Likewise, we pick up offenses because it is desirable and feels good to pick them up. When treated poorly or unfairly, stolen from, spoken to harshly, abused, or mistreated, it feels good to take the bait. We “deserve” to be angry, to feel resentful, to take up an offense. After all, they hurt us. But it’s a trap! Years ago, in a certain part of Africa, monkeys were trapped by placing a banana in a jar that was tied to a tree or stake. The opening of the jar was just large enough for the monkey’s hand to fit through it when open. However, when the hand was closed into a fist, it was too big to remove it. The monkey wanted the banana so badly it would not let go of it, and consequently could not remove its hand. It was now trapped. If you have picked up an offense, if you have taken the bait, let go of it. It’s the only way to be free. If you hold on to it, you will become a captive to the enemy and to the effects of the wound. This brings us to the subject of forgiveness. Jesus told us in Luke 6:37 to forgive, and we would be forgiven. In the prayer we call the Lord‘s Prayer, Jesus again instructed us to forgive our debtors, or “those who trespass against us.” The word “forgive” also means to release. “Release, and you will be released,” Luke 6:37 says. The key to being freed from the effects of being wronged - pain, fear, emotional walls, and more - is to release the person that hurt us. Let go of the banana. It may feel good to resent or hate the offending party, but it’s a trap. One of the biggest hindrances for people when trying to forgive is a wrong understanding of forgiveness itself. Most people link it with their feelings. But forgiveness is not a feeling or an emotion. It is a decision we make based on truth, just like love. Being angry at someone we love doesn’t mean we no longer love them. We may not “feel” the love currently - emotionally, we feel anger - but we still love the person. In the same way, forgiveness isn’t a feeling. We can make a genuine decision to forgive/release while still feeling anger, hurt, pain, etc. We do so as an action of our will, based on truth - God said to do it. And if we maintain our decision, it begins the process of releasing us from the pain and hurt. Another hindrance to forgiveness is failing to realize we are not declaring the offending person to be innocent. We are simply releasing them to God - He reserves the right to judge individuals. We are handing them over to Him, and He will do what is right. Still another hindrance is a belief that when we forgive, we must then have only pleasant thoughts or feelings toward the offender. There are people I have forgiven that I still do not trust or like as a person. They are mean and unkind. But I can choose to love and forgive even my enemies, releasing them to God, though they will never be my friends. When we pick up an offense, if not released, it will become a root of bitterness. The fruit it produces is also bitter: sickness, emotional disorders, anger, loss of joy, and a breach between us and God. It also spreads to others. Hebrews tells us the root of bitterness defiles many. “Looking diligently lest any man fails of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled” (Hebrews 12:15; KJV). The Greek word defiled is also the word for a stain on clothing. When we become bitter, we stain others with our bitterness. We’ve all seen entire families separated through bitterness. How tragic. Pray with me: Father, we thank You for modeling love and forgiveness. While we were still sinners, You sent Your Son to die for us. Jesus, You forgave those crucifying You. We want Your forgiving nature to control us. We want to walk in love. We ask for grace now to do so. As You taught us to do, we choose to forgive those who have hurt us. We release them. As we do so, we believe it will release a healing process in us. Wounds will heal, sickness will leave, and emotions will no longer control us. We desire to forgive and release so You can forgive us (Mark 11:25). And Lord, we know healed people heal people. Make us healers. Help us to spread healing love, not stain-causing bitterness. Heal our land of racial wounds, political division, and cultural divides. We want to see the accuser cast down in our nation. We bind spirits of division and strife, declaring their hold broken. We desire to be ambassadors and examples of your love and forgiveness toward others. Help us represent You well. We pray these things in Christ’s powerful name. Our decree: We decree that we will love and forgive as we have been loved and forgiven by God. ********************** Click on the link below to watch the full video. ______________________________ Spiros Zodhiates, Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible - New American Standard (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1984; revised edition, 1990) p 2274.

9 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/august-19-2022 August 19, 2022 Push Through the Curve and Come Out with Momentum Hello and welcome to Give Him 15. Today our GH15 is a little different. I have a bit of a surprise for you, a plan I feel God has given me. I’m always asking Him, “What are you saying to the Ekklesia, Your church today?” I’m talking to my prophetic friends, asking them, “What do you hear God saying?” And I know most of our listeners feel the same way. So I’m going to start bringing on people whom I feel have a strong prophetic gift and are tuned in for the nation and the church. I plan to have them share on every Friday’s Give Him 15, letting you hear from them. I’ll also be on, and we will dialogue, discussing what Holy Spirit is saying to us today. I’ll be asking them to share what they hear Holy Spirit is currently sharing with them. Today I have my friend Greg Hood, whom you have seen/heard before regarding some of the dreams we have shared with you. I have asked Greg to share with us here today. So, welcome, Greg - tell us what you’re hearing. Dr. Greg Hood: “Thank you, Dutch - it’s an honor to be with you today. I will share what I feel Holy Spirit is sharing with the church today. I believe we have been journeying with the Lord through the past several years, wondering, at times, what He is saying to us. When God speaks to us, what He says may not always be for that minute or that day, but it could be for down the road or even years later. But I’m hearing the Lord say that much of what we have heard for the past few years is beginning to sprout through the ground and bear fruit. For the church, we need to be in a place where we have our ear on the heart of God and listen like we haven’t listened before. God has brought us into a place of maturity, not to just withstand what lies ahead of us, and I think there are a lot of challenges lying ahead of us, but not anything that we can’t overcome. However, we must be careful. I used to go to an old butcher store as a young boy and watch the butcher trim the fat off the beef. I think that’s what God has been doing in us for the past few years, trimming the fat and getting us into a place where we are not serving Him for comfort, but for the breakthrough. The Kingdom of God is coming in a way that we’ve not seen before, and God is giving us opportunities to take ground like we’ve not done before.” Greg continues: “I believe the church is coming out of boot camp and training. We’ve had a number of great books written in past years. God has given us great teachers, programs, and Bible colleges have sprung up to get us equipped in our Christian beliefs. Now we need to get out of the bootcamp mindset and into battlefield mode and mindset. The Lord is bringing us into a place of harvest - traditionally, we think of this as people receiving Christ, getting saved. But I feel harvest isn’t only for individuals but also regions, nations, and governments. God is bringing culture back into the hands of the church. The Ekklesia has grown to a place where we can actually make a difference spiritually and culturally. “Dutch, I’ve heard you teach regarding the Jesus movement of the 60s/70s and what happened during the Charismatic Movement - it’s so clear that we missed it during that season. But I believe we won’t miss it this time - we are ahead of the game and are ahead of the curve. The pressure is still there, but the church has to get used to being in a place of pressure. Through different churches and teachings, we have been used to living a life of ease, even compromise - living a life of a “it’s all about me/us” mentality. Some people go to church just to help them over a hump. But that’s changed. If you need a pat on the back and help over the humps, you may be disappointed over the next several years. We are headed into a place where there are going to be a lot of humps. But the church has emerged into a place of being able to carry the weight of God without buckling the knee. “Pressure is important. I like to ride motorcycles. When you come to a curve, you want to put on the brakes. However, the pressure and acceleration you give the motorcycle help you get through the curve. As the church/Ekklesia, we are in a place where we are in that curve, pressure is there - cultural, political, and ideological pressure - we are coming to a place where the world is telling us we need to put on the brakes. But we can’t do that, we need to accelerate and use the momentum the curve gives us to propel us to the other side. Once we come through these tight places, there’s an acceleration that God gives us from the momentum, and we’re going to see a rapid harvest. People will come into the Kingdom like never before. “But I also sense the greatest barrier, even the largest obstacle, will be the religious spirit (not people, but principalities). If we aren’t careful, we will find ourselves on the wrong side of awakening and revival. We must make sure the judgmental mindset is gone from us and from what God wants to do. Many of us are holding on to things that can be great hindrances, keeping us from God’s plan. We must especially be careful our doctrine lines up with God’s Word. I think God is asking us to meet with Him personally, individually, and corporately to deal with our doctrines. I relate them to the precious pigs that the Gadarene was raising. When Jesus showed up on the shore and cast the demons out of the man, they went into the pigs. The pigs didn’t want to live with the demons, so they ran off the cliff. God wants to run some of our previous pigs off the cliff. God is looking for oneness in the body of Christ that will release the power of God in this hour. Greg continues: “During the next few months - even as we walk through the upcoming elections - we must be careful as we look at the candidates - looking at their character and lifestyle. We may need to be reminded that God used Pharoah, Cyrus, Hezekiah - many others who were not the ideal candidates, but He used them. We are there. We are asking Holy Spirit what Father is saying - what is He wanting today. The answer may surprise us and take us backward if we are steeped in a religious ideology that makes us more heavenly-minded than earthly-good. I see that shift coming and God bringing us into a place where we hear Him clearly. Dutch then shares: “I came from a stream in the body of Christ that was very legalistic and dogmatic regarding what they believed. There are other denominations with doctrines causing them to isolate themselves from others if they didn’t believe a certain way. I’m not referring to basic beliefs such as being saved through grace by the blood of Christ, but other doctrines and beliefs. Years ago, the denomination I was with was so entrenched and controlling that we couldn’t watch tv, and women couldn’t cut their hair. It was a belief system we had built because of teachings from leaders whom we trusted. When I came into the Jesus Movement and people were being saved and walking out their salvation, I realized they didn’t believe things I had been taught. They didn’t believe things I had been taught were sinful, and it was a shock to me. I remember later in my walk with God, I was crying out for revival, and Holy Spirit spoke very clearly, “What are you going to do if I come riding on a donkey? I thought, that’s a strange question - but I knew immediately what He was saying. The Jews thought the Messiah was going to come a certain way, and they rejected Him. They thought He was coming as an earthly king, overthrowing the Roman government and taking over. When He did not do that, they rejected Him because of their traditions and beliefs. Jesus was asking me, “Are you willing to throw out some of your beliefs or expectations when I don’t do it the way you think I should, even when, or through whom? And if they don’t believe exactly the way you do, and they may be wrong in some of their beliefs, and I use them anyway, are you going to be okay with that? In other words, are you going to let Me be in charge and do this the way I want?” I believe that is what you are saying, Greg. We are all going to have to be very flexible and make adjustments. And I think we are moving quickly toward this. “Greg, I’d love for you to comment. The other day I felt the Lord say there are several more strategic adjustments He is going to do this year, but in 2023, we will move into a completely new level of harvest, and the awakening will be strengthened. I feel it will be a huge shift. I know God doesn't necessarily go by our calendar - I’m just looking ahead to what I see in the near future. I also feel that for the rest of this year, more shifts are coming, but next year, things will shift even more toward harvest. Greg, what do you see?” Greg shares: “I see it very clearly, Dutch. We are in a very strategic time as a church. We are in that curve, ready to propel us. Here are a couple of things we need to pay attention to within ourselves, and if we miss some things, it won’t be because God failed, it will be because the church has not been able to make the necessary adjustments that need to happen. “God is not obligated to manifest Himself in a structure that He has not organized or created for His manifestation. He is not obligated to manifest Himself in revival and awakening in our religious structures. He works with us, yes, but He’s always moving us toward change. I think it’s very important to pay attention to where we are right now. As we look toward the upcoming revival and awakening, we must step out of things that are trying/challenging to us. We must allow Holy Spirit to deal with what we are hanging onto as crutches, doctrine, and hindrances. During the next few months, I sense great exposure of false doctrines. There will be an opportunity to change those things and get back on track. God is going to deal with and give opportunity for this across the board - to all believers in all denominations. And as I am saying this, I am seeing a vision over the church and many question marks popping up everywhere. There have to be people qualified to answer these questions and able to say, ‘This is wrong,’ or ‘this is right’ and proven biblically. To get us through this year, God is dealing with us in order that we are positioned well enough to handle the upcoming great outpouring. “So my challenge to you is to go in your prayer closet and ask God, “Why do I believe what I believe, what doctrines and beliefs have I held onto that are not right and don’t line up with Your Word? Give me the grace and boldness to change them.” We are coming to the place where we may have to make choices to follow Christ, even if our friends and family disagree with our decisions. We are in the time of mega decisions, stepping into this with the boldness and power of Holy Spirit, in order to push through the curve and come out with a momentum that brings awakening and revival.” Dutch then shares: “That’s a good place to segway into the prayer. Why don’t you mention that I’ll be with you this upcoming weekend? From Greg: “We are doing a service together this upcoming weekend (August 20, 2022) in the greater Nashville area. You can find out more information from my website: GregHood.org. It’s free but we ask that you register because the seating is limited. It will also be available online for a small fee. “My desire is to bring the Ekklesia into a greater alignment in this region for awakening. I believe the greater Nashville area is primed for this and will be a first fruits for the nation for awakening and revival - we have a great expectancy for this gathering.” Greg then prays: “Father, we thank You today for Your presence and for what You are doing in America. We also thank You for what You’re doing in the church. Father, we ask that today You would bend us, bring us into a place that You have created us to function and flow from. We know that we are not where we need to be for the path You have before us, but we ask that You break those things off us, mentally and spiritually, we have tied ourselves to, that have hindered Your Ekklesia from being whom You’ve called us to be. Father, we know we have made great strides within the past few years. Help us to navigate and accelerate in this curve of change You have us in that will propel us in America’s awakening and revival. I thank You that everyone who is participating in the GH15 with us today is going to see themselves locked into the body of Christ like You called them to be. We give You glory and honor today for what You’re doing in and through us in America and around the world.” Dutch closes: “Greg, I agree with that prayer and know all of those joining us today are, as well. “Thank you for joining us today, Greg. We also thank YOU for joining us today. I will see you all on Monday!” ************************ Click on the link below to watch the full video.

6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/august-17-2022 August 17, 2022 Embrace the Prophetic Gift I am very grateful for the prophetic anointing Jesus gave us in the church. He places His prophetic gifts - which would include prophecy, dreams, visions, discernment, the ability to discern His timing, and more - alongside the apostolic (1 Corinthians 12:28). If we are to effectively represent Christ in His work on earth and follow the leading of Holy Spirit, we must operate in this prophetic anointing. As with all of Christ’s gifts to the church, these manifestations must function in harmony with His Word. But, they must first function! First Corinthians 14:40, the great chapter that gives us guidelines for prophecy and the gifts of the Spirit, says, “Let all things be done decently and in order.” Amen. Yet, I heard a wise man once say, “Before the words ‘decently and in order,’ the verse says, ‘Let all things be done!’” Amen again! Anytime God “speaks” to us, it falls under the realm of the prophetic gifting. Whether it be a thought He plants in our mind (“the still small voice,” as some call this), a Scripture that comes alive, a prompting or urging to do something, spontaneous thoughts or revelation that come forth from a teacher or preacher, discernment, dreams, visions, words of knowledge, or full-on prophecy; this is all part of the prophetic anointing and gifting. Millions of Christians experience these benefits regularly without thinking of them as being prophetic, but they are. I am grateful that Holy Spirit has done such a wonderful job of restoring this gift to the church. It’s almost impossible to be in a prayer meeting nowadays and not hear someone say, “I feel led to pray about…” or “The Lord just led me to this Scripture…” and so on. These are just another way of saying “God just spoke to me,” and it is wonderful. The prophetic anointing of Jesus, through Holy Spirit, has indeed been restored to the church. Interpreting what Holy Spirit gives us requires caution and diligence. As I said, we start with the Scriptures, making certain that what we believe we have heard lines up with the principles of God‘s Word. This cannot always be discerned from a direct statement God made in the Bible, such as Paul’s dream in which he heard, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” (Acts 16:9) In cases such as this, we judge the prophetic impartation based on whether or not it lines up with the principles and ways of God found in Scripture. We also judge it through the discernment and wisdom of other mature people. This is why we are told a prophet must allow other prophets to judge the words he or she releases (1 Corinthians 14:29; 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21). Understanding and judging prophecy can take time. This can be because God is giving us a word now that is actually for some time in the future, as He often did in Scripture (Abraham, for example). Also, I have discovered that for me, God often gives me words or dreams that require prayer and Biblical study in order to fully understand them. This processing typically brings me further insight and understanding of the subject, and seasons it with wisdom. Most dreams sent to me are more along these lines - an invitation to study a subject in order to hear Holy Spirit, rather than a simple, direct statement. If it is a very significant dream (or prophecy), He often gives me understanding of it in phases, based on the timing of the word. In short, I often have to ponder a word from the Lord over time, just as Mary had to do (see Luke 2:19). The difficulty and challenge of interpreting prophetic direction can be seen in the 2020 elections. First of all, I did NOT need a word from the Lord telling me who He would prefer to be America’s president. The principles of Scripture were enough. Trump’s policies and agenda lined up more with Scripture. His choices of Supreme Court Justices and stance on abortion alone were adequate for me. God does not want a President in America who favors the killing of babies in the womb. (It was Trump’s appointments of Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett that led to the overturning of Roe. Fifty years of prayers were answered, and a national curse over America was broken, in part because of the decisions of our previous president. Now, the Biden administration is the most pro-abortion administration we’ve ever had.) It wasn’t only this issue, however. Generally speaking, Trump’s policies are more in line with what I believe the Bible teaches than are Biden’s. I said over and over in the GH15 posts and the prayer gatherings I led in 2020, that the election was not about a person or a political party, that I was not warring spiritually for Donald Trump. I was warring for the ways and purposes of God to be established in our nation. Those praying and decreeing alongside me said the same thing. Most people in America now realize the devastation of that election’s outcome. When the controversy came regarding the election, other leaders and I felt the righteous causes at stake were worth warring for in prayer. I believed then (and still believe) that many of the words and dreams released during that season were saying it was possible to turn things around…that if enough of the church prayed, and enough government officials would make a stand, corruption could be reversed. When asked, however, if the dreams and words were a guarantee that Trump would be president again in 2021, my answer was consistent, “No, they absolutely do not mean this is guaranteed.” I actually met with and told a person very high up in the President’s circle the same thing. The words and dreams were all conditional, as they typically are. When the election was not reversed by January 21, I realized the prayer strategy for America would have to change. I felt God was saying He would use the prayers we prayed for our nation in other ways. The primary ways I felt He would use them was in exposing the evil that exists in the American government, and waking up the American people, including the church. This was confirmed to me by several prophets whom I trust. And has this ever occurred..! There are current prophetic voices, and some secular voices, as well, that believe Trump will be placed back in the presidency before 2024. I am not one who believes this. I believe God has chosen to use this season in other ways, primarily to awaken the American people and clean up our nation. The lesson, however, regarding our complacency and lack of discernment in 2020 has become very costly and will get worse. The good news: we are waking up, evil is being exposed, and America shall be saved. Pray with me: Father, we thank You for allowing us to hear and know Your voice. We thank You, Jesus, for the gifts You gave to the church. And we thank You, Holy Spirit for releasing and administering those gifts. Thank You for revelation, prophecy, words of knowledge, dreams, visions, discernment, and the other ways You communicate with us. Remind us to listen and teach us to hear more clearly and accurately. Father, You have spoken to trusted leaders that You are exposing the corruption in our government and delivering us from their control. We continue to ask for this. Your kingdom come, Your will be done in our national government! We bind the demonic influence there and declare that they are forbidden to continue their rule over us. We say with our Founders: we have no king but Jesus! We invite His rule and reign into our land, along with the pouring out of His Spirit, to save millions of Americans. We also pray for the nations of the earth to receive Your hand of blessing, provision, and salvation. Expose idols, evil leaders, and iniquitous systems. Free people and nations from the strongholds of darkness. We ask for laborers, money, and resources in order to reach the nations with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We love You, Father. We love You, Jesus. And we love You, Holy Spirit. Amen. Our decree: We decree that we have ears to hear what Holy Spirit is saying to the church! ******************* Click on the link below to watch the full video. (By the way, I believe Holy Spirit has planted an idea in my heart to bring trusted prophetic prophetic voices on the posts every Friday in order to share with you what God is saying to the church. I know you’ll enjoy these, and it will help all of us grow in our ability to hear what Holy Spirit is saying to us today.)

8 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/august-18-2022 August 18, 2022 A Combat Veteran’s Perspective on Afghanistan As you probably know, this month marks the one-year anniversary of America’s debacle in Afghanistan. Shortly after all U.S. troops had been removed, I read to you the perspective of an American soldier who served there. Given the fact that his comments regarding China and Russia are proving to be so accurate, I thought it would be good to hear his thoughts again, this time from his own mouth. He is here with me in the studio and immediately following this introduction, will take my seat for today’s post: William Ostan is a retired Army Major and the recipient of two bronze stars. He is the founder and CEO of Arc of Justice, a nonprofit organization that advocates for wounded warriors. Will is the co-author of the Wounded Warrior Bill of Rights, which is bipartisan legislation being considered in Congress. And he is also the man who introduced me to the Appeal To Heaven flag and its meaning. Will bleeds the red, white, and blue, just as I do. We have provided a link at the end of today’s post where you can learn more about his non-profit organization, Arc of Justice. We also strongly encourage you to ask Holy Spirit if He would have you support Will’s efforts. As an attorney, he donates tens of thousands of dollars worth of legal representation for wounded warriors as he serves them pro-bono. Ceci and I proudly support Will and his amazing family. ********************* “One of the greatest honors in my life was to serve alongside Navy SEALs and Army Green Berets as part of a Special Operations Task Force based out of Kandahar, Afghanistan. We took the fight to the enemy for several months in 2012 and 2013. Some of my brothers and sisters were killed in action or severely injured. I also paid a personal price from this deployment by being exposed to an environmental toxin that led to a debilitating auto-immune illness which forced me into a premature and unjust medical separation process. “Because of the sacrifices I experienced first-hand, the unfolding events regarding the Afghanistan pull-out from the past several weeks have been gut-wrenching to behold. As a combat veteran, watching the images of American citizens and our Afghan allies being callously left behind has been emotionally devastating and infuriating. After taking a few weeks to ponder and process the end of 20 years of combat operations, below are my thoughts. Before I share them in full, however, there are two brief prefaces which are important to provide context: “First, I hold no animus in my heart toward President Biden. While I disagree with a vast majority of his policies and decisions, I never make ad hominem attacks against a President. I always seek to default toward honor due to his position of authority.[i] My aim is to posture my heart along the same lines as David did with King Saul. Also, whether I like a president’s policies or not, I’m commanded to pray for him according to the Apostle Paul’s instructions in 1 Timothy 2:1-4.[ii] “Secondly, we live in an age of exaggeration where the 24/7 news cycle bombards our brains with non-stop exclamations that our leaders’ respective actions were either the greatest or worst in history. Hyperbole is commonplace and desensitizes us to truly extraordinary moments. “With the above framework in mind, the following conclusory statement is not written from a place of misplaced anger or thoughtless misrepresentation: “I believe President Biden’s disordered withdrawal from Afghanistan will go down in history as one of the most tragic failures of leadership ever committed by an American President. “In my opinion, his pathetic and senseless decisions were criminal acts of gross negligence at best and manslaughter at worst. If the reports about giving the information about American citizens to the Taliban are true, which they seem to be, then treason was committed on his watch. Some may call this a harsh judgment, but I believe President Biden’s appeasement and acquiescence in the face of the enemy will constitute one of the greatest acts of treachery against the American citizenry in the history of our great nation. “This verdict will stand the test of time due to the following 4 reasons: 1) “President Biden dishonored the many sacrifices made by every combat veteran who set foot in Afghanistan. He completely disregarded the memory of those killed in action, who Lincoln said, ‘gave the last full measure of devotion.’ “I’ll never forget the memorial services at Kandahar Airfield. During a combat deployment, whenever a warrior is killed in action, a ‘ramp ceremony’ is held, no matter the time of day or night that the death occurs. When the call goes out across the base, everyone drops whatever they’re doing and attends the service, even if they haven’t slept in days and it is zero dark thirty.[iii] We celebrate that warrior’s life and salute the coffin as it’s conveyed up the ramp into the C-130 aircraft for the deceased’s final flight.[iv] It is an act of remembrance, full of honor. “President Biden’s single cowardly act dishonored each one of the 2,461 ramp ceremonies that have taken place in Afghanistan since 2001.[v] 2) “He violated the military’s longstanding promise to ‘never leave a fallen comrade.’ This is a very simple but powerful tenet of the Army's Warrior Ethos.[vi] When American citizens are in harm’s way around the world, the military should be the last to leave, not the first. This is why the United States Marines bravely guard our International Embassies. After sending all civilians to safety, their boots are the last thing to touch the ground during a perilous evacuation. That’s not what happened here. The President left thousands of American citizens behind, all of them in imminent danger of being tortured or killed by enemy forces. 3) “He committed an unforgettable breach of faith with our NATO and Afghan allies. One Afghan Air Force Captain who piloted C-208 airplanes recently spoke to a New York Times reporter from a safehouse in Kabul and said, “I stood shoulder to shoulder with my American allies for five years – but now they have forgotten us.”[vii]The immediate consequence is a significant loss of trust in the international community. This will have inestimable negative repercussions for the wars to come. Potential future allies will not forget the abysmal end to a 20-year war. 4) President Biden’s decisions destabilized a dangerous geographic region and emboldened the enemies of freedom around the world. A worse attack than September 11th is now possible, if not probable. The Taliban became more powerful on 9-11-21 than they were on 9-11-01. Furthermore, a much greater threat is that China, Russia, and Iran are newly baptized with confidence. God forbid, if a World War III scenario ever unfolds, these countries now believe they can win. In their minds, America is weaker than ever before, as Ronald Reagan’s ‘peace through strength’ is no longer a guiding principle. So, where is hope to be found after this unmitigated disaster? This may sound strange, but I do find hope, in spite of President Biden’s failures. Nature teaches that it’s always darkest before the dawn. The end of the book of Daniel provides a blueprint for us by showing that amidst overwhelmingly difficult circumstances, “the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.”[1]Army Special Forces saying includes a directive that all Green Berets are charged to wade into uncertainty and prevail. My friends, this epitomizes our spiritual DNA. We are overcomers and were born for battle. Let us never quit until we have, like King David of old, “fulfilled the purposes of God in his generation.”[2] Pray with me: Heavenly Father - You have seen every single sacrifice in war-torn Afghanistan. Every man. Every woman. Every child. Every casualty over the last 20 years. Not one moment in battle has escaped Your attention. Please comfort the families of those who lost loved ones, and heal the wounds of the warriors who experienced them. May we all resist bitterness toward those who have acted disgracefully. We leave the bringing of justice to You. Lord, please bring every American and ally home safely. We ask that You restore the fractured places in our military community, heal every broken heart, and bring restoration to the land of Afghanistan, as only You can. We know You are saving thousands of Afghans, revealing Christ to them. Please cause this to continue and intensify. Let Afghanistan become a land of revival! We ask for hundreds of millions of Muslims to be born again there and elsewhere. Pour Your love out on them. And we thank You for America’s revival and awakening. Restore us to Your purposes and the true greatness of servitude. Make us a loud and clear trumpet of the gospel of the Kingdom. Use us greatly for the harvest of the ages! We ask all of this in Christ’s name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that the lives of our American warriors and Afghan allies were not lost in vain. There will be a renewal of honor in our military. ***************************** Bio: William J. Ostan is a retired Army Major and the recipient of two bronze stars. He is the founder and CEO of Arc of Justice, a nonprofit organization that advocates for wounded warriors. Will is the co-author of the Wounded Warrior Bill of Rights, which is bipartisan legislation being considered in Congress. You can find out more about his story and even donate to this non-profit at www.arcofjusticeusa.org Click on the link below to watch the full video. [1] Daniel 11:32 ESV [2] Acts 13:36 ESV [i] Millions of American citizens believe that Biden is not a true President because he gained the position fraudulently. However, in the context of this devotional, I’m not here to relitigate that point since Biden has been formally installed as the President and is making daily decisions with the full weight and authority of that office. [ii] 1 Timothy 2:1-4. I pray regularly for President Biden as I did for Trump, Obama, and Bush. Every American Christian should be doing the same. It is possible to criticize and advocate against a leader’s policies in the public square while still praying for the leader. This can be a difficult needle to thread, but it is what we are commanded by God’s Word to do. The Holy Spirit will empower us to obey this command with excellence like Daniel did in Babylon. [iii] This is the military colloquialism for 30 minutes past midnight. The special operations community say they “own the night” due to their superior night-vision technology and training. Most capture/kill missions occur after the sun goes down. [iv] The bodies of all deceased warriors go through a solemn intake process full of honor at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. [v] https://www.defense.gov/casualty.pdf These numbers reflect the fallen from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel as of 10 a.m. EST on November 8th, 2021. [vi] The United States Army’s Warrior Ethos states, “I will always place the mission first, I will never accept defeat, I will never quit, and I will never leave a fallen comrade.” The Army has worked to instill the Warrior Ethos in all its Soldiers by the way they train, live, and fight. To have the Commander-In-Chief violate one of the sacred tenets of this ethos is shocking. Technically no fallen Servicemembers were left behind, but he did abandon American citizens whom the military’s job is to protect so I think the Warrior Ethos is applicable since left behind civilians are in danger of torture and/or execution by the Taliban, ISIS, or other terrorist elements. [vii]https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/07/world/asia/afghan-pilots-taliban-us.html?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=EBB%2011.08.2021&utm_term=Editorial%20-%20Military%20-%20Early%20Bird%20Brief Accessed on November 8th, 2021.

7 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/august-16-2022 August 16, 2022 Moving Upward In today’s post, I want to encourage you. When looking up the meaning of “encourage”, I found some interesting facts. One of the meanings of the prefix “en” is to cause (a person or thing) to be in or within the place, condition, or state named by the primary word. To encourage, therefore, is to put someone into a state of courage. Allow Holy Spirit to place you into a state or condition of courage today. I’m going to share with you a word released a year ago by my brother, Tim Sheets, which I recently rediscovered. It is as timely today as it was then. Tim said: ***************** “One of the primary strategies of satan is to wear down the saints. The kingdom of darkness wants us to become so overcome with exhaustion and discouragement that we back off. He wants us to be occupied with worry and fear. He also desires for us to be so tired that we won’t pursue what God has put in our hearts. “Daniel 7:25 (NASB) tells us, ‘And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Highest One…’ The two words ‘wear out’ is one Hebrew word, bela, which means a ‘mental or emotional attack’.(1) This references attacks against our soul, which is our mind, will, and emotions. It isn’t a physical weariness. The oppression of the soul is a compressed, squeezing feeling, even a feeling of constantly being overwhelmed. The picture in the Hebrew language is that of a snake that wraps itself around its prey and squeezes until there is no longer breath. The enemy’s agenda is to put the squeeze on the saints until we are mentally and emotionally exhausted. “Hell’s plan is to wear us out until we throw up our hands in utter frustration and walk away in a shroud of hopelessness. Darkness fueled by wokeism and liberalism, fired by hell, is resulting in unrest, despair, fear, and worry. “This is a clear tactic of hell in our times. The division, lies, deception, and constant turmoil in our nation can produce a feeling of hopelessness. If we are not careful, this can cause us to wonder if things will ever change. “The Ekklesia must confront the lies with truth. Sometimes the battles are long, but that doesn’t mean we can’t win them. Jesus said, (John 16:33, NKJV) ‘In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world!’ “We are to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. By placing our eyes on Jesus and giving Him our heavy burdens, life’s journey will be met with much less exhaustion and much more joy. “My daughter, Rachel Shafer, shares an important truth in her book, Expect God. She writes: “‘Several years ago, our youngest daughter Lily had major surgery. It was almost 12 hours long, extremely complicated, and included a long recovery time. We were a couple of weeks into this recovery process and trying to adjust to all that was happening, when in a moment of weakness, I said to God, “I feel like my life is spiraling out of control,” to which He replied, “Look up the word spiral.”’ “‘The meaning of spiral includes the advancement to higher levels through a series of circular movements. I was very intrigued by this definition. When I made the statement that I felt my life was spiraling out of control, I was thinking of spiraling downward, but that’s not what it actually means. I began to study more and came across this quote by Frances E. Willard: “This seems to be the law of progress in everything we do; it moves along a spiral rather than perpendicular; we seem to be actually going out of the way, and yet it turns out that we were really moving upward all the time.”’ “‘When I read this quote, the words leaped off the page! At times I may feel life is crazy, out of control, and going in the wrong directions, but His Word tells us that He works ALL for our good (Romans 8:28). All means all!’ “‘I realized that by looking upwards and keeping my gaze on Him, I was also moving up. I was going to higher levels in my walk with Him. I was accessing greater trust, stronger faith, and had an expectant heart that He was going to fulfill His promises.’ “‘So while I felt I was in a downward spiral, after studying the Word, my perspective changed. I realized that yes, I was spiraling, but I was spiraling to higher levels. I was looking up and moving up. I was learning to press into the waiting. God met me in my darkest pain and taught me to hope again. God can take even the bad things and, in the proper season, turn them around and use them for good in the way He intends.’(2) (Rachel ends) Tim continues, “God desires for us not to live in an atmosphere of weariness and frustration, but instead, an atmosphere of hope. We need to confront the appalling, dark atmosphere by binding it in the name of Jesus (Mark 3:27). We must refuse to live under a cloud of confusion, fear, hopelessness, and despair. “We are not to be distracted, but wholly fix our eyes upon Jesus. His eyes are like flames of fire (Revelation 1:14). He is offering us an invitation to encounter Him in deeper ways - more than we ever have. We are being invited into the deepest parts of His heart, His ways, and His plans for us. He desires for His kingdom and government to be established on the earth like never before. “Holy Spirit has not been preparing us to lose. Like Daniel, we must pray until Holy Spirit comes with angel armies and begins to dethrone princes (Daniel 10:10-21). We decree that the time of our confinement is up. It’s time for breakthrough, and for King Jesus and His everlasting Kingdom to see the powers of darkness bow to Him. “We are people who refuse to have our hearts dampened by the world’s darkness. We can live in a life of God’s overcoming victory because hope from above has been provided for us. Victory after victory is our right, and there is no need to live below that privilege. “We need to show the world there exists an Ekklesia that lives in a different realm. One that looks at the tactics of hell, the world, oppressive governments, and darkness, but chooses to say, ‘None of that moves us.’ “I want to encourage you with this thought, ‘You can win. Your life and your future will turn for good.’ It’s time to go on the offense, use your authority, and press into the presence of God. God’s presence is greater than the attack of our adversary. “Your tomorrows are going to be better than your yesterdays. Your future will be far better than your past. The God you served yesterday is still God today, and He’s God of tomorrow.” ********************* Pray with me: Lord, we love You and give thanks for the strength You’ve given us. Together, we come against the oppressive attack of hell that is directed at us and our nation. We come against darkness and discouragement that have dared to oppress to wear out Your saints. Greater One, we ask that You rise up within Your Ekklesia today. We exercise and release the authority of Your kingdom into the atmosphere. Let great liberty and freedom come, in Jesus’ name. In You we live, move, and have our being. No weapon or oppression formed against us will prosper. We tap into a different realm, heaven’s realm, and put the enemy under our feet. Lord, we thank You that the enemy does not have any authority over us. Lord Jesus, we thank You that with the tools You have given us, we can forbid the adversary’s dark tactics to affect our souls. We choose to live in the atmosphere of Your kingdom - the place where there is peace, hope, joy, faith, confidence, and love. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen. Our decree: My life is not spiraling out of control. I’m spiraling upward into God’s presence, connected with Him. ********************** Today’s post was contributed by my brother, Tim Sheets and Tim’s daughter Rachel Shafer. You can learn more about Tim Sheets at www.TimSheets.org You can learn more about Rachel Shafer and find her book at www.rachelshafer.com Click on the link below to watch the full video. _____________________________ 1. Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, ref. no. 1080. 2. Rachel Shafer, Expect God (Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image, 2019), pp. 85-86.

6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/august-16-2022 August 16, 2022 Protect Your Neighborhood While my passion is to generate prayer for America, revival and worldwide harvest, it is good for all of us to be reminded of the home front. If we’re not watchmen for our homes, neighborhoods, and cities, what we pray regarding our nation/s won’t matter. Our dear friend and best selling author, Quin Sherrer, gives us great insights on this. ********************* “Have you considered ‘prayer walking’ through your neighborhood? “For years my friend Mary took to heart Jesus' command to ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ (see Mark 12:31) by continually praying over her neighborhood when she walked. In fact, she did this for years. “Walking her streets, she made a habit of proclaiming: “‘Lord, we invite the King of Glory to come in. Come forth and bring Your glory into this neighborhood. Release your blessings to the families here. Protect them from harm. Let them know You and Your love for them. Accomplish Your will through their lives.’ “One of her neighborhood’s most successful events was called ‘Meet You at the Corner.’ The neighbors gathered on a Saturday morning before Easter for a short service, declaring. ‘He is alive!’ They shared refreshments and fellowship. The children came along with their parents.1 “I was not always aware of my need to pray for my neighborhood or city until my husband’s company moved us to what I thought was the far side of nowhere—with blizzards in winter and sandstorms in spring. He was only home to help me with our toddlers on weekends. Then a neighbor informed me that a very disturbed teenager lived across the street. He had shot through our house when the former occupants lived here. They left the dining room curtains with the bullet hole in them, proving it was a true story. I better watch my toddlers closely, I thought. I felt we were living in exile. “Then God pulled me out of my ‘pity party’ with one Scripture: ‘Seek peace and well-being for the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its peace (well-being) you will have peace.’ (Jeremiah 29:7 AMP) “And that’s what I did as long as we lived there—praying for peace, well-being, protection, and salvation for neighbors. Whenever the weather was decent, I took the children walking as I prayed. Believe me, I developed a new depth of prayer and spiritual warfare. Finally, my husband’s job took us back to my home state. “In their book Prayerwalking, Steve Hawthorne and Graham Kendrick explain, ‘Prayer walking is on-site prayer—simply praying in the very places where you expect your prayers to be answered.’ They continue: “‘Walking helps sensitize you to the realities of your community. Sounds, sights, and smells, far from distracting your prayer, engage both body and mind in the art of praying. Better perception means boosted intercession. “‘Walking also connects Christians with their own neighborhoods. By regularly passing through the streets of their cities, walkers can present easygoing accessibility to neighbors. Walking seems to create opportunities to help or to pray for new friends on the spot, right at the times of great need.’2 “John Dawson, the author of Taking Our Cities for God, writes: “‘Have you ever thought about the battle for your immediate neighborhood? ...Several years ago, my staff and I went on a prayer walk around our neighborhood. We stood in front of every house, rebuked satan's work in Jesus’ name, and prayed for a revelation of Jesus in the life of each family. We are still praying…At this writing, there are at least nine Christian families in the block where I live, and there is a definite sense of the Lord’s peace.’3 When I had three young grandchildren living near me, I often pulled them in a red wagon through the three-block area in our neighborhood on our ‘prayerwalk.’ My goal was similar to one I had prayed when my own children were young--for the protection of our neighborhood, for God's peace on our neighbors, and for them to come to know Jesus personally. “As we bumped down the street, I prayed aloud, then we sang. If the neighbors sitting in their yards greeted us, we sometimes stopped to talk. They liked to hear the songs the little ones sang--even off key --and sometimes they commented on the gospel tunes. Then one day a neighbor we didn’t even know knocked on our door to ask for spiritual help—she’d been told we were Christians. “Once after the police arrested some gang members just down the street from us, I realized more than ever the need to pray for protection over our neighborhood. But as I taught the grandkids to pray for peace and protection, I did it without instilling fear, hoping they’d become alert to pray for their own neighborhoods later in their lives. “In my neighborhood today, many of our senior-aged neighbors seem to arrive at the common mailbox around the same time—right after the mailman has made his delivery. Neighbors often share news about family activities or concerns with one another. In such a situation, an alert intercessor can take the opportunity to pray then and there for individuals if they are willing. Or they can pray for that concern later during a prayer time at home. “In light of recent violence in cities, some streets present risks. So, many intercessors now use ‘drive-by prayer’ instead of walking. I know women who gather in cars and drive to pray at their children’s schools or their husband’s workplaces. “The other day two friends and I went beyond our neighborhood, driving and praying around our town. We had a city map and a printout of our community’s history, so we could stop at various strategic places. Then we drove by and/or parked at specific churches, schools, businesses, city offices, banks - wherever we felt the Lord impressed us to pray. “Experienced intercessors offer this advice: 1. Prepare your heart with the Lord. Is it free of judgment? 2. Evaluate the neighborhood and streets by knowing its history or layout. 3. Don't take on too much territory at once. 4. Choose only a few families to pray for during your devotional time. 5. Ask God for His purpose and vision for your prayer walk. 6. Memorize Scriptures to speak aloud, declaring God's love for your neighbors. 7. When you prayer walk, ask Holy Spirit to reveal evil spirits needing to be bound in that area. Then ask God to open blinded eyes so that people can turn from darkness to light and receive forgiveness through Jesus. (see Acts 26:18 NKJV) 8. Give God thanks for your city and neighbors, standing with them in repentance, crying out for mercy, and extending God's blessings on them. 4 “Scripture tells us that when believers pray on earth, we instigate activity in the heavens. Let’s ask God what He wants as our specific prayer assignment for our neighborhood and/or community. And then let’s be faithful to make a commitment. “Here are some Scriptures that challenge and encourage us to pray as we walk or drive over our area: ‘And I sought a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.’ (Ezekiel 22:30 AMP) ‘I have set watchmen upon your walls, O Jerusalem, who will never hold their peace day or night; you who [are His servants and by your prayers] put the Lord in remembrance [of His promises], keep not silence, And give Him no rest until He establishes Jerusalem and makes her a praise in the earth.’ (Isaiah 62: 6-7 AMPC) 'Pray for one another…the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.’ (James 5:16 NKJV). 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Mark 12: 31)” *************** Thank you, Quin, for sharing these thoughts with us. They provide us with tools so we can prayer walk (or drive) effectively. Pray with me: Lord, help us reach out to our neighbors. We desire to be Good Samaritans in bringing them to You. Whether they are next door, at the grocery store, workplace, or wherever our paths cross; help us to be Your hands extended. Bless our neighbors today. We ask You for their salvation, and pray for their protection. Keep them from violent attacks and crimes. Protect marriages, incomes, and health. We ask that You assign angels to watch over our neighborhoods. And give us opportunities to minister to our neighbors. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen. Our decree: We decree Isaiah 32:18 over our homes and neighborhoods: “My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.” *********************** Portions of today’s post were shared by our friend, Quin Sherrer. You can find out more about Quin here. Click on the link below to watch the full video. ______________________________________ 1. Quin Sherrer and Ruthanne Garlock, A Woman’s Guide to Spirit-Filled Living, (Ann Arbor, Michigan: Servant Publication, 1996), pp. 228-229. 2. Steve Hawthorne and Graham Kendrick, Prayerwalking, (Orlando, FL.: Creation House, 1993), pp. 15- 17. 3. John Dawson, Taking Our Cities for God: How to Break Spiritual Strongholds, (Lake Mary, FL.: Charisma House,2001), pp.10-11. 4. Hawthorne and Kendrick. Ibid. 126-130

7 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/august-15-2022 August 15, 2022 Over the past couple of years, we have shared hundreds of Give Him 15 posts. They have come from God’s mandate to equip the Ekklesia so we can pray for America more effectively. From time to time, we will be sharing our most requested posts. Some will be strategic teachings, key parts of America’s prophetic history, important concepts we are learning as the Ekklesia, and occasionally, even prophetic dreams Dutch feels we need to keep in remembrance. Thank you for being part of the GH15 family. Continue praying for America and enjoy these great teachings. The DSM Staff Agreeing with the Cloud of Witnesses My journey regarding the Appeal to Heaven flag began as I spoke to the student body of a Bible institute in 2001. I was concerned that the institute was not walking in the fullness of what its founder, Gordon Lindsay, had established. To be clear, it was not an issue of sin; the school was not in an apostate state. The institute was full of good administrators, faculty, and students who loved Jesus. I simply realized that, just as happens to all of us from time to time, the school was experiencing less than what God intended it to experience and needed a stronger connection to its roots. In response to this burden, I chose to replace one of my teaching sessions with a prayer meeting. As I led the student body in intercession, I heard the Lord whisper a phrase to me, “You need to agree in prayer with Gordon Lindsay.” That startled me; Lindsay had died nearly 30 years earlier. “Lord,” I said, “is that really You speaking? He isn’t here; he’s in heaven.” In retrospect, it’s comical to try and explain something to the Lord, but I felt I needed to state the obvious. “He’s dead, Lord,” I reiterated. The response was simple, “Well, his prayers are not dead.” That really impacted me. If you had asked if I believed Gordon Lindsay’s prayers had died with him, I would have said “no,” yet I had never given the concept any real thought. Holy Spirit continued, “Until this generation comes into agreement with what he asked me to do, I can’t answer his prayer.” This greatly impacted me, as I realized God hadn’t said, “I won’t.” He had clearly said that without this generation’s agreement with Lindsay, “I can’t” answer his prayers and do what I promised him. I began to ponder Hebrews 11, remembering the heroes of faith listed there along with some of their amazing exploits. Interestingly, however, the passage is also clear that some of those faith-heroes did not see the fulfillment of their promises. This has always seemed somewhat contradictory to me. When God searched history to accent greater lives of faith, He chose to list some that did NOT receive the fulfillment of their God-given promises. These people went to the grave with unrealized promises from God, yet they had truly believed, even making it into the great Hall of Faith. Clearly, they weren’t deficient in their walk of faith; why then did they die without seeing the promises fulfilled? The last two verses of Hebrews 11 give us the amazing answer; they did not receive the fulfillment of their promises because God wouldn’t allow them to be “complete” without us. That is incredible! We, today, are a continuation of these individuals’ callings and assignments. The Greek word translated “complete” also means “to finish; to mature; to reach the intended goal.” Think about the ramifications of this: without us, God can’t finish what He began through those saints; what He started through them cannot mature or reach its intended goal until we grab the baton and run our leg of the race. That is mind-blowing! God gave these individuals promises, but He often didn’t give them timelines. He did not tell them He would bring the fulfillment into their lifetimes, although I’m sure most of them expected Him to do so. The eternal God, who transcends time, speaks promises that are sometimes more reflective of His nature and relationship with time than ours. At times, He makes promises to people, knowing full well He will deliver on those promises through their children, grandchildren, or spiritual descendants. I wonder what I may be finishing for some pastor or teacher from a few decades ago? Or perhaps for even some flag-waving patriot warrior? The generations are far more interconnected than most of us realize. In God’s mind, accomplishing something through our descendants is the same as doing it through us. Our comparatively shortsighted approach assumes every promise He makes will take place momentarily, or at the very least before we die! Meanwhile, God feels no pressure and understands that if He fulfills His promises through our offspring (natural or spiritual), the accomplishments were for us, as well as for them. Conversely, the opposite is also true. The actions and accomplishments of individuals in former generations are sometimes credited to those who follow. Hebrews 7:9 states that the descendants of Levi paid tithes through their great, great grandfather Abraham. I wonder what blessing we’re experiencing today that someone else paid for! There is an aspect of our spiritual walk that stretches beyond the boundaries of our window on earth. We can connect spiritually with past events before, and we can affect future happenings through our actions today. But Holy Spirit wasn’t finished instructing me in this prayer session. He was about to use a seven-word sentence to rock my finite human mind. These seven words stretched my thinking yet again, and have resonated in me ever since: He said to me, “I need the synergy of the ages.” “You need WHAT?” I immediately responded. It is obvious by now that this prayer time was wreaking havoc on my preconceived concepts and paradigms! A 13-year journey was beginning with a series of theological brainteasers that, fortunately, were making me think outside of my God-limiting boxes. What is the synergy of the ages? I quietly wondered. Synergy is a fascinating concept. Basically, it is a multiplication of power or effect through a combined effort. In almost all cases in the physical world, one plus one equals two. But not when people work together. When two or more people combine their efforts and strengths, power is multiplied - not just added. God so loves unity and agreement that He created a phenomenon through which power multiplies if we will simply work together! Synergy, however, not only operates in the natural realm, it also exists in the spirit realm. Prayer is one example. Spiritual synergy takes place when two or more agree in prayer. The result is that through multiplied power, much more is accomplished than would have been had we prayed alone. Leviticus 26:8 teaches us about this power of multiplication, “Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand, and your enemies shall fall before your sword.” Spiritually, that’s powerful; mathematically, however, it makes no sense. Think about it - if five of us can chase a hundred, that means each of us is responsible for twenty. At that rate, a hundred should chase two thousand, not ten thousand. But something unusual and supernatural takes place through agreement: synergy. When we agree in prayer, power grows exponentially. Synergy also occurs when generations connect. Honoring our parents increases our years on earth (Ephesians 6:1-2) while disconnecting from them brings curses (Malachi 4:6). Spiritual mantles, another word for callings and giftings, multiply in effectiveness through generational synergy (2 Kings 2:9). God’s plan is always for the present generation to build on the strengths of the previous. This is the synergy of the ages - multiplied power and fruitfulness through generational agreement and honor. In Al Sander’s book Crisis in Morality! he compares descendants of an atheist, Max Jukes, to the offspring of a well-known preacher of that same era, Jonathan Edwards: Max Jukes...married an ungodly girl and among their descendants were 310 who died as paupers, 150 as criminals, 7 as murders, 100 as drunkards and more than half of the women were prostitutes. Jonathan Edwards...lived at the same time and married a godly girl [Sarah Pierpont]. An investigation was made of 1,394 known descendants of theirs. Of these descendants, 13 became college presidents, 65 college professors, 3 United States senators, 30 judges, 100 lawyers, 60 physicians, 75 army and navy officers, 100 preachers and missionaries, 60 authors of prominence, one a vice-president of the United States, 80 became public officials...and 295 college graduates, among whom were governors of states and ministers to foreign countries. Could any testimony more powerfully make my point? Success, favor, and blessing can multiply down through the generations. But due to our ignorance in this area, we unknowingly break the generational storyline God is writing. When Holy Spirit spoke to me that day, I was already aware of synergistic prayer. I knew I could agree in prayer with the person next to me, and power would be multiplied. I just didn’t know I could agree with the generation behind me! Generational synergy - the synergy of the ages - was nowhere on my radar. Once God had awakened me to the principle; however, He wasn’t about to stop with a Bible institute. Before He was finished, Holy Spirit would challenge me to reach back to our nation’s founders, agreeing with what He had birthed through them. And when He did, a forgotten flag would be an important part of the process. I’ll describe that notable introduction soon. “Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen. This testimony of faith is what previous generations were commended for” (Hebrews 11:1-2 TPT). Pray with me: Father, as we contemplate the importance of an old flag and how You are using it today, we marvel at Your unusual ways. A part of understanding the flag is understanding how much You honor those who have gone before us. And also how much You require us to connect with and continue their legacy. We thank You for fathers and mothers in the faith, and in the natural. We thank You for the price paid by those who came before us. And as we do so, we turn our attention to America. The great cloud of witnesses includes people who pioneered freedom and liberty for us here. We know they made mistakes, and part of our history is evil. But we also know this can be cleansed by the blood of Jesus, and believe much of it has been. And as we now look forward, we ask for revelation of this incredible concept You call “the synergy of the ages.” As we embrace and honor those who have gone before us, we ask for a multiplying of Your power today. Let that translate into the fullness of Your purpose for America: being an incredibly powerful voice of the gospel of the kingdom to the ends of the earth. And we boldly declare that no effort of darkness will stop this. America will fully turn back to You, and You will accomplish through her all that You intended in this hour. We pray and declare these things in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen Our decree: We decree that the synergy of the ages is producing powerful and wonderful fruit in America today. ****************** Portions of today’s post were taken from my book An Appeal to Heaven. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/august-12-2022 August 12, 2022 The Reward is Coming I’m not sure if I have ever lived in a time when things are changing so fast - some good, and quite a lot, not so good. When this happens, it’s important not to get caught up in everything, allowing it to dictate how we live our lives and how we feel about things. We must remind ourselves that Holy Spirit working, even when we cannot see Him. There is more happening in the spirit realm than we know or even imagine. I wrote about God changing the times and seasons a while back, something I often refer to as the divine shift. In this context, I often reference chronos, the Greek word for general or chronological time, and kairos, strategic and opportune time. Though important to understand their spiritual application, the terms are not necessarily spiritual in nature; they simply refer to different phases of time. Chronos, typically much longer, is planting and tending to the seed; kairos is harvest season. Chronos is mundane, kairos is exciting. Chronos is the investment, kairos is the reward. As we persevere through difficult times (chronos), if we aren’t careful, a mindset can evolve that says life will always be this way. We might begin to believe that the kairos time is never coming. If we’re not careful, we lose our expectations, and our faith begins to waver. We’ve prayed so long, plowed so long, believed so long, and held on for so long that we begin to live with a “so long” mentality. Disillusionment then sets in, and our faith is gone. God wants to shift our mentality from becoming discouraged during these times to realizing the necessity of chronos seasons. We’re not losing or wasting time, we’re investing it. And if we do so faithfully, the shift will come. Knowing that we are cooperating with God and giving Him what He needs in order to bring the new, we can rejoice over, rather than despise, small beginnings. We won’t despair about praying for years with little apparent fruit. Our faith will be based only on the truth of God’s Word, unmoved by adversity or delays. When we are properly prepared and the time is right, God can shift seasons very quickly. Overnight, it seems, He transforms dry places into rivers, barrenness into fruitfulness, and makes a way where there was no way. At the right time, God causes the shift, and change occurs - chronos into kairos. Allow this truth to bring faith and encouragement into your situation. Allow it to shape your mentality and influence your faith. Let’s look at some biblical examples to help us see this concept more clearly. Abraham received a glorious promise from God that he would have a son through Sarah, and his descendants would be in number as the stars in the sky. He then moved into a 24-year chronos season of having to persevere and walk by faith. After this season, as recorded in Genesis 18:10, God appeared to him and said, in essence, that a divine shift was about to happen: “I will surely return to you at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (The word for “time” in this verse is eth, the Hebrew counterpart for the Greek word kairos - strategic or opportune time.) After so many years in the chronos season, Abraham and Sarah laughed cynically at this prospect. Abraham even tried to talk God into fulfilling His plans through Ishmael. But true to His word, God created the shift; He changed the times and the seasons. Abraham and Sarah moved from chronos to kairos. The new sprang forth from the old, and Isaac, the son of promise, was born. Another example can be seen in Abraham’s descendants. Israel was in a difficult chronos season of having to persevere and wait in Egypt. Suddenly, the shift sprang forth. When the time was right, God, in His great wisdom and power, changed the season! As a part of the process, Yahweh came to Moses, who had ended up in exile for his own 40-year chronos season. Holy Spirit told Moses that He was about to use him to shift things. Moses said essentially, “Shift them with somebody else, not me.” But God made it clear to Moses that he was the one who had been chosen to deliver the Israelites out of Egypt. God brought about the divine shift, both for Moses and the nation of Israel. In a sad turn of events, the Israelites weren’t able to believe in this kairos season, and lost it. The next generation, who would eventually go in and possess the land, had to wait through their own chronos period. God spoke to Joshua and said that in three days they were to go into the Promised Land. He was creating a divine shift. The wandering was over, and Yahweh moved the nation into a new phase. Saul, who became the apostle Paul, received a visitation from God on the road to Damascus. He then went into a routine chronos season where for 12 to 13 years, God was transforming him and bringing great revelation. When the time was right, Holy Spirit declared that Paul was to be separated to the work he was called to do (Acts 13). His chronos time became a kairos time as God released Paul into the fullness of his ministry. The routine time wasn’t wasted. It was all part of the process of training and preparation for what God was planning to launch him into. Chronos shifted into kairos, and the world has never been the same since. Captain Ralph and his only crew member Shaun, had dropped off their passengers at the Northwest town of Poulsbo and were on their regular route back to Seattle. A fierce storm had developed, and as they reentered Puget Sound on the luxury yacht The Matchmaker, they heard an urgent radio transmission. Strong winds had tipped over a sailboat, sending a man and woman into the frigid waters of Puget Sound. The man had made it to shore, but the woman was missing. A helicopter and rescue boats were crisscrossing the area where the woman had fallen into the water, but after almost two hours, they were beginning to lose hope of finding her. It was doubtful she could still be alive after that much time in the icy cold waters. The Matchmaker was quite a ways from the rescue operation, but Captain Ralph realized their location was strategic. Having traversed the Sound many times, he was very familiar with its currents. He told Shaun that the woman would no longer be in the area of the capsized boat but by now, would have been carried by the strong current directly into their path. Because of the storm, it was impossible for any other boat to get to that area in time to try and save her. Recognizing they were this woman’s only opportunity for rescue, Captain Ralph and Shaun strained to see or hear anything that might help them find her in the midst of the storm. Suddenly they heard a faint noise that sounded like a bird. As Captain Ralph turned the boat so the lights of Seattle could illuminate the water, they saw the woman crying out to them for help. While Captain Ralph maneuvered the boat into position, Shawn pulled the desperate woman aboard. Collapsing at Shaun’s feet, she grasped his legs while thanking him again and again. Imagine her relief upon seeing The Matchmaker’s approach! She had been watching the rescue operation disappear farther and farther into the distance as the current swept her away. A routine journey became a strategic event, and a woman’s life was saved. We must be ready. Like Captain Ralph, God has prepared us for a specific kairos. He is using our trials to strengthen and train us. I remember when God caused the Iron Curtain in Europe to be destroyed in the early 1990s. People had prayed for decades to break down the oppression of Communist regimes that held millions of people in bondage. It didn’t look like this would ever happen. But suddenly, God changed the times and the seasons. He created the divine shift, and the face of Eastern Europe was changed - different governments, different leaders, and even different names of nations. God had the necessary wisdom and power to bring the divine shift very quickly. He can do the same for us. Persevere in the chronos - the routine. Kairos is coming! Pray with me: Father, we thank You for the times of planting, sowing, and working Your process of life. You do all things well. You know what is needed in the mundane, routine seasons when it looks like nothing is happening and we are faced with discouragement. You are working behind the scenes, under the ground. And just as there is seed time, there will be harvest!! Thank You for teaching us Your ways. We will not waver. You are shifting the time and season even now. Your heart is excited. You are expectant! And so are we! The God of all the earth is about to act! Nothing will stop this. Nothing. We pray for America, and we pray for the nations of the earth. We call forth change - change in governments, judicial systems, societies, individual lives, and yes, in the spiritual realm over entire nations. We now reach deep within to the fruit of endurance, long-suffering, and patience. We will NOT waver during this important time. When we have done all, we will stand, for America shall be saved. Our decree: The God who changes the times and seasons is preparing us for a great shift. ********************* Today’s post was taken from my book God’s Timing for Your Life (published by Baker Books). Click on the link below to watch the full video.

5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/august-11-2022 August 11, 2022 Fearless and Focused I am always interested when I find an article and statement regarding the Ekklesia. This, as many of you know, is Christ’s legislative arm on earth, translated “church” in Matthew 16. Our friend, Gina Gholston, sent me the following word she received from the Lord regarding His Ekklesia. ******************* “The purposes of God for our nation are absolutely not a lost cause. The moment of history we are in has not taken God by surprise. One may be tempted to look through the eyes of the flesh and conclude that America is too far gone, but such is not the case. Known of God from the foundation of the world has been the content and outcome of His righteous plan. He is not chasing the devil, as though satan is ahead and God has to catch up with and overcome him. God is not, nor has He ever been, behind, and He is not reacting to what hell is trying to accomplish. God is working His plan! “‘Through the finished work of the Cross, Jesus brought ‘many sons to glory’ (Hebrews 2:10). God has placed in these ‘many sons’ the Spirit of His Son, Jesus, who enables and empowers us to be His effective representatives in the world. He has strategically prepared and placed His sons and daughters in positions all across this nation and the world, and through them, He will work and accomplish His full intentions for all nations. “The Ekklesia that Jesus built, His church, His body, is now standing with readiness to move and work with and for Him. They are not distracted by works of darkness that have blinded the eyes of so many. Regardless of how things may appear in the world around us, these devoted warriors stand with confidence, knowing that God is faithful and will never violate His covenant nor alter the word that has gone out of His lips (Psalm 89:34). They are not leaning on their own understanding, but trusting in the Lord with all of their hearts, in all their ways they acknowledge God, and He is directing their paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). They are persuaded that Christ always causes them to triumph and that, through them, He will release the fragrance of the knowledge of Himself everywhere they go (2 Corinthians 2:14). They do not depend on their own might or strength, but are strong in the power of His might (see Ephesians 6:10); through God, they do valiantly as He goes before them to tread down every enemy (Psalm 60:12). God has awakened and positioned the Ekklesia with understanding and revelation for such a time as this. Through us, He will show Himself strong and make Himself known. “I heard the Spirit of the Lord say, ‘The boot heels of My marching army are creating a sound that is shifting the ground beneath them. The weightiness of My presence in them and on them is causing movement as they step in time to My rhythm. They are fearless and focused, moving by My Spirit, and the gates of hell will not prevail against them.’ “There is an unstoppable movement of the righteous, and through us, God will come and make things right again! We are not fighting against people. That must be understood. Our warfare is not with flesh and blood, but we are adequately and powerfully equipped to successfully extinguish every plot, scheme, and agenda of hell that has been launched in an attempt to overthrow God’s purposes for our lives and the existence of America. “The Lord says, ‘There is order coming out of the chaos. My order is being established. It is a transformation. In the transformation, much and many will shake, but what remains will be a foundation, and My glorious church will rise and build with authority and the backing of My power. There has been disorder, but now, I say, watch My order being established and My will being done. Watch and see as My glory comes.’ “I remember a short vision the Lord once gave me where I saw the page of a book being caught by a blast of wind. A page turned and revealed a new page. There I saw the entire chapter of Mark 11. I gasped! Then the vision ended. “I immediately opened my Bible and read Mark chapter 11. As I read those verses, I was heavily drawn to the first three words of verse 11: ‘And Jesus entered…’ The glory of God just seemed to surround me, and I felt a strong knowing that the King of glory is about to make a triumphant entrance—not for the church, not yet, but into the church and into the nations with an unavoidable awareness of His presence. And everything is about to change! “The King is here. The church and America are rising with a show-stopping declaration: ‘Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me’ (Micah 7:8 KJV). “Jesus is declaring and enforcing His verdicts through His surrendered Ekklesia. We are now rising with confidence that God is with us—Christ is in us—and His Spirit empowers us to be His effective representatives on the earth! He has put His words in our mouths. As His Ekklesia, we speak with His unmatched authority, and He watches over His words to perform and fulfill them with the backing of His might and the demonstration of His power! He works through us so the world will see and know that He alone, is God! We place our trust in Him. Besides Him, there is no savior, and in Him, there is no defeat! He has declared the future of this land, and He will save America. The King lives within us. Through us, He will work His plan, and no one and nothing can stop or reverse what He has come to do!” ****************** Pray with me: Lord, we are Your Ekklesia, filled with Your Spirit, and called to fulfill Your purposes for this time in history! We take our place on the timeline of Your plan with undaunted confidence and faith in You. Our eyes are focused on You. Our ears are attentive to Your leading, and our lives are devoted to You as vessels through which You can work. Show us Your glory. Be who You are! Do what You do! All-consuming Fire, consume us with Yourself. Burn off every hindrance. Clothe us with Your righteousness and stand us up as unmistakable, easily recognizable carriers of Your glory. May the weightiness of Your presence on us create a holy movement. We march to the rhythm of Holy Spirit as He guides us according to Your great wisdom and intentions. May we be carriers of Your spirit in undeniable demonstrations of Your transforming glory. In the name and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen..! Our decree: As Christ’s representatives, the Ekklesia stands with anointing and power to enforce His righteous verdict: America shall be saved..! ************************ Portions of today’s post were taken from Gina’s book, Awakening the Church to Awaken a Nation. You can find out more about Gina here. Click on the link below to watch the full video.

5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/august-10-2022 August 10, 2022 “What Is Unshakable Will Remain” The past 48 hours have shocked many Americans. While my responsibility and calling is not to defend individuals or political parties, it is worth pointing out that what the Left did on August 8th, has never been done in our 246 year history as a nation. My assignment, however, is to help us identify what is going on behind the scenes spiritually, so we can pray more effectively. Hebrews‬ ‭12:25-29‬ (TPT) tells us: “Make very sure that you never refuse to listen to God when He speaks! For the God who spoke on earth from Sinai is the same God who now speaks from heaven. Those who heard Him speak His living Word on earth found nowhere to hide, so what chance is there for us to escape if we turn our backs on God and refuse to hear His warnings as He speaks from heaven? The earth was rocked at the sound of His voice from the mountain, but now He has promised, ‘Once and for all I will not only shake the systems of the world, but also the unseen powers in the heavenly realm! Now this phrase ‘once and for all’ clearly indicates the final removal of things that are shaking, that is, the old order, so only what is unshakable will remain. Since we are receiving our rights to an unshakable kingdom we should be extremely thankful and offer God the purest worship that delights His heart as we lay down our lives in absolute surrender, filled with awe. For our God is a holy, devouring fire!” We have asked God to shake loose the evil in our government and nation, to expose and cleanse. This continues to happen with remarkable speed. It seems that all stops have been pulled out by those who want to completely transform our nation into something other than what we were created to be. They seek to distort our history, remove time-honored moral standards, take over our government, and silence the church. Emboldened as never before, they feel no need to try and hide their agenda, sending drag queens to teach our kids and the Justice Department to those who object. This is disheartening, but their unmasking is necessary. Exposure. Exposure. Exposure. We must continue to pray for the lights to be turned on and the evil to be dislodged. We must also ask God for grace to protect us as it occurs, that Haman’s gallows be used for himself, not the innocent. We must pray that all explosions be implosions, the debris falling inward. And yet, we must cry out that nothing stops the exposing and draining of the stagnant, putrid swamp. May the odor become so offensive/unbearable that Americans appeal to heaven for mercy. We must ask that this wake-up call, which is becoming one of the loudest in our 246-year history, finally be answered by common sense, patriotism, and zeal. God will then do what only He can do: send the fire! His fire cleanses and redeems. The last two verses of the above passage in The Message Translation are very poignant: “Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable Kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He’s actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and He won’t quit until it’s all cleansed. God Himself is Fire!” (Hebrews 12:28-29 MSG) A trusted prophetic friend sent me a brief word this morning, accompanied by another powerful passage of Scripture. She said, “I hear the word, ‘boomerang’! Evil is about to boomerang back on the workers of iniquity and evil in our land.” Holy Spirit then led her to Psalm 7:15-17 again from The Passion Translation: "Look how the wicked conceive their evil schemes. They go into labor with their lies and give birth to trouble. They dig a pit for others to fall into, not knowing that they will be the very ones that will fall into their own pit of failure. For You, God, will see to it that every pit-digger who works to trap and harm others will be trapped and harmed by their own treachery. But I will give all my thanks to You, Lord, for You make everything right in the end. I will sing my highest praise to the God of the highest place!” I believe this is a word from the Lord. We must continue to believe that God is exposing evil and turning the tables on the evil one. Let the shaking and exposure continue. I conclude with one other short word from Holy Spirit, sent to me last week by Sally Jadlow, a chaplain in Kansas: “Batten down the hatches, for a great wind is coming. It will blow the chaff out from the wheat in order to put the wheat in My barns. A time of great shaking—a strong winnowing is coming. The chaff will be blown away in the strong wind. The time of separating has come. My cup of wrath grows full—even to the brim. “Those who have thought themselves so clever will discover their utter folly, their utter foolishness. The first tricklings of the avalanche have begun—so minute many have not yet noticed it. Others who are on watch see its beginnings but cannot fathom the magnitude and scope of its ruin. The downfall will be great. It will cause many to turn and repent. For others, they will only go farther into their sinfulness, cursing Me with even their last breath. “It’s sheep and goat time. Those who call on the name of the Lord will be saved; the others will go to condemnation. Each one may make his choice. I would that all would be saved—but each one makes their choice.” Keep praying, church, heaven is responding..! Pray with me: God of consuming fire, we appeal to You. Just as our Founders did two and a half centuries ago, we boldly declare that You are our victory. Our faith is not in our ability to overcome evil, it is in Your ability. You have already declared the end of this story, and You will see that accomplished. As those - who want to force You from our midst once and for all - become more and more emboldened, we realize You are allowing them to build their own gallows. Like Haman in the book of Esther, You will expose them, and they will fall into their own traps. Like Esther, we accept the responsibility of being born for such a time as this. We will not run, we will not fear, and with Your help, we will not fail. We pray for those who are standing against evil. Strengthen them. Give them wise counsel and strategies. Thank You for the stand of President Trump who kept his word in appointing 3 pro-life justices. Because of that, we have now seen the reversal of Roe. Move upon the hearts of Americans to put righteous men and women - with backbones of steel - in government positions, people who will say with our Founders, “We pledge our lives, fortunes, and sacred honor”(1) toward seeing America fulfill all she was destined for. Expose evil. Shake down evil and unrighteous systems. And send revival. We pray these things in the name of Jesus, the Winner. Amen. Our decree: We decree, as we have before, that the evil plans of the wicked will boomerang back on them. ****************** Click on the link below to watch the full video. _____________________________ Taken from https://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/

5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/august-9-2022 August 9, 2022 The Re-circuiting Continues Obviously, different seasons require different ways of thinking. Not conforming to this principle can be costly. In a cold season, one dresses differently than in a warm season. On vacation, hopefully, one thinks differently than while at work. In harvest season, one thinks differently than in the planting season. Seasons change, and so must we. John the Baptist was called a forerunner, because he “ran before” Christ, preparing the way for His coming (Isaiah 40:1-5; Luke 3:1-6). One of the ways in which he prepared the people for Christ’s entrance was by telling them to change their thinking. The actual meaning of the word “repent,” one of John’s main commands, is “to think differently” (metanoeo). It does NOT actually mean “to go a different direction” as most Christians think. Going a different direction (epistrepho) is the end result of repentance. When we receive a revelation or enlightenment - a new way of thinking - from Holy Spirit, we can turn and go His way. We can do what He says to do, and we can do it in the way He says to do it. Repentance is the cause, turning is the result. So John prepared the way with new and different thinking (repentance); Jesus followed with different activities. When He appeared on the scene, He started doing things differently. He taught differently. He corrected wrong doctrine and theology. He denounced the evolved religious traditions in Judaism that were not in line with scripture or God‘s heart. He worked miracles of healing. He overrode the laws of nature with His faith, authority, and power. He cast out demons. Those who followed Him had been prepared by John’s challenge to think differently, and it’s a good thing they were. No revival in past history has looked like the previous revival. This is due to several factors: Holy Spirit is building on what He did in the previous revival; therefore, He is obviously doing different things; He is doing it in a different time, therefore, a different culture; and more. This is why He tells us to keep ourselves flexible, comparing us to a wineskin. What might Christ do differently in the coming outpouring of the Holy Spirit? We will see the full expression of His five ministry-gift anointings: apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher. We will see how He intended for them to work together, multiplying power and effectiveness. We will see how this mixes with the new level of worship Holy Spirit has produced in the body of Christ in the last 20 to 30 years. We will see the dramatic impact of 21st-century technology on revival. We will see how all of this enables the church to disciple individuals and nations more effectively. This brings me to my final statement regarding what we will see: we will not only see Christ’s commission of Mark 16:15-18 fulfilled, but we will also see that of Matthew 28:18-20 fulfilled. The Mark 16 passage is about revival or awakening. It speaks of preaching the gospel and seeing people saved, baptized, filled with the spirit, delivered, and healed. The Matthew 28 passage is about reformation. It speaks of discipling and reforming nations, teaching them God’s ways, principles, and commandments. It is teaching people - entire nations - to live by the principles of the Kingdom of Heaven. Seeing these two activities of the Kingdom working in tandem will be something to behold. The momentum produced by the Charismatic and Jesus People movements of the late 60s, 70s, and early 80s was lost over the next decade or two. This is because the movement was about Mark 16 only - getting people saved - and neglected the discipling of nations, Matthew 28. While the church did Mark 16, humanists, secularists and atheists did Matthew 28, discipling our nation to their “doctrines” and beliefs. They did so through government, education, media, entertainment, and other systems - all while the church was content to leave those areas alone and practice our religion. This flawed paradigm of the church is how one of the greatest outpourings of Holy Spirit in history can be experienced, and yet the church loses ground culturally. This will not happen in the coming move of Holy Spirit. We will think differently and do both commissions. This will be a game changer. I was with my friend, Chuck Pierce, last year when he had a vision about God re-circuiting the church and nation, which would obviously involve thinking differently. Here are a few definitions of circuit before sharing the vision: “a circular journey; the complete path of an electric current; a means of transmitting communication signals or messages.” Chuck said, “All of a sudden, I saw a word of knowledge blazed across the heavenly realms over us. It was the word “circuit.” Suddenly, I saw the Lord reach down inside of us and pull out a circuit. Then, with His hand He began to re-circuit individuals, followed by re-circuiting this region and, finally, re-circuiting our nation.” Chuck continued, “It’s like ‘killing’ a computer. You see, a computer stores all sorts of trash within it, and just turning it off and back on doesn’t get rid of the trash and garbage that has been stored in various parts of it. You have to go in and ‘kill’ that circuit, then bring it back up again.” He then prophesied, “The Lord says, ‘I’m going to make My people so in line with My purposes, so thinking the way I’m thinking, they will have no choice but to start walking in a new way.’” Elaborating further, he continued, “In this vision, the word ‘circuit,’ I believe, means a line, a message, a current that’s gone out. It went out, then it came full circle back in. He was re-circuiting America. Chuck then prophesied again, “You will know that I have pulled the plug on [‘killing’] things you’ve been asking me to pull the plug on, and brought the nation full circle. “‘I say, when I pull these plugs - I’ll do it one by one - the messages that have gone out in the past, will not be the same messages I allow to go out in the future. “‘Know this, My circuit is going out from the heavens, and as My voice goes out on that circuit, I say to you, it will NOT return void. What begins tonight will cause a nation to be circuited again with My message.’” It is easy to see the working of this. God has obviously changed the thinking of the church and the nation. He is not finished Holy Spirit is determined to finish His forerunning work of preparing America for revival…a Mark 16 AND Matthew 28 revival. Don’t fear the shaking - just think differently! Pray with me: Father, thank You for this encouraging word. You are re-circuiting the church and our nation. We are saying “yes” to this. We want to be in sync with You, both in our actions and our thoughts. We repent - we change our thinking and will move with You! We will move from the forerunning stage to fulfillment, from preparation to performance. Re-circuit us and re-circuit our nation. Pull the plug on evil circuitry. Pull the plug on lies, deception, evil strategies and plans, and on everything that has been launched by people to destroy Your plan for America. Bring down every evil plan. We are well aware that in this coming revival, some who now oppose You will fall in love with You. THEY will be re-circuited. Do it! We will rejoice over their salvation. Save many in our government, and bring revival to our schools. Save rich, poor, Republican, Democrat, red, yellow, black, and white. We ask for this in the name of Jesus. Amen. Our decree: We decree that we in the church and our nation, ARE being re-circuited! *************************** Click on the link below to watch the full video.