Empowerment

What If One Was Born a Homosexual?

Let us say, just for argument sake, that one is born a homosexual, would this in any way change the fact that homosexuality is sin, wrong and immoral? No, it would not. Why? Simply because the Written Word of God says that all immorality is sin and homosexuality is included and specifically listed as sin, as immoral and therefore as wrong as well.

So, what if one was born a homosexual, shouldn’t we be more tolerant of this sin, this product of the fall? Well, the truth be known, No.

Everyone is born in sin and therefore is a sinner. As a result of this reality we are all born with a very real propensity to sin or as people like to say today, an orientation toward sin and sinful behaviors. Because humanity is born in sin, with a sin nature, that is a nature that is given over to sin and therefore sinful lifestyles, we are all in the same kind of boat as it were. Apart from the work of God’s grace as revealed in and through the Lord Jesus Christ, there are no exceptions here. While there are many different kinds of sin, there is only one sin nature and each of us is born with it. This sin nature is reflected in a wide variety of evidences, forms, heart conditions, attitudes, and behaviors, but regardless, they are all rooted in the same base. This base is called the sin nature, the fallen state of humanity. It is in man’s nature to sin and thus to it is in man’s nature to rebel against the will, word and ways of the Lord God Almighty and therefore to do and be what the Lord God has called for us to not do and be.

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Categories: Accountability, Boundaries, Deliverance, Dependency, Empowerment, Homosexuality, Lies, New Beginnings, Presumptions, Regeneration, Righteousness, Salvation, Saving Faith, The Lord Jesus, Victory, Work of God | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Is The “What” All We Need To Know?

Very often when we are seeking the Will of the Lord, we are thinking of “what”; what is the Lord’s will? However, when we come to believe that we have heard and understood the “what” of the Lord, we fall into the trap of assuming the answers to the vital questions of the “when” and “how” of doing the Lord’s Will. Truly to know the will of the Lord, is to know all three of the answers to these questions: What, When, and How.

I have had to learn this truth through life’s many trials and tribulations. Yes, sometimes these times of difficulties were simply because I thought that since I knew what the Lord was saying about some point of direction, ministry, plan, etc. That my knowing His What, was in itself a release for me to move forward in the manner and timing of my own choosing. My being so eager to go forth and do the work of the ministry often led me to simply leap ahead and not wait for anymore from the Lord regarding the matter of His Holy Will. I was simply too impatient to wait for any more of His understanding, His insight, His information, only to discover, to mine and others dismay, that I had gotten way ahead of the Lord. I had failed to discern His timing.

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Categories: Absolute Dependency, Accountability, Authenticity, Boundaries, Core Values, Dying to Self Will, Empowerment, Exhortation, Following Through, Grace, Hearing The Lord, Honesty | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

A Prophetic Word

Below is a prophetic word that the Lord gave me quite some time ago. I ran across again today and it seemed to me and the Holy Spirit that I was to post it here on this blog. So here it is.

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“I do not know why there is this surge of the Lord’s calling forth, the calling forth of a revealing of the things of the spirit, of sights, sounds, visions and revelations and workings of the ministering spirits of the Lord concerning his saints. However, there is and yet shall be even more. There is an awakening that is being called forth, Awaken, Awaken, yes, Awaken oh people of God, Awaken and see and behold all that the Lord would have you to see, to hear, and to know and understand for these days that are upon us and yet coming.

There is a cry going forth and a rising up. The cry to Awaken, Awaken oh mighty people of the living God, Awaken. Awaken and see! Awaken and hear! Awaken and know! But Awaken in spirit and truth!

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Categories: A Simple Reminder, Accountability, Anointing, Authenticity, Awakening, Body of Christ, Changes, Dependency, Empowerment, Exhortation, Genuineness, God's Faithfulness, Hearing The Lord, illumination, Prophetic, Prophetic Worship, Readiness, Witness | 8 Comments

What is The Heart Of Ministry?

Below is an email that I received and my response to it. I am posting it to see what others might think of this discussion and have some input. So have a shot and we will see where this takes us.

Blessings in Christ Jesus!

Email:

For me to minister, I need a heart to minister, but people are not that enjoyable to minister too.  How do I develop compassion and love for people?

I find people who are going through trials, I find it hard to minister to them, cause I really don’t want to help them, even though the right thing to do is still to minister to them.

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Categories: A Simple Reminder, Absolute Dependency, Authenticity, Awakening, Being Built Up, Benefits, Christian Maturity, Confidence, Dependency, Empowerment, Genuineness, God's Love, Hope, Seeking The Lord Jesus | Leave a comment

A Fresh Vision of Spiritual Covering

Psalms 27:5 (ESV) For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.

I want to share with you something that the Lord shared with me. It has to do with Spiritual Covering. While I admit that this phrasing has met with a lot of distortion and abuse over the years, I genuinely believe in the truth and principle of our need to cover those whom the Lord has given us. Covering has to do primarily with protection. It is in this light that I desire to share with you Spiritual Covering.

It was 1985 and my lovely wife was in Sacred Heart Hospital for surgery on a brain tumor. I had been with her for much of the time during her surgery and in recovery with very little sleep. So, I finally went to a nearby motel. As I was at the motel, I suddenly found myself under attack, spiritually. This attack was concerning things that I had long thought were taken care of. I began to cry out to the Lord concerning these things. My question was why I was suddenly vulnerable to these attacks. The presence of the Lord came and was powerful, precious and very comforting. It was then that the Lord began to grant me some clarity regarding that which I was crying out to him about.

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Categories: Abiding, Absolute Dependency, Anointing, Awakening, Calling, Covering, Empowerment, Family, Genuineness, God's Love, Hearing The Lord, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit Seeing, illumination, In Spirit and In Truth, Inner Healing, Intimacy, Paradigm Shift, Prayer, Testimony, Thanksgiving | Tags: , , , | 2 Comments

The Start of Freedom

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (ESV) But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

We were young, married, were starting a family. We had recently moved away from our, I mean, my drug friends, rented a house, got a new job and was still going to school. Oh yes, we also had a new baby; a baby girl, 9 pounds, 13 ounces full of life and whole. What a joy. What a responsibility. It was late 1972.

We also were going to a mainline church in which I had gotten very involved. I was working with the Junior and Senior High Youth. We were growing forward, beginning again and well, I was still having a hard time with it all. I mean over all we were doing great. However, things were happening that were not good. Drugs were fading further and further away but were not yet gone.

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Categories: A Simple Faith, Authenticity, Being Built Up, Body of Christ, Breaking Forth, Calling, Deliverance, Empowerment, Faith, Foundations, Gifts of the Holy Spirit, God's Love, Inner Healing, Testimony, Word | Leave a comment

Getting Ready, To Begin!

In so many ways I feel like I am being called back to studying like when I was first starting out in the ministry so many years ago. This is very surprising at 61 and counting. There is so very much floating around within me that apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, it is quite difficult for me to sort it all out, but I love what He is doing in me right now. For weeks now there has been a very real spiritual awakening taking place within me.

Yes, it is all quite exciting, stimulating and invigorating. It is just like being awakened out of a deep sleep. I am so thirsty and hungry for more of the Lord Jesus Christ, His Holy Word, His presence, for He who is my very life and breath. I find that I want to study, pray and prayerfully read more than my eyes and time will allow me. I want to pour through so much material all at once, devouring it and by the grace of God processing it through and through, that the sheer scope of it seems ever so unrealistic, to say the least. But I am pressing on, for I deeply want to and truly know not what else to do but go with Him to His end and for His greater glory, honor and praise.

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Categories: A Genuine Heart Cry, Absolute Dependency, Authenticity, Awakening, Being Built Up, Benefits, Calling, Core Values, Covering, Edification, Empowerment, Encouragement, Genuineness, Gifts of the Holy Spirit, God's Faithfulness, Grace, Growing in Faith, illumination, Obedience, Open Ears, Readiness, Timing | Tags: , , , , | 2 Comments

A Prelude To Four Years Of Warfare

There is more to prayer than all too often meets the eyes of our understanding. I was out on the west coast and at a prayer center where I had spent most of the day in prayer. It had been a wonderful time of resting in and before the Lord Jesus. It was beautiful day, warm and quiet and, re-enlivening.

2 Corinthians 5:6-7 (ESV) So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.

Yet what made the day even more wonderful and life-giving was having spent it in prayer, in worship and in the word of God, quietly and physically alone. I was so very grateful for this time of solitude in and with the Lord Jesus as I was not very familiar with this area and needed His perspective regarding it, for we were still very new there.

After several hours I got up and went outside. This place of prayer was on a small rise. I stopped and looked around at the surrounding hills, the valley ahead and the river running past. As I stood there, I was suddenly caught up in a vision. I could see mighty angels on the ridges of the hills, on both sides of the valley, east and west. They were definitely at the ready. The horses were eager to go forward into whatever battle that lay just ahead.

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Categories: Absolute Dependency, Angels, Anointing, Boundaries, Breaking Forth, Calling, Darkness, Dependency, Divine Encounters, Empowerment, Fear of God, Following Through, God's Love, Obedience, Prayer, Prophetic Revelation, Revelation, Spirit, Spiritual Warfare, Visions, Wind of the Spirit | 2 Comments

Will The Real Church Stand Up?

There is truly only one universal church. This universal church is, in spirit and in truth, The True Church or The Body of Christ Jesus. It is made up of many and varied members. These members are those found throughout the world in various local church fellowships, missions, organizations and denominations, etc.; a scattering of salt throughout the world. They may not be fully aware of their place strategically within the Body of Christ Jesus, but as genuine believers in Christ Jesus they should be aware that they are indeed a part of the Body of Christ Jesus. It is in so many ways a church without boundaries, for it is a church of the Spirit. For me, this is the bottom line.

Not everyone who says they are a believer is a believer in spirit and in truth. This is also true of the church, not everyone or every church, mission, organization, etc. is actually a genuine part of the Body of Christ Jesus just because they claimed to be. Having said all of this I am aware of a very real danger. This danger is that one would leap into trying to discern that which is the true church and that which isn’t? I am saying that this is a danger in that we are not exactly called to this. We could say as scripture says, that we shall know them by their fruit and this would also be true for the church or churches as it is for individuals or even nations, etc.

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Categories: A Genuine Heart Cry, Abiding, Absolute Dependency, Anointing, Authenticity, Awakening, Being Built Up, Belief System, Believer, Body of Christ, Boundaries, Breaking Forth, Calling, Character, Christian Maturity, Church, Death, Dependency, Disobedience, Dying to Self Will, Empowerment, Family, Fear of God, Finding the Right Church, Flesh, Genuineness, God's Righteousness, Grace, In Spirit and In Truth, Last Days, Loving One Another, Ministry Motivation, Now Word, Open Ears, Open Eyes, Presumptions, Priorities, Process, Prophetic, Readiness, Repentance, Simplicity, Spirit, Standing in Faith, Steadfastness, Surrender, Teaching, The Power of God, Training, Truth, Word, Word of God, Work of God, Worship | 2 Comments

The Great Falling Away

The Lord Jesus Christ one day while he was teaching asked a vitally important question. This question is almost too easily overlooked because of the way that it came forth. His question arose at the end of his teaching. He was telling a parable of the importance of persevering in faith, in earnest prayer, of how we need to be those who learn the power of and value of our praying through until we have what we are seeking the Lord.  For in Spirit and Truth, He is willing, just and ready to answer our prayers. As the Lord was finished sharing his brief parable, suddenly, almost as a passing thought Jesus says, “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8 ESV)

Will we as believers persevere in faithful prayer, in genuine faith, while waiting for the Lord’s return? Or will we give up and walk away, throwing in the towel, turning around and no longer walking in the faith, hope and love of the Lord Jesus Christ?

We live in crucial times with rapidly accelerating darkness and sin all around us. We live in a time that all too quickly approaches, what the Word of God refers to as the time of The Rebellion, The Apostasy, The Great Falling Away.

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Categories: Anointing, Apostasy, Awakening, Being Built Up, Belief System, Believer, Body of Christ, Boundaries, Breaking Forth, Calling, Darkness, Dependency, Disobedience, Dying to Self Will, Edification, Empowerment, Encouragement, Exhortation, Faith, Fear of God, Flesh, Following Through, Genuineness, God Faith, God's Faithfulness, Grace, Growing in Faith, His Chosen, Holy Spirit, Hope, Knowledge, Last Days, Mercy, Ministry, Noise and Distractions, Now Word, Obedience, Open Ears, Open Eyes, Openness, Paradigm Shift, Persecution, Perseverance, Prayer, Presumptions, Priorities, Process, Profession, Promises, Readiness, Relationship, Rest, Righteousness, Rock, Salvation, Saving Faith, Seeking The Lord Jesus, Source, Spirit, Spirit of Truth, Spiritual Warfare, Standing in Faith, Steadfastness, Teacher, Teaching, Tenaciousness, Thankfulness, Thanksgiving, The Lord Jesus, Victory, Vulnerability, Waiting on the Lord, Witness, Word, Word of God, Work, Worship | Leave a comment

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