Prophecy 2012

Posted on January 8, 2012 by admin

Not since Y2K has been such a deluge of prophetic predictions concerning a New Year. Perhaps the Mayans and their doomsday calendar are to blame. The movie 2012–in which there is a world wide apocalypse and where the only way the human race can be saved is by a huge Noah’s Ark/cruise ships–may have contributed to the hysteria. Will the world come to an end in 2012? Not according to the Word of God.

I do believe that 2012 will mark what scripture calls “the beginning of sorrows.” We are already in the age of apostasy. Matthew 24:5-8 says:

For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.

We are in that season of wickedness and blasphemy when good is evil and evil is good. One does not need a prophet to point this out; you only a newspaper, TV, or internet news site. We live in world that is so vile and twisted that infants are not safe in their mother’s womb, public schools will not display the ten commandments or let a student pray, but homosexuality is taught as an alternative life style that is to be respected and even afforded special treatment. The truth has become a point of view rather than an irrefutable principle. The voice of the second great awakening, who preached the infamous message, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Jonathan Edwards, said, The earth itself has grown so sick of your sinful selves that it quakes and erupts awaiting the adoption.”

I have heard the Lord’s voice concerning 2012. The Lord first showed me the color red. I have not experienced anything quite like this before, but each and everything about 2012 touches the color red. The blood is what first comes to my mind as I ponder the color red. There is going to be a great return to the teachings of the cross. The age of a prosperity-driven, crossless Christianity is going to be exposed for the heresy that it is. The Bible says, “Where sin doth abound, grace does much more abound.” In the midst of great apostasy will be the manifestation of great grace. Many will be delivered through the blood of Jesus from the perverted spirits of this age.

Red also speaks to war. The Lord gave me this verse, “Since the days of John the Baptist, the Kingdom suffereth violence and the violent, take it by force.”  Get ready as a fresh anointing to fight–a warrior anointing–comes upon the church. This will not be like the wave of Kingdom Now teachings that focused on the things of the world; the focus of this will be souls.  This means aggressive strategies to reach the lost and attack the evil spirits that hold this generation captive.

Red speaks to anger, and this year will be marked with a righteous indignation like the church has not seen before. As the Father prepares to pour His mighty wrath upon this world, the true church will again be persecuted as the lines between the flesh and spirit become more clear. It has been difficult to tell the church from the world in recent years, but lines will be drawn. As the pure church comes forth, the jealousy of the Lord will cause a swift judgement upon those who choose religion over relationship.

Red is also the color of love and passion. There will be a worship revival among those that are truly seeking the Lord. There will be prolonged times of worship in the presence of the Lord. People will begin to find their only refuge from the chaos of life to be the tabernacle of the Lord. There will be radical manifestations of the presence of God both supernatural and physical as people find mere words insufficient to express their passion for the lord. As the lord makes ready the final preparations to gather His bride, the church will sense this longing and respond with incredible worship.

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Anointing Fall On Me

Posted on September 20, 2011 by admin

The purpose behind this particular blog post is to motivate those who have been called to ministry to both hunger and pursue the anointing. The anointing of the Holy Spirit was the key to Jesus Christ’s incredible power. Christ means “the anointed one.” Although I believe completely and wholeheartedly in the divinity of Jesus, the miracles that He performed while on this earth, He did as a man anointed of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus came out of the wilderness, He entered the temple and read from the book of Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me for He hath anointed me…”

When Jesus said, “These things shall you do and even greater,” He was not asking us to do anything different than He himself did–that is, walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus said, “Who touched me?” He knew someone had touched and received something because the King James Version says “virtue” went out of him and the woman was healed. That word “virtue” in the Greek is dunamis. This is the exact same word found in Acts 1:8, “You shall receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you.” The Greek word for power is dunamis! The same thing that healed the woman with the issue of blood flows into us when we are baptized in the Holy Spirit.

This miraculous power quickly manifested in the early church. Peter and John said to the lame man at the gate of the temple, “Silver and Gold have I none, but such as I have give I unto thee. In the Name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” The testimony of this miracle added thousands to the early church. This also established a precedent for evangelism: healing and miracles are the dinner bell of salvation.

To be anointed by the Holy Spirit is an awesome experience which should create a greater humility and dependence upon the Lord. The anointing does not just involve healing and miracles, nor is it limited to the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit. God can anoint you to kill giants like David did, or even anoint you to fish like Peter. Certainly if you are Spirit-filled you know the difference between anointed music/singing and just something that sounds good. The anointing is like the wind–you can’t see the wind, but you can see its effect upon the trees. You may not see the Holy Spirit, but you can see the effect upon people as they contact this incredible invisible power.

The anointing is the supernatural enduement of power and resources to accomplish your divine assignment. Too often I witness today’s Christian trying to activate the anointing to accomplish their own purposes. This is not scriptural and any results are easily attributed to will power and natural charisma. In order to see the supernatural, one must seek the Father’s will. Jesus said, “I only do those things the Father tells me to do.” This obedience to the Father’s will is a major key to unlocking a powerful anointing. The anointing is not a means to get what you want–it is the limitless power given to those who have crucified their own desires and surrendered their heart, mind, and soul to the will of God. Jesus said, “Nevertheless, not my will but Thy will be done.” This is the death that brings resurrection power.

“I can tell you the time and I can take you to the place where Katherine Kuhlman died.” Do you know who said this? It was Kathryn Kuhlman herself. She spoke of this death to self often during her healing crusades. This is the clarion call to those who desire the true New Testament anointing: “Take up your cross, and follow…” The power to touch this generation awaits a broken, yielded vessel.

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How Do We Reach the Homosexual with the Good News?

Posted on September 6, 2011 by admin

How do we reach the homosexual with the Good News? This is one question that never came up during my many years of studying theology. I have heard many people’s thoughts on the subject, and yet I am not quite sure that anyone has really articulated a genuine strategy to reach this growing segment of our society. It seems that public opinion–and by all means political correctness–requires an attitude of acceptance. This makes it very difficult for the modern Christians who cannot ignore the scriptures strong and irrefutable stand against homosexual behavior (see Romans 1).

You may have already discovered that the soapbox sermon of impending hell fire has little to no effect on a culture that is already battle-hardened by rejection and persecution. Often, the self-righteous cries of the overzealous Bible-thumper are relegated to being just “one more voice” in a sea of disapproval. If we are honest, most homosexuals have already faced years of social isolation, self-doubt, and in many cases outright abuse. Do you really believe that adding your religious disapproval to their life choices is going to cut through their scarred conscience?

There must be a way to reach out without compromise and demonstrate the love of God. Perhaps the best example is Jesus Christ himself. We too often forget that Jesus was a friend to sinners. He frequently kept company with prostitutes, publicans, and even tax collectors. Let’s face it, if Jesus were living among us today, he would definitely be hanging out with pimps, prostitutes, and homosexuals. Jesus said, “He that is whole needs not a physician” (see Mark 2:17).

Jesus seemed to project a spirit of love that caused people’s spirits to open up to His teaching. Love is the most important thing–not blind acceptance–but love (agape). Love is patient, kind, endures all things, hopes all things… love never fails. How exactly this love song translates into church policies and procedures is bound to engender a thousand different interpretations. For me, it definitely means everyone is welcome to come to TLC.

We have always had an unwritten policy that says, “Come as you are, but how dare you stay the same.” Such a statement requires an absolute confidence in the Truth and His incredible supernatural power to transform. The Word of God says, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” This truth must be preached, taught, and counseled. Small groups are extremely effective tools for imparting truth in a non-threatening atmosphere. Everyone of us needs to be reminded that we all come to the Lord for change and transformation. I refuse to give up on those who are searching for freedom.

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Justice is Served

Posted on July 9, 2011 by admin

It must seem to some people in this world that there is simply no justice. Recent verdicts make it hard to believe that our court system really does protect the innocent. Lady justice seems to tip her scales toward the rich and famous, or anyone who can afford the best and most connected attorneys. The justice system in America is massaged and seduced by attorneys who specialize in jury selection and high-priced expert witnesses who sell their integrity to the highest bidder. That doesn’t even begin to describe the problems of pay-offs, bribes, and perjury.

It’s not just the injustice of our courts that frustrates me, it is the constant injustice of life. We all bear witness to this fact as we watch the bad guy prosper each day, while the good guy deals with hardship and pain. Some of the nicest, most well-deserving people I know seem to face nothing but pain and misery. I’ve seen how in the movies the good guy always wins, and the bad guy gets caught, but in the real world, it hardly ever seems to be that cut and dried.

Thank God I am not the first person to notice this. The Bible tells us exactly how to deal with such seeming inequity. Psalm 37:1-3 says:

Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. It is appointed unto man once to die and after this the judgement. The real judgement, the one that counts for all eternity will come after death.

Don’t worry about what may look unfair in this life. They may escape American jurisprudence, but they will not get anything by the Lord. The Word of God says, “True and righteous are His judgments.” This is not to say that some people won’t face some trouble this side of eternity, but ultimately, true justice will not be served until the day of the recompense of the Lord.

It would be nice to think that for each and every person who deserved some sort of punishment or reward, we could simply watch it fall out of heaven. However, this is the New Testament dispensation of grace, and that is not how it goes. You could have caught that long-running sitcom in the Old Testament had you been there. It was called, “GSI” (God Sent It). God sent frogs, locusts, fiery serpents, leprosy–and those were all good episodes, but I think my favorite episode is when God sent amrods to the Philistines for stealing the Ark of the Covenant (that is an old English word for hemorrhoids).

During this age of grace, you are far less likely to catch an episode of “GSI”. It’s not completely impossible, though; you can see those moments when judgment represents grace. Imagine someone you know that has backslidden and maybe has become bitter… it would be the mercy of God that brought trouble into their life, rather than them slipping into eternity and facing judgement there. When Israel would backslide and the Lord would send them warnings through His prophets, often if they did not turn back and repent, trouble would rain like fire from the skies. This demonstrated the love of God and the fact that He is “married” to the backslider. In this the church age, it is still a manifestation of love when God pours out judgment upon the backslider.

If you would like to worry about someone as many folks do, worry about the ones that never see any judgment this side of eternity. You know the ones, the wicked who prosper in their way, the self-righteous who seem to have it all together; they shall be cut down like the grass in a field and cast into Hell’s eternal furnace.

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Youth Revival at TLC

Posted on June 24, 2011 by admin

God is moving!  Two more nights–Sat. and Sun.

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Grace for the World but None for Your Brother

Posted on June 20, 2011 by admin

The body of Christ has continued to follow the disturbing pattern of killing our wounded. Like the cute little creature on Galaxy Quest limping toward the water source, just as his back is turned, the others grow huge fangs and pounce on the weakling. Yep, that’s the church! Let a man raise hell night and day and chase every skirt from here to Cincinnati, and he is a precious soul to be reached for the sake of the Gospel. But, let that same man join the church, walk the line for a season, and then stumble. The church will devour him like Piranha. After all, he should know better. Now he is no longer a precious soul, but simply fodder for the gossip cannon: Facebook.

I am amazed how that Christians–I am sorry, I should not call them that–church folk love to pounce on the weak. If death and life are in the power of the tongue, then I have personally witnessed many a homicide in the name of “the truth”. It’s bloody out there in the pews and foyers for the Christian who fails to meet perfection.

Recently I experienced the threats and rantings of church folk against a hurting soul whose entire life is in turmoil. Statements such as: “I will never speak to you again”, “You will never see your grandchildren again”, “Divorce is an unpardonable sin”, “You know better, so if you sin, you can’t repent”. The loudest among them all seemed to have forgotten the great debts they were once forgiven of… when they left the church to shack up with a man, or when they were a church member and slept with their best friend’s fiancé, or the other when their wife caught them masturbating to porn on the computer, or the one, who after God called them to preach, ran to the bars and clubs and took every drug you could imagine. Maybe it’s not fair to mention these sins from their past, but then again, the Word of God is clear: if we don’t forgive others, then we are not forgiven. Have they through judgmental spirits and ecclesiastical pronunciations resurrected their own transgressions? Perhaps you don’t believe that God’s forgiveness could ever be revoked because of your lack of mercy. If so, read Matthew 18:23-35.

Where is grace in all of this? He giveth more grace… Why?? We are going to need it! Caring enough about someone to be willing to care-front them about mistakes and even transgressions can be an incredible act of love. On the other hand, that same act can be incredibly destructive when it is controlling and manipulative in its tone. It’s important to keep your issues out of it. This is not about your daddy issues or your rejection issues or your marriage, etc. Keep your focus on the one who is in Satan’s cross-hairs. Remember that in the Kingdom of God, righteousness regards relationship over rightness. Forgive your brother seventy times seven each day.

Judge not lest you be judged, for in the same measure that you judge, you shall be judged. I am afraid not to approach any situation in someone’s life grace first. I know that I need grace, and the longer I serve the Lord, the more I realize that I need even more grace. We should be ashamed of the church’s Jerry Springer approach towards broken lives. Their issues serve as entertainment and lessons in life that validate our approach. We are so quick to pass judgment before all the facts are in. Though broken, they are still a precious soul, and according to my Bible, our heavenly Father is married to the backslider.

Remember love? Love endures all things, hopes all things: Love never fails. It is time for the gossip to cease, the backbiting and the debating to come to an end. The Bible says to put away from you the putting forth of the finger. That obviously leaves those entertained by a brother or sister’s struggles without excuse. How about instead of killing the wounded, we surround them and pour in the oil and the wine? How many times have you seen someone get healed and then get right? In relation to sinners, we say, “Catch them, then clean them.” Perhaps with believers we should say, “Heal them, then clean them.”

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Thanks Dad

Posted on June 19, 2011 by admin

Happy Father’s Day to my Dad and all the Dad’s who:
Pick up heavy things,
Fight the monsters in the closet,
Eat Santa’s cookies,
Clean the McDonald’s French fries from between the car seats,
Never cry, you just get something in your eye,
Pay off the Christmas credit cards,
Buy things for your wife and daughter that require a disguise,
Have performed surgery on Barbie and G I Joe,
Have pronounced the last rites and benediction over Gold Fish and the occasional turtle,
Who have cheered for countless at bats, and soccer goals,
Bought pizza and ice cream for the losing team,
Magically made the pain go away by kissing the boo boo,
Burnt off an eyebrow for the sake of the barbecue,
Over did it on a Birthday,
Bear hugged a broken heart away,
Taken the overtime or second job so that the ends will meet,
Loved, encouraged,
Led by example,
Kept your word,
Stood your ground,
Kept your faith,
Showed us THE FATHER…….Thanks!

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Sir, You Convict Me!

Posted on May 18, 2011 by admin

Have you ever noticed how that the anointing, before it destroys the yoke, brings conviction? The Bible does say in John 16:8, “And when he is come (the Holy Spirit), he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement.” That kindof explains the story about Smith Wiggleworth; he boarded a train and entered a box car where a man sat in silence. Smith Wiggleworth sat down and gave the man a gentlemanly nod and then sat there without comment. After a several minutes had passed, the stranger in the box car quickly rose to his feet, exclaiming, “Sir, you convict me!” and exited the car.

The anointing of the Holy Spirit can prick someone’s heart even without the use of words. I have often experienced this myself with friends and family members, in particular, those who begin to drift away from God, pursuing their own ambitions and ignoring the high call of God upon their life. When I greet them, I am very careful not to mention their backsliding or lukewarm spiritual condition. I try to converse about the weather or engage in other shallow banter with topics such as the kids, the car, the new hairstyle, etc. However, regardless of my efforts, I can sense the Holy Spirit’s presence. Despite my trite and superficial words, I know that their heart is stirred, and conviction is now tormenting their spirit man and calling for a response. I might say, “How are the kids, and is that a new car?” But they seem to hear, “Why are you not preaching the Gospel?!”

The truth is, I simply have no control over this supernatural phenomenon of the Spirit. It happens when I least expect it. It is often quite disconcerting to affect people this way; however, I have come to respect the Holy Spirit’s unique way of working on the hearts of people, and I hope to be more and more anointed in the days before our Lord’s return. Perhaps it is time for the church at large to get back into the conviction business.

There is such a strong movement today to make people feel comfortable at church and to help them feel like they belong, that old-fashioned conviction is seen as counter-productive to church growth. Nothing could be further from the truth. Conviction gives us the power to repent. We have too many people today who are simply joining a church–not being born again into the kingdom of God. Church membership alone will not keep you in times of trouble. When you have truly been born again, old things pass away and all things become new.

I say, “Don’t apologize for convicting people of their sin and apathy.” Rather, I would like to have an apology from all those claiming to be Christ’s followers, and yet they convict no one. Come on everybody, let’s turn up the heat.

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Get It Into Your Heart

Posted on March 7, 2011 by admin

I am sure that most of you have come to the very same conclusion that I have, which is “hearing the word is simply not enough.” It sure would be great if that was all that was required. We could just invest all our resources in megaphones and television time. Everybody who even accidentally heard the Word would receive eternal life and be transformed. But, unfortunately, it takes more than that to appropriate God’s life changing power.

Romans 10:9-10 says, “…that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

To be saved, one must first hear the word, confess the word, and believe the word. How long has salvation been available to you? The truth is, it has been paid for by Christ for two-thousand years, however, you could not have experienced salvation if you were not aware of salvation. How sad to think that there are still people all over the world who simply do not know because they have never heard the Good News.

Throughout scripture, there is strong connection between what you say and your heart: “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.“ Paul says, “I believe therefore I speak.” In order to the get the word of God out of my head and into my heart, I must speak it. When I speak the word, it moves from the mind to the heart–the heart is the soil. As the seed of the word takes root and grows in the soil of my heart, it no longer requires faith to confess; it is simply the fruit of what I now believe and know.

The identity is in the seed. The soil can respond to whatever seed is sown into it and produce the apple, pear, or ear of corn. That is why you have to be careful what you allow to be planted into your heart. Proverbs 4:23 (AMP) says, “Keep and quard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.” It’s so important that you guard your heart against offense and criticism because they have the power to transform what comes out of you. Think about it, someone offends you in word or deed, and you do not address that and get that out of your heart. As time goes by, you begin to appear bitter and angry to everyone around you, and all your actions and words become filtered through that offense. Never place your emotional well being in someone else’s hands. Never forget, it’s your garden you have the right to weed it.

I have wasted many hours of my life listening to people explain how someone else stole their joy or ruined their future. Yet, the Word does not point its finger toward the invader, but rather toward the guardian. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you! No wonder God chose Mary to carry His only begotten son. Mary rejected the gossip and rumors about her precarious pregnancy, but took the prophesies of God and “hid them in her heart.“ That is exactly what I am encouraging you to do, today. Forget what your critics and the gossips say; speak and believe the Word of Lord.

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Who’s Holding You Back?

Posted on February 21, 2011 by admin

How many people in your life, since you came to know Jesus, still call you by your old worldly nickname? That’s a serious clue for those who are trying to break free from their old past and pursue a new life in Christ. These people can only see you for who you were–not who you are.

Remember the parable in scripture about the sower and the seed? Some of the seed fell among thorns and thistles that the choked the life out of the new seedlings. This is a powerful image of those new believers who allow old worldly relationships to continue to surround them after they are saved. Think about this: It was good seed, and the life experienced was real life. However, it could not survive in such a dangerous environment.

It is critical that you surround yourself with people who will support your future, not your past. Jesus was friendly with sinners, but it was the disciples that He ate with and camped with on His journeys. It was those who shared His passion and vision for the future that He gave the special behind-the-scenes DVD version of His parables and revelations. I love the fact that Jesus was never “too good” to touch the sick or eat at Zachias’ house or even associate with the woman at the well. But these incredible insights into Jesus and these very stories–His compassion for these lost souls–are only available to us because His true friends wrote them down along with the additional insights He only made available to them.

As Christ’s body, we are to emulate His example, including how He prioritized His relationships. We should never stop reaching out to those who are not yet saved; however, we must reserve “Covenant Relationship” for those who are in the light. The Word of God says, “What fellowship has light with darkness?” This is one of the most difficult transitions for new believers, and quite frankly, many have fallen away who held too closely to “Old Things.” Start today by investing more time and energy into relationships with the people who will help mentor you in spiritual things and spend less time with the people still stuck in the life that Christ has freed you from. Remember this, “We are in the world, not of the world.” Your future is far more important than your past. It’s time to let go of who’s holding you back and get with the people who are sending you forth!

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