Thomas Sowell Quotes

Words from Patricia King

A couple of encouraging words from Patricia King:

Patricia King:

Two Very Specific Words From the Lord

Word #1: Prepare Yourself - It Is Time

I see many Believers discouraged because of unfulfilled prophesies regarding their call to the nations. Many received revelation from the Lord years ago that they were called to preach the Gospel to the nations but they have not seen the vision manifest. Things are shifting even now.

In this next season, I see the Lord thrusting His people out into the fields that are white with harvest. Some of this will take place "suddenly".

Doors of opportunity will open and there will be a new kindling of past fires of zeal, passion, and vision in hearts. A great harvest awaits us in the nations. (Photo via flickr.com)

The Lord says, "Prepare yourself in My presence for I will fill you afresh. I will empower you. You will go forth bringing My Love, My Word, and My power to those who are waiting for My salvation. Those things that you saw in the spirit years ago... the things that were prophesied over you – are ready to come forth.

Prepare yourself. It is time."

Word #2: Live Big - Live Well!

A new outpouring and blessing from the Lord is coming on those who are 60 years of age and older. The Lord has revealed that many who were contemplating "retirement" are going to be receiving fresh vision for new endeavors, mandates, and calls.

Many in their 60s will say, "I feel like I am only in my 30s or 40s, for my vision and my strength are alive within me." (Photo via pixabay.com)

They will feel an acceleration of energy and vitality. When people say "I am 60," it will no longer be looked on by society as "old"... and many in this generation will be living to over 100 years of age.

Live Big - Live Well!

Patricia King
Founder and Director of XPMEDIA.COM INC
Email: info@xpmedia.com
Website: 

Dale Gentry's Prayer Today

Dale Gentry's prayer this a.m. is the cry of so many hearts, including mine.  We so long for more!  We desire to know God and be known by Him.  We desire to walk by His Spirit and be true representatives of His Kingdom.  We want to live by faith, expecting signs, wonders, and miracles following.  Hear our prayer, O God.

wwFaith Declarations-Tuesday by Dale Gentry    Good Tuesday morning everybody! It's time to pray America! Please say this prayer out loud today.   "Jehovah God..................we ask You Lord today to baptize us with Your Holy Spirit.............may we be saturated with Your presence.............create in us a greater hunger for the things of the Spirit.........more than we have ever experienced..............may there be a fire in our belly and a fire in our bones.............may we operate in the realm of the Spirit...........living in a greater dimension of faith than we have every known before.............may we speak our worlds into existence ...........calling for things that are not as though they already were............may we hang out with people of faith...........receiving an impartation of that dimension of faith that these individuals walk in..............may we learn not to quench the Spirit.............but may we open our hearts wide to whatever You are calling for in these days in which we live..............may we have a passion for You Lord as well as a passion for those who don't know You.............may we spread the good news..............sharing with others concerning Your mercy and Your grace..............and may we be alert to opportunities that await us during this season of great harvest in America.............and we ask Lord that You set the world in our hearts.............may we know that there is a major harvest out there that we as Your sons and daughters can participate in..............fill us with boldness and kindness and love................cause us to live in an aura of anticipation...............trusting in you and knowing these are the best days to be alive as we watch history unfold before our very eyes...........knowing that we have come to Your kingdom for such a time as this.............and we pray that You will send another spiritual awakening to America........led by young adults who are coming out of obscurity to preach your word with great power and authority.................in Jesus name we pray.............amen."

The Real Jesus by Francis Frangipane

Here is another excellent article by Francis Frangipane.  We need to know the Real Jesus and not settle for anything less.

The Real Jesus (En Español) Not only is Jesus our Savior, He is also the "author and perfecter of our faith" (Heb. 12:2, NIV). We should pause and contemplate that reality, that Christ is the "perfecter of our faith." In other words, the faith Christ inspired in us He now seeks to perfect. The idea that Christ seeks to perfect our faith makes a fine doctrine, but in the practical outworking of our lives, many unconsciously resist the idea. We are uncomfortable because we know, at least subconsciously, that for our faith to be perfected it must inevitably be tested. Now, when I speak of faith, I do not mean just amassing facts about the Bible. We do, indeed, need study and accurate knowledge of the Bible, but to amass biblical knowledge primarily takes time; to possess true saving faith, often requires overcoming events and difficulties in the context of our lives -- some of which take courage to companion our faith. You see, Christ desires we obtain a trust in Him that can actually withstand and overcome the frequent storms of life -- faith that brings the reality of Heaven to earth. Faith, therefore, is more than head knowledge; it is our lock upon the goodness and power of God. The result is that no matter what we face outwardly, inwardly we stand secure. And no matter what the world looks like outwardly, it has the potential to be transformed by our faith, as Hebrews 11 makes clear. Perfecter of Our Faith Knowing that faith is much more than religious doctrines, I wonder: Do we truly know the Jesus of the Bible and what He seeks to give us? Too often, I think, we desire a Savior who, after assuring us of eternal life, leaves us alone until our next crisis. We want Him to comfort us but never confront us; we desire Him to heal us but not inhabit us. We want the Holy Spirit to help us obtain the "American dream," yet what about obtaining the dream of God: man living in the image of Christ (see Genesis 1:26). This means that God's goal is not merely to save us but to conform us to Christ. He seeks to perfect us, not merely protect us. To perfect faith, He accommodates and redeems the conflicts that storm against our souls, turning them into a classroom for the perfection of our faith. I know we picture Jesus as gently holding us, patting us on the back, saying, "There, there, it'll be all right," and sometimes that is precisely who He is. Yet more often, that is not the voice of Jesus we hear, it is the echo of your mother speaking. Thank God for mothers, but Jesus is seeking to get us to stop being babies. He wants us to grow up into His image. Remember, I am talking about the real Jesus now, the one who said, "All things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9:23). If the Jesus you are following is not leading you into the realm of the impossible to make changes in your world, you are probably following the wrong one. You see, we do a disservice to people when we tell them, "Give your life to the Lord, and He will keep you from trouble." That is not altogether true. We would be more honest to say, "Give your life to Christ, and He will empower you to overcome trouble and adversity." Yes, He will take care of you. But He will not place you in a world void of problems and challenges; rather, He will create in us the spiritual shelter of a transformed life of faith. A Storm, a Ghost or Jesus?  Get used to the idea that Jesus is seeking to perfect your faith. Sooner or later, the real Jesus will require you to look the impossible straight in the eye and believe God for His power. Consider the incident when the Lord sent His disciples to cross the Sea of Galilee. Later that night, after a storm rises, Jesus crosses this same sea Himself walking on water (see Matthew 14:22 - 33). Contrary winds and waves rise up before He sets out. He could have waited for a calm day or simply arrived at the other side supernaturally without stopping alongside the boat in the middle of the sea. No, He comes to the disciples with something in mind: He comes to teach them a lesson on faith. Please note that this is a violent storm. Jesus offers no preliminary instruction, no "Basic Water-Walking 101." He doesn't let them practice on puddles or wait until winter so they could walk on frozen water first. He waits for a storm to teach how to walk on water, which is by all accounts harder to do on rolling waves than on a placid sea. Then, on top of that, He does not come in daylight; He comes at night. So Jesus comes to the disciples in the middle of the sea, in the middle of a storm, in the middle of the night to teach them how to walk on water. He doesn't make it easy! But this is the real Jesus with His real disciples. And we can add to the degree of difficulty the probability that they are physically tired and more than a little fearful about the storm. Scripture says that the sight of a figure walking on the water, coming out of the blowing wind and spray in the darkness of the night, turns the disciples' fear into terror. They cry out, "It is a ghost!" (Note: Some of the things we label as "ghostly" or demonic are really the Lord stirring life to set the stage for a lesson on faith.) As Jesus approaches the roll of the boat, He calls out, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." When Jesus says in the midst of your storm, "It is I," it is a call to faith. When He says, "Take courage," it is a call to action, for true faith is a verb, not a noun. True faith will always, at some point, require courage. Peter says, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." This is wonderful, really. Here is an insight not only into the real Jesus but also into Peter's relationship with Him. Ever since Peter has known the Jesus, the Lord has required him and the disciples to do impossible things: heal the sick, feed multitudes with a lunch pail of food, raise the dead. Over and over Peter has seen Jesus work miracles; over and over Jesus has empowered Peter to do what he saw Jesus just do. That night on the stormy sea, Peter has this amazing discernment: "If it's really the Lord, He will tell me to do what He is doing: something impossible. If it's the Jesus I know, in a moment He will be telling me to walk on the water, too." And true to form, Jesus calls out to Peter: "Come!" Now Peter is not about to walk on the water, not really. When he steps out, he is walking on the word Come. He knows that the power to accomplish the impossible resides in Christ's word, and it is this supernatural reality upon which he steps. You see, faith is all about trusting the integrity of Jesus Christ's command. Do you think Peter feels power when he steps on the water? I don't think he feels anything besides the storm. No goose bumps. No "glory chills." Peter sits on the topside rail of the rocking boat and swings his legs over the churning water. Peering through the wind and rain, he looks at Jesus. Then he slips down and stands upright in the water! Splash! One step. Splash! Then another and another until Peter walks right up to Jesus. This is no little walk. Admittedly, anyone can walk on water for the first step. It is the second step and beyond that is difficult. Peter walks until the waves grab his attention; then he begins to sink. Jesus saves him, of course, and when they get into the boat the wind stops. Maybe we would expect the Lord to say, "Peter, you did it!" Maybe Peter was expecting praise for his short water-walking career, but no, Jesus rebukes him saying, "Why did you doubt?" Christ sees the beginning of something great within Peter and He does not want it contaminated by pride or self-pity. Most of us want a medal every time we do something for God, but He is not about to let Peter or us build a monument to our accomplishments, especially when we are just beginning. If this miracle of Peter's were done by some of us here in America, in two weeks we would have tours, T-shirts and commemorative celebrations of the day we walked on water. But Jesus will allow none of that for His disciples. He sees greatness emerging in Peter, and He will not press any of His disciples toward anything other than full conformity to His image. Remember: God's goal is that we become Christlike. Therefore, the real Jesus is going to call us to do the impossible. This means that we will be called to do what we have never done before. You will see Jesus ahead of you, probably in some kind of storm, but it will be the beginning of a miracle that will change you -- and the world around you. Lord, forgive me for seeking a safe life instead of a supernatural life. I want more of You. Call me out of the boat of my familiar, predictable world. Master, for the sake of reaching the lost, increase my faith until I am standing with You on the water of divine potential. In Jesus' name, Amen. To comment or send this message to a friend or print this message, use ourPrinter-friendly version. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The preceding excerpt is adapted from the book This Day We Fight, by Pastor Frangipane. This book with associated audio resources are currently on sale atwww.arrowbookstore.com.

The End Of The Church As We Know It by Marc Lawson

      I am reading an excellent book, The End of the Church as We Know It, by Marc Lawson.  It came highly recommended and so far I have not been disappointed.  I believe there needs to be a fundamental change in the way most of us 'do church' in order for Christianity to be the world-changing vehicle it was meant to be.  Marc Lawson does a great job explaining why and how that can happen.

Here is an excerpt from p. 41:

We now have millions of so-called "believers" who don't believe the gospel of the Kingdom because many of them have never really heard it.  Instead, they hear a gospel spawned in one of the many results-oriented, seeker-friendly churches that created this "harvest."  These millions of converts have lifestyles that reveal little or no commitment to the gospel of the Kingdom and reflect little desire to grow and mature beyond their minimal commitment to "Churchianity."

This "other brand" of Jesus is identified by these earmarks:
--It is based on bringing the gospel to "seekers" in an inoffensive and understandable way so everything is focused on those who visit and are seeking;
--The message is brought in "bite-sized bits of Jesus" so it doesn't shock or overwhelm the seeker;
--Since the motive is to get people who are seeking to "find," there is an overemphasis on evangelism and it primarily focuses on ministering to the uninitiated and immature;
--The short messages are hip and to the point with drama and the arts used to communicate a story or message.  Presentations are aimed at seekers or baby Christians.  (I personally feel the use of these many creative ways of presenting the gospel is a positive aspect.)

All of this emphasis on the seeker instead of God leaves the seekers with the mind-set:
--Because Christ was shown to me in such a convenient form, Christ is apparently most concerned with my convenience and meeting my needs.
--Because I came to Christ as I am and I've heard that the gospel is free (which it is) I therefore need to do nothing to be included or involved in the Church.  Because the gospel costs me nothing, His Kingdom apparently requires nothing of me.
--Since God has been served up to me in a way I can "handle," my God will therefore never force me to think outside of my comfort zone or box.
--Since the only Kingdom I will see is after I die, my life here is mainly taken up with waiting for the end, living the best I can, and asking God to bless me.
--Since all this church stuff is so palatable, easy, and understandable to me, I need little or no supernatural revelation to comprehend God.
--The church exists for me.

The following are the obvious problems with this type of defective gospel:
--While Jesus loves us all and is not one to show favoritism, He is little concerned with catering to our convenience or insuring we are comfortable with our arrangements.  The Lord requires us first to believe--not fully understand or even feel comfortable with it.  Without faith it is impossible to please Him.  God's ways are inscrutable and beyond understanding.
--We must actually believe in the supernatural, mysterious aspects of the gospel and relationship with Christ; otherwise the gospel is just a moral lifestyle.
--The gosel is free but it cost God His Son and will cost you all of your natural life in exchange for His.  Receiving Christ is not like trying a new flavor of the month or turning over a new leaf.  Instead, it is a serious life-altering covenant.  Is is injurious to promise these seekers that they can just "try Jesus."  We don't try Him on for size.  We have to learn to die for Him.
--A hungering, seeking, knocking heart desirous to find God will find Him.  God is looking fior diligent seekers, not casual inquiriers.  Unless the Lord reveals Himself, going to a cool Bible study won't necessarily make any difference.

      As you can see, this book is going to ruffle some feathers!  I'm eager to find time to continue reading.  It resonates with my spirit.  I truly want to be part of a church that believes the whole Bible, including that all the gifts are needed today just as they were when Jesus walked the earth.  Don't you?

Our Founding Father's Believed God Was the Giver & Sustainer Of Our Freedom

Benjamin Franklin:  “I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth – that God governs in the affairs of men . . . and if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire cannot rise without His aid?”

Thomas Jefferson: “God who gave us life, gave us liberty… and can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the Gift of God?”

Abraham Lincoln, who gives us the way out of our decline! He said, “It is the duty of nations as well as of men to owe their dependence on the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow…yet, with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon.”

Nine statements by Obama yesterday made a mockery of God's word

How far we have fallen when our President is proud of this record!!  How shameful!!

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Nine statements by Obama yesterday made a mockery of God's word June 18, 2014 Yesterday, President Barack Obama spoke at an LGBT fundraiser in New York City. You can watch or read the entire speech here. I thought you might like to know what he said, so here are a few excerpts from the transcript of his speech: - The day that the Supreme Court issued its ruling, United States v. Windsor, was a great day for America. - So Pride Month is a time for celebration, and this year we've got a lot to celebrate.  If you think about everything that's happened in the last 12 months, it is remarkable.  In nine more states you’re now free to marry the person you love - that includes my two home states of Hawaii and Illinois. The NFL drafted its first openly gay player. The U.S. Postal Service made history by putting an openly gay person on a stamp - the late, great Harvey Milk smiling from ear to ear. - When I took office, only two states had marriage equality.  Today, 19 states and the District of Columbia do. - But because of your help, we've been able to do more to protect the rights of lesbian and gay, and bisexual and transgender Americans than any administration in history. - We repealed "don't ask, don't tell," because no one should have to hide who you love to serve the country we love. - I lifted the 22-year ban on people with HIV traveling to the U.S. - Before I took office, only one openly gay judge had been confirmed in history.  We have 10 more. - ...we stopped defending the so-called Defense of Marriage Act in the courts and argued alongside Edie and Robbie before the highest court in the land.  - I've directed my staff to prepare for my signature, an executive order prohibiting discrimination by federal contractors on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. My friend, our nation is in deep trouble under President Obama and liberals in Congress...are you registered to vote in upcoming elections? Sincerely, Tim Wildmon, President American Family Association

Is God a Libertarian or a Conservative? Roseann Salanitri

Is God a Libertarian or a Conservative?

by Roseann Salanitri on June 18, 2014 in Pro Life & Family, RoseAnn Salanitri 6

I have recently been promoting a D.C. rally supporting traditional marriage. It raised several good questions from someone I love dearly. My answers may have seemed conflicted – or worse, hypocritical – but they were not. I believe everyone has a right to live their lives as they see fit. I also believe that no one has the right to impose their beliefs upon me, the church, or any other person or entity. To complicate matters more, I believe there is a right and there is a wrong way to live. These points of view can be hard to reconcile for many but not if processed through a biblical worldview.

I was forced to think this through rather recently when a Conservative friend of mine told me about a survey she took. To her surprise, she was rated as a Libertarian and not a Conservative. Of course I became curious – curious enough to take the survey myself -and to my surprise, I also fell into the Libertarian category. Keep in mind that like my friend, I am passionate about living and supporting biblical principles – in all areas of life. And, I am not an anarchist who believes we are a law unto ourselves and can do whatever we deem right in our own eyes. Therefore, I had some serious thinking to do.

My thinking led me to the Garden of Eden: starting with Adam walking with God in the Garden and ending where both Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden. In this passage I found my answer. I discovered that God is a Libertarian. However, God is not a lawless anarchist; He is a Libertarian who allows the human race to make their own decisions about every aspect of life. However, He also has created a set of laws supporting what is right and what is wrong and told us about the consequences that exist if we choose wrong over right.

Today the standards about right and wrong in this country have been corrupted – mostly by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). This body of jurists has sought to set themselves above God by dictating standards of morality that they are able to impose upon us legally. For the unfortunate souls that depend on these ideologues in black robes to properly distinguish the difference between right and wrong, the results can be catastrophic – if not in this life, certainly in the next.

There are many glaring examples of how SCOTUS has negatively influenced our lives (both in the past and in the present) by legislating morality from the bench. Several of these decisions are egregiously wrong. Only God has the authority and the wisdom to make such decisions. When man tries, we end up with blood on our hands and immorality begins to corrupt our culture.

One of the most horrific examples in the past was the Dred Scott decision that gave the culture at that time permission to continue slavery. It is probable that many living during that time believed that if SCOTUS said it was okay, then it must be okay. As a result, slavery continued and much blood was shed (by slave, abolitionist, and slave owner) before it finally ended.

Today we unfortunately have another decision by SCOTUS that has bloodied our hands more than slavery. In Roe v. Wade SCOTUS made abortion legal under the misguided decision that abortion was a choice that the mother of the child was entitled to make. While woman certainly do have the right to make decisions regarding their own bodies and their own lives, they certainlydo not have the right to end the life of another person – even if that other person’s life is inconvenient in some way. And I can’t help but wonder how many distraught women finding themselves in untenable situations rested on the mistaken belief that since abortion is legal that somehow it is morally okay and acceptable. As we have seen in the past, legal does not translate into moral. And as a result, over 50,000,000 innocent babies have been killed. God help us. Libertarian or not, killing is wrong and should not be sanctioned by any government – especially one that was formed to protect our right to life! In these instances, SCOTUS has crossed the line – not only about law but about morality.

Our Founders had it right. Governments are instituted among men to secure our incontrovertible rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness – and that applies to the born and the unborn. This is a perfect example why a pro-choice candidate should never be elected to any position. They do not understand that government’s primary role is to protect life. If they will not protect the lives of the most innocent among us, then whom can they be trusted to protect?

That brings me back to the subject that started this whole train of thought. Is same sex marriage okay? After all, SCOTUS’ passive aggressiveness penalizes business that will not service those embarking upon same sex marriage, so it must be okay. Well, SCOTUS is wrong once again. As a Libertarian/Conservative, I firmly believe that people have the right to make their own decisions about how to live and about their relationships.HOWEVER, SCOTUS does not have the right to impose same sex marriage upon the rest of us under the guise of it being a “civil right.” Its attempt to do so violates our liberty of consciences, as well as the First Amendment in a multitude of ways.

Let me clarify. The Libertarian side of my brain says that people can live as they choose. The Conservative side of my brain does not dispute that.HOWEVER, the Conservative and the Libertarian side of my brain both agree that SCOTUS and no one else has the right to dictate to the church what constitutes marriage. By compelling businesses to serve those in the process of creating a same sex marriage – even when those businesses object on the basis of their Judeo/Christian beliefs – SCOTUS has criminalized Judeo/Christian beliefs. If they can now tell us what we can and cannot believe, what is beyond their scope of power? Are we to become the spiritual/intellectual robots of the state, or are we to remain liberty-loving Americans? Thanks to SCOTUS, it is now impossible in America to retain your liberty of conscience and call yourself a law-abiding citizen. Therefore, you are faced with a decision. The decision is not just about whether or not same sex marriage should be permissible; it is whether or not you choose to follow God’s laws or man’s laws.

Let me be clear. My Libertarian side has no problem with same sex couples having the rights of married couples – legally, and tax-wise. BUT once again, there is a “but.” My Conservative side reasons that there are ways to legally accomplish this: Civil Unions, Wills, Durable Powers of Attorney, etc. The arrogance of same sex couples that would impose their terminology (which is what they are trying to do by calling their unions “marriage”) upon the church but argue that no one has the right to impose the church’s terminology upon them is ill-conceived and unfortunately given weight by the chronically abhorrent SCOTUS. You see, true Libertarians understand that liberty of conscious must exist for all people, not just minorities. If that understanding is not upheld, liberty ceases to be liberty and devolves into legislated morality where ideologues in a position of power dictate what is right and what is wrong for all people – as they do in dictatorships. This is not only sets the stage for tyranny; it places man above God – just where Satan himself always wanted to be.

While the argument for same sex marriage may be center stage right now, the real issue is whether or not you have the legal right to live by a Judeo/Christian belief system. If same sex couples have that right, so should believers. The issue isn’t as conflicted as one might think. Liberty and justice must prevail for all or liberty and justice does not exist for any. And as it was for Adam and Eve in the Garden so long ago, it is today for those who make the wrong decision. Decisions have consequences – for SCOTUS and for every single person that walks this earth.

Dutch Sheets: God Is Not Done With America

(Courtesy of Dutch Sheets Ministries)

A demonic tide of destruction has been unleashed upon our nation, and is taking ground at an increasingly rapid rate. Politically, economically and humanistically, there is an agenda to make this nation never again look the way it has looked before. Yet, God has not given up on America! He has great a plan and a purpose for this nation and He is calling on us to partner with His heart and His strategy in this critical hour.

Discouraged Hearts, Defeated Plans

The book of Ezra paints a picture of where we are today, as well as God's desire to awaken, revive and restore a nation whose God is the Lord. The Israelites began rebuilding the temple after it had been destroyed because of their sin. While they were hard at work, the people of the land—the enemies of God—discouraged the people of Judah, causing them to be filled with a paralyzing fear.

Counselors were also hired to work against the people of God, and frustrate their strategy. This resulted in a 16-year delay in the rebuilding of the temple—the place, in that day, where God's presence and glory dwelled.

In many ways, America currently finds herself in this sort of delay. After making great advances in kingdom building, many have let discouragement and fear gain a foothold in their hearts. They've laid down their tools and folded their hands. Others are busy with good kingdom works, but don't dare challenge the status quo, much less, the systems aimed at shredding the moral fabric of our nation, destroying the institution of the family and stripping us of our religious freedoms.

As in the days of Ezra, "wicked counselors," known today as lobbyists, are diligently and strategically opposing God's people to advance the antichrist agenda in every sector of society. This is a fulfillment of the first few verses of Psalms 2, which describe those who hate God and take counsel together, devising plans to contend against Him and His people. These counselors think they've overthrown God's rule and conquered His people and, in their arrogance, openly decree this.

Notwithstanding, Psalm 2 describes several terrifying things God does in response. First, He laughs a mocking laugh of derision toward them. Then, He asserts that His Son will rule the earth. Lastly, God takes His rod and begins to break and shatter kingdoms in order to reestablish His reign in the earth. The good news is clearly laid out here—in the end, we win!

Fellow warriors, we cannot fear that if we resist the government and the political activists, we might be taken out. Neither can we fear that we might go to jail, lose our government funding or tax-exempt status, or have our business shut down for speaking the truth or refusing to marry same-sex couples. Yes, these things are already happening—some are already paying a high price to stand for righteousness—but we cannot cower and live in a paralyzing fear. We must only move in the fear of the Lord.

Repentance and Restoration

The account from Ezra that I've told thus far is only half the story. After a 16-year delay, upon seeing the hunger and desperation of the people, God raised up a company of leaders who worked together to steer His people toward repentance and the restoration of the temple.

First, God raised up two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, to boldly awaken the people to their true condition, and to His desire for them. The moment God's people responded in repentance, God began to work in their behalf. He frustrated the plans of the lobbyists and gave the people of Judah favor with the politicians. Everything they needed for the restoration of the temple was provided.

The most amazing part of the story, in my opinion, is how God's spokesmen (the prophets Haggai and Zechariah), God's government (Joshua the priest) and civil government (Zerubbabel the governor) came together to lead the people into reformation. In response to their obedience and righteous partnership, the Lord blessed them by decreeing that the glory of the latter house would be greater than the former.

Zechariah later prophesied to Zerubbabel saying, this mountain in front of you is going to be brought low and become a plain. Not by might or power but by my Spirit, you will tear it down with shouts of grace, grace! This is a picture of what God wants to do in America!

If the church wakes up from her slumber, heeds the voice of the prophets and begins to partner with righteous government leaders to take her stand, the Lord will make a way for our nation's biblical foundations to be restored. His glory will fill our land once again. God's desire is that you would contend for and see revival in your city and nation!

Church, we cannot become so busy making money and building our own houses, that we lay aside the often painful and sacrificial work of restoration required for God's kingdom to come and His will to be done in America.

It is OK to grieve, like Jeremiah or Nehemiah, over the condition of our nation, but we must not give in to discouragement and fear. God is calling forth an army of faithful followers who will come up out of their discouragement to boldly push back the darkness.

Many leaders in government, health, education and ministry are having to make a decision right now—am I going to make my stand or am I going to compromise and yield to the enemy's plans? I, for one, say what America's founding fathers said upon signing the Declaration of Independence and, thereby, committing an act of treason against the crown: I pledge my life, my fortune, my sacred honor—everything to stop this insidious plan of hell. Will you join me?

Dutch Sheets

If We Had A White Christian Conserative For President by Mychal Massie

    Mychal Massie is a gem.  I hope you have had the opportunity to discover his wisdom and way with words.  If not, here's another chance:

If We Had A White Christian Conservative For President

by Mychal Massie on June 17, 2014 in Daily Rant, Race & Politics

For We the People, Obama’s time in office has thus far been tantamount to a march through hell with the complete deconstruction of America strapped to our backs, and with despair and immiseration clinched in our teeth. And for the privilege of being unwilling participants in this death march, Obama believes we should be grateful. Obama has usurped and overrun Congressional authority in less time than it took for the Kudzu vine to overrun the South.

Some years back I wrote: “Many in America wanted to be proud when the first person of color was elected president, but instead, they have been witness to a congenital liar, a woman who has been ashamed of America her entire life, failed policies, intimidation and a commonality hitherto not witnessed in political leaders. He and his wife view their life at our expense as an entitlement – while America’s people go homeless, hungry and unemployed.” (Nero In The White House; 8/8/11)

He has traded on the color of his skin the way prostitutes trade on sexual favors. Because the Obama sucklings, complicit with a pathetic and biased media, label all criticism of Obama as racist, it is my position that the next president be a white Christian Conservative.

En route to lunch last week, my friend made an observation which I immediately understood, and which I am prepared to support because as my friend jokingly opined, if we have a white Christian Conservative as president, we can criticize his (or her) policies without concern of being called racists. It would be expected of that person to adhere to the highest standards of integrity, truthfulness, transparency, and protocol. A white Christian Conservative’s wife would be expected to exhibit social grace and decorum consistent with the office her husband held, and not comport herself as a demimonde or slattern in expensive designer clothes.

If a white Christian Conservative were president, we wouldn’t be called racists for condemning his economic record if the number of unemployed (not seasonally adjusted) Americans rose from 91.6 million to 92.594 million, which is an increase of nearly a million people in one month and which is what happened from March 2014 to April 2014 under Obama.

The cacophony of outrage would be deafening if 57 percent of employment-available women ages 16 and older were not only unemployed, but due to the economy had ceased actively seeking employment, if we had a white Christian Conservative for president.

A family is defined as two or more persons living under one roof who are related by blood or marriage. If we had a white Christian Conservative as president, we would not be called racists for condemning a presidency that has 62-plus million families out of 81-plus million American families with no family member employed.

If a white Christian conservative president were in office now, we would know the truth of Fast and Furious and the truth about the terrorist attack in Benghazi. Not only would we know why the president suborned perjury in covering up the details of same, but we would know why he was singularly responsible for not lifting a finger to save Ambassador Stevens, Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, and Glen Doherty, who were murdered in Benghazi.

If the next president is a white Christian Conservative, we will not be vilified and attacked with racial invectives for denouncing a failed foreign policy. We would not only be free to condemn a white Christian Conservative president who swapped five of the world’s most dangerous terrorists for an American deserter, it would be expected of us. We would be expected to condemn his decimation of the coal industry, and his abysmal energy policy.

If the wife of a white Christian Conservative knowingly and intentionally falsified travel records, naming her daughters as senior staff members, there would be hell to pay and rightly so. If the wife of a white Christian Conservative were on pace to spend nearly a billion dollars of taxpayers’ money on lavish shopping sprees, vacations, and special parties for their children at which Hollywood actors performed their movie roles in costume, we would be lauded for demanding Congress reign her in.

And more importantly, if we had a white Christian Conservative president who ignored the Constitution and who legislated from the Oval Office, we would not be nearly seven years into his term of office and still be waiting for impeachment proceedings against him.

And we darn sure wouldn’t see other Christians and Conservatives covering up for him as we witness blacks, Democrats, and the media covering for Obama.

Mark Alexander's Patriot Post Column - June 11, 2014

You might be interested to read Mark Alexander's excellent commentary on Obama's foreign policy, "The Obama Model of Foreign Policy Malfeasance" here.

It is an absolute puzzle to me how our Congress & Senate are letting him get away with destroying our country.  Are they afraid of him?  Does he have something on them?  Or are they all in cahoots?

It certainly is time we had a change in leadership.  We need to replace career politicians with strong leaders who have the good of the country as their primary purpose for running and who believe in the values this country was founded upon.  Eric Cantor's loss in VA was an encouraging sign.  Are we waking up to the fact that it is now or never?

I believe we must be in prayer!  Only God can save us now.

To Know Him! - Father God Says: "Ask of Me!" by John Mark Poole

       This is a wonderfully encouraging message from John Mark Poole. It was a repost on The Elijah List today to commemorate Father's Day.  In the article he reminds that Our Father loves us and is always calling us to relationship with Him.  It is His heart's desire that we know Him as our loving Father who loves us unconditionally and desires for us to come to Him for everything.

John Mark Pool:

To Know Him! - Father God Says: "Ask of Me!"

A Deeper Relationship with a Loving Father

In all of humanity, most seem to be searching, wandering, and inquiring about how to connect to the Source that offers them completeness. That wandering eye from ours to the Creator of the universe, Jehovah God, was placed into each person to desire one main thing – which we indeed were created for: intimate fellowship with our Creator.

As humanity searches outside the heart of our Creator, the components pursued are never intended for offering intimacy with God. However, once discovered, mankind will never again settle for a counterfeit, empty religion, which cannot compare its rules and legalisms to the ultimate and complete satisfaction in an ever-increasing relationship with our Father God. God made us to be hungry, seeking and desiring Him!

As many turn to other things or sources to fulfill them, they are always empty, yet always looking, and as one popular song from years past declared, "I can't get no satisfaction!" Even those who have known the Lord in a very close encounter, yet who have gotten lured off their path by seeking satisfaction from other sources, such as titles, ambitions, and carnal ideas of ministry success, also find this will never allow their relational base inside of a person to be completed.

Only a deeper personal relationship with a loving Father God can fulfill your hunger to be whole!

Humans were designed to look to others, seeing a reflection of God with a view of how their Creator looks! We are not made to allow the enemy to counterfeit our heart's desire from our Maker; we are completed by the affirmation of our eternal birthright, sealed in the red Blood of Jesus Christ's inkwell deep within our hearts – from our Father's plan. It is the way of our hearts to cry out to our Creator to find Him and of our God to make us completely whole.(Photo via pixabay.com)

In our "asking who He is," He then opens the eyes and ears of our hearts to call upon Him, through the plan of His Son, Jesus Christ. Consequently, the pursuit will demonstrate we love His Son.

Finding out "Who is your Daddy God?" was a set-up question God really had planted in His creation all along!  Wow – God really knows about pursuit! Yes, obey God and do as He said: "Ask of Me"; then you, by believing in faith, will receive! And the best part is, since He pursues His own, that all we have to do is to obey God, and do as He said: "Ask of Me." Then you, by believing in faith, will receive!

For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day. John 6:40 NASB

Abba Father Desires Our Pursuit!

When anyone asks or inquires of God, that is not an insignificant action! In doing so, you are offering submission to God as your Lord. God does respond, although it may not be exactly what or when you wanted, nevertheless, God's response to us demonstrates His love to us as His own children! God gives the best for those who will go through the test. Remember, "No test, no TESTimony!"

Jeremiah was a prophet in a difficult time, and by all the natural standards for success, he would be considered a complete failure. However, Jeremiah is one of the best examples for obedience beyond natural circumstances. Pursue no matter the view! Jeremiah was God's voice to Judah during a 40-year span and gave the Lord's instructions to turn back to God and repent of their sins in order to be spared destruction. Jeremiah knew that inquiring of the Father's heart continually was critical.

Adverse Conditions Must Fuel Our Fire of Desire for More of God!

Have you ever felt the more passionately you chased after God, the more it seemed the enemy was a few steps ahead laying very untimely ambushes to alter your hunger for God's heart?

Notice on this assignment, and the reason I like God's prophetic messenger, Jeremiah, he never saw his listeners transformed and was given unmitigated Hell in the process for obeying God, but still he did not waver! We desperately need this lesson in our nation today! Let Abba Father increase your passion for Him when the enemy comes in like a flood! (Photo via elijahshopper.com, Lillis Boyer art)

I wish it were instant, but it is not. There are no shortcuts to becoming a prophet. Gifts are given, but character to carry the gift is forged in the fire of affliction. Believe me, I know! [Excerpt of James Goll's foreword to Path of a Prophet, Understanding the Journey by John Mark Pool, Destiny Image Publishers, May 2007.]

Like all prophets, he understood the cost of his obedience to the Father God. Jeremiah's willingness to obey God at all costs, such as being thrown into prison (Jeremiah 37), into a cistern (Jeremiah 38), and taken to Egypt against his will (Jeremiah 43), shows that we must always trust God no matter how the circumstances look! In the natural, it appears Jeremiah had a very lonely life, yet his intimate communion and satisfaction from Abba Father's love is evident by his actions.

Jeremiah stayed on his difficult assignment during the years of increased adversity as his own people's hearts grew harder each year. The hard message he had to deliver caused Jeremiah to utterly call out and depend upon God for total consolation. Jeremiah was known as the "weeping" prophet called to a nation who lost their pursuit for the "Lover of their souls"! Jeremiah inscribed words that would resound for all eternity:

"Call out to Me!" Perhaps we can see a similarity in our country today during the heart-cry of so many voices of God prophesying that today is the day to turn our hearts back to our Father. Call upon the Lord! Seek Him while He may be found!

Ask Me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come. Jeremiah 33:3 NLT

God wants His creation to dialogue with Him. Fathers love it when one of their children jumps into their lap and says, "Dad, I don't need anything but to talk to and be with my friend, my Dad!" Like most dads, as your son or daughter pursues your undivided attention and wants to simply commune as your special son or daughter, it displays the great love our heavenly Father has for us! Asking tells "Daddy God" our hunger is not so much for the answers as it is for the time with Him in a love relationship that Abba has set as a desire in each of His own.

We may not ever get the answers, but in the journey, no matter the severity as Jeremiah demonstrated, we will know that we have a loving Father who always takes great care of those who ask, receive His words, and continue to obey! Wow, how could someone not want that kind of pursuit? So why not demonstrate to a desperate nation and world that all God wants is all of us always asking, seeking, knocking and finding all of Him!

Just as David was known as a "man after God's own heart," this was surely in part because, no matter the dilemma, David never stopped pursuing God's heart! He wrote words demonstrating this so others would follow in that "asking of God." King David's son, Solomon, wrote words in Proverbs that must have been inspired and observed through a relationship of being with his father, David, knowing David was always running after God like a deer after the water! "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God" (Psalm 42:1 NASB). Solomon wrote, "I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find Me" (Proverbs 8:17).

Ask of Him

Ask, call out, search out His heart, look for Him, knock on His heart's door, pursuing intently Daddy God, and you will be amazed at how many secrets Abba Father has saved just for those who persistently "ask of Him"! Could it also be that one of the "great and mighty things" which would have never been known if we did not ask God are the many who will find God simply from noticing the desire of your heart seeking Abba Father's?

Fellowship, communion and intimacy with God are like going from the Outer Court to the Inner Court, and then to the Most Holy Place. (Photo via johnfehlen.com)

Father God is allowing us to demonstrate our pursuit of Him, which exhibits to the hurting and lost people that His heart founded creation upon relationship. People want a real genuine love relationship, and that is what God has placed into each of His own as a spiritual DNA that yearns until connected to our Creator and is not settled until our Maker becomes Abba Father! The Lord told us that as we come to Him He would not keep anything back from us!

Every person the Father gives Me eventually comes running to Me. And once that person is with Me, I hold on and don't let go.John 6:37 The Message Bible

Just ask of Him, and you can be sure He will surely show you great and mighty things that both we and the world need to know more of – Abba Father!

John Mark Pool
Word to the World Ministries
Email: MarkandSandyPool@aol.com
Website: w2wmin.org