SPIRITUALLY BLIND

"And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, 'The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valor'. And Gideon said unto him, 'Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites'. And the LORD looked upon him, and said, 'Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?' And he said unto him, 'Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house'. And the LORD said unto him, 'Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man'."-(Judges 6:11-16)

I had the privilege very recently to minister once again with a great man of God, and a mighty man of valor, who, through partnership with his spouse, ministers worldwide in a truly anointed capacity. I speak of Harry Salem and his precious wife, Cheryl. Harry and Cheryl are dear to Jeni and I, and have served for many years now as a God-given and God-appointed example of the type of union in life and ministry that we ourselves share.
While I was ministering in worship before he was to speak, a precious anointing fell and the environment of faith enveloped the body of the church. I began to prophesy (albeit fairly restrained as I did not feel fully released to unleash that which God was revealing to me) and had two very remarkable experiences. First, as the anointing filled the very air itself, I began to see in the Spirit, and scanning the congregation, was drawn to a corner in the back of the sanctuary. I heard in my spirit "brilliance". Then, shielding my eyes from the spotlights, I saw a dear friend, who I had been told was out of state on sabbatical. The anointing had shone so potently on him, that he could not be anonymous in the presence of the Lord. I did not, however, announce his presence but upon the prompting of the Holy Spirit, allowed him his privacy. What directly followed that was the Lord showing me a spirit in the midst of the people who was blind, without sight. I saw in a vision a spirit-man literally blindfolded, and then as the blindfold fell off, I witnessed badly scarred, scaled eyes. I then, through the move of the Spirit, gave a word for the person who "had become SPIRITUALLY BLIND". The Holy Spirit continued to speak through me revealing the divine timing of this person's presence at the service; that they were not accidentally present, and the man of God's sermon was going to be the breakthrough Word which they needed in order to regain their spiritual sight once more. I remember this so distinctly, because as soon as the man of God took the pulpit, he called it to attention again and was pressed by the anointing to confirm it. As the Word came forth, it occurred, even to him, that the message's center of focus was speaking directly to those who were "spiritually blind".

The text from Judges shows us that even in the midst of the Angel of the Lord, or as theophany suggests, Jesus Himself, who declares while Gideon hides threshing wheat in the WINEPRESS (see the archived blog "The Winepress Giant") that he is a "mighty man of valor". He greets Gideon as a mighty warrior. But Gideon has, in spite of the knowlege of the miracles that God had done for Israel, become "spiritually blind". Instead of allowing the release and becoming the depth of the prophetic proclamation, he goes directly to the negative and in that perspective asks "WHY?". Have you ever greeted someone with an empowering word and immediately received a negative response? I most certainly have, There are people throughout my walk, who upon even the slightest positive greeting- "How are you?", will respond with- "I can't complain". While to them this may seem to be a good, and honest answer, it begs the retort "Would you be happier if you COULD complain?". You would be amazed at the amount of truly brilliant, strong and beautiful people in my life who use that response EVERY DAY. It is staggering. I do not cite this out of lambasting criticism, but rather out of recognition of the bounty of blessing that they miss on a daily basis, as a result of their choice to ignore the positive. I was a the grocery store and was greeted by a checker who I somehow seem to be divinely appointed to, and he asked how I was. I answered genuinely "Blessed. How are you?". He responded "I am choosing to have a positive day." I laughed and went on to expound on the merits and virtue of that answer and core belief. I did so until I realized that a long line of "Can't complainers" was developing behind me and starting to do what they longed to do secretly in their souls... complain.

With Gideon in this text, he behaves similarly to those who sink back into the negative in the midst of a possible positive conversion. He postures the behavior of a doubter, and his doubt literally removes the mantle of "mighty man of valor" from his cognizance. Instead of embracing the gift of fortification, the man who had been hiding threshing wheat in a winepress questions the Angel of the Lord with "WHY?" and "WHERE?". Many times in our walk with the Lord, when God looks to rename us, or empower us with a fresh anointing or purpose, we are susceptible to the way of the doubter. Instead of engaging the fresh mantle, anointing or assignment, we look behind us at let-downs or perhaps more often at our current surroundings, environments or circumstances and ask "WHY did this happen to me?" or "WHERE were YOU?". I can personally attest to the hopelessness of allowing my surroundings and current plight to define my outcome. But God does not consider the environment as a hindering factor. He is sovereign, and His sovereignty can make something out of nothing. God can make it snow upside-down on a blazing summer day where there has never been rain let alone snow. In the midst of one of the most trying and difficult times of our ministry's growth, I felt as though God had forgotten the promises He had made to me. I saw only the negative experiences in my life and held onto them as if they were, for better and mostly worse, what defined me. My mistakes, my poor choices and ignorance were what made me who I was. I was depressed and lost. Through the veil of a manufactured smile, I defined myself as a "fish in a forest" who could no longer find the path back to the waters. It was grim. But the God of the Breakthrough saw every second of my doubt and self-inflicted suffering. At a conference we were ministering at, a Pastor I did not know, who did not know me, through the prompting of the Holy Spirit spoke these words to me:
"The Spirit of the Living God wants you to know that you are not the events that have happened in your life. You are not to define yourself through your mistakes any more. He is commanding you to see yourself not as the flesh would have you, but as the Spirit would. You are NOT what has happened. You are His. You are CHOSEN." It was amazing. I had received, once more, a direct and valuable Word from the Lord right on time. I immediately moved out of the hills of doubt and onto the mountaintop of sonship once more. I have been tempted from time to time to regress and crawl back into the fleshly comfort of vain self-deprication, but the Holy Spirit has kept me safe and sanctified. Prior to that moment, I too had become "spiritually blind".

It is a commonly used weapon of the adversary to blind the spiritual eyes of believers from the promises and deliverance of God. Satan is far more effective when God's earthly armies are distracted or disoriented. When we are pulled into our circumstances or what visibly seems impossible, there is the potential for a loss of VISION. One of the most disarming qualities of becoming "spiritually blind" is losing one's VISION. "Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."-(Proverbs 29:18) In the "God's Word" translation it reads: "Without prophetic vision people run wild, but blessed are those who follow [God's] teachings." No vision means that the enemy can sneak in and destroy and kill dreams, ideals, beliefs, and the gifts of the spirit. A dear friend of ours, Dr. Myles Munroe teaches that "SIGHT is a function of the eyes, but VISION is a function of the heart." If the enemy can crush or "blind" us from our vision, than he can, in that action, break our hearts. It is not uncommon for people to perish or die from a broken heart. You may be breathing, you may be technically and physically alive, but if you are heart-broken, you are by no means truly living. But please do not misunderstand what I am attempting to communicate here. Satan, or his minions are not necessarily the responsible party for the death of dreams and vision in many people who become spiritually blind. Quite the contrary, I believe he uses the opportunities allotted by those who have by their own decision laid down their vision to infiltrate and hold their thoughts captive in that state. The enemy gets quite a bit of undeserved credit for what usually amounts to not "following God's teachings".

Without spiritual sight, there is no peace in our hearts. When we become "blinded" it is nearly impossible to see the King. If we become focused on the Midianites and the invaders or challenges of life, our minds and hearts are not on God. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee."-(Isaiah 26:3) With our minds stayed upon the Lord, we can see when the Angel of the Lord comes to call upon us in our hiding places and addresses us as Mighty Man or Woman of Valor that there is no need for proofs or signs. The confirmation will be in the appearance of the Angel Himself. What is so wonderfully impressive about Gideon's situation is the revelation that although he was reclusively eluding the invaders in a winepress, God spoke into him the greatness that he would be need to defeat the Midianites in spite of his declaration of being "poor and the least of his father's house". You see, all it takes to regain our spiritual sight is a word or a touch from the Master. "And Jesus answered and said unto him, 'What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?' The blind man said unto him, 'Lord, that I might receive my sight'. And Jesus said unto him, 'Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole.' And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.."-(Mark 10:51-52) It takes a word from the Lord and FAITH. God WAS with Gideon, and he did smite the Midianites as one man. He truly became a mighty man of valor.

Perhaps you are fighting this same battle, unwittingly. Is it possible that you linger in the negative, or have set up camp where either your surroundings or those within your camp have placed "blinders" on you? Or far worse, is it possible that the environment you have unpacked in, and those you have joined party with are the very instruments of your loss of sight? Sometimes, we are completely unaware of our loss of spiritual receptivity or sensitivity because of a slow, steady decline into darkness. If you have fallen away from the glory or grace of God's presence and rather slid into the mirky clay and swamp of circumstance, we encourage you to rise up, you mighty man of valor! God is on your side! The scales of spiritual blindness MUST obey the KING OF KINGS command to be gone! We speak LIFE and a RESURRECTION of your dead or dying DREAMS and VISION!! There is a Dylan Thomas poem which reads "Do not go gentle into that good night- Rage, rage against the dying of the light!" When there is a shadow, do not lay down your vision, do not relinquish your sight. Rather, press on. Press on without ceasing. When the circumstances appear all but hopeful, press on. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."-(Psalm 23:4) Walk THROUGH, knowing that God and his Word are our comfort. Do not stay hidden in the winepress, eking out a living, existing in fear and loathsome remembrance of what could have been. Instead, heed the prophetic call to arms, listen to the Word of the Lord as He calls you to reclaim your purpose, regain your mantle, and take back your SIGHT.

THE MEANING OF LIFE

"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."-(1 John 4:8)

This is not a test. What you are experiencing is the genuine event. This is neither an elaborate rehearsal for a future experience, nor is it a cruel joke. This is life. This is REAL. You are not in some alternate level of meditation, imagining that this is all unfolding before your imaginary eyes... You are not skimming some surrogate plane of actuality. YOU ARE INDEED HERE. Your spirit-man is inhabiting the molecular manifestation of what is, at its basest level, a divinely-designed spacesuit. The suit, when properly operated, maintained and stewarded over will produce excellent movement and effective results. However, when the protective shell and its fine elements are either abused or is used to project negative output, the gesticulation will be rated as destructive and the fruit will represent manifested impairment. The latter is a direct contradiction to the value and purpose established by the Manufacturer. For further explicit instruction and details, please consult the manufacturer or the instruction manual. I repeat- THIS IS NOT A TEST. Note- The mission objective of this operation is very simple: LOVE.

Why are we here? The Buddhist would say "Because". The Atheist would say "Accidental". The canine would say "squirrel". But the living God who is responsible for every neutron in existence tells us why very clearly in the only valid operational manual. The "Manufacturer" Himself, who created the earth and all that dwell therein (including Buddhists, Atheists and dogs) told us nearly two millennia ago: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”-(Matthew 22:36-40) LOVE. God IS Love. To love, therefore, is to be in God's perfect will. In actuality, the Creator of the heavens and the Earth fashioned us with the specific purpose of communion with Him, in love. He made us in His own image, the mirror of Love itself. We are, in essence therefore, built to yield the produce of God or love. Wow. In its absolute simplicity, that is unfathomably deep. That should end this article. The acknowledgement that "Love is everything" should be the finale of this exhortation of the obvious... Sadly, it is not.

With the fall of man came the viral infection of evil, fear, disease, doubt and the curse of sin and sting of death. With the first and most devastating act of disobedience, and thereby lack of love, came pain and heartbreak. The tears shed on that day were monumental. The entirety of mankind was placed onto a dark path to self-destruction. But we are still here. A planet-wide flood, several acts of extermination and devastation later... We are still here. How is that possible? The Architect of all life, loved us so much that He could not simply wipe the slate clean and start again. He made us from His own substance. Borne of the very heart of God Himself, He could not bear to part with us. It is not a matter of need. It is quite literally, a matter of the heart. Proverbs 4:23 tells us "Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.” If our heart is the wellspring of life, and we are made in the image of God, then He crafted us and granted us life, from His heart. He created us out of LOVE. When love is truly at the center of a matter, giving up is no longer an option. He did not discard us, He restored us back to Himself, out of His love.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."-(John 3:16) It was love that created us, and love that reconciled us back to the source of life. Without love, we are incomplete and thereby, unredeemed. As followers of the Way, the Truth and the Life, we are commanded to love one another. Jesus did not come to do away with the law or the prophets, but rather FULFILL them. He came to complete them, to restore that which was missing. His Love completed the process of redemption. "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."-(John 15;13) Before laying down His life to free us from the curse of the fall, He added to the commandments. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”-(John 13:34-35) So we must love one another. Why bother sharing such a basic principle? What is the necessity in repeating an age-old tenet of our faith to the multitudes? Because, even now, after 2000 years of truth-revealed and gospel-preached admonitions we still lack love. We still harbor resentment and hatred.

We proclaim the goodness and mercy of the God who freely offers His grace, and yet we despise one another. Not you? Consider your heart. Do you hate the sin or the sinner? Be honest. I know that it is painful, but the truth must surface for progress to be established. The honesty of our walk will determine what we refine and glean from this incredible journey. "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free."-(John 8:32) The antithesis of that scriptural revelation is "You shall live in the lie and the fiction will imprison you". When interacting with other "spacesuits" do you love unconditionally the spirit within? What about the homosexual? What about the heterosexual with promiscuity issues? Or perhaps the drug-addicted miscreant? What about the Muslim misguided by the deception of a subverted culture? What about the Gossip, the Glutton, the Unbeliever or the invariably hate-filled evil-doers of the world? Do you look at them through the eyes of the one whose love set us apart? Or do you equate the depth of the sin with the sinner bearing it? Do not be deceived here. “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."-(Matthew 7:1-2) IT IS NOT IN OUR AUTHORITY OR MISSION PLAN TO JUDGE ANYONE. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"-(Romans 3:23) That means you and me. Still, we repeat the pattern of abhorrence within the walls of the church. We replicate the culture of enmity amongst the living stones of the Kingdom itself. Followers judge other followers. Believers curse other believers. "Christians" hate other "Christians". That is not love. That is conditional love, which is in truth JUDGEMENT.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’"-(Matthew 7:21-23) We can call ourselves by the name of the Creator all day long, but if we do not do the most basic, most important of all He commands us, we are not in undisputed relationship with Him. Jesus tells us that it is entirely possible to prophesy, exercise the demonic and even perform the miraculous in His name and yet be unknown to Him. It is our LOVE that gains us true entry. It is our LOVE that creates consanguinity with the Master, not merely our declaration. To proclaim your faith with your tongue and remain untransformed in your heart is double-minded. "For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."-(James 1:7-8) Let me tender this example- Let's suppose that you are a book. You may be a lovely, leather-bound edition with gold-leaf lettering that states without a doubt that you are "The Holy Bible" on the cover and the spine. Are you truly the word of God within? Or perhaps inside that gorgeous, classic outer sheathing you are filled with a conglomerate of literary stews... Your exterior states that you are the Word of God, but inside one would find "Mein Kaumpf", "Thus Spoke Zarathustra", a few issues of "The Enquirer" and "Hustler"? When getting checked back into the Divine Library, the Chief Librarian would discard you as false. I know, I am a strange bird and that metaphor rides the edge of absurdity... But think about it; How often do we profess that we are His children, but act like we are total strangers?

"If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing."-(1 Corinthians 13:2) We are incomplete without the Love of God at the center of all of our activity and purpose. That is the veritable meaning of life itself. To Love, to be LOVE, because we are loved. We are to imitate our Heavenly Father and do what He does, just as Jesus the Messiah did in His ministry here on Earth, in His spacesuit. "We love because he first loved us."-(1 John 4:19)

Do you truly love? I am not speaking of liking what everyone is fond of, or approving the stylistic or cultural natures of others. I am certainly not professing that tolerating sin is equivalent to loving the sinner. I am simply asking you to examine your heart. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."-(Matthew 6:21) If you are in genuine relationship with God the Father, Jesus the Advocate Messiah and His Holy Spirit, then you will find your treasure trove in His courts. If you are in true relationship with the God who so loved the world that He gave, you will give. You will trust Him with your life, your love and your heart and you will GIVE it to Him. That is where to store up your treasure and your LOVE. When we give our lives to Jesus Christ, He can become one with us. When we enter into the most powerful relationship, the greatest love, we give our total trust to Him. We cannot say that we honestly trust Him if we cannot let go and love as he loved. Remember, even as the precious Lamb of God was being nailed to a tree with 9 inch spikes piercing His hands and feet, He cried out "Father, forgive them. They know not what they are doing."-(Luke 23:34) He proclaimed at that moment the nature of our love. To forgive, to minister to in spite of our outward circumstances; to never judge another's motives... To give our very lives to make this adventure and world a better place to learn and care for each other. The greatest love of all creation is to share that treasure with others. Remember the old adage that "people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care". Tell others that the love you have for them comes from the source of love itself. Show them the love that sets the world free and offer them what He offers to all of His children- HIS HEART. That is the meaning of life... TO LOVE.

THE APOCALYPTIC LULLABY

"Do this, knowing the time, that now is high time for you to awaken out of sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed."-(Romans 13:11)

Why do we arbitrarily call out to Him when it is either convenient or when we are wounded? Why do we seek Him only to find His hands, rather than His Face? In a fallen world that is crying out every day as one who is dying and losing their hold on life, clutching at straws to survive, we see, hear, and experience for ourselves the signs of the times. They are imminent warnings of what will inevitably, prophetically, and scripturally come to pass. Disease, Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Tornados, Hurricanes, natural signs and devastations wiping out entire villages, cities and civilizations... Wars, conflicts, abuses, cruelty, murder, slavery, human trafficking, genocide and man's gross inhumanity toward man rack our conscience and hearts with the clanging alarm of a species destined and somehow determined to undermine and destroy itself. The news media blares the authenticity of the havoc and magnifies these significant omens to the point of cacophony, as if the enemy would have us desensitized to the imminence of our calamity. Numbing us with the inundation of tragedy, we crawl back into our safe, quiet, insulated bed-chambers and try to block it out.

But while Satan attempts to lull us back to impotent slumber with the lullaby of lust, self-importance, dissension, greed, complacency, comfort and worst of all, doubt and fear, he sets the stage for the deceived to operate on his behalf. He uses extremists who bear the banner and the Black Flag of the spirit of Anti-Christ to march toward the fulfillment of his designs. We sit idly by, asleep in the midst of chaos and catastrophe as the evil one mounts his assaults. I do not speak of the slumber that Jesus rebukes the disciples for waking Him out of due to a lack of faith in Mark 4:35-40. I cite the type of spirit of stupor that Paul mentions in Romans 11:18 that keeps our eyes from truly seeing and our ears from hearing what is TRUTH. If you are awake right now, you will have had revelation that the adversary has used individuals enclosed inside the body of Christ to cause division from within since the inception of the church. Denominationalism, sectarianism, doctrinal disputes and hatred from one arm to the other in the Corpus Christi here on Earth have been his means to decay the infrastructure of our Kingdom. Division is the cancer destroying the anatomy of Christendom in its interior. We are called to occupy in dominion until Messiah returns, but while we hold fast, we have been, for centuries, more trouble to one another through our self-righteousness and schisms than his minions ever needed be. For millennia, the fallen worship leader of heaven has allowed the church in her own vanity to subversively engage in civil war. But the plot is thickening...

Right now, as you read this in the security of your own personal sanctuary, I would kindly ask you to consider two things. First, ARE YOU AWAKE? "Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep."-(Psalm 121:4) And second, ARE YOU AWARE? "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."-(Romans 12:2) As my bride and I traverse the globe to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and dedicate our lives to discipling the Saints, we do not take lightly the clarion call to quicken the Bride of Christ. We know without the shadow of any doubt that the Holy Spirit has shown us that we are commissioned and equipped, for such a time as this, to AWAKEN and make AWARE. If you are awake, we encourage you to rouse others. If you are aware of the urgency of the times, we would rally you to share the critical nature of the precipice we all stand upon. The end is relatively... well, NIGH.

I remember as a child observing the obscure corner-dwelling, billboard-wearing presumably insane people on the streets of New York City. They were pensive, intensely urgent and purposefully selfless in their efforts to sound the alarm to any and everyone who would harken the almost maniacal cry "THE END IS NIGH!!!", or "Repent! for the End is at hand". When asking one of my teachers on a school field trip to the Museum of Natural History what precisely these seemingly insane people were prognosticating, I received a very secular "Crazies" as an answer. But more than 25 years later, and wiser, I am quite sure that a good percentage of these "Crazies" were more prophetic than deranged. When looking at the grand scheme and juncture in relation to our minuscule lifetimes, and compounding the prophetic timelines it is perfectly feasible to discern that, YES, the end is upon us. Like them or not, in lieu of their unorthodox approach, the placard-wearing "crazies" on the corners are not too far off base. (That is with the exception, of course, of anyone spewing hatred and judgement toward others while using the medium of picketing and rallying to actually aid the forces of evil.)

A dear friend recently contended with me "Well, the news media is magnifying all of the madness and disaster. They thought the world was ending 2000 years ago, and they had no T.V.; there was as much devastation and war then as there is right now". Yes, people have been declaring the end of days for centuries. Each civilization, culture and cluster of mankind has proposed a potential cataclysmic date or season. Christian, Pagan, Atheist, Scientist and Philosopher alike have all identified a looming apocalypse within their own lifetimes. Dating back to the dawn of the Church, we know that there was significant presumption about the end of all things even as the first disciples were being martyred. Each generation has its own potential end waiting in the proverbial wings. However, when denying the reality or truth of the progression and escalation of the inevitable end of all things, it is imperative that we swallow the jagged pill of perspective, particularly when dealing with relative timelines. Considering the age and scale of time that we have been traveling on as a race from the creation until now, it is more than feasible to imagine that we are nearing the inevitable and ultimate renewal of creation. The frequency of destruction is increasing on a level that is historic. The atrocities of human hatred and self-decay have reached a fever pitch the likes of which the world has NEVER seen. "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains."-(Mark 13:8) Anyone who is awake and truly sees their surroundings can acknowledge that there is more devastation, more evil and darkness filling the earth to date than ever before. Without mutating this article into a thesis, or following the rabbit down the hole to side-tracked confusion, I reflect back to the real purpose of writing this. We must not treat our lives as fodder. We must not ingest the lie that we should live as though we will never die, but rather live as though we might die ANY MINUTE... Because WE MIGHT. We must be committed to declare the Gospel and whole-heartedly tell the truth about Jesus the Messiah to the entire world. Without fear of rejection, retribution, loss or martyrdom, we are commissioned to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."-(Mark 16:15) We cannot let the sedative of doubt fill us with paralyzing inactivity. This IS really happening. And there are others, who work for the opposing forces who believe that it is, whether you do or not.

I proclaimed earlier how we preach to the Body of Christ to awaken. Recently, while watching a broadcast of the recent revolution in Egypt, we witnessed something disturbing. As one of the leaders of The Muslim Brotherhood began to speak over the noise of elated "free" Egyptians, he uttered "This is the beginning of the great Muslim Awakening! Muslims around the world will rise up to claim what is theirs!". My jaw dropped. We were immediately aware that this was a direct counterfeit of the same directive that the Holy Spirit has given to us and many others in the Body as a charge to prepare for the coming season of turbulence.

When listening to another man of God recently as he revealed the prophetic and actual timelines that are being fulfilled, he interviewed a former bodyguard who defected from within the hierarchy of Iranian rule who unveiled the consistent and constant dialogue from within the counsels of Iranian and Muslim Extremist Leadership. They believe that the Thirteenth Imam, the Imam Mahdi or "Guided One" has already arrived. If you are unfamiliar with the Mohammedan Prophecy of this "being of light", I suggest that you invest some time into the research. I will tell you that according to Muslim Prophecy and in comparison with Christian Eschatology the comparisons are unsettlingly congruent. They believe that the Mahdi's reign and appearance will be coupled by the return of Hadhrat Isa, better known to you and me as Jesus. Although He is denied by Mohammed as being the Son of God, in spite of being esteemed as one of the highest "prophets" in the Koran. Which leads me to a sidebar of substantial significance: CAN A TRUE PROPHET LIE? If the answer is "NO", then the Koran is false. Ironically, they identify Jesus as "the only one who will have the power to kill the Anti-Christ". I should also mention that the length of the reign of the Mahdi is SEVEN YEARS. He will also purportedly LEAD WORSHIP from Mecca. The counterfeit here is transparent. However, due to its importance and the depth of detail, I will spend more time disclosing my dissertation on this subject at a later date. Regardless of the Mahdi's arrival, the behavior and lifestyles of the majority of everyday people who worship as Muslims and the conduct of the general (rapidly growing) world population of Muslims, there are many in positions of authority at the ready. They hold high the sword of Jihad, Holy War. They are poised for the great cleansing of the infidels. Who, pray tell are the "infidels"? According to Islamic Extremists- anyone who does not believe in and worship Allah and his Prophet Mohammed. Specifically Christians and Jews. With the confirmed death of long-hunted terrorist and Al Qaeda Leader, Osama Bin Laden, comes the imminent rumble of retaliatory plans and a successor who I believe prophetically will fit the bill for the aforementioned "Guided One".

But we stand under the covering of the one true living God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The Creator of the Heavens and the Earth. We worship the God who sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins on a cross at Calvary. We believe on Him. He is called I AM. Is He God or is He not? If He is, then everyone reading this should and must repent of their fleshly ways, receive the shed blood of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, be baptized in His name, discipled through His precepts and examples, and made full with the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. "John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire."-(Luke 3:16) If He is God and His Word is TRUE, then every soul reading this who calls themselves "Christian", "Believer" or "His", should be a liberal soul who sows bountifully out of the increase of their first-fruits by way of tithing to their storehouses (the local church) and offering unto the Kingdom of God above their tithe. "You then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal?"-(Romans 2:21) If He is the Lord of Lords, Alpha and Omega and Father of all Lights to you, then you must love your enemies and pray for all who spitefully use you, curse you and mean to harm you. "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."-(Luke 6:27-28) If God the Father is TRULY the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth, and Jesus, His Son, the Messiah who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and His precious Holy Spirit the paraclete who guides our every step, the we MUST be committed to His cause. “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."-(Luke 9:23) We must be totally, unwaveringly engaged in His call upon us. We must be utterly dutiful, diligent and fervently passionate about His Great Commission. If He IS God. And, dear precious ones, I know indubitably, HE IS GOD.

It is most certainly not a time to celebrate, revel in short-termed, human victory or woefully become complacent in our faith. It is high time that we arise and lift the veil off of our eyes and spirits and stand unwinking and staid in the coming hour. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."-(1Peter 5:8) It is also not a moment to become so heavenly-minded that we are no earthly-good. Neither is it a season to hide away in a cavern or bomb shelter far into reclusive solitude in an attempt to avoid the oncoming storm. No. We must work with more vigor, more passion and more critical persistence than ever before. "We must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work."-(John 9:4) We must stand fast. We must stand firm. "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:28-31) We are called to be AWAKE. We are commissioned by the Master Himself, Jesus Christ to be AWARE, and moreover, galvanize others into this same awareness. Join in true unity with other believers in spite of your doctrinal disputes or human differences. Overcome your fears, doubts and opinionated selfishness and pick up your cross. It is coming... HE IS COMING BACK. We implore you right now- WAKE UP AND GET READY.

"Now Faith"

"Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all."-(Luke 18:17)

Three years and 3 months ago, after ministering at a Leaders and Achievers Conference on the island of Maui, Hawaii, the eldest of my two sons, Gabriel, was receiving a reflexology treatment in my Mother-In-Law's suite across the hall from ours. The Lanai door was open and the air flowing into the common room was a current of Polynesian warmth and humidity. Ours is a family of closely-knit personalities and friendships, and the room even in the midst of his treatment was fairly well populated. When it was finished, Gabriel went to the front door of the room to say goodbye to his aunt and her friend. He was standing with his left arm inside the doorjamb and his petite, five year-old frame holding the 150 pound door open. The winds were particularly gusty that day, creating both a wind-tunnel and a vacuum effect in the main corridor of the suite from the lanai to the front door. As he stood saying his sweet fair-wells, an invisible powerhouse of wind forced the weighty door to slam shut. Gabriel's left arm was broken in two. He shrieked in agony as I had never heard him. It immediately broke our hearts to hear such a sound from our beloved boy. At that point in time, Jeni and I had been the next in line, and were getting our reflexology treatments in the master bedroom. We rounded the corner in an adrenaline infused flash to reach him and comfort him in his distress. In agony he stammered and cried at the top of his lungs. I looked at his arm. It was broken on the forearm and literally hanging the wrong way much like one of those horrific viral videos of sports injuries do. I would normally be disgusted by the sight of something like that, but this was my boy. We had someone call the desk and alert local emergency services. We then had them follow up and send their onsite EMT to the suite. As we carefully laid his broken appendage in a pillow and had someone hold it together acting as a splint, I began to stew and became angered with the negligence of the Hotel. I went into "protective tiger-mode" and started in professing how they should have had a sign that warned of the wind-tunnel vacuous vortex from hell that occurs when the lanai and front door are both open. What is more, I frenetically asked "why do the doors weigh as much as a dungeon gate?"- I was totally in the flesh. The Holy Spirit arrested me. I stopped, looking down into Gabriel's bloodshot and pained eyes, then panning the room it struck me; We are at least 7 believers in this room. We need to pray... NOW. As we were all praying in the Spirit, (which should more than likely freak any little child out) I heard in my spirit- "Tell him to agree". I looked at his face, glazed with tears, and into his eyes. I said "Gabriel, sweetheart, you need to agree with us. Okay?" He gasped and through stuttering tears answered "Okay..." "Say 'I am healed in Jesus' Name'". He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and repeated- "I am healed in Jesus' Name... I am healed in Jesus'..." Before he could utter it a second time completely, we all heard a noticeable "POP!" Looking at each other, the person who was holding the pillow as a splint recounted later that they could not hold it together. At that same moment, it was as if a person was forcing their arms to open the splint. As it was opened, Gabriel stopped crying instantly, lifted his arm up from the pillow and rotated it around. "I'm fine." he declared. We looked at his arm and it was completely whole. It was a miracle. The faith of my child had gained access to the benefits of the blood. We must have seemed like maniacs or hypochondriacs to the EMT who arrived a minute or so later. They examined his arm and saw no sign of breakage. We felt it was wisdom to go directly to the medical center a few miles away at another property for follow-up. Gabriel, whose entire countenance and spirit changed as he was healed said- "Jesus healed me." We did quite a bit of crying ourselves that day, mostly out of thanksgiving and joy for the wonderful gift that our God had provided. We went in and his X-rays were perfect. There was no break. At first, after hearing what had happened, the Doctor seemed dubious of the situation. But upon deep investigation, (they took additional X-rays of his other arm) the only thing they could find was a slight bruising on the area where the door slammed on his arm. He was certifiably, absolutely and completely HEALED.

"Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him."-(Psalm 127:3)

Both of our children are miraculous. Literally. I do not say that with careless abandon or with levity, but mean to convey the essence of the miraculous is in their births. Quite truthfully, it is miraculous that either of the two were even conceived. Years ago, my beautiful bride was told by a team of Doctors that the reality of her conceiving a child was, at best, a 3 percent possibility. Within a few weeks, our first child was alive and inhabiting temporary residence in the womb "that the builders rejected". Over the course of the next three months, Jeni, who was working for Sir Cameron Macintosh overseas, continued to perform under medical observation and clearance. The day before her 30th birthday, she was startled by bleeding and felt as though she was losing the baby. The Doctor sent her to the nearest hospital and had her put on immediate bed rest, telling her that it was inevitable that she would lose him. Ironically enough, on her 30th birthday, in a city called HELL, Cayman Islands (absolutely true), she laid prayerfully asking for his life. God delivered. She came home and we carried on with a fairly normal pregnancy after that. In the midst of the second trimester, my mother called us. She had a prophetic dream. In the dream, an angel came and told her that we would have a son, and we were to name him Gabriel. We did. Gabriel Jacob Stivale was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on July 15, 2002.

"But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God."-(Luke 18:16)

Two and a half years after Gabriel was born, as we ministered at another conference, we were approached by a self-proclaimed "Prophetess". I state that she was self-proclaimed because I recognize that God appoints men and women to operate in the office of prophet in these latter days (Joel 2:28), but confirms it by exterior means or signs following. In other words, if someone decides autonomously, without the assignment and the anointing of God that they themselves are a Prophet or Prophetess, their fruit will reveal the truth. The aforementioned lady pulled my wife aside to "give her a word". I should also interject here, the importance of WHO you receive prophetic words from, as in many cases, self-fulfillment follows the confession of a belief. She proceeded to tell my bride, that God was "closing her womb" as He wanted her and I to focus entirely on ministry. This did not fit with what the Holy Spirit had revealed to either of us, so it was unsettling. It troubled Jeni and she was confused as to the intention of imparting something of that sort. It is instances just like this that God uses to further confirm His Word. "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world."-(1 John 4:1) The following day, the same lady approached me while I was mid-conversation with my good friend, Dr. Dave Martin and broke into the conversation by saying "I have a Word from the Lord for you." Dave shot me a look of warning, already seeing in the Spirit that she was not necessarily "all there". She then with the weighty seriousness of Samuel began- "The Lord told me to tell you... You are not charging enough for your CD. You need to charge 2 more dollars." Wow. I was so flabbergasted that God would intercede into that matter prophetically, literally jumping over both Jeni and I that I audibly laughed. She smirked at me and walked away as I "thanked her" for her obedience. Jeni then became pregnant with our next child within a few weeks of that event.

As the God of the 3 percent breakthrough operated His miracle-working power through the same womb that bore our first "Might Warrior of God", our next challenge came. You see, whenever God wants to bring tremendous blessing or growth, the enemy attacks with full force. Our next child, a boy, was diagnosed as a high-risk and we were told that there was a very strong likelihood that he would be Down's Syndrome and low birth weight. The Doctors told us that we needed to have an Amniocentesis performed. It is a fairly dangerous procedure where a large syringe pierces the womb and draws a sample of the amniotic fluid to be tested. They insisted on the test as the "responsible thing to do". When we asked why, we were told that the test results would show us whether the child would be retarded or have birth defects. We asked if they could treat anything if the results were unfavorable, they said coldly, "No, but you would be able to abort." We were appalled and answered immediately with "You don't know our God. And furthermore, if this child is special or normal, we will love him unconditionally." The Ob/Gyn told us that we were "stupid" and "irresponsible". We told her that we were faithful, and more importantly that our God was faithful. Negative report after negative report, we stood upon the Word of God, knowing that Jesus was in control, either way, we held fast. As the week of the scheduled C-section approached, our faith was tested heavily. We stood on the Word. The hour of the operation came, and I sat alone waiting for the procedure as Jeni was in pre-op. I prayed a prayer of thanksgiving and asked God to bless this child and order his steps. Minutes later, we welcomed Benjamin Ray Stivale in to his adventure. He was heavier than his older brother at birth, and absolutely perfect. They told us over the course of his testing that he was deaf in his right ear, but we prayed for his wholeness, and when we took him into an Audiologist, they found him to be totally whole and pronounced him as such. God is so incredibly faithful. "God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful."-(1 Corinthians 1:9)

Our faith was tested and strengthened through all of these events. Jesus proves time and time again that we belong to HIM, and He takes care of His children. But throughout the growth of our boys, we have learned through the miraculous and the mild, they have tremendous, inspiring faith in God. We are so blessed to have had them both dedicated by their now, Step-Grandfather, Bob Harrison, and our beloved friends John Bevere and Dr. Myles Munroe. What an awesome God. What a divine impartation and blessing, and what an awesome future that they are called to in His Kingdom. But the environment and teaching of the Holy Spirit has developed in them both faith that rivals the Generals of the Gospel themselves. They are sown in, grafted into the true vine, and they have learned already that He is the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE. They know, even at this young and tender age, that God's promises are true, and that FAITH MOVES MOUNTAINS. "For thou, O Lord, art my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth. Upon thee I have leaned from my birth; thou art he who took me from my mother's womb. My praise is continually of thee."-(Psalm 71:5-6)

I love their understanding of faith. It is immediate. It is not "instant gratification" but rather "NOW faith". "NOW faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."-(Hebrews 11:1) Our sons have "NOW FAITH". When Benny has an injury or needs prayer, he always completes his prayers (and sometimes amends ours) with "Not tomorrow, not Sunday, but RIGHT NOW. In Jesus' Name". What is impressive is the genuinely immediate action of the Hand of God into these situations. His faith expects "NOW" and God grants it. Gabriel's understanding of the power of faith reaches into his everyday, and it is a direct result of that life-changing experience seeing the immediacy of his healing. That has brought to light in our ministry the same immediacy in Jesus' miracles during His ministry on Earth. There were no indefinite time lapses between the healings themselves and the manifestation. "A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy."-(Matthew 8:2-3) "Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour."-(Matthew 8:13) "As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. -(Mark 1:42) ""Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road."-(Mark 10:52) When we have the faith of a child, it has not been tainted by the qualifications or mystification of the world. It is pure and strong. Our expectation is set upon the immediacy of the manifestation, the truth of God's promises. The Lord Himself teaches us that we must be like children to inherit the Kingdom of God. (Luke 18:17) That most certainly does not mean that we operate as children do, or that we revert in our maturity or development. "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me."-(1 Corinthians 13:11) We need to loose the shackles of the world and return to the purity of a child's belief. In that regard, we must not necessarily "think" like a child, but rather "BELIEVE" like one in order to please God and activate His promises. My boys are two of my greatest inspirations and along with my bride, are the proof that there is a God, he loves and believes in me and wants me to be blessed. They are, in spite of their age, two of my greatest examples when it comes to understanding true, unadulterated FAITH.

So, whether you have your own miniature anointed progeny or not, perhaps we must all reflect on the obedience and faith of the boy with the fish and the loaves. Give all we have to the Master willingly and whole-heartedly, so He may bless and multiply it immediately with "NOW FAITH". We are, after all, no matter how young or old, His CHILDREN.