Sword of the Spirit - Hebrews 4:12

God's Media Army - Christian Fiction

2011-08-03T10:58:00.000-07:00

I wrote a column in the Christian Online Fiction magazine dealing with self-publishing for about two years. Last month I decided to hang it up to pursue more pressing matters (hopefully movies/television) and gave notice when I turned in my last editorial. I just found out my final article will not be published. Since I spent several hours framing it, I decided I’d post it myself to various outlets. Buckle your seatbelt and read on.

If you are not aware of the tremendous warfare going on between the forces of good and evil for the minds of the people of planet Earth, especially the young people, pardon me for suggesting that you are living in a bubble. God might want you to pop that effervescent armor and realize that your efforts are needed as a soldier of the Lord who wields a pen as your weapon of choice. I might be out to brunch here, but it seems to me that the mainstream publishers have avoided rocking the boat by publishing materials that might be too radical or too edgy or too hardcore Christian. As a result, the mainstream leaders often abandon the battlefield so they can generate lucrative profit producing Amish assemble-by-number novels, detective stories without any cussing where the name of God maybe mentioned and one of the characters may utter a prayer, but not in the name of Jesus, and sentimental romances where courting is adorned in Christian apparel and language but below the surface still reeks of worldly focus on external glamour, materialism, and shallow sentimentality that masquerades as love. So exactly what do these observations mean to a self-published author? It means that there is a niche to fill. Since you don’t have publishers to please and agents to feed, you can do God’s work unimpeded by the external forces that put people and their work into boxes of diminutive size. You have the luxury of being free to go where God wants you to go–if you have the courage to enter the lion’s den and the strength to swim upstream against white water.

I have tried to champion the cause of self-published writers in this column. My goal has been to encourage, enlighten, and empower those who God has placed a seed within, so that the seed may germinate and mature into something lovely and inspirational. Unfortunately, I’ve been operating in a void here and have no clue if I’ve made any impact. Perhaps I won’t know until Heaven. What I do know is that my season of writing for Christian Fiction Online Magazine is drawing to a close. The arrival of bills to be paid and writing deadlines to be met causes the calendar pages to fly off. There is nothing I can do about the bills, but one less deadline will give me more time to focus on projects that I feel are critical. It’s been wonderful to be a part of CFOM, but the curtain must close. Perhaps sometime I’ll resurrect my crusade to aid self-pubbed authors in their quest to fulfill God’s call in their lives.

Statistics indicate that few people are actively engaged in the art of reading. And even a smaller percentage of those are seeking Christian fiction. In the final analysis of the matter, if I really want to impact the culture, I must spend my time on things that will grab the attention of the masses. And I believe the audio-visual media is the ticket to have the ability to grab someone by the scruff of their soul and unleash unknown desires and misunderstood emotions that lead people to question their superficial human existence. And thus my new focus in life will be to write and produce movies that will combat evolution, the occult, the sexual revolution, injustice and any other crusade that God might add to my target list as my vision expands.

So I take my puny weapons which hopefully God will endue with His power and move on to a new battlefield. I want to leave you with a plea to join God’s army. Use any talents He has given you to enhance His kingdom and not your own. Almost an entire generation of young people are lining up to enter the gates of Hell. What will you do to help God rescue some of them?

Book Review of The Final Quest by Rick Joyner

2009-03-07T10:24:00.000-08:00

What can you say about a book that supposedly contains a vision from God? How do you write a critique of revelation? It might be like trying writing a review of the book of Revelations. If the words are Holy Spirit inspired, does one have the audacity or the foolishness to cast dispersions upon it? I would highly recommend to anyone commenting on a book such as this that they think really hard about what they say. The Bible says ‘woe unto him who calls evil good and good evil.’ I don’t know about you, but I’ve made a practice in my life of avoiding woe. Mr. Joyner claims he received the contents of this book in a series of visions that took place over about a year in duration. Thus the big question becomes, is it legit? We as believers need to discern between God’s word, man’s word, and Satan’s lies. It’s not always easy, because the flesh is weak and Satan is definitely ramping up his activities in the area of counterfeiting the supernatural.
Where do I start? How about with the reviews of the book on Amazon? Several one and two star reviews were written suggesting that Rick Joyner is a servant of the devil, deluded, and most heinous of all, doesn’t write well either. They warn that the book is dangerous. Ironically, one of the more salient aspects of the first part of the dreamlike adventure that the author goes through is doing battle against the enemy and discovering that many of the troops of the opposing army are deceived Christians. Do you see the dilemma here? Somebody is in error because they both can’t be right. Is Mr. Joyner representing God’s truth or are these reviewers being valiant defenders of the faith? The answer to that question is very critical. Besides the group of believers that are hoodwinked into fighting against God’s army in the belief they are fighting for Him are a group who just believe that they don’t need to fight. They believe that God is love, and all we need to do is just love, so they burn their draft notices. This is a different type of delusion, but is deception just the same. Personally, I’d really like to believe in a Pollyanna (or Beatles’ song) world where love is all you need. But I’ve been called to battle personally, and I recognize that the darkness is growing darker. The light is also growing more brilliant in response as the drumbeat is summoning the Christians soldiers onward. The two sides have clashed throughout the history of man. The final quest is at hand, according to this book.
Back to the quest - in between battles, the author is taken to Heaven and speaks with a few people there. Some were famous evangelists and authors who reside in the lower part of Heaven instead of the penthouse because they labored for their own glory while on the Earth. In some cases, God ended their lives early to prevent them from going all the way over to the dark side due to their pride. And in the places of highest honor, people that labored in anonymity for God with faithfulness and perseverance are found. One of these is a man who was homeless, what some would consider a bum. Ironically, my next book deals with the homeless, and the story of this man was a distinct revelation for me and an aid in deciding what to include in my book. I had to consider this a divine appointment for me to read this story at this time. Another concept that is super stressed is the importance of true humility. The author dons a cloak of humility which is a badge of honor among those in Heaven. A warning against false humility is issued, labeling it as another variety of self-centeredness. Pride is portrayed as the banner of a hidden army that the enemy uses to attack unsuspecting troops loyal to Jesus.
I have been on this humility bandwagon for a while now. I think God has been speaking to me about it. I’m reading a book by Andrew Murray on the topic. I’ve been trying to kill my flesh and ensure my motivation for any success is God centered. It’s a difficult task. This book points to centering your focus on Jesus, just like Peter did when he successfully walked on water for a few steps. We need to please Him and not the people around us, even those whom we love. And love leads to faith. From this book I’ve gained great insight into what the target should be. Self promotion, self-aggrandizement, and even self-esteem itself pale into insignificance at the comparison with the glory of God. Satan wants us to think about numero uno all the time. How else can we send out invitations to a pity party if we’re not focused on our puny little world and its inherent problems? Confucius said, “Man who wrapped up in self, makes very small package.” I’ve been guilty and still am. I’m trying to truly die to self, so that I might walk in God’s power and Spirit. That’s the kind of supernatural strength which is raising people from the dead and healing the blind and deaf. This book has given me a vision of what that is like. I highly recommend that you read it and with an open mind.
As to the detractors, what can you say about a review which portrays the author, who has just confessed being guilty to many things and extolls the virtue of humility and the danger of false humility, as being arrogant and falsely humble? My mom used to tell me, consider the source. The enemy is at work sowing lots of false teaching and doctrines and practices in our world today. It is confusing when Christians fight. However, Jesus said you will know them by their love. If any believer wants to criticize the writing or teaching of another, let him speak in love and not mockery, or I’m not going to listen. If the enemy is spreading false information (and that’s his specialty), will he not also attack the truth? Sometimes we fight battles that we don’t need to, similar to Don Quixote tilting with windmills. I truly believe that we are in the last days (many have thought that in the past and obviously they were wrong), and that means there will be a battle between God (good) and the devil (evil). Which side are you going to fight on? And remember, if Joyner’s vision is truly from God, not fighting will be the same as being on the enemy’s side. You might wonder how you can love and fight at the same time since those two activities seem to be contradictory. All I can say is – read the book, and you too will share the vision of that paradoxical position.

About the reviewer: Donald James Parker is a novelist who specializes in culture-clash fiction. Check out his work – including free ebook download – at www.DonaldJamesParker.com

Approaching Calamity - David Wilkerson prophecy

2009-03-07T09:33:00.000-08:00

Mar 7, 2009 3:47 AM

AN URGENT MESSAGE Friday, March 6, 2009 11:26 PM

I am compelled by the Holy Spirit to send out an urgent message to all on our mailing list, and to friends and to bishops we have met all over the world.

AN EARTH-SHATTERING CALAMITY IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.
IT IS GOING TO BE SO FRIGHTENING, WE ARE ALL GOING TO TREMBLE—EVEN THE GODLIEST AMONG US.

For ten years I have been warning about a thousand fires coming to New York City. It will engulf the whole megaplex, including areas of New Jersey and Connecticut. Major cities all across America will experience riots and blazing fires—such as we saw in Watts, Los Angeles, years ago.

There will be riots and fires in cities worldwide. There will be looting—including Times Square, New York City. What we are experiencing now is not a recession, not even a depression. We are under God’s wrath.

In Psalm 11 it is written,“If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (v. 3).

God is judging the raging sins of America and the nations. He is destroying the secular foundations.

The prophet Jeremiah pleaded with wicked Israel, “God is fashioning a calamity against you and devising a plan against you. Oh, turn back each of you from your evil way, and reform your ways and deeds. But they will say, It’s hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart” (Jeremiah 18:11-12).

In Psalm 11:6, David warns, “Upon the wicked he will rain snares (coals of fire)…fire…burning wind…will be the portion of their cup.” Why? David answered, “Because the Lord is righteous” (v. 7). This is a righteous judgment—just as in the judgments of Sodom and in Noah’s generation.

WHAT SHALL THE RIGHTEOUS DO? WHAT ABOUT GOD’S PEOPLE?First, I give you a practical word I received for my own direction. Lay in store a thirty-day supply of food, toiletries and other essentials. In major cities, grocery stores are emptied in an hour at the sign of an impending disaster.

As for our spiritual reaction, we have but two options. This is outlined in Psalm 11. We “flee like a bird to a mountain.” Or, as David says, “He fixed his eyes on the Lord on his throne in heaven—his eyes beholding, his eyelids testing the sons of men” (v. 4).

“In the Lord I take refuge” (v. 1).I will say to my soul: No need to run…no need to hide. This is God’s righteous work. I will behold our Lord on his throne, with his eye of tender, loving kindness watching over every step I take—trusting that he will deliver his people even through floods, fires, calamities, tests, trials of all kinds.

Note: I do not know when these things will come to pass, but I know it is not far off. I have unburdened my soul to you. Do with the message as you choose.God bless and keep you.

In Christ,DAVID WILKERSONDW:bbm 3-05-09

Book review - The Devil's Delusion – Atheism and its Scientific Pretensions

2009-01-27T17:25:00.000-08:00

The Devil's Delusion – Atheism and its Scientific Pretensions

After reading Berlinski's book, only one word comes to mind – "WOW". Actually, now that my heartbeat has returned to normal, other phrases are flowing through my cerebral plumbing. Superlative is one that strikes a chord. The thought that this might be the best book I have ever read is hard to dismiss. I have heard David speak a few times, once in person when I bought my copy of this book. It is fun to listen to him, but even the best of us always leave something unsaid or phrase something a little more clumsily than we would like when we don't have the luxury of analyzing and perfecting our thoughts before committing them to our audience. With Berlinski's power through presenting a written word to refine the many threads that pulsate through his obviously hyperactive brain, he is able to produce a masterpiece of eloquence that parallels the universe itself, at the same time complex yet comprised of simplicity. His cheek has to be slightly raw from his tongue rubbing against it as he glibly and, with the precision of a laser beam, penetrates through the veneer of pseudo science and pseudo intellectualism with his hilarious observations. He is the epitome of a scholar, providing much of his own original material, but yet deftly weaving in quotations from preceding scholars to enhance his own verbal illustrations. This book is a jewel which I will read again – with highlighter this time – so I can capture the passages that make me jealous as a writer. I'll use this as a tutorial on how to get an argument across to a target audience. Berlinski could pedantically utilize his extensive vocabulary in a fashion that would force his readers to keep a Funk and Wagnall's nearby, but he normally uses simple words to break complex arguments into a verbal feast that a lesser man can digest with gusto. His analogies use mundane, down-to-earth scenarios and jargon to which common men can relate. His grasp on philosophical and logical discourse is only surpassed by his capacity to compose phrases which break down those ideas with a witty delivery that even Mark Twain would envy. For example, this one almost had me rolling on the floor.

In reference to some contrived computer programs written to demonstrate natural selection at work in the cyber world, Berlinski says, "What these computer experiments do reveal is a principal far more penetrating than any that Darwin ever offered: There's a sucker born every minute."

What has amazed me since I entered the fray over Darwinian thought two years ago is the absolute lack of any respect from Darwin proponents for meaningful discourse or the people who are unconvinced by Sir Charles and his ambitious theory. Apparently being a doubter is of great honor if God is the target of the skepticism. However, if Darwinian gradualism through mutations is the target of questioning, being a skeptic places a person right between a skunk and a vulture on the social totem pole. The one star reviews on this book are absolutely ludicrous. There is no fairness involved. The agenda of eliminating God as opposed to seeking truth, which Berlinski outlines nicely in his book, is confirmed by the reviews of his detractors. They can't appreciate the genius of this writing because it rips holes in the foundation where they live. It culls their herd of sacred cows leaving a couple of swayback steers dreaming of days when they still bore their reproductive organs. It not only reveals their agenda, but exposes the dearth of common sense, logic, and true science behind it. Berlinski is truly a threat to the Darwinian empire. And the modus operandi of people who can't successfully dual against ideas is to assassinate the character or cast doubts upon the intellect or credentials of the speaker.
There are a lot of wonderful books out there concerning this ongoing controversy. If you are a veritable truth-seeker, you can't go wrong with choosing to dive into the depths of this marvelous work of creation (pun not intended). This book does not include a lot of scientific arguments against evolution. David resorts to tactics used by writers supporting Sir Charles. He makes statements like "there's not enough evidence". You can't judge the accuracy of that statement without more facts. You'll need to read other books to find out why he makes those claims. They are not scarce. His goal is not to shoot down evolution per se, but rather to jerk the carpet out from under those who would sound the atheistic trumpet in Zion based on alleged scientific proof. He succeeds very nicely.

With his defense of the possibility of a creating deity causing a perfect storm of negative comments concerning the legitimacy of his birthright and the prowess of his intellectual powers, you'd think Berlinski must be a mighty man of God to continue to speak out publically. Ironically, from what I can see, he seems to be a man without a stance. He's the man in the middle who points out the fallacies in everyone's arguments on all sides but takes no position of his own in regard to interaction with the potential designer/creator of the universe. He has a personal dilemma to resolve. Just believing that there might be (or even is) a god, won't cut it on judgment day. If God does exist, what are the rules of the game called Eternal Life? How does one win entrance to the celestial kingdom? At this point Sir David seems to be content with just knowing what everyone else believes, but not committing himself to any of those paths. Heaven will be bereft of one of the most interesting minds and pundits the world has ever known if Berlinski doesn't make the cut. 'Tis a journey that all men should make – that of seeking truth. Unfortunately many prefer to vegetate on their couch while others choose to grasp onto partial truths or lies and wallow in the comfort of believing they have found the truth and combating those who try to persuade they are wrong. And this, my friends, makes the world a very interesting place to dwell.

For an atheist, there is no purpose in life. It is like a basketball game where no score is kept. Shakespeare nailed their position accurately with his immortal lines – "life is a poor player who struts and frets his hour upon the stage. It's an idiot, full of sound and fury, yet signifying nothing." For someone who accepts that there is a God, the purpose is to win the game of hide and seek. God has hidden and bids his people to find him. His hiding place is not well concealed, but there are many diversions and red herrings along the path that make it a challenging game. And it seems that one major stumbling block for people who are intelligent is that God can't be found totally with the intellect. That's a lesson I'm still dealing with on a personal basis. How much are we supposed to understand and how much are we supposed to trust in our Heavenly Father? Mr. Berlinski knows scripture. Now he needs to get a personally signed copy of it.

FIVE KEYS to SURVIVING the (Economic) CRISIS

2009-01-02T18:32:00.001-08:00

This is written by Andrew Strom from www.RevivalSchool.com

Since I believe (like others) that 2009 is going to be a year that
"All hell breaks loose" (-Yes - you can quote me on that), I believe
it is very important that God's people come to grips with the key
things that will help us survive - and even thrive - through this dark
period of great Shaking. The following keys are taken from my
book, "SURVIVE the DEPRESSION"-

(1) SPIRITUAL PREPARATION. As has been intimated all the way
through the book, the most important keys to surviving and thriving
in this present crisis are ‘SPIRITUAL’ in nature. The root causes of
this mess are things like greed, apathy and the “Love of money” –
which are all SPIRITUAL diseases. And thus the answers are
mostly spiritual also. Those who merely prepare in physical or
practical ways will find this out to their great cost. If you want to
survive and thrive, prepare yourself “spiritually” above all else.
Spend time seeking God, get rid of all sin, obey Him implicitly,
help the poor, leave behind the shallow “junk” of our culture and
become a radical disciple of Jesus. If you have a family to care for,
put the same principles into practice. Become a RADICAL
FAMILY for Christ! Don’t delay. We are out of time. Such “spiritual”
preparations are by far the most important answer to surviving and
thriving in these dark times. But don’t just selfishly seek God so
you can “survive”. Seek Him for His own sake. Become a true
disciple who lives for Christ – not for what you can “get out of it” –
but because your deepest desire is to utterly glorify Him.

(2) POSITION YOURSELF. Sometimes Christians can get away
with being in the wrong place for quite some time. But not in a
crisis like this. Every Christian needs to ask themselves right now,
“Am I exactly where I am meant to be? Am I am with the people
that God wants me with? Am I in the right group, the right city?” If
you know that God has been whispering to you for quite some
time that you are meant to be in a different place, then do not
delay. Get yourself and your family into the place that you know is
in the very center of His will – even if it means losing money, or
leaving behind friends, a well-paid job, or whatever. This is no time
to be caught anywhere but in the exact center of God’s will for
your life. Pray about it and take action. Don’t put it off!

(3) FOOD STORAGE. This can be a difficult thing to talk about
today because there have been so many “false alarms” such as
Y2K, etc. However, there have been a number of prophecies about
food shortages and famine in the days ahead – even in developed
nations like America. I certainly believe this is possible. In fact, we
are already beginning to see disruptions of international shipping
and trade caused by the Credit Crunch. Even basic grains and
foodstuffs may be affected – which could have terrible
consequences for the Food Supply in the months and years ahead.
So if God has been whispering to you to start a garden or to
collect canned goods, then you need to heed that “still small voice”
and begin to prepare in this way. Again, if this is something you
feel God has been warning you about, PLEASE DO NOT DELAY –
but act quickly to get yourself positioned for what lies ahead. It is
relatively painless to gather canned goods – and they can always
be used whether there is a crisis or not. And gardens likewise.

(4) SMALL GROUPS HELPING THE POOR. So far the pointers
we have been discussing fall into the category of “Surviving”. But
this one comes under the category of “Thriving”. If you want to
thrive in this crisis, get involved in ministering to the poor and
needy. (Sadly there will be a lot more of them as time goes on).

When I was down in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina there was
one Spirit-filled Fellowship that was “thriving” in the midst of the
chaos. They had filled their sanctuary with food, clothes, and
emergency supplies of all kinds – and they were ministering to
hundreds. They also prayed with many of those they helped. In the
midst of that crisis, when many churches had closed down and
many pastors had left town, this Fellowship was thriving and
becoming a Help and Ministry center for the entire community.
They were a light in the darkness – a “city set upon a hill” -
ministering to many who ordinarily never go near a church. And if
you look in Scripture you will see that this is exactly what the
early Christians were like. Helping the poor was a big priority with
them also.

In the first chapter of the book I mentioned how important it is to
band together with perhaps 2 - 3 other families that we can link
arms with when times get really tough. (We may even end up
LIVING with some of these people. Do you have friends who are
that close?) And in conjunction with this I urged people to use
these small groups to begin to minister to the poor. I cannot tell
you how important this is, if we want to “thrive” – not just ‘survive’ -
through this current crisis. This is one of the absolute keys. In fact
it is very doubtful if we can even have real New Testament
Christianity without a strong emphasis on the poor and needy. It is
that crucial. So will you be a “light shining in the darkness” during
this present crisis, my friends?

(5) LISTEN FOR THE “STILL SMALL VOICE”. We already put
“Spiritual Preparation” at the top of our List of priorities, but I just
need to re-emphasize this aspect. To survive this crisis, we simply
MUST be walking close to God and listening to His voice. We
have to hear from Him. And we have to be ready to respond – even
if it means “leaving all”. This is utterly crucial, and for many people
may literally be the difference between life and death. Learn to
listen to God’s voice and obey Him. Wherever he wants to send
you, whatever He wants you to do – do it. And I pray that not only
will you be one who “survives” this crisis, but one who ‘thrives’ – to
the glory of God the Father. May the Lord be with every one of you
in these dark days, my friends.

WORD FOR THE USA

2008-12-28T12:03:00.000-08:00

- Robert Makona, brother from Kenya visiting America for the first time.

Dear Brothers and Sisters In Christ in America,

AMERICA === HEAR THE CRY OF GOD AND HIS PEOPLE

Today is December 23rd, 2008, I stand in this great nation of America. I proclaim here this word and say,==Hear the word of the Lord all you America. Amend your ways and your doings, and God will cause you to dwell in this land and prosper.

I am speaking this word to all American People/Church. I am not ashamed or fearful for any face or words of rejection, slander, critism, judgement etc. It is on my heart to speak this truth in Love to you with a very humble spirit. The Lord I serve will protect, keep, sustain and deliver me.

America - The bible says - Jer.6:16 - Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it. Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, we will not walk in it. Also I set watchmen(Apostles, prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and teachers) over you (America) saying, Listen to the sound of the trumpet!! But they said, we will not listen.

Therefore hear, you nations, And know, O congregation, what is among them. Hear O earth!! Behold, I will certainly bring calamity (famine, storms, epidemic-sickness, terror, loss of jobs, houses, business etc) on this people. The fruit fo their thoughts, because they have not heeded my words, nor my law, but rejected it.

Ezekiel 7:23 - But this is what I commanded them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.

Yet they did obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.

Ezekiel 7:8-10 -Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit, will you steal, murder(millions of abortions), commit adultery (fornication) as thousands are divorcing each month.), swear falsely, burn incense to baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, and then come and stand before me in this house (Church on sunday) which is called by my name, and say, we are delivered to do all these abominations.e.g-(gay and lesbian mariage-same sex, homosexuality, pornograph on internet, New Age movememnt, drugs, prostitution, false doctrines, cults, religions etc. (Iam not judging/pointing a finger at anyone). When we know the truth, the truth will set as free.

America awaken!!!!,America arise and shine !!!! America be Revived!!!!
America you are the light!!!!America you are the salt!!!America God has chosen you!!!!America God started this nation on His Foundation!!!with the word of God -BIBLE (Ten Commandments). America God has a plan and Purpose with you!!!! America open your eyes and incline your ear to what God is saying!! America Hesitate not!!! America time is running out and short!!!

AMERICA YOU ARE MESSENGER OF GOD TO THE WORLD

America the world is lost, hurting, perishing, in total darkness, no hope to many people. America where is your first LOVE, truth, your beauty in Christ, Your holiness, Foundation of Christianity?

America, time is short-Redeem the time. America be active and fast. America spread/reach out to the whole world -- You are His witnesses. Go and share, love other people with the love of Christ. Go and teach, train, feed the hungry, clothe those who are naked, comfort those who mourn, be merciful/kind to His people, show others the way, point others to Christ, heal the broken hearted, set the captives free, proclaim liberty to captives. Many millions are dying without hope and perishing in sin. Many are rejected, neglected, abused, abandoned, suffering, oppressed and forgotten by the outside world. Many are crying in loneliness, despair and hopeliness.

LOVE NEVER FAILS LOVE NEVER FAILS LOVE NEVER FAILS

America if you love God do His will. People are Crying for help/answers.
God has a plan and purpose for this great nation of America. America can you see and hear? God has given you power to be wealthy, so you can use these blessings for His purposes and plan and glory - Winning souls to Christ.

America - trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding(wisdom, wealth, philosophy, pride, ability) in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths..

America to you hear the cry of His people - uttermost parts of the world?
They are desperate,helpless,hopeless etc:

1.Starving to death-For lack of food. Here others dont care.

2.Walking naked/half naked-no Clothings. How many clothings to you have that you dont need?

3.No Hospitals-No medicines

4.No Clean Water

5. No shelter, schools, roads, electricity, etc.

Acts 3:44 -"Now all who believed were together,and had all things in common."

We were born without anything, and we shall go without anything. I beseech all believers-to share with others. The Body of Christ can make a big difference in the World, if they can put their LOVE into ACTION today.

American Friends -You can accumulate millions and millions of dollars - but you will take nothing when you leave this world. Many Preachers are claiming to be billionaires/millionaires now, but look around the world many people are dying without Christ, without food, clothings, no church buildings etc. Whatever you have today can save hundreds, thousands, millions across the world to Christ. Apostle paul said, I count all things as a loss/rubbish. AMERICA -YOUR LOVE CANNOT BE MEASURED WITH HOW MUCH YOU HAVE (wealth), BUT HOW MUCH YOU LOVE/SHARE!!!. It is good to have a lot of money, but use it wisely as a good steward of God for His glory and honour!!! I am not against wealth please. But the Love of money is the root of all evil.

America -----Jer.3:40 - let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the Lord. Read matthew 25:34-46 -Please read prayerfully and listen to the Spirit of God. Let me read matthew 25:40 -"And the king will answer and say to them, Assuredly, I say to you, in as much as you did it to one of the least of those my brehtren, you did it to me".
America --Luke 12:48 --For every one to whom much is given, from him much will be required, and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.".

READ CAREFUL WHAT IS BELOW:

AMERICANS ------------ OTHER PEOPLE

1.Much Food(wasted) --- 1. Starving to death.
2. Much water --- 2. No Clean water.
3. Much Clothings --- 3. Walking naked/half naked.
4. Luxury homes --- 4. No Shelter/No home.
5. Eating on dining table --- 5. Eating in garbage.
6. many hospitals/medicines --- 6. No Hospitals/No medicines some areas
7.Many Schools --- 7. No schools
8.Blessed --- 8. Languishing in poverty/suffering.
9. Hope,Joy,Peace --- 9. No hope,despair,broken heated.
10. You know God,Jesus,Spirit --- 10. Never heard of God,Jesus,Spirit.
11. Build many Churches --- 11. No Church
12. many Bibles --- 12. Never seen a bible
13. You are in the Light --- 13. They are in darkness.
14. You are free/liberty --- 14. They are in bondage/oppressed.

America ---- Arise and go, arise and shine. Arise and stand in the gap. Arise and bring in a big harvest of souls by going from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the world. The gospel MUST be preached to all nations (tribes) before the end comes.

America -You can do much in the kingdom of God by changing the world upside down within a short time. Not by power or mighty, but by His Spirit.

American Church can/should pray and train, equip and support national church leaders in the uttermost parts of the world to reach their own people with the gospel of Christ. What the national church leaders, need is to be trained and be given tools,materials and support. The world will be reached within a short time. The kingdom of God is at hand. Let us work now while it is still day, for night is coming when no man can work.

America -Do you hear the cry of your brethren?
America -Do you know that thousands are dying each day without Christ?
America -Are you ready, prepared to arise and go?
America -How will they believe, without a preacher/witness?
America -Are you willing, to stand in the gap?
America -Are you willing, to pay a price and sacrifice-For Christ sake?
America -Where is your first LOVE-For God and others?
America -Where is Revival in this land? and His power?
America -How much are you investing in missions? To win souls?
America -How many are willing to go into the world? The harvest is ripe.
America -Do you know the harvest is plentiful and few labourers? Who will go?
America -Do you know God's people are being destroyed for lack of knowledge-because of Church leaders. As church goes so is the nation or people. The body of Christ (Church)which is the salt/light of the world is lukeworm or cold.
America -Do you know that much is given to you, and much will be required of you -last day.
America -Do you know that, if you stay lukeworm/cold. God will vomit/spue you out of his mouth, and choose other nations and bless them and use/send them, if you dont wake up arise and go!!!
America -Remember the nation of Israel, Great Britain, and now America!! It is your choice to obey or disobey.
America -remember -God can raise up stones or other nations to preach/spread the gospel, if you will keep cold, lukeworm or give excuses.
America -Pray, fast and listen/obey the voice of the Lord your God.

My Prayer For America:
Father in Heaven, I pray for this great nation and church to rise up in Jesus name, and I pray for great revival in this land. Amen!!

Your Brother In Christ From Kenya,
Robert Wanjala Makona
Founder/Director
World Revival and Salvation Ministries

More Great Quotes

2008-11-16T14:18:00.000-08:00

"Someone asked 'Will the heathen who have never heard the
Gospel be saved?' It is more a question with me whether we --
who have the Gospel and fail to give it to those who have not --
can be saved." - Charles Spurgeon

"A thing is not necessarily true because badly uttered, nor false
because spoken magnificently." - Saint Augustine

"Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that
will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility."
- Saint Augustine

"Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence, in the
soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other
virtue except in mere appearance." - Saint Augustine

"He loves God too little, who loves ANYTHING (together with Him),
which He loves not for His sake." - St. Augustine

"A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship
Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word,
'darkness' on the walls of his cell."- C.S. Lewis

"If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most
for the present world were precisely those who thought most of
the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the
other world that they have become so ineffective in this." - C.S. Lewis

"The safest road to hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft
underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without
signposts." - C.S. Lewis

"There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind."
- C.S. Lewis

"God doesn't call the equipped; He equips the called." - Anonymous

"The Devil is not afraid of the Bible that has dust on it." - Anonymous

"If men can get to heaven by being good then the death of Christ
is the worst waste in human history." - Dr. Toussaint

Edward Payson - criticality of prayer

2008-11-06T18:06:00.000-08:00

EDWARD PAYSON - PRAYER Makes HISTORY
-by David Smithers.

E. M. Bounds in his classic little book "Power Through Prayer",
wrote, "What the Church needs today is not more or better
machinery, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but
men whom the Holy Ghost can use - men of prayer, men mighty
in prayer."

Edward Payson was just such a man; a man mighty in prayer.
"He prayed without ceasing and felt safe nowhere but at the throne
of grace. He may be said to have studied theology on his knees.
Much of his time he spent literally prostrated with his Bible open
before him pleading the promise; "I will send the comforter and
when He, The Spirit of Truth is come, He will guide you into all
truth." Payson's advice to his fellow ministers was, "prayer is the
first thing, the second thing and the third thing necessary to a
minister. Pray then my dear brother, pray, pray." It has been well
said that the secret of Edward Payson's ministry was that he
prayed much in secret. The scars on his bedroom floor testify to
this fact. Next to Payson's bed were deep grooves in the hardwood
floor were his knees had pressed repeatedly in times of travail.

To read "Praying Payson's" diary is to be touched by his heart
longings and tender love for Jesus and the lost. On January 4,
1807, he wrote, "I was favored with a spirit of prayer beyond all my
former experience. I was in great agony and wrestled both for
myself and others with great power. God seemed to bow the
heavens and come down and open all His treasures, bidding me,
take what I would."

January 29th, "I never felt such longings after God or such a desire
to depart to be with Christ. My soul thirsted for more full
communion with my God and Savior. I do not now feel satisfied as
I used to with the manifestations of the divine presence, but still
feel hungry and craving." February 18, "I was enabled to lie at
Jesus' feet and to wash them with the tears of contrition. No
pleasure I have ever found in the Christian life is superior to this."
February 28, "I was favored with great enlargement in prayer. I
seemed to be carried out of myself into the presence of God."

Like all true men of prayer, Payson understood the need for true
humility. "It was the burden of his secret prayers that he might be
delivered from pride, from self-seeking, from preaching himself
instead of Christ Jesus the Lord." Through humility and fervent
prayer he was always in hopes of seeing a fresh wave of revival.
"The revivals which took place under his labors were numerous and
were characterized by a depth and power seldom seen." Often
Payson congregation was overwhelmed with a sense of Christ's
presence and power and irresistibly brought to tears. Mr. Payson's
diary testifies of the power and necessity of prayer for revival.
September 27th, "In the evening I was favored with great faith and
fervency in prayer. It seemed as if God would deny me nothing,
and I wrestled for multitudes of souls, and could not help hoping
there would be revival here." September 28, "I was favored with the
greatest degree of freedom and fervency in interceding for others. I
seemed to travail in birth with poor sinners and could not help
hoping the God is about to do something for His glory and the
good of souls." Within days, "Praying Payson" saw his prayers
answered through a fresh work of revival power.

On April 23, 1808, Edward Payson wrote, "My heart seemed
ready to break with its longings after holiness." Such longings for
heart purity, revival power and the person of Jesus are the marks
of a healthy and normal Christian life. The lack of these precious
things in the modern Church reveal a nominal Christian life. Too
much of what is called the Church today is not fit to live or die.
The nominal Christian is unfit to deal with our demon possessed
age or the coming judgment seat of Christ. Truly the Church's
greatest need is for men and women, mighty in prayer. We need
men and women who will pray and yearn for revival. Lord make us
a praying people!
__________________

References Used:

Memoir, Select Thoughts and Sermons of Rev. Edward Payson
Compiled by Asa Cummings

Touching Incidents and Remarkable Answers to Prayer by S. B. Shaw

Power Through Prayer by E. M. Bounds
--
~Source - WWW.WATCHWORD.ORG

Defending David Wilkerson - by Andrew Strom

2008-10-30T03:39:00.001-07:00

DEFENDING DAVID WILKERSON
-by Andrew Strom.

There are large sections of the modern 'Prophetic' movement who
for a long time now have bitterly opposed all that David Wilkerson
stands for. They describe him as a "Doom and Gloom" merchant -
always warning of what is coming and calling the nation and the
church to REPENTANCE.

I received an email from some U.S friends awhile ago who had
just gone back to a Pentecostal church after some years. They
told me, "If I bring up David Wilkerson, they all get a hateful,
angry look on their face." Isn't that terribly sad.

Even though David Wilkerson is the one man who has consistently
warned America of cataclysms just like the ones we are seeing,
he is still denigrated. Even though he is proved right, still they
detest him! I think it is because his major message is "REPENT".
And he doesn't pussy-foot around like a lot of these other so-called
"prophets".

When the "God Wants You Rich" prosperity message began to
spread, David was one of the few leaders who publicly refuted it
and called the people to repent from the "love of money". Many
hated him for that. Especially because he is so direct and
up-front.

And when the 'Toronto Blessing' came along, with churches full
of the most weird and often ugly behaviour - he called it like it
was. He was one of the few (if any) Pentecostal leaders who
actually stood up publicly and refuted this new 'spirit' that was
invading the church. You can imagine how despised he was
for that.

There is a 'Prophetic' movement in the world today that is in
my opinion very far removed from the word 'Prophet'. It sells
truckloads of books and holds untold conferences, but at the
end of the day it is a mealy-mouthed travesty of the word
'Prophetic'. It retains its popularity because it is almost always
"positive" and up-lifting. The voice of an Amos or Jeremiah is
rarely (if ever) heard in its ranks - let alone a "John the Baptist".
It is almost never blunt or confrontational - especially about sin.

A lot of this movement has a chronic obsession with the 'religious
spirit'. Everywhere these people look all they can see are religious
spirits of legalism, pharisaism, etc. Thus they are always talking
about "grace, grace, grace". The words "Sin, Righteousness
and Judgement" are almost a horror to them, because they are
so fearful of being 'religious'. And thus when they come across
a prophet who actually preaches on Sin, Righteousness and
Judgement (-which are the very things Jesus said His Spirit
would CONVICT of), they reject him. Every true prophet that I
know of down through history has been a 'Sin, Righteousness
and Judgement' preacher. So has every true Revivalist. (Finney,
Wesley, Whitfield, Edwards, etc). It is part of the job description!

We have invented a new meaning for the term 'Prophetic' in
our day that is far below the standard of the Bible. And far
below the standard that must be in place to see a true Revival.
I think it was God's spokesman Ezekiel who coined the term
"pillow prophets". That is the last thing that America needs in
her hour of crisis. What is needed are voices who truly tell it like
it is - who WARN the people, no matter what the cost. -A 'clear
trumpet sound'.

David Wilkerson has been just such a voice. And he is almost a
'lone' voice - though thank God he is widely heard. I believe
God has placed him in New York for this very hour - the city
that combines world political power (-The U.N) with world
financial power and world media power. David is "God's man"
in that city - I truly believe this. And if he says that God's
message to America through these tragedies is "REPENT" then
personally I will believe him rather than any mealy-mouthed
'prophet' who says otherwise. I am going to listen to the
"man on the spot".

David hates sin and deception so much, and loves God and
the people so much, that he cannot stand to be silent when
God's heart-truths are being trampled underfoot. That is the
mark of a true prophet. Keep it up, David!

God bless you all.

Andrew Strom.

What's in your future?

2008-07-12T17:12:00.000-07:00

The times they are a-changing. (In case anybody perceives that as an ungrammatical sentence, I'll advise you those are song lyrics). The evidence starts adding up that we seem to be approaching the end times. Sure, people have been predicting the end of the world for a long time. Religions have been born from such bogus forecasts. A few years ago the members of a group in Korea sold all their property to get ready for the return of Jesus. I don't get that. If he was returning, what use was their money going to be?

Many Christians have the idea that Jesus is going to swoop down and rescue the believers before any bad stuff happens. Is that Biblical? There's a lot of argument on the topic. I have met a new friend and brother in the Lord who boldly goes where no man wants to go. He is predicting that Christians are going to face a lot of persecution (they already are in many foreign countries, but this show could be coming to the US of A sometime soon).
I'd like you to meet Joe Ortiz:

Former Talk Show Host Writes Book Challenging the Politics of Evangelicals

Redlands, CA - A former Los Angeles-based talk show host and Public Relations Consultant has written a book that challenges the evangelical doctrine that attempts to influence the U.S.’s political decisions concerning the state of Israel. Joe Ortiz, the first Mexican American to host and English-language talk show on a commercial radio station, claims evangelicals who support the dispensational, premillennial doctrine have been misinformed by proponents who have misinterpreted the Bible.

Ortiz (an Indio, California native) claims in his book, The End Times Passover (published by Author House) that careful scrutiny of the Bible proves that the Promised Land is not in the Middle East, the state of Israel is not God’s time piece to Armageddon, that there will be no Pre-Tribulation Rapture, and that God’s true disciples will experience great tribulation.

“Right wing evangelicals who promote the Left Behind doctrine (like Tim LaHaye, John Hagee, Hal Lindsey and others), believe the State of Israel is key to Bible prophecy,” said Ortiz. “The proponents of this erroneous doctrine have unwittingly been pounding their theological hammers on U.S. foreign policy for over a century, only to drive a bigger wedge between Jews and Arabs who want peace in the Middle East.

Ortiz stated his book is not a politically-motivated treatise designed to influence people to choose sides between Palestinians or Jews. He said his is an academic polemic designed for people to recognize their role should be one of peacemakers rather than promoting military solutions to a feud that’s been going on for centuries. He said his research was based on analyzing the etymology of key words in the Bible that prove conclusively that the Left Behind notion promoted by many evangelicals begins to fall apart when examined carefully.

“It took over 20 years of research to provide conclusive answers to the premillennial, dispensational debate,” said Ortiz. The author’s media experience includes more than 20 years of news reporting and hosting programs on TV and radio, as well as writing for a syndicated publisher in California. Ortiz claims that “when those preachers and teachers of Bible prophecy read this book, they will soon realize they have been promoting a militant and destructive doctrine instead of a genuine gospel of peace.”

Joe has also written a sequel called Why Christians Will Suffer Great Tribulation
You can get more information and his books on his blog at:

http://groups.msn.com/TheEndTimesPassover

Is the future etched in concrete? Is there anything we can do to alter what is coming through repentance and prayer? Let me point out one sobering detail: John the Baptist led the way for Christ. He was beheaded. Jesus came next and was crucified. Ten of the original twelve apostles were executed. Paul was as well. Do you see a pattern here. Not exactly the picture that is painted when the pastor says - with everyone's eyes shut and no looking around the room - is there anyone out there who wants to give their heart to Jesus? Just slip up your hand.

I'm not a prophetic person, but I am able to look at facts and make sense of them and predict what could happen. Here is what I see as a possibility (and this is not original thinking on my part) Christians who stand for their faith will continue to reject evolution, the homosexual agenda, abortion, etcetera. In a world crying out for peace and unity they will stick out as a sore thumb as troublemakers. The only way for peace to break out is to remove the people causing the problem so the rest of society can get along with their attitude of anything goes. But surely our constitution doesn't permit that kind of thing. You're right; it doesn't. But people in high places are making their own interpretations of the Constitution that would make our founding fathers roll over in their graves.

Are people like Joe Ortiz doing anyone a favor by sounding the alarm about approaching tribulation? I truly believe that if one isn't ready for it and it does arrive, that it will be extremely difficult to stand firm in the faith. Many would choose temporary safety to save their lives, so they can die of cancer or AIDS or in a car accident. I don't want to face a guillotine or some other lethal method of dispatching rebels, but even less do I want to deny Christ.
We were born in order to die.Publish Post I just hope I have the courage to die like Stephen if faced with such a decision.

Leonard Ravenhill Quotes

2008-07-10T22:02:00.000-07:00

Great RAVENHILL QUOTES
-Leonard Ravenhill.

“A popular evangelist reaches your emotions. A true prophet
reaches your conscience.”

“The last words of Jesus to the church (in Revelation) were ‘Repent!’”

“A true shepherd leads the way. He does not merely point the way.”

“Your doctrine can be as straight as a gun barrel—and just as empty!”

“John the Baptist never performed any miracles. Yet, he was greater
than any of the Old Testament prophets.”

“I doubt that more than two percent of professing Christians in the
United States are truly born again.”

“Our God is a consuming fire. He consumes pride, lust, materialism,
and other sin.”

“There are only two kinds of persons: those dead in sin and those dead to sin.”

[Concerning the darkness that has enveloped most of Christendom:]
“When you’re sitting in a dark room, you can either sit and curse the
darkness—or you can light a candle.”

“Children can tell you what Channel 7 says, but not what Matthew 7 says.”

“Some women will spend thirty minutes to an hour preparing for
church externally (putting on special clothes and makeup, etc.).
What would happen if we all spent the same amount of time
preparing internally for church—with prayer and meditation?”

“Maturity comes from obedience, not necessarily from age.”

“What good does it do to speak in tongues on Sunday if you have
been using your tongue during the week to curse and gossip?”

“The only time you can really say that ‘Christ is all I need,’ is when
Christ is all you have.”

“The Bible is either absolute, or it’s obsolete.”

“Why do we expect to be better treated in this world than Jesus was?”

“Today’s church wants to be raptured from responsibility.”

“Testimonies are wonderful. But, so often our lives don’t fit our testimonies.”

[Concerning one of the new “movements” in the church that was
causing a stir among Christians:] “There’s also a stir when the
circus comes to town.”

“My main ambition in life is to be on the Devil’s most wanted list.”

“You can’t develop character by reading books. You develop it from conflict.”

“When there’s something in the Bible that churches don’t like,
they call it ‘legalism.’”

“We can’t serve God by proxy.”

“We must do what we can do for God, before He will give us the
power to do what we can’t do.”

“There’s a difference between changing your opinion, and changing
your lifestyle.”

“Our seminaries today are turning out dead men.”

“How can you pull down strongholds of Satan if you don’t even have
the strength to turn off your TV?”

“Everyone recognizes that Stephen was Spirit-filled when he was
performing wonders. Yet, he was just as Spirit-filled when he was
being stoned to death.”

“If a Christian is not having tribulation in the world, there’s
something wrong!”

[Concerning the fixation that today’s church has with numbers,
with growth at any price:] “The church has paid a terrible price for
statistics!”

“Any method of evangelism will work—if God is in it.”

“Church unity comes from corporate humility.”

“You can have all of your doctrines right—yet still not have the
presence of God.”

“Many pastors criticize me for taking the Gospel so seriously. But
do they really think that on Judgment Day, Christ will chastise me,
saying, ‘Leonard, you took Me too seriously’?”

“If Jesus had preached the same message that ministers preach
today, He would never have been crucified.”

“You can know a lot about the atonement, and yet receive no benefit from it.”

“If the whole church goes off into deception, that will in no way
excuse us for not following Christ.”

RAVENHILL's MOST POWERFUL BOOK - "Why Revival Tarries".

~SOURCE - http://www.scrollpublishing.com/store/Ravenhill.html

Florida Revival - or Deception

2008-07-09T06:38:00.000-07:00

A short time ago I got an electronic newsletter with an article about a revival happening down in Florida. I read the story with great interest. It would be wonderful to have God pouring his Spirit out upon his people. Stories of miracles abounded. More material followed from different sources. I actually watched a news story (yes – the press actually reported on something going on in church!) about the outpouring. Then I watched a video of some of the action. An aura of skepticism descended upon me. The man leading the revival, Todd Bentley, spent a lot of time yelling and playing up a miracle that a woman testified to. It was more like a carnival/circus environment than a tribute to Jesus. A man divided against himself is very uncomfortable. After watching this I was involved in an internal tug-of-war. I went on like that for a couple of weeks until I ran across a website called The Revival School ( www.revivialschool.com ). I read a lot of informative posts concerning the Florida "revival". I was even able to get a book written touching on it by Andrew Strom entitled True and False Revival. I read that book immediately when it arrived. I was no longer divided. Strom makes a clear cut case that what is happening down in Florida is not designed by the Lord. One thing to consider however is that God still might be working on some people in the midst of that mirage.

Ironically, I had a chance to participate in the Toronto outpouring back in the 90's. Coincidentally my company sent me to Toronto on an assignment at the same time my local pastors were visiting in Toronto. That was enough of a sign that I needed to attend one of the meetings to propel me into action. The service started at 7:00 PM. We left around 2:00 AM. My pastor was inflected with "holy laughter". He couldn't stop giggling. I was almost completely untouched by the experience, except the fact that people barking like dogs gave me much fuel for my skeptical fireplace. The dogs and other wild animals are being manifested down in Florida as well.

It is wonderful to see people seeking the Lord and wanting to be with Him. In this type of scenario, however, I had to question whether people were seeking God or seeking experiences (can we read signs here?) Jesus said it is an adulterous generation that seeks a sign. That always gives me pause to think – especially when I want to lay out my own personal fleece.

This situation leaves me in a state of confusion. How can two factions of the Lord's body be so diametrically opposed? What is going on here? This passage of scripture was mentioned more than once: Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Scary words. But words that need to be heeded. How do you judge this situation? Compare what Jesus taught with what is happening in Florida. Who is getting the glory down there? And who is reaping the financial benefits? And are the miracles being reported real?

I could go on here and talk about this situation but I feel others are much more qualified to speak on the subject. What I will say is that I'm convinced that the end is approaching. Everyone has to decide for himself/herself where truth lies. I just pray that you don't make such decisions hastily and without due caution. So check out the Revival School and read about revival which involves personal penitence, Godly sorrow, and holiness. God does perform miracles – but not on demand in the center ring of a circus.

The Birth of a Company - on D Day

2008-06-07T19:15:00.000-07:00

June 6 – D Day. The momentous morning on which the Allied soldiers fooled the Germans and established a beachhead on the European continent will forever live in historical legend It was a bold and daring surprise attack that led to the beginning of the end of the Third Reich.
Today is June 6th again – sixty-four years later. Another bold and daring attack is being launched today, and you are among the first humans to find out about it. D-Day takes on new meaning for Sword of the Spirit Publishing as this newborn company attempts to bring down strongholds of the little D – aka the Devil, Satan, Beelzebub, the Serpent, and etcetera. God has a plan for the world, and it's no secret that Satan's plan is to thwart God's blueprints for human life. He has launched battles on many fronts in an attempt to frustrate the Creator of the universe and destroy men's lives and souls. From my viewpoint, people either try to give Satan
too much credit or not enough. We're taking the middle ground. It is time to acknowledge that he is a potent adversary, and he does go about as a lion seeking whom he can devour. Our goal is to ensure that lion goes hungry.
The specialty of the house will be hard hitting books that expose sin for what it is and seek to discover truth in all aspects of life. Relevant doses of humor, romance, and adventure will be included in the recipes, but no book without a moral or spiritual message will carry our logo.
Our first new offering will launch on Friday the 13th. Reforming the Potter's Clay by Donald James Parker is a duel between magick and miracles. The power of God is manifested by a group of twelve to fourteen-year-old kids of a variety of ethnic backgrounds who allow the Holy Spirit to have reign in their life as they clash with the counterfeit powers of the world of the occult, including the power wielded by the fictional boy wunderkind with spectacles.
We are an equal opportunity publisher. We will irritate everybody at some point in time. For some we will be like the grain of sand that penetrates the oyster's shell, causing the formation of a beautiful pearl. For others, we'll the raspberry seed in their wisdom tooth. Future offerings will draw a bulls-eye on a false religion, masquerading as science, called Darwinism and sexual immorality. Other topics to be explored in the future include aging, prejudice, obesity, snobbery, homelessness, gambling, and popular Christian doctrines consisting of the antithesis of what Jesus really taught. The common thread through all of these books will be real and lovable characters who make the reader laugh and cry as they struggle through this hard experience
called life, seeking to find purpose and truth, and in doing so expose the readers to decisions about their own lives. Please visit our website at www.swordOfSpirit.net .

God bless you!

A video you should watch

2008-04-29T06:23:00.001-07:00

This may very well unsettle you. Maybe you need to be challenged. This is one of the most impressive young men I've ever encountered. Check him out for yourself. Warning: May be dangerous to your comfort zone!!

Entertainment Tonight and Every Night

2008-04-29T06:05:00.000-07:00

Posting this exhortation may be like a restaurant nailing a notice on the door informing patrons they shouldn't eat out often. Writing this article has caused me great anguish. I completed the original in about fifteen minutes. Finalizing those paragraphs has taken about fifteen hours. I'm not sure any of the original words survived the cut. Life could not have been easy for John the Baptist. I'm not eating locusts and wild honey, but I am perhaps crying out in the wilderness to people who don't want to hear a discouraging word. Let him who has ears hear. First of all, I'm a novelist. It would be in my interest for people to spend their whole lives buying and reading every book they could get their hands on. However, I can't, in all good conscience, advocate that lifestyle. The duties of life call, and it's hard to ignore the incessant ringing. There are consequences for people who fail to march to the beat of the system. The TV, movies, books, and video games cry out to us like the Sirens from the mythological travels of Odysseus to abandon the quest to fulfill our duties. (The sailors who were unable to resist the charms of the Sirens ended up shipwrecked.) Am I saying your life will be shipwrecked if you watch a movie or a TV show? Not even close, but I do suggest that some prudent navigation of shallow, rock-infested waters might be in order. Self-discipline is required. To add to Ecclesiastes, there is a season for entertainment and a season for abstaining from entertainment.

When life is hard, many of us want to escape from it all. Some people turn to drugs or alcohol to cope, but others choose the more acceptable route of entertainment. How do I know that? I've been there, done that, and my flesh would love to do it again. We run to the make-believe world provided by the entertainment industry. Amusement becomes an oasis in the desert of despair and a life-raft in an ocean of tribulation. Some of you might say, "Yeah, yeah, so what's your point?"

I'm glad you asked. I've learned many valuable lessons over the years by reading books and watching life on the screen. However, there is a danger of abusing this outlet just like with any other coping mechanism. It is possible to lose touch with reality, causing people to live in that make believe world. More likely, people will only become addicted and just need their fix.

One thing I've observed is that the threshold to obtain amusement keeps rising. People are growing bored with the common fare and want the exciting, thrilling dosage. This has escalated to the point we are at today with the proliferation of violence and blatant sex. What happens when those become blasé? I'm scared to think about it.

As a Christian, in addition to the other vocational and family duties, we have a responsibility to the Lord to minister to our fellow human beings. We are called to be good stewards of our finances, and the same is true of our time. We all need recreation of some type, just like we need nutritional sustenance and sleep. But, to rephrase an old adage, do we live to recreate or recreate to live? Unless I'm sadly mistaken, we need to do the latter. The Bible says that we will be rewarded for our good works here on earth. Reading a Christian novel or watching a Christian movie doesn't qualify as such. However, those vehicles might provide the inspiration and the resolve we need to help motivate us to spend some of those precious moments that God has given us in reaching out to others in spirit, truth, and love. And for that reason, we need to choose our entertainment carefully, so we might feed our spirits at the same time our souls are nourished. If we eat too much junk food, our physical health suffers. Too much junk entertainment will negatively impact our spiritual health. Fighting the good fight requires us to keep up our morale. Watching an inspirational movie can strengthen our resolve to follow Christ wherever He leads. Reading a book where a couple dodges the divorce bullet through prayer might actually help save our own marriage. To reiterate: we, as believers, need to seek diversion that will promote the fruits of the spirit.

To optimize time, try some of these techniques: Get creative in your recreation! Multitask by killing two figurative birds with one time-slot stone. Exercise while you watch television or read a book. Invite unsaved unbelievers to your house to watch a Christian movie with you. Watch uplifting material with the family and discuss them afterward to strengthen the family ties while getting an entertainment fix. Go down to the retirement home and read a book aloud to some people who can't read. And lastly, learn to be entertained by your ministry. It will be like learning to extract water from dry air, preventing any desert experiences.