Guest views are now limited to 12 pages. If you get an "Error" message, just sign in! If you need to create an account, click here.

Jump to content

Search the Community

Showing results for tags 'perspective'.

  • Search By Tags

    Type tags separated by commas.
  • Search By Author

Content Type


Forums

  • Welcome to DinarVets!
    • Rules, Announcements & Introductions
    • Questions and Tech Support
  • VIP Area
    • VIP Section
    • VIP Section
  • Iraq Topics
    • Iraq & Dinar Related News
    • Dinar Rumors
    • RV & Dinar Questions
    • Opinions, Perspectives, and Your Two Cents on the Iraqi Dinar
    • Chat Logs
    • ISX (Iraqi Stock Exchange)
    • Warka and Iraqi Banking
    • Dinar-ify me!
    • Buying and Selling Dinar
    • LOPster tank
    • Debate Section
  • General Topics
    • Off Topic posts
    • Natural Cures and Health Talk
    • Politics, 2nd Amendment (Gun Control)
    • Iraqi Inspiration and Stories of our Soldiers
    • World Economy
    • Music Videos etc
    • DV Weekly Powerballs.
  • Investing
    • Forex Discussion
    • Penny Stocks
    • Wall Street
    • Gold & Precious Metals
    • Foreign Currencies
    • Tax Discussion
    • Investment Opportunities and Wealth Management

Calendars

There are no results to display.

There are no results to display.

Product Groups

  • VIP Membership Packages
  • OSI Products
  • Just a Text
  • RV Intel and the Cash In Guide!

Genres

There are no results to display.

There are no results to display.


Find results in...

Find results that contain...


Date Created

  • Start

    End


Last Updated

  • Start

    End


Filter by number of...

Joined

  • Start

    End


Group


Phone Number (for VIP text message)


AIM


ICQ


Jabber


Location


Interests


Biography


Location


Interests


Occupation


My Facebook Profile ID


My Twitter ID

Found 14 results

  1. 6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/june-22-2023 June 22, 2023 God Needs Our Agreement As we enter a season of “Commanding the Foreword” (Work While You Celebrate (Part 2)), it will be helpful to revisit the important biblical principle of agreeing and partnering with previous generations. Declaring statements made in the past by God - and those made by others at His inspiration - is to do more than just honor predecessors. We do so to release the power of yesterday’s words and promises into today. When God searched history to accent great lives of faith, He chose to list some that did NOT receive the fulfillment of their God-given promises (Hebrews 11). 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 simple yet incredibly important answer: “And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made complete” (Hebrews 11:39-40, NASV). Some promises made by God to an individual/s are multi-generational and not intended to be fully accomplished in their lifetime. The person (or persons) to whom the promise was made is sometimes only the “womb” in which the “seed” is planted. The following generation/s furthers the growth, brings it to birth, and stewards that which is born. Jesus said, “For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have come into their labor” (John 4:37-38, NASV). The Greek word translated “complete” in the above verses from Hebrews (telioo)[1] also means “to finish; to mature; to reach the intended goal.” Think about the ramifications of this: there are many promises God has made to individuals now in heaven that He cannot “finish” or fulfill without us. 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 profound in its significance. Why wouldn’t the Lord tell us to command the foreword of America - that which was written and declared at the beginning?! Several people have contacted our office asking how to find appropriate quotes from America’s early leaders and Founders. Three of the best books for quotes and information regarding America’s beginning are: Faith of Our Founding Fathers by Leo Godzich America’s God and Country: Encyclopedia of Quotations by William J. Federer The Light and the Glory by Peter Marshall and David Manuel They are all TREMENDOUS. In yesterday’s post, I shared a few quotes/facts you can use. In the remaining portion of today’s post, I’ll share a few more: GOVERNMENT In 1643, John Winthrop, who stated that “we shall be as a city on a hill…” (which we mentioned yesterday) organized the New England Confederation, consisting of New Plymouth, New Haven, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Their Constitution, the first document in America where colonies united themselves, read, “Whereas we all came to these parts of America with the same end and aim, namely, to advance the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to enjoy the liberties of the Gospel thereof with purities and peace, and for preserving and propagating the truth and liberties of the Gospel.”(2) William Penn, author of the book No Cross, No Crown, which he wrote while imprisoned in the Tower of London, was the founder of Pennsylvania. His first legislative act, “The Great Law of Penn,” stated, “Whereas the glory of Almighty God and the good of mankind is the reason and the end of government, and government itself is a venerable ordinance of God...let there be established laws as shall best preserve true Christian and Civil liberty, in opposition to all unchristian, licentious, and unjust practices, whereby God can have His due…” (3) Penn asked God to make Pennsylvania “the seed of a nation” (4) and God answered his prayer. Our Declaration of Independence was decreed there in 1776. Four times it references God - as our Lawmaker, Creator, Judge, and Protector. The Liberty Bell that rang there that day had inscribed on it: “Proclaim liberty throughout the land to all the inhabitants thereof” (Leviticus 25:10). Our Constitution was written in Pennsylvania in 1787, born through prayer, asked for by Ben Franklin. In it, our government’s three branches were formed according to Isaiah 33:22. “The Lord is our Judge…Lawgiver…King; He will save us.” The righteous seeds Penn and others planted produced a righteous nation and government. We must command these truths embedded in America’s fabric to come alive once more. EDUCATION “One hundred six of America’s first 108 colleges and Universities were founded on the Christian faith. Students at Harvard and Yale were required to read the Scriptures twice daily. Harvard’s founders stated: ‘All knowledge without Christ is vain.’ Its motto was ‘For Christ and The Church.’ Yale’s founders stated that ‘Every student shall consider the main end of his study is to know God in Jesus Christ…’ Princeton’s motto was ‘Under God’s Power She Flourishes.’. The first president of Princeton, Jonathan Dickenson, said, ‘Cursed be all learning that is contrary to the Cross of Christ.’ The great pastor, Jonathan Edwards, was the 3rd president of Princeton.”(5) Noah Webster, who published the first American Dictionary of the English language in 1828 said, “Education is useless without the Bible.”(6) “The Moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws…All the miseries and evils which men suffer…proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible.” (7) Webster also said, “The principles of genuine liberty, and of wise laws and administrations, are to be drawn from the Bible and sustained by its authority. The man, therefore, who weakens or destroys the divine authority of that book may be accessory to all the public disorders which society is doomed to suffer.” Profound! (8) What God began in America is not finished. He needs our agreement and commands in order to complete it. Use these and other facts regarding her founding, find more through research and study, and “Command the Foreword.” It will generate power. Pray with me: Father, You are the great Olam El, the Everlasting God, who declares the end from the beginning. When our forefathers were stating their faith in You, declaring Your plans and heart for America, and covenanting to partner with You in fulfilling them, You looked ahead and saw us. You knew You would have a people in 2023 who would arise in faith and agree with what was declared back then. We are that people. As we do so, our faith today is not in our ability to declare and command perfectly. It is not in our wisdom, understanding, or abilities. Our faith is in You, Your mercy offered through Christ, and Your ability to work all things after the counsel of Your will. With this faith, we command Your purposes into our government, established under You and Your Word. We declare that You are our Lawgiver, Judge, and King. We declare that the seeds of righteousness planted in our land are not dead, they will bring forth righteous fruit. And we declare that the weeds and thorns will be uprooted and destroyed. We declare over our education system that evil and perversion will be uprooted. We declare that Christ and His Word will once again be honored. We declare that all knowledge not rooted in Him is vain, and cursed be all learning that contradicts the Cross of Christ. We declare that to know Him is the highest goal of all learning. We command a return to truth and a rejection of deception. We pray and command all these things in His holy name. Our decree: We decree that we embrace our God-given roots and destiny, thereby allowing God to finish through us what He started in this land. ****************** Click on the link below to watch the full video. --------------------------------------- James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. No. 5046. Leo Godzich, Faith of Our Founding Fathers, (Phoenix, AR: The National Association of Marriage Enhancement Publishers, 1982), p. 40. William J. Federer, America’s God and Country [Encyclopedia Of Quotations], (Coppell TX: FAME Publishing, Inc., 1994), p. 503. Leo Godzich, Faith of Our Founding Fathers, (Phoenix, AR: The National Association of Marriage Enhancement Publishers, 1982), p. 78. Ibid, pp 105-111. William J. Federer, America’s God and Country [Encyclopedia Of Quotations], (Coppell TX: FAME Publishing, Inc., 1994), p. 676. Ibid, p 678. Ibid, p 679.
  2. 6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/april-4-2023 April 4, 2023 Pre-post statement: Because we post the GH15s very early in the morning, they must be completed the evening before. Therefore, this post was completed Monday, before the arraignment of President Trump. I will comment on the arraignment in tomorrow’s post. However, before I read today’s, let’s briefly pray for him: Father, we thank You for the way You have used Donald Trump. He was the most pro-life President America has ever had. Minorities prospered under his leadership more than under any other President. He protected America and supported Your causes. We ask You to strengthen him in this time and give the outcome You desire regarding the charges against him. And we ask for Your will concerning his future to be accomplished. In Christ’s name, Amen. Passion Week: The Man, Christ Jesus We are entering the week leading up to Resurrection Sunday, often referred to as The Passion Week. Christ actually began experiencing the emotional pressure of what was coming several weeks before the Cross occurred. Most people fail to consider that Jesus was truly human, with real emotions and the ability to feel pain. He experienced grief, sorrow, anger, and disappointment, enjoyed friendships, knew joy and laughter, felt hunger and thirst, grew tired and sleepy. Though fully God, Jesus was also human, but without the Adamic fallen nature. He had to be in order to represent us as a legal substitute. As one who was truly human, Christ didn’t simply flip over into God mode when things got tough in order to not experience the pain or trauma. Philippians 2:6-7 tell us that “although He existed in the form of God, [He] did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.” Let Christ be human. As I stated above, weeks before the Cross Christ began feeling the pressure. When He said, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62), Jesus was thinking of Himself. The passage begins by saying, “Jesus let nothing distract him from departing for Jerusalem because the time for him to be lifted up drew near, and he was full of passion to complete his mission there.” ‭‭(Luke‬ ‭9:51‬ ‭TPT‬‬) Jesus knew that in Jerusalem He would face arrest, torture, and agonizing death. But He set off firmly and unflinchingly, committed to finishing His mission. There would be no backing out, and nothing would deter Him from accomplishing His purpose. Isaiah prophesied this determination: “The Lord God has opened My ear; and I was not disobedient, nor did I turn back. I gave My back to those who strike Me, And My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard; I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting. For the Lord God helps Me, Therefore, I am not disgraced; Therefore, I have set My face like flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed” (Isaiah 50:5-7 NASB). Christ knew this passage was speaking of Him and realized He was entering the season of its fulfillment. So He set His face like flint, put His hand to the plow, and turned toward Jerusalem, beginning what would become His final trek to this city. Traveling by foot and stopping along the way to minister and rest, the journey would take several weeks. Luke, in his gospel, reveals the humanness of Christ more than the other Gospel writers. Under Holy Spirit’s guidance, each Gospel writer had a different goal in his writing. This is why each man shared different (not contradictory) accounts of Christ’s works and teachings. Matthew, for example, wrote his Gospel primarily to the Jews; he was, therefore, revealing Christ as the King of God’s Kingdom. Mark wrote to Romans; hence, he wrote of Jesus as a man of action, filled with power and under authority. John wrote to all humankind, presenting Him as truly God. Luke was writing primarily to Gentiles and Greeks; he presented the humanness of Christ - He was truly a man and, therefore, qualified to be our substitute at the Cross. In revealing Christ’s humanness, Luke wants us to know that from this point onward, the pressure began building in the Son of Man. Jesus was having to remain very focused in order to deal with this pressure. Eleven times after the above verse (9:51), Luke mentions that Christ was journeying toward Jerusalem and, therefore, the Cross. He was focused on the mission and would not waver. In Chapter 12, Luke quotes Him as saying, “I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished” (verse 50). “Distressed” is the Greek word sunecho (Strongs 4912), a very strong word meaning “to be held fast, like a prisoner.” It also means “to be confined, constrained, pressed together so as to not be able to move (like a city under siege);” figuratively, sunecho meant “to be in a mental state of anguish.” Kenneth Wuest’s expanded and very literal translation of the New Testament renders this verse: “I have an immersion by which I will be overwhelmed, and I am being hard pressed from every side until it be consummated.” In other words, though weeks out from the Cross, the strain in Christ was already very intense! Jesus knew what was about to occur and was dreading it. The focus required in order to press on toward Jerusalem was so intense that it could be seen on His countenance. In Luke 9:53, Christ was rejected by a Samaritan village “Because His face was as though He would go to Jerusalem.” Although there was great friction between Jews and Samaritans, Christ had earlier been accepted by a village in Samaria after ministering to “the woman at the well” (see John 4). On this occasion, however, they would not receive Him. Why? They were offended because He couldn’t seem to take His focus off Jerusalem. What did this look like? There must have been many pensive gazes, perhaps even some grimaces, as Christ kept turning His face toward Jerusalem and the Cross. This became so obvious that the Samaritans, who were rejected and looked down upon by the Jews, had finally had enough. Of course, they didn’t understand. No one did. This was something Christ was having to endure alone. And with His face set like flint, He journeyed on - moving toward His destiny. “And He was passing through from one village to another, teaching, and proceeding on His way to Jerusalem” (Luke 13:22). For several weeks, the journey continued, and the pressure built until Jesus rounded the last curve and crested the last hill. When the city came into view, He burst into tears. Christ’s emotions were now raw, sensitive, and bottled up. Like a pent-up dam that could take no more pressure, He released His emotions. Jesus loved this city; He loved the people. Yet He knew Jerusalem would reject Him and, in the future, experience great devastation. As this mix of emotions erupted to the surface, Yeshua let it all out. And He did more than cry. Again, quoting from Wuest’s New Testament, “...having caught sight of the city, He burst into tears, weeping audibly over it” (Luke 19:41). What a picture. And what must the disciples and those following Christ have thought as He “burst into tears” and sobbed? How often this man surprised and amazed them. Power, authority, humility, wisdom, intellect, love and yes, passion were all exhibited by the Son of Man. And they would soon see His anger. After composing Himself, Christ went directly to the Temple and drove out those who were selling their wares, making His “house of prayer...a robber’s den,” (Luke 19:45-46). This was indeed anger, but it wasn’t a temporary loss of self-control. The Temple was intended by God to picture us humans, created to be the dwelling place/temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16). The defilement Jesus was seeing reminded Him of the defilement in us, which He was about to cleanse at the Cross, just days from then. He was demonstrating what He had come to do: cleanse His temple - US..! And Christ was intense about it. Spend some time this week reflecting on the passion of Christ. Journey through the week with Him. Thank Him for the price He paid. Worship Him not only as God, the Creator, but also as Son of Man, the Redeemer. And let Him be human. Pray with me: Father, thank You for Your incredible love and commitment to us. Thank You for the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world. You are amazing. We are deeply moved by being able to call You Abba, Papa. And Jesus, thank You for the incarnation - being willing to become one of us. Isaiah called You Immanuel, “God with us” (Isaiah 7:14). Daniel called You “son of man” (Daniel 7:13). Thank You for the tears. Thank You for the love. Thank You for the suffering and pain. Thank You for the Cross - thank You for dying. And thank You for winning, for conquering death and the grave, for overcoming sin and its evil hold on us. Thank You for sharing Abba with us. Thank You for sharing Your throne with us. Manifest Yourself through us in this era, we pray. May the world see who You are, Yeshua, and Your glory as the church You are building matures into the Ekklesia You envisioned. Continue to mature us into people worthy of bearing Your name. Amen. Our decree: We declare that the sufferings of Christ were not in vain, and His blood will never lose its power. ************************ Click on the link below to watch the full video.
  3. https://www.givehim15.com/post/november-30-2022 8 min read November 30, 2022 How It All Started Thank you for joining me today. If I look like I’m excited, I am. Our new book is finally here. Today I’m going to be sharing from it. We have chosen some of our best Give Him 15 posts - the ones where we have received the most positive feedback. Some are regarding America’s destiny, as well as the origin of the Appeal to Heaven flag. You’ll hear about the Ekklesia, decrees, and some readings will just be inspirational. I have taken these teachings from my 45 years of study and prayer. This book is the first of three, a trilogy. It is a high-quality hardback book, and we are offering it for $15. Some books of this quality are $25, but we have priced ours reasonably so everyone can have one. We also have a matching journal in our store for those of you who need more than the extra pages we have made available within the book. I believe this new book will enhance your walk with God and will help mature you in prayer - for yourself and for our nation. I’ll begin… ****************** I am confident our prayers are being used to release what God needs for the shifting of our government, as well as to begin the coming revival. Not one prayer has been unfruitful or unproductive! As we have mentioned before, our prayers are filling the bowls of heaven (Revelation 5:8). I also came to realize, however, that the posts were taking on another purpose. Many who read and watched were using them as their daily devotional. Others commented that the posts were bringing them hope. Thousands of people told us they started their day with the “15” post, urging us not to stop them after the 2020 election process ended. As I prayed, a new concept emerged in my heart. Not only could a large number of us agree in prayer each day, but we could also use the posts to teach and shape believers into what God needs and desires in this new era. We have found that many believers want to know more about intercession, some lacking even a basic biblical foundation of faith and prayer. Thousands email us wanting to know about decrees, declarations, the Ekklesia, and numerous other subjects we have discussed. Therefore, we continue to teach on prayer and revelation needed to mature the Ekklesia (the church)(1) in her role of representing Christ on the earth. The church must mature her biblical worldview, learn to hear from God, and become more acquainted with Him. Thank you for taking this journey with us on a daily basis. Without you, there is no reason for Give Him 15. It exists to multiply prayer and bring understanding to you regarding your walk with Christ. My journey involves a different flag in America’s past, one that is especially relevant to our God-given purpose and destiny. Modern-day progressives, historical revisionists, liberal politicians, and humanistic professors would scoff at the notion that America was established by God for a divine purpose. They would also mock the assertion that our founders believed in and honored this divine-human partnership. As John Adams said, however, “facts are stubborn things…”(2) These modernists may not like our origins, but they can’t change them. Yahweh, the God of the Bible, was indeed involved in America’s founding and He did so for His unique purpose. When General George Washington commissioned the Appeal to Heaven flag to fly over our naval ships in the Revolutionary War(3) - don’t look for that in our modern-day American history books - little did he know that 240 years later, God would ordain that it fly again. This time around, however, it wouldn’t fly over a fledgling nation being born, but over the most powerful nation in the world being reborn. This rebirth isn’t literal, of course, but is a spiritual and moral renewal that will resurrect America’s God-given calling, purpose, and greatness. Today, let it be said of our generation that when a nation teetered on the edge of destruction, having lost the ancient path of truth, we answered the divine call to war for its restoration. Let it be said of us, as it was of our forefathers, that in the face of overwhelming odds, we took our stand in the celestial courtroom, appealing to the Judge of all the earth for His saving grace, mercy, and sustaining power. Let us appeal to heaven…it still works! The word patriot comes from the Greek word pater, which means “father.”(4) A patriot is one who honors and embraces the heritage, visions, and ideals of their father/s. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob honors this principle; so should we. True patriotism connects us to our roots: past ideals, creeds, purposes, covenants made with God, and other aspects. This connection makes history relevant, giving us benchmarks and boundaries from which to measure our present and future. In a literal sense, for one to say he or she is a “patriotic” American and not embrace the principles of our Founders, which includes allegiance to and partnership with God, is a contradiction in terms. When Lewis Morris was faced with the monumental decision of whether or not to sign the Declaration of Independence, his brother warned him vehemently against it. The cost - life, fortune, perhaps family - would simply be too great. Morris’ response was one for the ages: “Damn the consequences, give me the pen.”(5) Would that today’s government leaders had such unselfish, patriotic hearts. Some do, of course, but far too few. Perhaps others will one day discover the true American soul. For many, it is too late; they sold out to selfish ambition long ago. Words may very well be the greatest conduit of authority and power in the world. God’s “Let there be” created the world and everything in it. Ecclesiastes 12:11 says, “The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies” (KJV). Nails help us build, construct, assemble, and hold things together. So do words. The Master Craftsman used words to build the earth, the seas, the mountains, and all the other amazing elements and dimensions of creation. Hebrews 1:3 tells us He also holds all of this together by the power of His words and decrees! Luke’s gospel says that even the incarnation - God becoming human - was caused by a combination of God’s words and Spirit. When Mary asked how she, a virgin, could have a child, the angel informed her that the power of Holy Spirit would overshadow her and impregnate her with Jesus (1:35). Then he said, “Nothing will be impossible with God” (1:37). This translation of Luke 1:37 doesn’t do justice to the strength of what the angel actually said. The most literal and accurate rendering is: “No word spoken by God is without power.”(6) What a statement this is, and what ramifications it carries for us. Our all-powerful God infuses transcendent power into His words. They become the carriers of His awesome strength. We become the voice of God on the earth, decreeing His decrees for Him! Job 22:28 says, “You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you; and light will shine on your ways.” The first part could be more literally rendered “You will decree a decree.” (7) We discern God’s will and/or His decree - what He has determined about a given situation - and we decree His decree. Incredible! The Declaration of Independence As our Founders declared their independence from England, they also acknowledged their dependence upon God. The Declaration of Independence, our original founding document, has four clear references to God, speaking of Him as our Lawmaker, Creator, Judge, and Protector. The Declaration concludes with these words: “For the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”(8) After signing the Declaration, some wept. Others, like Witherspoon, bowed their heads in prayer.(9) Samuel Adams rose and stated, “We have this day restored the Sovereign, to Whom alone men ought to be obedient. He reigns in heaven and...from the rising to the setting sun, may His Kingdom come.”(10) To say God wasn’t involved in raising up America is asinine. Satan had been beaten up by Christ in every possible way for three years. The blind saw, the lame walked, the deaf heard, and the dead were raised. Then just when he thought he had finally defeated the Son of God, Christ turned the tables on him and rose from the dead. At least He was finally gone from the planet, back to heaven, satan must have thought. Then, on the day of Pentecost, satan’s absolute worst nightmare was realized: there were 120 more just like Him! And the multiplication has never stopped. Christ brought us into the family of God. He made us His brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of the Most High God, His joint-heirs. We bear His image and name. We are filled with His Spirit and completely authorized to reveal and represent Him on earth. And that can never be stopped or reversed. That, my friend, is what Resurrection Day means to me! Pray with me: Father, we thank You for forming this nation as a beacon of light, a city on a hill. Thank You for the leaders of each state who wrote into their constitutions an acknowledgment of and dependence upon You. We pray now for today’s government leaders. Give us legislators and judges who diligently acknowledge reliance upon You and Your statutes. Only through You will we see America’s destiny fulfilled. Heal America’s breaches; heal our history. Repair the racial wounds and deliver us from wicked leaders that use them to divide us. Remove them from positions of authority. Expose their hypocrisy and evil agendas. We boldly ask You to bless our nation and bring a sweeping revival - an awakening that will touch every soul. Come, Holy Spirit, sweep across our land. We invite You into our states and cities. We ask for these things in Christ’s name, Amen. *************************** Click on the link below to watch the full video. 1. The Greek word for “church” is ekklesia and means ‘legislative assembly’ or ‘selected ones.’ This is not a religious term at all, but a governmental term that is used many times in classical Greek for a group of people who have been summoned and gathered together to govern the affairs of a city. For Jesus to use this term means He is giving the keys of governmental authority in His Kingdom to the church.” - Simmons, Brian. The Passion Translation, Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc., 2017. (Also See R. Scott and H.G. Liddell, A Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, p.196; and Seyffert, Oskar, A Dictionary on Classical Antiquities, p. 202-203.) 2. Adams, John. Argument in Defense of British Soldiers in the Boston Massacre Trials. 4 December 1770. 3. Richard Frothingham, History of the Siege of Boston, and of the Battles of Lexington, Concord, and Buner Hill, Charles C. Little and James Brown, 1849, p. 261. 4. “Strong's Greek: 3962. πατήρ (patér) -- a father.” Bible Hub, https://biblehub.com/greek/3962.htm. Accessed 31 December 2020. 5. Branch, Mark Alden. ““Damn the consequences. Give me the pen.” | This just in.” Yale Alumni Magazine, 3 July 2014, https://yalealumnimagazine.org/blog_posts/1831-damn-the-consequences-give-me-the-pen. Accessed 2 January 2021. 6. Bible Hub, “For no word from God shall be void of power.” https://biblehub.com/multi/luke/1-37.htm. Accessed 28 June 2021. 7. “Strong's Hebrew: 1504. גָּזַר (gazar) -- to cut, divide, decree.” Bible Hub, https://biblehub.com/hebrew/1504.htm. Accessed 28 June 2021. 8. The Declaration of Independence. July 4, 1776. 9. Marshall, Peter, and David Manuel. The Light and the Glory. Revell, 1977. 10. Ibid., p. 309.
  4. * 5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/november-10-2022 November 10, 2022 Further Thoughts on the Mid-term Elections I want to talk about the elections in one more post before moving on. Many need encouragement and hope; we all need instruction. I have four points to make. First, disappointment isn’t the same as despair, and determination isn’t denial. Paul said, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair” (2 Corinthians 4:8; KJV). The Passion Translation renders this and the following verse, “Though we experience every kind of pressure, we’re not crushed. At times we don’t know what to do, but quitting is not an option. We are persecuted by others, but God has not forsaken us. We may be knocked down, but not out.” ‭ I AM somewhat disappointed; I’m NOT in despair…or denial. Yes, I wanted a broader victory. But I am encouraging myself with God’s Word, ways, and promises. Remember that we are on a journey. We are in a spiritual war - not just a battle - for the soul of our nation. Tuesday was only a battle - which we won, by the way. The turning of a nation is a marathon, not a sprint. Intercession and faith require perseverance, not speed. We are making progress. Evil is being exposed, millions of Americans are waking up, we are closer to a great awakening than we were a week ago. Weep if you must, grieve if necessary, take some time to regroup if needed, but deny your soul the option of despairing or of quitting. Secondly, remember that the left is celebrating “a lesser defeat” while we are mourning “a lesser victory.” Let that sink in. The pro-abortion party is excited that they didn’t lose as badly as they expected. Conservatives, the pro-life party, took back the House, stopping some very evil agendas. Do not forget this. It is huge. And the pro-life party may yet take back the Senate - that has not yet been determined. We must keep praying and working for the complete turning of Congress toward righteousness. Notice my language: I am not praying for the Republican party. I am asking for righteous, God-honoring, pro-life leaders to be placed in our government. Yes, at this point in our history, that primarily means Republicans. The Democrat party has chosen to support abortion and unbiblical ideals. But the issue isn’t political to me, it is spiritual and biblical. Thirdly, we must learn the lessons and analyze the takeaways of this election. I am not speaking of political strategies and tactics. Those things are important, and others should look at them. However, I am referring to assessing the spiritual climate/condition of our nation and what we must do through prayer and spiritual activities to address what we discern. One of the takeaways for me is just how much certain groups have been allowed to polarize and divide our nation. God hates this, calling it evil (Proverbs 6:14, 19). What could be more despicable than fomenting racial disharmony, distrust, and hatred for political gain? This is diabolical. Doing the same thing with the issue of life and death - the abortion issue - is also abhorrent and evil. These are now common political practices in America. We must pray that God judges this evil and delivers us from it. Perhaps the most horrifying takeaway from this election is this abortion issue. It energized the left like no other. Some of them are now saying this will be a strategy in 2024 - having abortion referendums on the ballot in battleground states in order to motivate more of their base to vote. Think about that: the most hideous issue of our day is the most energizing issue of the left. History will say of today’s Democrat party that their most energizing cause was killing babies in the womb. Can you think of anything more shameful? And lastly, a very important reminder from this election is that nothing can save America other than a Third Great Awakening. I mentioned this in yesterday’s post. Government cannot save us, education cannot save us, and noble plans and wise strategies cannot save us. Too many in our nation have seared consciences and deceived minds, which only a transformation of the heart can change. This doesn’t mean we don’t organize, vote, work to change the education system, etc. It means none of those things will be enough without millions of Americans being born again. Their consciences must be resurrected - brought to life - and their minds must be influenced by Holy Spirit. A generation has been completely programmed that the pleasing of self is what matters most; abandon or destroy anything that opposes this. They have been told that we are our own god, can make up our own rules, do as we please, and that God is either irrelevant or nonexistent. Only Holy Spirit, from the inside out, can change this. God’s promise regarding the restoration of America as His instrument and the coming worldwide harvest hasn’t changed. This is our calling and cause. We must not waver. Hell opposes us, but its gates - schemes, plans, actions - won’t prevail over us. Our Leader is King, Lord, Creator, and Owner of the earth. His authority is above all, His power is limitless. His Spirit is with us, His angels are assisting us. We always triumph through our Messiah and King. Persevere, church..! Pray with me: Father, we thank You for the fruit of endurance You have given us. Galatians, the fifth chapter, tells us You placed this ability in our spirits. We tap into that now. We are more than conquerors, always overcoming through the greater One who lives in us. We will not back up or relent in our determination to see Your promised great awakening and the restoration of America back to Your divine purpose. We ask You for awakening in the church of America, a fire from Holy Spirit that will cause us to burn with passion and zeal. We ask for this passion to ignite our pulpits, spread to the pews, and consume our hearts. Follow this with the greatest season of miracles the church has ever experienced. Save millions of people in our nation, and many more around the world. We pray for Your strong rod of authority to bring justice to our government. May the plumbline of heaven fall over our nation. Root out evil, tear down demonic structures, uproot corruption, and dismantle ungodly systems. We pray especially for our children. Save them from the evil that has been unleashed against them. Rescue them with a strong and unstoppable revival. May they become passionate worshippers and great spiritual warriors. Do something so profound in and for them that it becomes known as the greatest outpouring of Holy Spirit in America’s history. We believe we will receive these things because we ask for them in the name of Jesus. Amen. Our decree: We declare that the church of Jesus Christ will not falter and will not fail. Through Him, we do valiantly! ************************ Click to watch the full video: 183 likes. Post not marked as liked183
  5. * 4 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/november-9-2022-1 November 9, 2022 My Response to the 2022 Elections It was 3:00 A.M. when I began writing this post. It is now 4:30 A.M. Today’s post will be a little shorter than usual. The final outcome is not yet known for all races in yesterday’s elections. It looks like the Republicans will take control of the House, but not with as large a majority as they expected. The outcome in the Senate is still undetermined. Obviously, the Republicans did not see the red wave they and many pollsters believed was coming. Both parties are spinning the elections as a win, the Republicans because they took the House (it seems), the Democrats because they avoided the red wave and possibly kept the Senate (though the Senate has been tied at 50-50, they own the tie-breaker with Kamala Harris’ vote). In reality, the outcome is a huge disappointment for Republicans and conservatives due to their expectations going into last night. Having said this, the Republicans should now be able to stop some of the left’s agenda, however. To what degree they can succeed in this will be determined by the final outcome in the Senate. What do I make of all this spiritually? Though I am disappointed, I am not as surprised as most conservatives. I did not have the confidence some held that a red wave was coming. I described my pre-election feelings as “a cautious optimism.” Though I obviously believe fully in the power of prayer, the power it releases does not force people to do things against their will. God won’t “make” a person vote a certain way. Authority in prayer does stop or hinder demonic forces that influence people’s thinking, and it does release heavenly influence to change people’s minds. It does not, however, force this change. The changing of minds usually takes time; it is a process. Prayer releases spiritual power to generate and fuel this process. This means that where people’s wills are concerned, our prayers release God’s process of change, not a dictatorial forcing of it. In other words, God can’t turn an election just because we ask Him to, any more than He can instantly change a person’s mind simply because we ask. I am extremely glad that in this election, we at least succeeded in slowing down the damage being done by dishonest, Godless, inept leaders. I am thrilled that some unrighteous laws that would have passed, now will not. I rejoice that money that would have been spent for evil (i.e. abortion) can be cut off. Much can be done to stop our nation’s bleeding while God continues to expose evil, depravity, and lunacy. He will also continue to awaken our nation to its true condition and desperate need. America isn’t yet desperate enough. The shaking will continue. How does what took place yesterday affect the awakening/revival we speak of? It does not. Everything God has said He will do, will be done. America shall be saved. God’s heart is for harvest - the salvation of many - and He will have this. His intent is to extend the Kingdom rule of His Son, and He will do so. My faith for these things has never been in a political party or a person, only in God. He is going to give us the outpouring of His Spirit we have interceded for. Then why do I become so engaged in government issues and elections? Because government DOES matter in many areas, including justice, morality, peace, protection, freedom, the reaping of blessings, life for babies, education, and much more. However, salvation and revival do not come from government. This outpouring will be the game-changer. I have said for 30 years there is no hope for America other than a Third Great Awakening. No human effort or agency can save us; we are too far down the path of humanism, deception, immorality, secularism, and other evils. Sin, spiritual rebellion, and separation from God greatly affect the mind, producing not only deception, but also a loss of reason. It doesn’t take a Ph.D. to know babies should be protected, lawlessness shouldn’t be tolerated, trillions of dollars of debt can’t be sustained, men can’t have babies, children’s bodies shouldn’t be mutilated, open borders can’t be sustained, socialism can’t succeed, and on we could go. When people defy common sense by electing fools who believe these things, there is no hope of healing other than a change of mind - which can only be produced by a reconnection to God. The salvation of millions of Americans is our only hope of survival. But this is coming. The coming awakening will create a hunger for God’s Word of truth. It will write His laws in people’s hearts and awaken their consciences. This will expose evil and awaken reason. Millions of salvations will cause a rewriting of laws and a reversing of others. It will strengthen love, protect families, and love for life - not death. Revival will be the game changer. And for the true rebirth of our nation, there is no other way. Keep praying - it’s coming..! Pray with me: Father, we have placed our hope for the restoration of America in You and You alone. We desire a wise and righteous government, just as You do, but our faith for America’s salvation is not in this. We will continue to intercede for change in our government, media, education, children, churches, unbelievers, etc. We desire the fruit this will produce. But our faith is in none of these things; our faith is in You alone. We pray against discouragement and hopelessness in those who fight for life, righteous causes, and Your purposes for America. We will not grow weary in doing what is right, and we will not stop praying. America shall be saved - end of story! Give our leaders wisdom. Give sound ideas and strategies to those who fight for life - those who are working for the restoration of decency. Overthrow and remove those who oppose You and war against Your guidance and influence. Keep exposing the evil in our government, media and education system. We pray these things in Christ’s name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that we will not grow weary in our righteous efforts and causes. We will persevere, and through faith and patience, inherit God‘s promises. ********************************* Click on the link below to watch the full video.
  6. * 7 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/november-8-2022 November 8, 2022 A Day of Reckoning Today is an important day in the life of America, a day many around the world never experience. It is Election Day. Most definitely, it will be one of our most important ever. The war for America’s soul has intensified. Much has come into clearer focus. Had we not experienced the corruption of 2 years ago, leading to the unprecedented ineptitude and mismanagement America now endures, many things would have remained hidden. I urged people at that time to stand firm and stated that God was allowing it in order to expose, expose, expose. And has He ever! We have seen just how deep the swamp really is. We have experienced the utter abhorrence of the left for those who disagree with them - the President calls us “idiots,”(1) the media calls us “cockroaches;”(2) the DOJ calls us “terrorists.”(3) Our government has deemed churches as nonessential (as opposed to strip clubs and liquor stores). Our children now belong to the state - not their parents.(4) Many said those who don’t accept the government’s mandates should be locked up and/or not allowed to travel, buy food or venture outdoors.(5) The First and Second Amendments to the Constitution are despised and attacked. The censorship of conservatives is rampant, abhorrent, and totally accepted by the left. Parents are visited by the Feds if they complain at a school board meeting.(6) If conservatives win a battle, efforts to reverse this by adding to the number of Senators and packing the Supreme Court is considered legitimate, as is demonstrating in front of the Justices’ homes - existing laws that forbid it be damned.(7) Crime has skyrocketed(8) - innocents are shoved onto subway lines,(9) pro-life counseling centers are bombed and burned,(10) candidates are threatened and attacked, while police are demonized and defunded. Our government has lost all self-control, spending TRILLIONS of dollars, much of it on foolish and needless endeavors. We have become energy dependent (depending on our enemies!) while we were energy INDEPENDENT only 22 months ago. Inflation is at record highs. Many in our government seek to divide us for personal gain. Our military is more “woke” than prepared. China, Russia, Iran, and N. Korea now feel emboldened. While mercy and care for cognitively handicapped individuals is always appropriate, they can also now be Presidents and Senators - IF they serve the correct party, of course. Some pro-abortion leaders in our government revealed they want the right to kill babies OUTSIDE the womb.(11) Many in our government are okay with selling aborted babies’ body parts. We’re being told it’s acceptable to mutilate and castrate children, give them drugs that alter their genetic makeup, and tell them their God-given body parts are a horrible mistake and mean nothing, all being done in some states without parental consent. (Heck, men can even have babies.) It’s now acceptable for drag queens to dance in front of kindergartners while rubbing their private parts. Regarding drag queens, Speaker Pelosi said, “this is what America is all about.”(12) Unvaccinated people can’t visit America, while MILLIONS of unvaccinated can cross our southern border - no double standard there - along with terrorists, human traffickers, and drug dealers. We were forced to watch through windows as family members died alone, required to hug the dying through plastic partitions, and not allowed to pay our last respects to family and friends with memorial services. Organ recipients who wouldn’t submit were removed from donor lists and allowed to die, and others were denied treatment in hospitals and clinics - while shamed and ridiculed, nonetheless. Children were needlessly required to wear masks needlessly for 2 years in classrooms, their development was stalled, and their learning was severely delayed through extended closings. These things, and much more, are no longer hidden. God, using their arrogance and deceived belief that they have won, has skillfully coaxed the America-hating, control-crazed, and Bible-rejecting left out of hiding. Having become completely drunk on success, they staggered into the open. Now, the entire world has seen their positions…and their lunacy. Psalm 2 has been unfolding before our eyes. After listening to the left’s delusional, conspiratorial discussions and observing their perverse actions (verses 1-3), God is now progressing to the rest of the chapter: His mocking laugh (verse 4), assurance to His beloved Son that all is well (verses 7-9), and the picking up of His iron rod of judgment (verse 9). Mercifully, to those who oppose Him, the Creator and King offers them a final way out: Kiss the Son (verse 12). This exposure Yahweh allowed has now clearly defined the battle for the soul of America. If you haven’t already, vote today! Vote with biblical values; vote for the babies; vote for your children and grandchildren; vote for religious freedom; and vote for America's God-given destiny. And pray! Some will claim that a post of this nature is inappropriate, that we Christians should not speak about government and/or moral values, but only work to see people saved - Mark 16’s Great Commission. I would simply remind them that the second half of Christ’s Great Commission to the church, in Matthew 28:18-20, commands us to disciple nations - not just individuals - with His teachings. Our failure to do so in the great outpouring of the 60s and 70s helped create the mess we are now experiencing. Our ignorance and negligence have been destroying us (Hosea 4:6). No more! In His mercy, Holy Spirit has begun a movement of prayer and action that is reversing this. A Mark 16 awakening/revival has begun, which will be accompanied by a Matthew 28 reformation. We won’t be intimidated by false accusations that we are intolerant of others or that we are dictatorial bigots. We know love is our motivation, serving others is our assignment, and that our lives are not our own. Our efforts are all about Christ’s noble and magnificent cause, and we will not relent. Stay the course. Pray with me: Father, we thank You for Your mercy. In order to awaken us, You have turned us over to our own desires and incredibly foolish ways. Truth no longer matters, integrity matters even less, and evil is celebrated. America has sown the wind and is now reaping the whirlwind. We are lost, very lost. We have watched the demise of greatness in one generation. And yet. In Your mercy, You are coming to save us. The heavens are being rent, deception is being removed, evil is being exposed, and our hearts are being lanced. We stand before You with nothing other than the blood of Jesus Christ. Our faith is that this blood cleanses us from ALL sin and unrighteousness. Send a movement now to accomplish this, we pray. Let it be spiritual power at levels never before seen. Come with overwhelming force and love, lift the veil of darkness, and restore us. Give great victories for the cause of life in our elections this day. Give great victory for truth, decency, and righteousness. Further the complete turning of our government. Let the exposing continue, even while our deliverance takes place. Spare us from ourselves and rescue us from sin. We pray these things in the incomparable name of Jesus. Amen. Our decree: We decree that America shall be saved, and the billion-plus harvest of people around the world will not be stopped. ************************* Click on the link below to watch the full video. ___________________________________ https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/nov/5/biden-calls-anti-socialism-protesters-idiots-illin/ https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/nov/5/biden-calls-anti-socialism-protesters-idiots-illin/ https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/judiciary-republicans-to-garland-are-concerned-parents-domestic-terrorists-or-not https://elamerican.com/harris-suggested-that-children-belong-to-the-state/ s AND https://amp.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/jan/26/state-wants-own-your-child/ https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/aboutlawsregulationsquarantineisolation.html https://www.thetrumpet.com/25608-whistleblowers-fbi-investigating-parents-who-speak-out-at-school-board-meetings https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/05/11/protest-justice-home-illegal/ https://www.foxnews.com/us/major-cities-violent-crimes-data-murders-shootings https://nypost.com/2022/10/23/nyc-man-pushes-stranger-onto-brooklyn-subway-track-in-shocking-video/ https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/aug/31/pro-life-pregnancy-center-refuses-fold-after-fireb/ https://lifelegaldefensefoundation.org/crazy-california-proposes-insane-infanticide-bill/ https://www.christianpost.com/news/nancy-pelosi-drag-queens-are-what-america-is-all-about.html
  7. * 6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/november-7-2022 November 7, 2022 Making History Several years ago I was gripped by the thought: I can either watch history being made or I can make it. I wasn’t thinking about becoming famous, but of shaping history. I decided to become one of the history makers, not just a watcher. I love the song History Maker, written by Martin Smith, the former lead singer for the U.K. Christian band, Delirious. The lyrics speak of the power of prayer, of cloudless skies breaking forth with rain, of miraculous healings, and broken-hearted people becoming history makers. If you’ve never heard it, check it out. I think you’ll like it. Though I love the song and its concept, in another sense of the word, we’re all participating in the history-making process. The only questions—which we are all answering with our lives—are: 1) What history are we writing? and 2) Will we write it intentionally or by default? We all help shape history, one way or another. Facing the Giant When David was about to face the giant, Goliath, his older brother mocked him over what seemed like such a preposterous idea. David’s response was to ask the poignant question, “Is there not a cause?” (1 Samuel 17:29). Would it come as a surprise if I told you the word “cause” also means “history?” David was very possibly asking his brother and fellow Israelites the question, “Is there not a history?” He could have been thinking of past history, which we will discuss later, but it is entirely possible David was thinking of the future—a history to write. “Come on guys,” David may have been imploring, “history will record what we do here today. Will we go down in history as giant-killers or cowards? Will we fight for God and country or will we flee? Don’t allow this giant to define us; let faith in God define us!” Interestingly, Goliath’s name actually comes from a root word meaning “to expose or reveal.”(1) How appropriate. Giants of adversity will most assuredly reveal our character. Are we a David? A Caleb? Or, like Israel’s soldiers who fled from Goliath, are we cowards? David refused to be defined by cowardice. He chose, rather, to be defined by a cause. America’s Destiny Our purpose as a nation is to partner with Christ, just as Israel did, becoming a light to the nations. Our divine calling is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ from these shores to the ends of the earth. And it is to be an example of what Yahweh will do for a nation “whose God is the Lord” (Psalms 33:12). America’s giants have exposed our character flaws; our calling has been in jeopardy. Rather than exporting the gospel, we are now the leading exporter of pornography, as well as other forms of depravity through film and music. (2) America is literally trafficking in filth! Portions of the shocking history we are writing today will one day shame us. But as the following example shows us, dirges can be transformed into songs of victory. John Newton lived in the 1700s. For part of his life, he was a slave trader, the lowest of the low. Through a series of events, Newton came to Christ and became one of the leaders of the abolitionist movement. He actually pastored William Wilberforce, who is credited with playing the most significant role in the abolition of slavery in the British Empire. Newton wrote the song Amazing Grace. Sung more than 10 million times annually and recorded on 11,000 albums, it has been intoned more than any song in history. Newton, whom satan used to torment many and help write some of the ugliest chapters in world history, was transformed and given the song that has comforted hundreds of millions of people. America, too, will experience God’s amazing grace and recover from its evils. She will write a new song, a song not about oppression and injustice, but about the beauty of life and freedom. Christ Wants to Restore America Jesus said to Jerusalem, “You did not recognize the time of your visitation” (Luke 19:44). Unfortunately, the word “visitation” does not clearly communicate what Christ had offered them. He was not simply referencing a “visit.” The Greek word is episcope, from which we get the words “bishop,” “overseer,” and “superintendent.” Jesus was actually saying to Jerusalem, “I came to cover you, to be your Shepherd and Protector. I wanted to take you as a mother hen would her chicks and hide you under My wings, covering and protecting you. But you did not recognize this” (see Luke 13:34). We in America are currently receiving the same offer Christ made to Jerusalem. God is giving us an opportunity to return to Him and the promise of His loving care. His desire is to demonstrate that righteousness—not money, power, or pleasure—exalts a nation (see Proverbs 14:34). Jesus is knocking at America’s door, asking will you receive Me back into this nation as your Shepherd and Bishop, allowing Me to cover, protect and lead you? Will you once more become a nation under God? Millions of God-fearing and honoring Americans are rising up to answer this question. And a remnant of the body of Christ is doing its part through prayer. Failures are being confessed, appeals are being made, and decrees are being released. God honors intercession. It still works. We must refuse to surrender this nation to humanists, atheists, liberal politicians, and individuals who want the influence of God and the Bible removed from America. Though much ground has been lost to these ungodly forces, God has said it is absolutely not too late. We will appeal to Him for change. We will always walk in tolerance and love. But loving people doesn’t equate to giving them everything they want, nor should tolerance be confused with abdication. Just as David did, we can write a righteous history for America. The giants of sin and godlessness in our nation can absolutely be conquered, and the hearts of people can most certainly be won. Though the taunting giants may mock us in the name of their gods, just as Goliath did Israel’s army, we can daily and fervently decree biblical promises such as, “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20, KJV). And the great promise of 2 Chronicles 7:14 is still true today, “If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and I will heal their land.” I believe this with all my heart and live for this hope. We in America are not at the mercy of principalities, powers, and spiritual giants. Though the past several years have been devastating, we can write a new and glorious chapter for our nation. Let’s do it! Let’s continue to humble ourselves, call upon God, and stay on the offense through prayer. If we do so, confessing the sins of America and appealing to God for mercy, He will answer our prayers and pour out His Spirit on this land once again. He will! The giants wrote America’s last chapter; we—the praying church—will write the next one. Pray with me: Father, David asked, “Is there not a history?” We, too, are asking this same question, “What history will we write?” Give us dedicated intercessors, leaders, patriots, and warriors that accept only one answer, “We will take out the spiritual giants that have been allowed to rule our nation.” May we not cower in fear of their size, wealth, weapons, or mockery. May we instead run toward them with Your name on our lips. Transform many in our nation the way You did John Newton. Give us a new song! Give us a grace anthem. May America write songs that comfort billions. May the world be able to say of us, “America lost her way but, look, she is found!” May the song of the gospel ring out from these shores again! May the song of liberty ring out from these shores again! May the song of covenant with God ring out from these shores again! We boldly declare that no giant, no principalities, will continue to rule over us. The blood of the Lord, Jesus, is cleansing and freeing us! The stronghold of death will be broken. The stronghold of covenant breaking will be broken. Strongholds of injustice will be broken. Strongholds of idolatry will be broken. Giants will fall, principalities will come down! The history we hand our children will be one of a saved America and a worldwide revival..! Amen..! Our decree: We decree that God‘s amazing grace is sufficient..! *************************** Most of today’s post was taken from my book Giants Will Fall. Click on the link below to watch the full video. ___________________________________ Strong. Reference no. 1555 and 1540. Kann L., McManus T., Harris, W.A., et al. “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance,” United States, 2015. MMWR Surveillance Summaries, 65 (6), 2015. p.26. www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/pdf/2015/SS6506_ updated.pdf Minnesota Department of Health. “About STD Awareness Month: April is National STD Awareness Month in Minnesota.” MN Dept of Health, 2017. www.health.state. mn.us/div/idepc/dtopics/stds/stdmonth/stdmonthfacts/ html
  8. 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.
  9. 6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/april-15-2022 April 15, 2022 Passion Week - It Is Finished Good Friday, called this because of an ancient usage of “good” as a synonym for holy. (In the same way as the Holy Bible was called the “Good Book.”) Holy Friday, indeed. After Gethsemane, there is far too much that occurred over the next 15 hours or so to include it all in this post. This is especially so if we tried to point out the Old Testament scriptures fulfilled and what each event meant regarding our redemption. From Gethsemane, Messiah was led to a mock trial, after which He was beaten mercilessly with a cat-o-nine-tails. This procedure was so brutal that some recipients didn’t survive it. The leather cords, tipped with sharp metal, tore at the flesh of the victim ripping off pieces of flesh. They not only lacerated the back, but wrapped around to the front of the victim’s body, including the face. It is hard to describe this lashing without being too graphic for most readers. Suffice it to say that when finished, the victim was often unrecognizable. The soldiers also beat Christ with their fists and spat on His face. To mock Him as “the King of the Jews,” a crown made of thorns was placed on His head and pressed into His skin, causing great pain and more loss of blood. When the ordeal was finished, Messiah was so mangled and covered with spittle and blood that He truly was unrecognizable. “Many people were shocked [astonished; appalled] when they saw him. His appearance was so damaged [disfigured; marred] He did not look like a man; His form was so changed they could barely tell He was human.” (Isaiah 52:14; The Expanded Bible) The added punishments and torture, much more than the average victim of crucifixion was afflicted with, can only be explained as the fury of hell, trying to snuff out the life of the Son of God. Yeshua received this for you and me. Isaiah 53:5 and 1 Peter 2:24 tell us it was through this beating that we can be healed. Place your faith in this today. Receive healing by placing your faith in His substitutionary sacrifice. Christ was then led to His crucifixion. There are several prophetic references or pictures in the Old Testament pointing to the Cross. One passage that is extremely important is Deuteronomy 21: 22-23, which references one who experiences death by hanging on a tree as being cursed. It is certainly clear that this verse refers to Jesus hanging on the “tree,” taking our curse. Galatians 3:13 makes this clear: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.’” Yeshua’s crucifixion took place at Golgotha, “the place of the skull.” God, centuries before, had ordained that this would be the place and carved a picture of death onto the side of the hill. Also, this had been the location of Isaac’s interrupted sacrifice (Genesis 22), which pictured the Cross. Like Isaac, we went free and God Himself provided the sacrifice. “Then Abraham looked up [lifted his eyes] and saw a male sheep [ram] caught in a bush by its horns. So Abraham went and took the sheep, offering it as a whole burnt offering to God, and his son was saved [in the place of his son]. So Abraham named that place The Lord Provides [or Sees; Hebrew: Yahweh Yireh]. Even today people say, ‘On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided [or seen]’” (Genesis 22:13-14; The Expanded Bible). In this chosen place, pictured hundreds of years earlier, God provided the sacrifice for our sins. Jesus carried His own Cross to Golgotha, or, at least He was able to carry it part of the way. It was actually the crossbeam that He carried. When He arrived at the place of crucifixion He was first tied and nailed with spikes to this crosspiece. After a victim was tied and nailed to this portion, it was lifted and placed onto the top of the upright section, whereupon it would slide down and slam into place. This is often when dislocations would occur in the crucified person, as the crosspiece slammed down. And indeed we know this occurred in Christ; it was prophesied of Him in Psalm 22:14. The sliding down of this crosspiece is why the spikes were placed at the bottom of the hands where they joined the wrist; this would sustain more weight. It’s also why the victim was tied to the crossbeam. If they were not secured in this way, they would often be torn loose. Yeshua hung on the Cross for six hours in this emaciated state. While there, He spoke seven times. Time does not permit me to comment on each of them, but they are all significant. Halfway through the ordeal, at noon, the sun disappeared and the sky grew dark (Luke 23:44-45). This was a fulfillment of Amos 8: 9-10: “‘It will come about in that day,’ declares the Lord God, ‘That I will make the sun go down at noon and make the earth dark in broad daylight. Then I will turn your festivals into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring sackcloth on everyone’s loins, And baldness on every head. And I will make it like a time of mourning for an only son, And the end of it will be like a bitter day.’” Surely this is a prophetic picture of the Light of the World being snuffed out for us. It is also a picture of what He is entering into - the darkness of sin and death, when our sins were placed upon Him. “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). After three more hours of suffering, it was enough. Christ made His final two statements. The first, “It is finished,” I have written of before in the GH15 posts. This was not a statement referencing His death. It was a loud declaration by Christ at the end of this ordeal, quoting from Psalm 22:31. It was one word in Greek and also in Hebrew, and was a declaration that He had paid the debt in full and was bringing forth the new creation! Yeshua then released His spirit to the Father. Death did not take Him, He yielded up His spirit (Luke 23:46). It was 3 o’clock in the afternoon. The priests in the Temple were beginning their customary duties when, at the very moment Jesus made this last statement, the veil in the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45). The purpose of this veil was to separate everyone from the Holy of Holies, the dwelling place of God on earth. With this symbolic act, God was showing us that the separation of sin was gone, and we could now enter His presence once again! Why don’t you enter in and spend some time with Him today? He would like that. Pray with me: Thank You, Father, for the Cross. Thank You for sending Christ. Thank You for placing our sins upon Him in order to bring us back into Your family. Thank You for the stripes, the wounds, the crown of thorns, and the bearing of our shame. And thank You, Jesus, for Your heart of humility and love. You are Son of Man, Son of God. And through our identification with You, You have made us sons and daughters of the Most High, also. We thank You for this. Now, by faith, we appropriate all of the cleansing power of Your shed blood, and the healing virtue that flows from every wound You suffered. By Your stripes we are healed! And as we prayed yesterday, we do again today. For the glory of Your name and the pleasure of Your heart, send revival to the earth. Save a billion or more people in this great revival. Your Father promised You the nations of the earth as Your inheritance - reap them now. Our decree: We decree that the Lamb who was slain has overcome and will forever reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. ************************* Click on the link below to watch the full video.
  10. 5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/april-14-2022 April 14, 2022 I think it is appropriate to pray a prayer of agreement regarding the 40-day prayer strategy Holy Spirit gave Jane Hamon before I actually read today’s post on Christ’s Passion Week. Father, we agree in prayer with many people around our nation, asking for the hearts of any deceived leaders in our government to turn, just as Jonah’s heart turned. Save them, deliver them from deception and all demonic influence. And we pray for America, that a spirit of repentance would indeed invade our land, turning the hearts of millions back to You. If this could happen in Nineveh, it can happen in America. They were spared great judgment, and received great revival. We pray that for this nation, in Christ’s name. Passion Week: The Agony of Gethsemane “Leaving there, He went, as He so often did, to Mount Olives. The disciples followed Him. When they arrived at the place, He said, ‘Pray that you don’t give in to temptation.’” (Luke 22:39; MSG) “The Place” spoken of by Luke was Gethsemane. It had become Christ’s favorite place of prayer. This is how Judas, who had left the last supper early, knew where to take the soldiers to find Him. Christ would spend three hours there that night agonizing over the ordeal He was facing. During this time He would wrestle with His human desire for this cup of suffering to pass from Him: “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” (Luke 22:42) The agony of these three hours was horrible beyond description. Combining the accounts of the gospels, we know that Christ started this prayer time on His knees (Luke). But Matthew tells us that He eventually fell on His face as He agonized. Mark added that He fell repeatedly. Christ would kneel, fall on His face, get up, and repeat the process. At one point, the agony of what He was experiencing, as well as what He knew was coming soon, was so great that the capillaries in His face burst and blood mixed with sweat oozed through the pores of His skin (Luke 22:44). This is a medical condition known as hematidrosis. I believe our redemption was actually beginning here when the first drop of Christ’s blood was shed, not when He finally made it to the Cross. Again, through a harmony of the Gospel accounts, and by more in-depth definitions of the words chosen by Holy Spirit, we can get a much more complete look at what Jesus truly experienced in the garden. When Christ “withdrew” from the disciples to pray by Himself (Luke 22:41), Luke uses a stronger word than the other Gospel writers (apospao). It means “to tear away.” Wuest translates it accordingly, “He tore himself away from them.” Probably more than any time in His life, Christ wanted the comfort of being with friends, yet He knew He would have to face this ordeal alone. We are told that Yeshua became “sore amazed, exceedingly sorrowful and very heavy” in His emotions (Matthew 26.37-38; Mark 14:33-34). More literal definitions of the words used by Holy Spirit give us powerful descriptions of what He was feeling: Ademonein: “to be troubled and in anguish, to be in a state of great anxiety; used of one who is rendered helpless, disoriented, agitated, and anguished by the threat of an approaching event.” Perilupus: “to be very sad, environed or surrounded with deep grief.” Ekthambeisthai: “to be exceedingly astonished, either with wonder or fear; to be in the grip of a shuddering horror.” Wuest says Christ was “thoroughly alarmed.” The intensity of what was happening was even greater than what He had expected. It was alarming to Him! Matthew 26:38 says He was agonizing “to the point of death.” The word used demands that this is taken literally. Though death could NOT take Christ before it was time for Him to yield up His spirit, humanly speaking, He was close to death in the garden. Again, I believe our redemption - specifically, the taking of our emotional wounds, rejections, and sorrows upon Himself - began in the garden of Gethsemane. Isaiah prophesied of Christ: “He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging, we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:3-5; NASB) Don’t waste a moment of Christ’s suffering for you. Everything He did was redemptive. Every second of suffering and abuse was for you and me, taking our place. Let it bring healing to every part of your soul that may be hurting. Jesus can heal every form of abuse, rejection, betrayal, and loss. He paid for this! Receive it now. After three hours of this agony, Christ prevailed. He broke through into peace and was now in complete control of every emotion. At this point, Judas came with soldiers and betrayed Christ with a kiss, kataphileo. This form of the word was more than just the friendly kiss on the cheek (phileo), a common greeting in many countries. This form of the word implies a stronger affection, perhaps with a hug or a lingering kiss on the cheek. That is why in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus questions Judas, “Are you betraying me with this type of affection, Judas?” (Luke 22:48) Christ then asks the soldiers, “Who are you seeking?” When they told Him they were looking for Jesus, He simply said, “I AM” (John 18:4-5). Not, “I am He,” as most translations say. But Jesus spoke His God-name from throughout eternity: “I AM.” And the power of His name, of His words, knocked the soldiers backward onto the ground. Christ is, indeed, the Almighty. At this point, Peter pulled out a sword and cut off the ear of Malchus, a servant of the High Priest. Jesus promptly touched it and healed it! (Luke 22:51) The great I AM, indeed! The Healer! The Great Physician! And in this time of His redemptive suffering, He is seen ministering even to his enemies. At this point, Jesus was led away to be tried and crucified. We will look at this tomorrow. Pray with me: Father, we can think and muse on the sufferings of Christ, but we can never fully understand what it must have felt like for God, Himself, to be placed in a human body so He could feel our pain and agonize for us. As His Father, the agony You must have felt on that day had to have been immeasurable. The temptation to answer Christ’s prayer, “Let this cup pass from Me,” must have been overwhelming. But You knew there was no other way to save us - we had to have a perfect, sinless substitute. You who spared not Your own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall You not also with Him, freely give us all things! (Romans 8:32) Thank You! And Jesus, words fail us. You, the Prince of Peace, suffered mental anguish and emotional trauma for us. You allowed Yourself to feel mental and emotional pressure until Your capillaries burst and Your skin oozed blood. Now, You truly are our unexplainable peace and unspeakable joy. You are! We worship You today. We exalt You above all others. We love You from the depths of our hearts. May our incense of worship rise before You, bringing You the pleasure You so deserve. And for the satisfaction of Your heart, not ours, send revival to the earth! Bring a billion souls into the family in this coming revival. Satisfy Your love-filled heart with a billion more family members. You love them all. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray, amen..! ************************ Click on the link below to watch the full video.
  11. 6 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/april-11-2022 April 11, 2022 Passion Week: Christ, the Man We are entering the week leading up to Resurrection Sunday, often referred to as the Passion Week. Christ actually began experiencing the emotional pressure of what was coming several weeks before the cross occurred. Most people fail to consider that Christ was truly human, with human feelings and emotions. Jesus endured pain (both physically and emotionally), experienced grief, sorrow, anger and disappointment, enjoyed friendships, knew joy and laughter, felt hunger and thirst, grew tired and sleepy. He was completely human, but without the Adamic fallen mature. He had to be in order to represent us as a legal substitute. As one who was truly human, Christ didn’t simply flip over into God-mode when things got tough, in order to not experience the pain or trauma. Philippians 2:6-7 tell us that “although He existed in the form of God, [He] did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.” Let Christ be human. As I stated above, weeks before the Cross, Christ began feeling the pressure of what was coming. When He said, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62), Jesus was thinking of Himself. The passage begins by saying, “Jesus let nothing distract him from departing for Jerusalem because the time for him to be lifted up drew near, and he was full of passion to complete his mission there.” ‭‭(Luke‬ ‭9:51‬ ‭TPT‬‬) Jesus knew that in Jerusalem He would face arrest, torture, and agonizing death. But He set off firmly and unflinchingly, committed to finishing His mission. There would be no backing out, and nothing would deter Him from accomplishing His purpose. Isaiah prophecied of this determination: “The Lord God has opened My ear; and I was not disobedient, nor did I turn back. I gave My back to those who strike Me, And My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard; I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting. For the Lord God helps Me, Therefore, I am not disgraced; Therefore, I have set My face like flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed” (Isaiah 50:5-7). Christ knew this passage was about Him, and realized He was entering the season of its fulfillment. So He set His face like flint, put His hand to the plow, and turned toward Jerusalem. He was beginning what would become His final trek to this city. Traveling by foot, and stopping along the way to minister and rest, the journey would take several weeks. Luke, in his Gospel, reveals the humanness of Christ more than the other Gospel writers. Under Holy Spirit’s guidance, each Gospel writer had a different goal in his writing. This is why each man shared different (not contradictory) accounts of Christ’s works and different teachings. Matthew, for example, wrote his Gospel primarily to the Jews; he was, therefore, revealing Christ as the King of God’s Kingdom. Mark wrote to Romans; hence, he wrote of Jesus as a man of action, filled with power and under authority. John wrote to all, presenting Him as truly God. Luke was writing to Gentiles and Greeks; he presented the humanness of Christ - He was truly a man, and therefore, qualified to be our substitute at the Cross. Luke wants us to know that from this point onward the pressure began building in the Son of Man. Jesus was having to stay very focused in order to deal with this pressure. Eleven times after the above verse (9:51), Luke mentions that Christ was journeying toward Jerusalem, and therefore, the Cross. He was on a mission and wouldn't waver. In Chapter 12, Luke quotes Him as saying, “I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished,” (verse 50). “Distressed” is the Greek word sunecho, and is a very strong word meaning, among other things, “to be held fast like a prisoner.” It means “to be confined, constrained, pressed together so as to not able to move (like a city under siege);” figuratively, it meant “to be in a mental state of anguish.” Kenneth Wuest’s expanded and very literal translation of the New Testament renders this verse: “I have an immersion by which I will be overwhelmed, and I am being hard pressed from every side until it be consummated.” In other words, the strain was already very intense! Jesus knew what was coming and was dreading it. The focus required in order to press on toward Jerusalem was so intense that it could be seen on His countenance. In Luke 9:53, Christ was rejected by a Samaritan village “Because His face was as though He would go to Jerusalem.” There was great friction between Jews and Samaritans. However, Christ had earlier been accepted by a village in Samaria after ministering to “the woman at the well,” (see John 4). On this occasion, however, they would not receive Him. Why? They were offended because He couldn’t seem to take His focus off Jerusalem. There must have been many pensive gazes, perhaps even some grimaces, as Christ kept turning His face toward Jerusalem and the Cross. It became so obvious that the Samaritans, rejected and looked down upon by the Jews, finally had had enough. Of course, they didn’t understand. Noone did. This was something Christ would have to endure alone. His face set like a flint, He journeyed on - moving toward His destiny. “And He was passing through from one village to another, teaching, and proceeding on His way to Jerusalem,” (Luke 13:22). For several weeks, the journey continued and the pressure built, until Jesus rounded the last curve and crested the last hill. When the city came into view, He burst into tears. Christ’s emotions were raw, sensitive, and bottled up. Like a pent-up dam that could take no more pressure, Christ let His emotions out. He loved the city; He loved the people; He loved us all. Yet He knew Jerusalem would reject Him and, in the future, experience great devastation. As this mix of emotions rose to the surface, Yeshua let it all out. And He did more than cry. Again, quoting from Wuest’s New Testament “...having caught sight of the city, He burst into tears, weeping audibly over it,” (Luke 19:41). What must the disciples and those following Christ have thought as He “burst into tears” and sobbed? How often this man surprised and amazed them. Power, authority, humility, wisdom, intellect, love and yes, passion were all exhibited by this amazing Man. And they were about to see His anger. After composing Himself, Christ went straight to the Temple and drove out those who were selling their wares, making His “house of prayer...a robber’s den,” (Luke 19:45-46). This was indeed anger, but it wasn’t a temporary loss of self-control. The Temple pictured we humans, made to be the dwelling place/temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16). The defilement Jesus was seeing reminded Him of the defilement in us, which He was about to cleanse, just days from now. He was symbolically showing what He had come to do: cleanse His temple - US! And Christ was intense about it. Spend some time this week reflecting on the passion of Christ. Let’s walk through the week with Him. We’ll do some of this together on the posts. Thank Him for the price He paid. Worship Him as not only the Creator, but the Redeemer. And let Him be human. Pray with me: Father, thank You for Your incredible love and commitment to us. Thank You for the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world. You are amazing. We are deeply moved by being able to call you Abba, Papa. And Jesus, thank You for the incarnation - being willing to become human. The Old Testament prophet called You Immanuel, “God with us.” Thank You for the tears. Thank You for the love. Thank You for the suffering and pain. Thank You for the Cross - thank You for dying. And thank You for winning, for conquering death, for overcoming sin and its evil hold on us. Thank You for sharing Abba with us. Thank You for sharing Your throne with us. Manifest Yourself through us in this era, we pray. May the world see who You are, Yeshua, and all of Your glory as the church You are building matures into the Ekklesia You envisioned. Continue to mature us into a people worthy of who You are. Amen. Our decree: We declare that the sufferings of Christ were not in vain, and His blood will never lose its power. ****************************** Click on the link below to watch the full video. End..!
  12. 4 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/february-25-2022 February 25, 2022 The Invasion of Ukraine On the evening of February 23, 2022, the lives of millions of Ukrainian citizens were changed as Russia began a calculated takeover of that nation. Now the Baltic states are nervous they may be next. (1) It’s a scary time to be in that region of the world. We must pray for the Ukrainians, asking for God’s grace and mercy as they make challenging decisions regarding their safety. The situation there is volatile and unpredictable. We must not forget them. It is not always easy to know how to pray for situations like the invasion of Ukraine. God cannot always stop evil from occurring, whether it be rape, murder, hunger, or war. It is not a power issue - of course God is all-powerful. It is a matter of allowing humans the privilege of a free will. When the human race became defiled at Adam’s fall, evil entered the world. One day it will end. For now, it exists. Since God works on earth through people, not independently of them, dealing with evil requires human participation and cooperation with God and His laws. He uses righteous authority, laws, and government to suppress evil. At times, these restraining authorities must use force. However, stopping evil regimes that have gained power and control can take time - again, because God uses people. All this to say it is not possible to simply pray a good prayer/s and end what is occurring in Ukraine. Does this mean we don’t pray? Of course not. We ask God to intervene in whatever ways He can, as quickly as He can. We pray for comfort to those suffering. We pray for other countries and leaders to make wise decisions that will mitigate the suffering and stop the evil. We pray for people to come to Christ - God uses tragedies such as this to reach people. We also continue to pray for America’s complete turnaround. What occurs here affects the world. Secretary of State under President Trump, Mike Pompeo, said in an article regarding Ukraine, “This invasion was by no means inevitable. We in the Trump administration knew it was Putin‘s aim to establish Russian dominance and influence over all the old Soviet bloc countries, including in Ukraine. We were able to keep an invasion like this one from occurring by establishing a model of deterrence, not just with respect to Russia, but with anyone who threatened to harm or undermine our interests.” (2) Pompeo went on to say, “[the Biden administration] failed because sanctions are just one tool for executing effective diplomacy and establishing deterrence, yet the Biden administration has acted as if they are sufficient as a reactionary strategy. They are not; deterrence must be multifaceted - military force projection, American energy dominance, allied resolve, and clear, concise dialogue and expectations. “In the Trump administration, we incorporated all these factors into our strategy of diplomacy and deterrence, yet the Biden administration has allowed each to slowly erode with feckless, muddled responses to Russian aggression that have neither projected strength nor imposed costs on our adversaries. They have stopped speaking in the one language Putin understands: strength. “President Biden has been weak toward Putin, unstable and unclear - he doesn’t understand what is at stake in the fight against Russia and doesn’t know that it takes strength to defend America and keep us out of war. “America has been weak and unclear with our adversaries when the world needed it to be at its strongest and most clear. Our adversaries have noted the Biden administration‘s failure to act with resolve in Afghanistan, in the face of Chinese aggression, and now in response to Russian aggression in Ukraine….[China], the ayatollahs in Iran, will each see these failures of American leadership as a green light for them to execute their sinister designs to disrupt peace and make war. This will make the world far less safe for all people, including Americans.” (3) President Trump’s policies were good. Though he was framed, lied about, (4) and opposed by evil people for 4 years, he still did much to strengthen and turn America in the right direction. Now, with Biden’s predictable policies and mistakes, Europe faces its greatest crisis since WWII, and madmen around the world are emboldened. They see this as their window of opportunity to take over as much of the world as possible. We must pray..! We will pray for Ukraine and the Baltic States, just as we do Afghanistan. We will continue to pray for America’s turnaround and Third Great Awakening. Changed hearts will turn America back to God, which will allow Him to heal our land. We pray that in the meantime God helps us minimize the damage the left can do here and abroad. And we’ll pray for Congress to turn from being controlled by liberals and leftists this November, for women and men with biblical worldviews and values to take their positions. And we will pray for mercy and great grace to be poured out. Pray with me: Father, we ask for Your mercy to be manifested for the people in Ukraine and the Baltic States. We ask You to cause alliances and actions that will minimize violence and destruction. We pray that evil doers will be exposed and judged for their wickedness. We ask You to cause them to be hung on their own gallows. We pray that those who don’t know You will come to know You through the difficult times they experience. Bring revival to eastern Europe. We pray for our government to make wise decisions. Cause them to think clearly. May they not fall into the traps and strategies of evil leaders. Give NATO leaders wise strategies and sound decisions. We believe You will somehow use all of this to bring forth the great harvest You’re planning. Amp it up quickly, we pray. Redeeming God, bring a tidal wave of glory into the earth. We ask for this in Christ’s name. Amen. Our decree: We decree that evil will ultimately fail, love will win. ***************************** Click on the link below to watch the full video. _________________________________ https://www.foxnews.com/media/russian-invasion-ukraine-baltic-states-very-scared-hadley https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/bidens-approach-ukraine-russia-wrong-start-mike-pompeo?cmpid=prn_newsstand Ibid. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/clinton-campaign-paid-infiltrate-trump-tower-white-house-servers
  13. 4 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/december-24-2021 December 24, 2021 *** O Holy Night *** Incarnate: “to embody in flesh; invest with a bodily form.” From the Latin word incarnāre “to make into flesh.” Have you ever wondered what was going through Christ’s mind before Holy Spirit transformed Him into a microscopic seed and carried Him to the womb of a young girl? He was about to become breakable. Did He wonder how it would feel to no longer be omnipresent? Omniscient? Omnipotent? Did He wonder how physical pain would feel? Hunger? Thirst? Weariness? Cold? Heartache? Loss? Christ knew He would have to: fight His way through a birth canal, be fed, be bathed, learn to crawl, develop balance and walking skills, form words, grow, gain knowledge. He would experience sleep, scrapes, blisters, callouses. He would enter the realm of time. He would bleed. One has to wonder if Jesus ever reconsidered the plan/process. Since He was “the Lamb slain” before we were even created (Revelation 13:8), I don’t suppose He did. Yet, just before Holy Spirit held Him and began the transformation, there must have been at least an emotional, “Here we go…I’m about to be human!” And then He was - there was no turning back. Numerous questions come to mind as I consider Christ’s humanness: As a child, when did the first awareness of who He was begin to set in? When did He first look up at a star filled sky and think, I made that. When did He first recall saying, “Let there be…” When did the calculus of our solar system begin creeping back into His memory? Did He ever have a nightmare? When did He stop asking Mary questions and start explaining things to her? Did His siblings wonder at His gifts, intellect? Who was His best friend growing up? What did His laugh sound like? What was His favorite color…food? Was there any food - which He, of course, created - that He didn’t like?! At what age did His carpentry skills begin superseding those of Joseph? Did they ever joke about it? How old was He when Joseph died? How did He deal with the pain? How did He react the first time He saw a serpent…or first observed cruelty, violence or greed? When He heard lightning, did He smile? (Luke 10.18) And when did the love that demanded His humanness - the passion for His eternal bride - begin welling up in His chest? As He fashioned wood in His carpenter shop, did He ever pause and gaze pensively toward a hill in Jerusalem? Did He wince when He drove nails? We will never truly understand the ramifications, intricacies and complexities of the incarnation. Merging the limitations of “humanness” with an infinite God simply can’t be computed by human brains. Indeed, Paul referenced Christ as God’s “indescribable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15). But it is healthy to ponder it, nonetheless. We must, in fact. It is imperative that we consider the cost to Christ. It’s essential that we wonder at such love, marvel at the plan and stand in awe at its audacity. So this year on Christmas Day, take some time to think about it. Sing, or listen to, Silent Night, Away In A Manger, O Holy Night or your favorite Christmas carol and intently consider the words. Recapture the wonder. Read the story again in Luke’s gospel. Close your eyes and try to envision Mary’s angelic visitation. Put yourself in Joseph’s shoes - how hard would it be to believe Mary’s story? See the stars, the stable, the manger, the Christ-child. Then converse with Abba and Jesus. Thank them…for Christmas, yes, but also for the cross. The purpose of Christmas was the Cross. I leave you today with the lyrics of one of my most loved Christmas songs: O Holy Night. My favorite line is, “Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.” “O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining, It is the night of the dear Savior's birth! Long lay the world in sin and error pining, Till He appear'd and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn! Fall on your knees, Oh hear the angel voices. Oh night divine, Oh night when Christ was born. Oh night divine, Oh night divine. “Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming, With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand. So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming, Here came the wise men from Orient land. The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger, In all our trials born to be our friend. He knows our need - to our weakness is no stranger Behold your King, before Him lowly bend! Behold your King, before Him lowly bend! “Truly He taught us to love one another, His law is love and His gospel is peace. Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother, And in His name all oppression shall cease. Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, Let all within us praise His holy name. Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever! His power and glory evermore proclaim! His power and glory evermore proclaim!” (1) Now, do yourself a favor and use this link to watch/listen to Josh Groban’s version of the song. This YouTube version gives us a visual of that holy night when Christ was born. Maybe even gather the family and watch it together. You’ll be glad you did. (For those of you watching, we will provide the link below.) Merry Christmas..! ******************************* Click on the link below to watch the full video. __________________________________ https://hymnary.org/text/o_holy_night_the_stars_are_brightly_shin
  14. 5 min read https://www.givehim15.com/post/december-23-2021 December 23, 2021 Today’s and tomorrow’s posts are a father and son duo. Today’s is from one of my Bible College professors, who is now my spiritual father, Jim Hodges. Ceci and I love him and Jean dearly. I have written tomorrow’s Christmas Eve post. Jim’s is a great devotional on Christmas, coming at it from a biblical, theological perspective; mine considers what may have been in Christ’s thinking as He was about to become human. I will also share a link to a favorite Christmas video/song. I believe you will enjoy both posts. The Story of Christmas: Covenant and Conflict I. Conceptually Christmas began before the creation of the universe! There was a council meeting of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. What was the subject of that meeting? According to Revelation 13:8, the discussion focused on the topic of redemption: “All who dwell on the earth will worship Him [the Beast], everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.” The margin in my NASB version renders the last portion of the verse this way: “‘slain from the foundation of the world.’” The Son of God, Who would come to earth as The Lamb of God, was slain in the mind of God in that council meeting! Peter, in his first epistle, echoes the same comments about Christ made by John in Revelation 13:8: “….knowing you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb, unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you…” (I Peter 1:18-20). Creation’s plan included redemption’s plan! In that council meeting of the Godhead, God the Son was chosen to become human and come to earth as the Lamb, to take away the sins of the world. The Scripture informs us that the Living Word, Christ, the Creator “became flesh,” (John 1:1-3,14). Jesus the Creator, Son of God, working with the Father and the Spirit in creating the universe, would also become the Son of man, the Redeemer of the world! Satan, of course, wanted to devour the child, Jesus, at His birth (see Revelation 12:4). The Christmas story in Matthew 2:13-18 documents the effort of the Roman Empire, working through king Herod, to destroy the Lamb. Herod had all the male babies two years old and younger in and around Bethlehem murdered. Herod had a record of killing any competitors for the throne. He even had his own sons murdered! Let me remind all of us - Christmas is pro-life! Satan, the enemy of humanity, is pro-death! II. The story of Christmas continues when Jesus is presented as a lamb in a manger in Bethlehem. Bethlehem means “house of bread.” It was here that Jesus, the Living Bread, came down from heaven to earth (see John 6:50-51). The Arabs defined the little town as the “house of meat.” We know from history that Bethlehem, located about two miles from Jerusalem, supplied the Temple sacrificial system with animals, especially lambs. Each day on the Temple Mount, two sacrifices were required, one in the morning and one in the evening. Lambs were used in these, plus thousands more at the annual Feast days. The shepherds in Bethlehem, providing these sacrificial lambs, had to carefully inspect each one during the “lambing” season. They were inspected shortly after birth, followed by wrapping each one in cloths to protect them from injuring themselves; lambs with defects and flaws were disqualified, and thus would not be transported to Jerusalem. In keeping with the symbolism, Jesus, the Lamb of God, was born in a stable, wrapped in strips of cloth, and placed in a manger - a feeding trough for animals. This was the sign the angels told the shepherds to look for to identify Him! (Luke 2:12). Thirty years later, Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptizer, introduced Him as “the Lamb of God!” (John 1:29). III. The Cross of Christ, where the Lamb of God’s blood was shed, continues the story of covenant and conflict. Jesus, the Son of God, was faithful to the covenant He had mutually made with the Father and the Holy Spirit in that pre-creation council meeting. He faithfully fulfilled that covenant by always doing what He saw His Father doing and by saying what He heard Father say. His life of perfect obedience led to His death at Calvary. This, of course, ushered in and established the New Covenant. The Conflict is revealed here when by His death and shed blood, Christ disarmed evil princes and powers (see Colossians 2:15). The Cross was the battleground where the “Seed of the woman” would legally and judicially conquer the “seed of the Serpent” (see Genesis 3:15). At a mountainside, outside the gates of Jerusalem, called the “place of the skull,” Messiah Jesus would suffer a partial wound in His heel, but simultaneously He would deliver a mortal blow to the head of Satan. Yes, Satan is still alive; but he is not well! IV. Jesus’ followers would walk in covenant and yet experience conflict with the representatives of the enemies of Christ and His Gospel. The primary enemies of the Gospel in the first century were apostate 1st century Judaism and the oppressive and tyrannical power of the Roman Empire. Another reference to this entity is “the throne-seat of Satan,” (see Revelation 2:13). The Roman Empire tolerated the worship of many gods. However, they insisted that the worship of their Caesar was primary. This was known as “the Emperor Cult.” The Romans believed their Caesar was divine. Caesar Augustus, who decreed a census be taken of all the inhabited earth for the purpose of taxation (Luke 2:1), was referred to by the Romans as “the son of God.” Julius Caesar before him also assumed deity powers. It’s more than ironic that the choice in the 21st century is the same as in the 1st century - Christ or Caesar! The modern term for Caesar is “Statism.” Statism is the foundational belief in Marxism, Progressivism, Leftism, and Globalism. Simply said: “the civil government is god and will take care of you from cradle to grave.” I remind us that the Lord our God ordained civil government (Romans 13:1-7), and therefore it is accountable to Him! And I leave you with good news found in Revelation 17:14: “These [all the enemies of Christ] will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.” This overcoming happens now on the earth, not just in the post-resurrection eternal age! All 7 churches in the book of Revelation, chapters 2 and 3, are called to be overcomers! So are we, His Ekklesia, in the earth, at this time! As we walk in covenant with the Lord God and His people, we will experience victory in the conflicts of our time. Pray with me: Father in heaven, we thank You for sending Your Son: He announced Your Kingdom’s arrival, revealed You perfectly in His ministry, died as Your Lamb to take away the sins of the world, rose again to life, ascended to heaven to sit down at Your right hand to reign as King and Lord forever! Today, we renew our covenant with You, and we ask You to fill us again with Your Spirit Who equips us for life, service and victory in Your Kingdom agenda for the earth. Our Decree: We decree the Lamb has overcome and the Ekklesia will also overcome! *************************************** Click on the link below to watch the full video.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.