Tag Archives: 2017

Letters

Opinions About Pornography


OK. Let’s go step onto the scary trail. Let’s talk about pornography, and about porn addictions.

I’m going to speak about things that I have no training in. I have opinions, based on experience. I’ve not put this into words for a long time, so this may get overly-detailed (that’s how my process works).

Comment: I’ll be speaking as a guy (I generally do, but this time it may make a difference).

Another Comment: I’m not going to talk about how icky porn is. You already know that.

Warning: This isn't complete. Not sure it's actually possible to be complete on this topic. This is more of an outline, notes, rough thoughts.

Personal opinion: neither accountability nor inner healing will solve porn addictions. They may address some symptoms, but not solve the problem.

Personal opinion: solving symptoms is never a substitute for solving the core issue. If one symptom is solved, but the core issue is not, then the core issue will build pressure, and pop out in another place, or (more likely?) blow the scab off the same symptom.

Personal observation: when “church folk” respond to any addiction, their response is generally in the realm of “self control.” This does help a small number of people. 

Personal opinion: a porn addiction is not primarily about sex or about discipline. These are merely symptoms.

Personal opinion: the core issue is identity, specifically intimacy in relationship. Intimacy, in this context, is NOT a euphemism for sex: it’s about being known and accepted fully, and about knowing and accepting fully. And the first place for this intimacy is with God:

Personal opinion: if a man does not have an intimate relationship with God, if a man does not have confidence that he is fully known and fully accepted by God, then he will try to meet that very legitimate need by illegitimate means. Pornography is one of those illegitimate means.

Personal opinion: that business of being known fully and being accepted fully by one’s wife (or wife-to-be) is supplemental and very helpful, but does not replace the need for this relationship with God. Neither does sex replace real relationship with God. [That’s covered in the DUH-101 course.]

Personal opinion: This inherently creates a problem: the only solution is to know and receive the actions/choices of someone else. Fundamentally, no man can solve this problem on their own, by their own strength. There’s room for a sermon there, but this is not the time for that sermon.

Personal Opinion: the only thing that a man can do to facilitate others’ meeting of these needs is to initiate that sort of relationship. With God, that’s only about making one’s self as open as possible before God, and that is a scary process. With a bride that’s a terrifying thing, because it’s the same kind of vulnerability, but vulnerability before a fallible human being who has her own needs. Scary. But that’s all he can do to help her offer that to him: offer it to her, both for her well-being, and by way of being an example.

Personal opinion: the only things I’ve ever seen work appear to be two sides of the same coin: It can be described as “Develop this kind of relationship with God” or it can be described as “Know – really know, not just study – who you are in Christ,” but these are (IMHO) really the same thing.

Personal opinion: there is a bit of good news in an addiction to pornography: you were made for intimate relationship with God, and this addiction demonstrates that you have a real hunger, and a real readiness for that intimacy. You’re ready to develop a close relationship with your Maker. And God is ready to develop that close relationship with you.

I say again: a porn addiction is rock-solid proof that you are now ready and able to have the kind of intimate relationship with God that you’ve always wanted.

Is it scary? Hell yes!

Are we guaranteed a life of ease and no problems? You’re kidding, right?

But is it possible? abso-freakin-lutely.

And yeah, it really is the better deal! Oh my goodness, yes!

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Letters

Glad I’m Not Domesticated


I gradually drifted toward wakefulness the other morning. I rubbed my eyes, and looked at the clock, and rubbed them again. This was later than I expected.

I stumbled out the bedroom door, and the cat was standing next to her food dish, yowling for my attention. The food bowl was empty, and she is used to being fed earlier than this, thank you very much.


Later, she stood at the back door, watching the birds on the patio, and yowled again. I’d like to go out now, and chase some birds, please. She gave up after I’d ignored her for a while, and wandered down the hall toward her potty box.

A thought crossed my mind. “Aren’t you glad you’re not domesticated.” My mind went through some quick acrobatics in response: Me? Domesticated? Hah!

And then, wait. There was a season when I couldn’t feed myself. I had to “hold on!” until Sunday, when the pastor would spoon-feed me the same basic, elementary doctrines that I’d been spoon fed last year.

There was a season when I needed someone else to let me go outside once in a while. Unless I had assurances from senior Christians, I couldn’t trust that it was OK to go to things outside the church organization and church programs.

And there was a season when I needed someone else to change my potty box, or maybe change my diapers, because – even as an adult Christian – I couldn’t deal with my sins and failures myself. I always needed someone to point out to me, “Hey, that’s really not right,” or I always needed to have people pray for me to get me past some stumbling point. (Don’t go too far: prayer for one another is wonderful. But to always need others to pray for you to get past any trial is not a sign of health or maturity!)

So I stood there, watching my cat saunter down the hall towards the potty box that I’d cleaned out for her, I realized, not all that long ago, that was me. I had actually spent a good portion of my life domesticated, needing others to take care of every little thing for my life, as a human, as a man, and as a Christian.

Suddenly humbled, I nodded my head gratefully. “Yes, Sir. Yes, I am very grateful I’m not domesticated. Or at least not as domesticated as I used to be.”


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Letters

The Church of the Septic Tank

I had a strange dream the other night. It was about septic tanks. Yeah. Poop tanks. Ewww. 

The dream began with a toilet. The toilet served a comfortable facility where a bunch of Americans gather together in God’s glory. But even American gloryhounds need to poop once in a while.

Then the dream shifted to the septic tank below that toilet. That was interesting.

The tank was full; needed emptying. We considered several alternatives:

• Dig a hole somewhere for putting the poop. We rejected that messy idea.
• Put in a second tank next to the main tank, and link the two. That’s not a solution.
• Pump out the tank. And that’s what we did.

After the tank was pumped, I was invited to hold a picnic in the empty tank. Say what?

Ewwww. That was still dark, still completely stinky! And besides, somebody’s hindquarters were above, beginning to re-fill the tank. Those places where the crap has been stored are not places to relax and spend our free time. No! That’s still stinky!

This afternoon, I realized that this is a metaphor, a lesson.

There are some places that are getting tons of crap removed from them. That’s absolutely happening in the church. There’s been a lot of crap in a number of places, and currently, a lot of that is being removed. It’s not done yet, but it’s getting there.

But when the crap is removed, those places that held the crap will still not be good places for a picnic, still not a good place to relax and enjoy yourself.

In the news far more than the revolution going on in the church is the uncovering of so much crap in the political world that it’s scary. A friend of mine says it's like a Russian novel full of twists and turns. But there’s a lot of the crap that’s getting sucked out of the system.

But when the crap is removed, those places that held the crap will still not be good places for a picnic, still not a good place to relax and enjoy yourself.

OK, what does that mean in practical terms?

Not a flying clue. I have no pretty little bow to wrap on this yet. But I have some candidates for how we can respond.

• We can ignore the cleaning out of the septic tanks and go on about our lives. I think this would be a poor choice.

• We can scrub the septic tanks out with prayer. This is likely to be uncomfortable, but then the prayer to get them emptied has been uncomfortable, too. We’re used to that.

• We can move the poop-hole so the best view in the house isn’t somebody’s bare butt unleashing another load of diarrhea on us. That will likely also involve some awkward and embarrassing prayer.

• I don’t know what this means, but it strikes me that we might need to upgrade our gathering place from a septic tank, where the crap is collected and hidden out of view. Maybe it’s time to put in a sewer system, where the crap still happens (because, be honest: that has to happen!!), but it’s taken away and made into something useful. What an interesting idea. I wonder what it means.

• We can choose a different place for a picnic. I know we’ve been invited to center our lives on the septic tank for a while. But we don’t need to accept every invitation we’ve been given.

I’ll bet you two rolls of Charmin that we won’t find the answers in this context. But if you felt like taking these to prayer, if you considered sharing some of this (even if you don’t share the source) with your prayer group, I’ll bet we’d see some good things happen.
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Letters

Sent

We Are Sent.

There’s a big difference between us going out on our own and spreading the Good News of the Kingdom because we like it, and being sent on assignment to to do the very same work.

We’re sent. We're on assignment. Commissioned by Heaven.

Jesus sent us: “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” [John 20:21]

Think about that first word, “As” for a minute: This is like what Father has done.

You and I are sent under the same terms and conditions that applied when Father sent Jesus to Earth.

Let that mess with your head for a minute. Jesus was sent as the embodiment of Heaven to extend the Kingdom (“kingship”) of heaven on Earth. Every time Jesus confronted darkness, the Kingdom of Heaven emerged victorious. Every time Jesus met someone sick, he healed them.

OK. That stretches me a fair bit. I’m not just a follower, just a “believer”, just a pew-warmer, just “little ol’ me.” I’m sent to Earth with the same assignment, with the same backing, with the same power that Jesus was sent with.

“As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” Whoa.

Now for the second half:

“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God….” [John 13:3]

How was Jesus sent from the Father? With all things under his power, knowing he had come from God, knowing he was returning to God.

“As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” What does this say about how you’re sent?

And of course, the very next thing Jesus did was to wash the boys’ feet. Isn’t that how we’re sent?

We're sent to wash feet in the power of, and as a representative of, the King of Kings. He's washing feet through you and me.










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Letters

Sent

We Are Sent.

There’s a big difference between us going out on our own and spreading the Good News of the Kingdom because we like it, and being sent on assignment to to do the very same work.

We’re sent. We're on assignment. Commissioned by Heaven.

Jesus sent us: “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” [John 20:21]

Think about that first word, “As” for a minute: This is like what Father has done.

You and I are sent under the same terms and conditions that applied when Father sent Jesus to Earth.

Let that mess with your head for a minute. Jesus was sent as the embodiment of Heaven to extend the Kingdom (“kingship”) of heaven on Earth. Every time Jesus confronted darkness, the Kingdom of Heaven emerged victorious. Every time Jesus met someone sick, he healed them.

OK. That stretches me a fair bit. I’m not just a follower, just a “believer”, just a pew-warmer, just “little ol’ me.” I’m sent to Earth with the same assignment, with the same backing, with the same power that Jesus was sent with.

“As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” Whoa.

Now for the second half:

“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God….” [John 13:3]

How was Jesus sent from the Father? With all things under his power, knowing he had come from God, knowing he was returning to God.

“As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” What does this say about how you’re sent?

And of course, the very next thing Jesus did was to wash the boys’ feet. Isn’t that how we’re sent?

We're sent to wash feet in the power of, and as a representative of, the King of Kings. He's washing feet through you and me.










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Letters

Guard Your Heart

You’ve all heard people talking about “guarding your heart.” You’ve probably heard a sermon or ten on the topic.

It’s usually presented as, “Don’t let the enemy influence your heart in any way.”

A famous Bible teacher said it this way, “The enemy wants to embitter and corrupt you. Guard your heart against contamination by lust and loneliness, bigotry and arrogance, and everything in between.”

Now that’s all well and good, but I saw this in a new light recently. It messed up my thinking, and I think I'm on to something.

I used a revolutionary new Scriptural Interpretation Technique (maybe we can call it SIT?) for this new revelation. Let me share it with you:

• Read the whole freaking verse.

That’s it. Pretty complicated, isn’t it? Let’s practice this together on this topic, shall we?

Turn with me to Proverbs 4:23: “Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”

Do you see what it’s saying here? It’s not talking about guarding your heart so you don’t think bad thoughts. If you’re in love with Jesus, if your mind is “fixed on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1&2), then there’s no room for the bad thoughts anyway.

[Hint: if you have problems with where your mind goes, this is a great tool: focus your mind on the God-Man that loves you silly! Bury yourself in Him, and in the Word of God. It works!]

It says, “Guard your heart… for....” “For” is an awfully big word. In other words: “Here’s the reason you guard your heart: because stuff springs out of your heart if it’s not guarded well.”

Have you ever spoken before you took a second to think, and wished you could take those words back? Have you ever discovered that you related to somebody through a messed-up filter? Have you ever believed a lie, and had that lie influence how you do life?

The reason you guard your heart, the reason I need to guard my heart, is not so bad stuff doesn’t get IN. It’s so the issues of my life don’t get OUT to mess up other people.

Moreover: our job is to guard our heart DILIGENTLY so we don't let the wrong stuff out. This is a big deal.

We don’t guard our heart to protect ourselves. We guard our heart to protect the folks around us.

(Wait. How often are we actually commanded to protect ourselves, and let everybody else fend for themselves? Yeah, like never. So this is consistent with the “whole counsel of God” too! Nice.)

--

“Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”



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Letters

Guard Your Heart

You’ve all heard people talking about “guarding your heart.” You’ve probably heard a sermon or ten on the topic.

It’s usually presented as, “Don’t let the enemy influence your heart in any way.”

A famous Bible teacher said it this way, “The enemy wants to embitter and corrupt you. Guard your heart against contamination by lust and loneliness, bigotry and arrogance, and everything in between.”

Now that’s all well and good, but I saw this in a new light recently. It messed up my thinking, and I think I'm on to something.

I used a revolutionary new Scriptural Interpretation Technique (maybe we can call it SIT?) for this new revelation. Let me share it with you:

• Read the whole freaking verse.

That’s it. Read the whole verse. Pretty complicated, isn’t it? Let’s practice this together on this topic, shall we?

Turn with me to Proverbs 4:23: “Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”

Do you see what it’s saying here? It’s not talking about guarding your heart so you don’t think bad thoughts. If you’re in love with Jesus, if your mind is “fixed on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1&2), then there’s no room for the bad thoughts anyway.

It says, “Guard your heart… for....” “For” is an awfully big word. In other words: “Here’s the reason you guard your heart: because stuff springs out of your heart if it’s not guarded well.”

Have you ever spoken before you took a second to think, and wished you could take those words back? Have you ever discovered that you related to somebody through a messed-up filter? Have you ever believed a lie, and had that lie influence how you do life?

The reason you guard your heart, the reason I need to guard my heart, is not so bad stuff doesn’t get IN. It’s so the issues of my life don’t get OUT to mess up other people.

Moreover: our job is to guard our heart DILIGENTLY so we don't let the wrong stuff out. This is a big deal.

We don’t guard our heart to protect ourselves. We guard our heart to protect the folks around us.

(Wait. How often are we actually commanded to protect ourselves, and let everybody else fend for themselves? Yeah, like never. So this is consistent with the “whole counsel of God” too! Nice.)

--

“Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”



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Prophecy

ACPE Word of the Lord for 2018

Compiled by Cindy Jacobs

I hope you all had a wonderful, happy new year. This is the season where we like to share with you what God has been saying for 2018, and I’m very excited about this year.

What I have with me is a compilation of some words that came from the Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders and the Global Prophetic Consultation in November 2017, which people say was one of the most historic events they have ever been to in their lives. It’s so good, and we know that God has given us a great harvest. We had prophets from around the world sharing together prophetically what they’re hearing for the upcoming season. There’s a theme that developed for 2018, and this common theme is that it’s gonna be a good year.

You know, 2017 was a very difficult time of uncertainty for so many of us. There were terrorist acts, riots, political unrest, and division. As we look on the world news, we have the threat of North Korea looming over the world. We had natural disasters here in the U.S., with fires and flooding across the nation. But, in the midst of it, I found myself starting to feel really good, and people looked at me like, “Are you crazy? Why are you feeling good right now?” Because I’m seeing what God is bringing.

God is doing a new thing. As you may know, as we prophesy, we often look for a biblical connection. Why do we do this? Because the Bible is a book of Hebrew thought. It’s not a book of Western thinking at all. So, if we’re going to understand the Bible, we need to understand the numerology. There are very important things that are hidden keys in scripture. People can say, “Oh, it’s an occult thing”. No, it’s a Hebrew thing, and if we want to understand what is written in the context of what is written, we need to look at the keys that have been given to us.

Possessing the Gates

On the Hebrew calendar, 2018 is the year 5778 and, if we see the pictorial emphasis from this, 5778 forms a gate. In fact, this gate can look kind of like a bridal canopy. So, as I was asking the Lord what is going to happen in 2018, I felt the Holy Spirit saying it’s the year to possess the gates of your future.

This is very important. I’m going to use the text Genesis 22:17-18, “Blessing I will bless you. Multiplying I will multiply.” Whenever the scripture reiterates something, such as “blessing I will bless you”, this is a form of emphasis meaning it’s superlative. It’s going to be greater than you can imagine. “Multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars in the heaven and as the sand washes on the seashore and your descendants shall possess the gates of their enemies, and your seed, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed because you have obeyed my voice.” I feel those descendants are not just our natural children, but also our spiritual children—people we have mentored or movements that we have started.

Some of you know that I wrote a book that came out in 1991 called Possessing the Gates of the Enemy, and I’ve just finished the 4th edition for it, which is coming out later this year. It’s a new update with a fresh, new look at prayer and spiritual warfare. As I was writing it, I didn’t even think about the significance of gates. But, this year will be a time where we are going to possess these gates—opportunities that are before us that we haven’t been able to reach before. In other words, we’ve not been able to go through the gates of opportunity.

It’s very interesting that this promise was given to Abraham around 2018 BC, which was 2018 years before Christ and 2018 years after, so it’s like a double full-circle time. We are children of Abraham, since we have been grafted into the vine, so promises given to Abraham are promises for us. Now, let’s talk about some ways to possess those gates.

Number one, you have to be prepared. Sometimes people just take life day by day, like, well, whatever comes I’m going to deal with it, but this is a year to possess your future. So, you need to look and say, “What does God want me to accomplish this year? What is it that I am supposed to possess? What are those things that have been dreams that you have longed to fulfill?”

It’s a time to dream again. It’s a time to sit down and say, “Maybe we had a business failure, or maybe we had something happen to our family, or maybe that dream didn’t come true,” but don’t give up on your dream. Possess it. This is a special year with special promises. We need to get ready for it, but how do we do that? One way is to surrender to God. Just surrender everything to God.

What Gates Has Satan Closed?

Where has Satan closed your gates? Don’t just let life pass you by. Think about where Satan has come in to those gates. Maybe it’s been friendship gates or family gates. Maybe there are some things that happened in your family and they were really painful. Don’t let Satan just win. Say, “No! Satan, you can’t win. You can’t have my family.” It’s time to stand and declare and decree.

As we sought direction together for the year, we kept hearing that “Glory” is going to be a significant word in 2018. There are going to be so many incredible miracles that God is going to show us. Habakkuk 2:14 says that the Earth shall be full of the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. God is going to show himself as the great God, the glorious God.

We are to live from the glory down, not from the problems of our life up. In other words, if we’re seated with Him in Heavenly places, and He’s a glorious God, He has all the solutions. He has all the answers. He has everything you need. So, when you’re looking at a situation, don’t look at what the current situation says. Don’t look at the problems of it. Seek God from the Heavenly, being seated with him in Heavenly places. Ask him to give solutions and bring those solutions down into the problem. God is full of wisdom. He’s a kingdom administrator. He knows how to do everything.2

I can’t tell you how many times I could not figure out what to do until I finally just calmed myself inside and said, “God, you know what to do”, and all of the sudden, I had the solution. It was like I suddenly realized that I was seated with him, talking to the Lord and He gave me the solution. I knew what to do, and I brought that into the current situation. You can do this when you need wisdom with your children, wisdom with teenagers—praise God that’s a very interesting time of life, isn’t it—or whatever it is. If you’re married, you might need wisdom regarding your spouse.

There are gates that Satan wants to shut—gates of relationship, gates that will slam in your face—and Satan will say to you, “You’re never going to have a good relationship with your family. You’re not going to have good times. The things that have happened have caused irreparable damage.” No, that is not true, because it’s not God’s will, and God created your family. He meant it to be good. Don’t give up your battle. Now, maybe it won’t come about in 2018, but don’t give up the battle. God will turn it. Begin to shift to fully embrace the truth that God is calling you to be an overcomer. I challenge you to take this truth and run with it.

A Season of Suddenlies and Acceleration

God is moving us into a season where He just does something suddenly for us. Like, one day everything’s terrible, and the next day you’re just shocked that everybody loves each other. It’s as if nothing bad ever happened, and you’re just kind of looking around, and you’re going, “Wow. Yesterday we were all at each other’s throats, and today it’s like it never happened.” You know, God can do that.

Salvation came to the Earth suddenly when Jesus was born, and you know that Moses came as a liberator seemingly suddenly after all those years of captivity. God spoke after hundreds of years of being silent. The suddenlies will come in your life, and that should give you hope in the midst of all your problems that suddenlies are coming.

Another word that was corporately given across the board was acceleration. This is a time when your wealth will accelerate. Blessings will accelerate. Prosperity will accelerate. You need to believe for it. The Bible says the word did not profit them not being mixed with faith.

You need to believe God that He’s going to give you that prosperity, that He’s going to give you blessing, and you know you say, “Well, what if I believe and nothing happens?” If you don’t believe, I can assure you nothing will happen. Whenever God says ‘I will’, that’s a powerful promise, and multiplying ‘I will multiply you’. So, let’s believe for acceleration, suddenlies, and for God to multiply you suddenly.

God is going to give business opportunities to many people. Maybe you are in poverty right now, or maybe you’re not able to make your bills, but God will download something to you that you’re good at. You’re not going to have to work harder, but you’ll work smarter, and it’s going to bring you the funds you need. You’re going to be able to do what your main thing is, and these other things will not take you over, but yet it’s going to give you the income you need.

Suddenly, that gate of favor is going to open up for you, and that gate of honor. Where there’s been dishonor, there will be honor. Somebody was telling me how Billy Graham used to be dishonored in the city of Charlotte, North Carolina, and now there is a highway or a freeway named after him there. That can happen. You can outlast your enemies. You can live longer, do better. Keep your heart right, and one day honor will come into the place of dishonor.

These are all very significant things. God is saying something to us.

A Moral Reformation

God is exposing immorality. There is going to be a moral reformation, and this is going to happen in Hollywood. Many, many people in Hollywood are going to understand that biblical values are important. I see many, many in Hollywood being interested in what we call good moral programming, and I’m just thankful for the people in Hollywood. You know, we always diss them, but they work so hard, and I just want to put in a good word for them right now.

After the Reformation, there was a counter reformation, where a lot of the work that had been done was undone. It was a very dark time. Well, the Lord spoke to us that if we are attentive, there will not be another counter reformation. If we don’t evangelize the Millennials with a biblical worldview, if we don’t speak to their hearts, in a decade, we’re going to see all that we have gained in this time of going into the seven spheres, or mountains of authority, start to be undone again. We want to reach the Millennials. We want to listen to the Millennials, and God is going to anoint people to do this and pray. It’s time to pray for the Millennials, and I prayed about that, too.

There’s a Revival coming—a revival of a magnitude worldwide that we cannot imagine. There’s a reformation coming, and I want to say something about that. We are in the midst of the Great Awakening now. The Great Awakening worldwide has begun. It’s not going to begin. It has begun, and it’s going to begin in different stages. We have seen great revivals come before, the Welsh Revival, different Revivals, but they didn’t last. However, we know with this reformation, there’s going to be a marriage between evangelism and reformation, and we’re going to see nations changed. We’re in the process.

The Isaiah 19 Highway

Another word that God gave us is about the Isaiah 19 highway. You may not be familiar with that, but it’s talked about in Isaiah, the 19th chapter, that there’s a highway of holiness that will be built from Egypt to Assyria to Israel. What is going on right now in Iran and the unrest there, what happened recently, there was such a reformation of Saudi Arabia. God is preparing a highway.

God is preparing a way for nation after nation after nation to be touched through religious freedom with his power, and there’s going to be a connection that will happen even with Israel. Sometimes people say, “Well that could never happen.” It’s going to happen, because the Bible says that it will happen.

The Great Transfer of Wealth

Another thing that God spoke to us about is a transfer of wealth. This will happen in more of a season than a one-year time frame, but we see the beginnings where believers are going to open their eyes and they’re going to see opportunities for wealth. They’re going to know how to go through the gates, how to go through the doors of opportunity.

There will be great financial blessings start to come to the U.S. Things are already beginning to turn around. God also showed me that for all the Middle East there are going to be blessings come for the believers there too, because what God is doing is all part of this Isaiah 19 highway.

I remember when we met with the Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders, God spoke to us a number of years ago that the EU would fragment, and it has happened. We know there was Brexit. The Lord also showed us that the dollar would remain in a stable place for investing when things were shaky. This was around 5 years ago, and many people are saying it was going to crash and it’s going to go down. Well, the stock market is going up and up and up.

There will be some course corrections, but I do not at this time see a major crash, where it’s going to completely plummet, as long as we continue on the current path. But, if there’s compromise, it will go down, and you will see this directly correlating with what’s happening with our connection with Israel.

I also want to mention the Middle East. The Middle East is very important, as is China. Asia’s a very huge part, and the Chinese people in particular, but all of the Asians with this Isaiah 19 highway. Look to1 numbers of people going to Egypt. Numbers and numbers of Christians will start going to Egypt to pray, because this move of God, it’s happening now. It’s not something just beginning. It’s been happening, but we’re going to see it’s going to be on a greater and greater scale.

Africa is going to experience an explosion of God’s power, but the nations are going to be transformed, as well. At the meeting of prophets we had recently, we had prophets from all over the world pray together, and we were decreeing that the evil dictator Mugabe of Zimbabwe was going to come down immediately. At the exact moment that we were taking authority over the spirit that had held Zimbabwe bound by this dictator, the tanks were rolling into Harare. We have to keep praying that it doesn’t go back into the same way. We have great authority through the name of Jesus, and God has been speaking to us that we are going to go through gates of authority. It’s time for the Daniels in Babylon to arise.

Daniel captured Babylon, instead of Babylon capturing Daniel. God allowed Daniel to be captured, but then he became head of all the soothsayers. The Lord showed us that, as prophets, we are going to go into many, many doors and places in secular society, governmental places, where there’ll be those that are psychics there, but God is going to give us words that outshine them all through signs, and wonders, and miracles. We see this in the case of Moses and the Pharaoh with the serpents and the rod that Moses threw down.

We prophesied a lot about North Korea, that they are going to have a suddenly, where God is going to deal with Kim Jong-un. In fact, the word was, “I’m dealing with the evil dictators of the world, and these evil dictators are going to shake.” Maduro’s gonna shake. He’s gonna come down, and some of the others. We’re seeing Iran shaking right now. We saw what happened with Zimbabwe. We’re going to see it with Kim Jong-un. There’s going to be some turmoil, but Kim Jong-un is going to come down. God is hardening his heart like Pharaoh’s heart. He’s not going to allow Kim Jong-un to stay in that position. He’s not going to allow compromise to come. Something is going to dramatically happen, because his time for being a dictator is over, unless he turns his heart to the Lord.

Kim Jong-un, if you’re reading this somehow, turn your heart to the Lord Jesus. There are people praying for you, and if you will completely change, God is going to help you on a path that will not be destructive. So, you can choose, Kim Jong-un. You choose who you’ll serve. If you serve God, and if you change your ways, God will protect you. He will protect North Korea in a unique way and make peace with South Korea. However, if you continue on your path, it will lead to your destruction, and the sad thing about that is your destruction will lead to the path to hell. So, I just pray that somehow God will get that message to Kim Jong-un, because God cares about him. He doesn’t want that anyone should perish.

One of the words the Lord gave us is the word amplification. God wants to amplify your voice, and then it’s going to be a wave that’s going to be love-motivated. God is going to give us that love motivation, and we’re gonna prophesy in a new way. We’re gonna prophesy innovative strategies.

Now, not all of these will really touch everyone’s heart as I’m sharing this, but take notes and go over it again, because there will be parts of this that will stand out for you, and you’ll say, “This is my part. This is what I need.” It’s a lot of information, but go over it again and again, and believe it, declare and decree it.

So, this is the beginning of strength coming. There’s humiliation that has happened to some of the body of Christ. Maybe it happened to you on your job or maybe you’ve been persecuted in another way. Maybe you’re a student and it happened at school. Listen, God is going to cause you to shine. He’s going to take you to the top of the heap. He’s going to show you what to do to be the best of the best. There are spiritual confrontations coming, but God is going to anoint the business leaders. God is going to anoint those who, like Nehemiah, will be able to build walls of culture and change things in every way.

Prayers and Declarations

So, Father, I pray for those who will possess the gates of their future. Father, I pray that there will be strategies, and that there will be a new levels of intimacy. Father, I pray for those who have felt overwhelmed.

The Lord says, “Don’t be overwhelmed. Calm your spirit. Calm your spirit. Be still and know that I am God, and as you just take time in stillness just abiding with the Lord, just be still.”

You’ve asked Him so many questions. Now let Him talk back to you. Give time for the Lord to speak to you as well as you speak to him. God will show you which are your gates.

So, Father, I pray for those doors of opportunity. Father, I thank you, Lord, that you’re going to give innovation, strategies, acceleration, suddenlies, favor, and honor in the name of Jesus.

Let’s go through the gate of 2018. Let’s possess the gates of our future. Let’s do it with excitement, joy, and happiness. It’s going to be a great year. Now just go do it!

With Anticipation,
Cindy Jacobs

Generals International


Comment: You'll notice that we have posted remarkably few "2018 prophecies" this year. It was our conclusion that these are less valuable than they have been in previous years, and many people are offering their own prophetic words for the coming year.

In a real way, this is good: the saints are learning to hear God for themselves. I encourage you: hear God for yourself for 2018.

Having said that, this word stood out: the source is credible, we have a track record with this prophetic council, and they both offer specific words and present specific application. 


Join the conversation on Facebook or Twitter Feel free to share with others, but please leave the contact info intact. Click here to subscribe, or visit www.northwestprophetic.com. To submit a word for the Northwest, visit our Submit A Word page, or email to NWP@northwestprophetic.com. Thanks!
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Prophecy

ACPE Word of the Lord for 2018

Compiled by Cindy Jacobs

I hope you all had a wonderful, happy new year. This is the season where we like to share with you what God has been saying for 2018, and I’m very excited about this year.

What I have with me is a compilation of some words that came from the Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders and the Global Prophetic Consultation in November 2017, which people say was one of the most historic events they have ever been to in their lives. It’s so good, and we know that God has given us a great harvest. We had prophets from around the world sharing together prophetically what they’re hearing for the upcoming season. There’s a theme that developed for 2018, and this common theme is that it’s gonna be a good year.

You know, 2017 was a very difficult time of uncertainty for so many of us. There were terrorist acts, riots, political unrest, and division. As we look on the world news, we have the threat of North Korea looming over the world. We had natural disasters here in the U.S., with fires and flooding across the nation. But, in the midst of it, I found myself starting to feel really good, and people looked at me like, “Are you crazy? Why are you feeling good right now?” Because I’m seeing what God is bringing.

God is doing a new thing. As you may know, as we prophesy, we often look for a biblical connection. Why do we do this? Because the Bible is a book of Hebrew thought. It’s not a book of Western thinking at all. So, if we’re going to understand the Bible, we need to understand the numerology. There are very important things that are hidden keys in scripture. People can say, “Oh, it’s an occult thing”. No, it’s a Hebrew thing, and if we want to understand what is written in the context of what is written, we need to look at the keys that have been given to us.

Possessing the Gates

On the Hebrew calendar, 2018 is the year 5778 and, if we see the pictorial emphasis from this, 5778 forms a gate. In fact, this gate can look kind of like a bridal canopy. So, as I was asking the Lord what is going to happen in 2018, I felt the Holy Spirit saying it’s the year to possess the gates of your future.

This is very important. I’m going to use the text Genesis 22:17-18, “Blessing I will bless you. Multiplying I will multiply.” Whenever the scripture reiterates something, such as “blessing I will bless you”, this is a form of emphasis meaning it’s superlative. It’s going to be greater than you can imagine. “Multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars in the heaven and as the sand washes on the seashore and your descendants shall possess the gates of their enemies, and your seed, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed because you have obeyed my voice.” I feel those descendants are not just our natural children, but also our spiritual children—people we have mentored or movements that we have started.

Some of you know that I wrote a book that came out in 1991 called Possessing the Gates of the Enemy, and I’ve just finished the 4th edition for it, which is coming out later this year. It’s a new update with a fresh, new look at prayer and spiritual warfare. As I was writing it, I didn’t even think about the significance of gates. But, this year will be a time where we are going to possess these gates—opportunities that are before us that we haven’t been able to reach before. In other words, we’ve not been able to go through the gates of opportunity.

It’s very interesting that this promise was given to Abraham around 2018 BC, which was 2018 years before Christ and 2018 years after, so it’s like a double full-circle time. We are children of Abraham, since we have been grafted into the vine, so promises given to Abraham are promises for us. Now, let’s talk about some ways to possess those gates.

Number one, you have to be prepared. Sometimes people just take life day by day, like, well, whatever comes I’m going to deal with it, but this is a year to possess your future. So, you need to look and say, “What does God want me to accomplish this year? What is it that I am supposed to possess? What are those things that have been dreams that you have longed to fulfill?”

It’s a time to dream again. It’s a time to sit down and say, “Maybe we had a business failure, or maybe we had something happen to our family, or maybe that dream didn’t come true,” but don’t give up on your dream. Possess it. This is a special year with special promises. We need to get ready for it, but how do we do that? One way is to surrender to God. Just surrender everything to God.

What Gates Has Satan Closed?

Where has Satan closed your gates? Don’t just let life pass you by. Think about where Satan has come in to those gates. Maybe it’s been friendship gates or family gates. Maybe there are some things that happened in your family and they were really painful. Don’t let Satan just win. Say, “No! Satan, you can’t win. You can’t have my family.” It’s time to stand and declare and decree.

As we sought direction together for the year, we kept hearing that “Glory” is going to be a significant word in 2018. There are going to be so many incredible miracles that God is going to show us. Habakkuk 2:14 says that the Earth shall be full of the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. God is going to show himself as the great God, the glorious God.

We are to live from the glory down, not from the problems of our life up. In other words, if we’re seated with Him in Heavenly places, and He’s a glorious God, He has all the solutions. He has all the answers. He has everything you need. So, when you’re looking at a situation, don’t look at what the current situation says. Don’t look at the problems of it. Seek God from the Heavenly, being seated with him in Heavenly places. Ask him to give solutions and bring those solutions down into the problem. God is full of wisdom. He’s a kingdom administrator. He knows how to do everything.2

I can’t tell you how many times I could not figure out what to do until I finally just calmed myself inside and said, “God, you know what to do”, and all of the sudden, I had the solution. It was like I suddenly realized that I was seated with him, talking to the Lord and He gave me the solution. I knew what to do, and I brought that into the current situation. You can do this when you need wisdom with your children, wisdom with teenagers—praise God that’s a very interesting time of life, isn’t it—or whatever it is. If you’re married, you might need wisdom regarding your spouse.

There are gates that Satan wants to shut—gates of relationship, gates that will slam in your face—and Satan will say to you, “You’re never going to have a good relationship with your family. You’re not going to have good times. The things that have happened have caused irreparable damage.” No, that is not true, because it’s not God’s will, and God created your family. He meant it to be good. Don’t give up your battle. Now, maybe it won’t come about in 2018, but don’t give up the battle. God will turn it. Begin to shift to fully embrace the truth that God is calling you to be an overcomer. I challenge you to take this truth and run with it.

A Season of Suddenlies and Acceleration

God is moving us into a season where He just does something suddenly for us. Like, one day everything’s terrible, and the next day you’re just shocked that everybody loves each other. It’s as if nothing bad ever happened, and you’re just kind of looking around, and you’re going, “Wow. Yesterday we were all at each other’s throats, and today it’s like it never happened.” You know, God can do that.

Salvation came to the Earth suddenly when Jesus was born, and you know that Moses came as a liberator seemingly suddenly after all those years of captivity. God spoke after hundreds of years of being silent. The suddenlies will come in your life, and that should give you hope in the midst of all your problems that suddenlies are coming.

Another word that was corporately given across the board was acceleration. This is a time when your wealth will accelerate. Blessings will accelerate. Prosperity will accelerate. You need to believe for it. The Bible says the word did not profit them not being mixed with faith.

You need to believe God that He’s going to give you that prosperity, that He’s going to give you blessing, and you know you say, “Well, what if I believe and nothing happens?” If you don’t believe, I can assure you nothing will happen. Whenever God says ‘I will’, that’s a powerful promise, and multiplying ‘I will multiply you’. So, let’s believe for acceleration, suddenlies, and for God to multiply you suddenly.

God is going to give business opportunities to many people. Maybe you are in poverty right now, or maybe you’re not able to make your bills, but God will download something to you that you’re good at. You’re not going to have to work harder, but you’ll work smarter, and it’s going to bring you the funds you need. You’re going to be able to do what your main thing is, and these other things will not take you over, but yet it’s going to give you the income you need.

Suddenly, that gate of favor is going to open up for you, and that gate of honor. Where there’s been dishonor, there will be honor. Somebody was telling me how Billy Graham used to be dishonored in the city of Charlotte, North Carolina, and now there is a highway or a freeway named after him there. That can happen. You can outlast your enemies. You can live longer, do better. Keep your heart right, and one day honor will come into the place of dishonor.

These are all very significant things. God is saying something to us.

A Moral Reformation

God is exposing immorality. There is going to be a moral reformation, and this is going to happen in Hollywood. Many, many people in Hollywood are going to understand that biblical values are important. I see many, many in Hollywood being interested in what we call good moral programming, and I’m just thankful for the people in Hollywood. You know, we always diss them, but they work so hard, and I just want to put in a good word for them right now.

After the Reformation, there was a counter reformation, where a lot of the work that had been done was undone. It was a very dark time. Well, the Lord spoke to us that if we are attentive, there will not be another counter reformation. If we don’t evangelize the Millennials with a biblical worldview, if we don’t speak to their hearts, in a decade, we’re going to see all that we have gained in this time of going into the seven spheres, or mountains of authority, start to be undone again. We want to reach the Millennials. We want to listen to the Millennials, and God is going to anoint people to do this and pray. It’s time to pray for the Millennials, and I prayed about that, too.

There’s a Revival coming—a revival of a magnitude worldwide that we cannot imagine. There’s a reformation coming, and I want to say something about that. We are in the midst of the Great Awakening now. The Great Awakening worldwide has begun. It’s not going to begin. It has begun, and it’s going to begin in different stages. We have seen great revivals come before, the Welsh Revival, different Revivals, but they didn’t last. However, we know with this reformation, there’s going to be a marriage between evangelism and reformation, and we’re going to see nations changed. We’re in the process.

The Isaiah 19 Highway

Another word that God gave us is about the Isaiah 19 highway. You may not be familiar with that, but it’s talked about in Isaiah, the 19th chapter, that there’s a highway of holiness that will be built from Egypt to Assyria to Israel. What is going on right now in Iran and the unrest there, what happened recently, there was such a reformation of Saudi Arabia. God is preparing a highway.

God is preparing a way for nation after nation after nation to be touched through religious freedom with his power, and there’s going to be a connection that will happen even with Israel. Sometimes people say, “Well that could never happen.” It’s going to happen, because the Bible says that it will happen.

The Great Transfer of Wealth

Another thing that God spoke to us about is a transfer of wealth. This will happen in more of a season than a one-year time frame, but we see the beginnings where believers are going to open their eyes and they’re going to see opportunities for wealth. They’re going to know how to go through the gates, how to go through the doors of opportunity.

There will be great financial blessings start to come to the U.S. Things are already beginning to turn around. God also showed me that for all the Middle East there are going to be blessings come for the believers there too, because what God is doing is all part of this Isaiah 19 highway.

I remember when we met with the Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders, God spoke to us a number of years ago that the EU would fragment, and it has happened. We know there was Brexit. The Lord also showed us that the dollar would remain in a stable place for investing when things were shaky. This was around 5 years ago, and many people are saying it was going to crash and it’s going to go down. Well, the stock market is going up and up and up.

There will be some course corrections, but I do not at this time see a major crash, where it’s going to completely plummet, as long as we continue on the current path. But, if there’s compromise, it will go down, and you will see this directly correlating with what’s happening with our connection with Israel.

I also want to mention the Middle East. The Middle East is very important, as is China. Asia’s a very huge part, and the Chinese people in particular, but all of the Asians with this Isaiah 19 highway. Look to1 numbers of people going to Egypt. Numbers and numbers of Christians will start going to Egypt to pray, because this move of God, it’s happening now. It’s not something just beginning. It’s been happening, but we’re going to see it’s going to be on a greater and greater scale.

Africa is going to experience an explosion of God’s power, but the nations are going to be transformed, as well. At the meeting of prophets we had recently, we had prophets from all over the world pray together, and we were decreeing that the evil dictator Mugabe of Zimbabwe was going to come down immediately. At the exact moment that we were taking authority over the spirit that had held Zimbabwe bound by this dictator, the tanks were rolling into Harare. We have to keep praying that it doesn’t go back into the same way. We have great authority through the name of Jesus, and God has been speaking to us that we are going to go through gates of authority. It’s time for the Daniels in Babylon to arise.

Daniel captured Babylon, instead of Babylon capturing Daniel. God allowed Daniel to be captured, but then he became head of all the soothsayers. The Lord showed us that, as prophets, we are going to go into many, many doors and places in secular society, governmental places, where there’ll be those that are psychics there, but God is going to give us words that outshine them all through signs, and wonders, and miracles. We see this in the case of Moses and the Pharaoh with the serpents and the rod that Moses threw down.

We prophesied a lot about North Korea, that they are going to have a suddenly, where God is going to deal with Kim Jong-un. In fact, the word was, “I’m dealing with the evil dictators of the world, and these evil dictators are going to shake.” Maduro’s gonna shake. He’s gonna come down, and some of the others. We’re seeing Iran shaking right now. We saw what happened with Zimbabwe. We’re going to see it with Kim Jong-un. There’s going to be some turmoil, but Kim Jong-un is going to come down. God is hardening his heart like Pharaoh’s heart. He’s not going to allow Kim Jong-un to stay in that position. He’s not going to allow compromise to come. Something is going to dramatically happen, because his time for being a dictator is over, unless he turns his heart to the Lord.

Kim Jong-un, if you’re reading this somehow, turn your heart to the Lord Jesus. There are people praying for you, and if you will completely change, God is going to help you on a path that will not be destructive. So, you can choose, Kim Jong-un. You choose who you’ll serve. If you serve God, and if you change your ways, God will protect you. He will protect North Korea in a unique way and make peace with South Korea. However, if you continue on your path, it will lead to your destruction, and the sad thing about that is your destruction will lead to the path to hell. So, I just pray that somehow God will get that message to Kim Jong-un, because God cares about him. He doesn’t want that anyone should perish.

One of the words the Lord gave us is the word amplification. God wants to amplify your voice, and then it’s going to be a wave that’s going to be love-motivated. God is going to give us that love motivation, and we’re gonna prophesy in a new way. We’re gonna prophesy innovative strategies.

Now, not all of these will really touch everyone’s heart as I’m sharing this, but take notes and go over it again, because there will be parts of this that will stand out for you, and you’ll say, “This is my part. This is what I need.” It’s a lot of information, but go over it again and again, and believe it, declare and decree it.

So, this is the beginning of strength coming. There’s humiliation that has happened to some of the body of Christ. Maybe it happened to you on your job or maybe you’ve been persecuted in another way. Maybe you’re a student and it happened at school. Listen, God is going to cause you to shine. He’s going to take you to the top of the heap. He’s going to show you what to do to be the best of the best. There are spiritual confrontations coming, but God is going to anoint the business leaders. God is going to anoint those who, like Nehemiah, will be able to build walls of culture and change things in every way.

Prayers and Declarations

So, Father, I pray for those who will possess the gates of their future. Father, I pray that there will be strategies, and that there will be a new levels of intimacy. Father, I pray for those who have felt overwhelmed.

The Lord says, “Don’t be overwhelmed. Calm your spirit. Calm your spirit. Be still and know that I am God, and as you just take time in stillness just abiding with the Lord, just be still.”

You’ve asked Him so many questions. Now let Him talk back to you. Give time for the Lord to speak to you as well as you speak to him. God will show you which are your gates.

So, Father, I pray for those doors of opportunity. Father, I thank you, Lord, that you’re going to give innovation, strategies, acceleration, suddenlies, favor, and honor in the name of Jesus.

Let’s go through the gate of 2018. Let’s possess the gates of our future. Let’s do it with excitement, joy, and happiness. It’s going to be a great year. Now just go do it!

With Anticipation,
Cindy Jacobs

Generals International


Comment: You'll notice that we have posted remarkably few "2018 prophecies" this year. It was our conclusion that these are less valuable than they have been in previous years, and many people are offering their own prophetic words for the coming year.

In a real way, this is good: the saints are learning to hear God for themselves. I encourage you: hear God for yourself for 2018.

Having said that, this word stood out: the source is credible, we have a track record with this prophetic council, and they both offer specific words and present specific application. 


Join the conversation on Facebook or Twitter Feel free to share with others, but please leave the contact info intact. Click here to subscribe, or visit www.northwestprophetic.com. To submit a word for the Northwest, visit our Submit A Word page, or email to NWP@northwestprophetic.com. Thanks!
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Letters

God’s Beauty in Creation

It was a beautiful fall day. The sun was out and the rains of winter hadn’t come yet so it was cool and clear.

I was wandering through a grassy field with Father. We were talking about something or other, sauntering, quiet and peaceful. I was running my fingertips through the tops of the grass as we walked.

I loved the way the wind moved the grass, blowing gently, eddying. The tops of the grass swaying with the breezes was fascinating and lovely. I sighed in appreciation.

I latched onto  one stalk of grass as I walked and pulled it out, something to fiddle with as we walked, rolling it around my fingers.

After a few minutes of fiddling blankly with the grass, I looked at the single stem of grass, and suddenly I saw it. Suddenly I realized that the single stalk of grass was every bit as beautiful - in a completely different way - as the entire field of grass. The tall, straight stalk had a classic, almost a formal beauty.

I reflected on that for a while as I looked at my piece of grass. Then I looked more closely, and I saw the pattern of the veins in the leaf. It was on the stem, too: completely irregular patterns that reflected it’s Creator’s attention to detail.

I stood there in awe of how beauty infused the grass at every level: the field was beautiful, the single stalk was beautiful, the tiny veins were beautiful. What a wonderful Creator we have. That’s Jesus (John 1). He’s amazing.

 Suddenly, I remembered my high school biology classes where I examined the cells of a leaf of grass. That had another beauty all its own: row after irregular row of semi-autonomous life all contributing to the overall life of the plant, each asymmetrical in its beauty.

And then I thought about the molecular structure of the grass, the molecules all reaching out and attaching to the molecules, all the atoms perfectly in place within each molecule. Wow. What beauty at that level, too.

And then we could talk about quarks and neutrinos and string theory! Beauty, all the way down! I was overwhelmed.

And that’s it. Nothing profound. Just amazement at a Creator who fills, full to the brim, everything He touches with beauty.

Beauty is everywhere. I just need eyes to see it. And when I do, I get to see more of God’s amazing attributes.

I’m so proud of my big Brother. He’s amazing!



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Letters

God’s Beauty in Creation

It was a beautiful fall day. The sun was out and the rains of winter hadn’t come yet so it was cool and clear.

I was wandering through a grassy field with Father. We were talking about something or other, sauntering, quiet and peaceful. I was running my fingertips through the tops of the grass as we walked.

I loved the way the wind moved the grass, blowing gently, eddying. The tops of the grass swaying with the breezes was fascinating and lovely. I sighed in appreciation.

I latched onto  one stalk of grass as I walked and pulled it out, something to fiddle with as we walked, rolling it around my fingers.

After a few minutes of fiddling blankly with the grass, I looked at the single stem of grass, and suddenly I saw it. Suddenly I realized that the single stalk of grass was every bit as beautiful - in a completely different way - as the entire field of grass. The tall, straight stalk had a classic, almost a formal beauty.

I reflected on that for a while as I looked at my piece of grass. Then I looked more closely, and I saw the pattern of the veins in the leaf. It was on the stem, too: completely irregular patterns that reflected it’s Creator’s attention to detail.

I stood there in awe of how beauty infused the grass at every level: the field was beautiful, the single stalk was beautiful, the tiny veins were beautiful. What a wonderful Creator we have. That’s Jesus (John 1). He’s amazing.

 Suddenly, I remembered my high school biology classes where I examined the cells of a leaf of grass. That had another beauty all its own: row after irregular row of semi-autonomous life all contributing to the overall life of the plant, each asymmetrical in its beauty.

And then I thought about the molecular structure of the grass, the molecules all reaching out and attaching to the molecules, all the atoms perfectly in place within each molecule. Wow. What beauty at that level, too.

And then we could talk about quarks and neutrinos and string theory! Beauty, all the way down! I was overwhelmed.

And that’s it. Nothing profound. Just amazement at a Creator who fills, full to the brim, everything He touches with beauty.

Beauty is everywhere. I just need eyes to see it. And when I do, I get to see more of God’s amazing attributes.

I’m so proud of my big Brother. He’s amazing!



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Home & Garden

Joyous 2018

Hello Sweet Friends!

I am blessed and unreasonably excited for this coming year! My hope is that you are, too. I'm praying that you are encouraging yourself in the Lord and committing your ways to Him. When we do this, He will cause our plans to become established and succeed according to His will.

I know that for some, it has been a hard year. It has been a hard season for me!

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those are called according to His purpose. (Don't forget the next scripture!) "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." Romans 8:28,29

I was coming home from a friend's house last summer when the Lord spoke to me. A group of us had been meeting weekly for Bible study, fellowship and prayer and we had spent the morning in prayer, declaring the truth of God's Word. The Lord told me I had been in a "Job season", that it was ending now, and I had succeeded in this season.  I was driving when the Lord spoke to me and I know I drove the rest of the way home in a daze.

What?!

I have always loved the story of Job. I know that sounds contrary. I have never loved all the tragedy that poor Job suffers~ obviously. What I do love is that the enemy has to ask God's permission to attack Job. We can always know that God keeps the enemy within a boundary that he cannot cross. And we can trust Romans 8:28, 29

So when God spoke this to me, I immediately understood that God had permitted this season to cause me to become more Christ-like.  I also believe that God is good all the time. That all His ways are perfect. Psalm 18:30

There has been a theology taught in the Body of Christ that Jesus bore all the affliction so that we don't have to. But when we look at the lives of the men and women of the Bible, we see over and over again, that they suffered because of the gospel. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 "Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.  For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

Often time it's our weaknesses and sin that cause our afflictions. Remember Joseph and his pride as he shared his dreams with his brothers. But other times it's simply God's preparing us for what we are called to as He cleanses us from selfish ambition, pride, etc. and perfects our faith.  Remember Joseph being thrown into prison even though he was innocent. Remember what God was preparing Joseph for.

Remember Moses living in the wilderness for years before he comes back to declare, "Let my people go!" Remember Saul/Paul being blinded by the Glory of God. Remember Noah building a boat for one hundred years in the middle of a desert while he was mocked and scorned.

I don't believe that God ever makes anyone sick. That was paid for by the Blood of Jesus on the cross. But I'll admit, I had to rethink several of my beliefs as I reconciled this to God. I'll also admit that I would like to think that Job was an isolated incident. lol 

I think my Job season has lasted almost a decade. I wonder if I had done things differently if it would have been shortened. I honestly don't know. I certainly see my weaknesses and sin now. I see how I have reacted to adversity and see how much I need God in my life to change me and purify me. 

I want to give glory to God that even through this hard season, the Lord spared me so much.

1 Corinthians 15:46 talks about the natural things coming before the spiritual things. Very often, examples we see in the Old Testament of physical happenings are to give us understanding of spiritual things.  We see physical battles as examples of how to fight spiritually. I did not lose any family members or suffer physical loss. But the battle was very much against my mind and the things that God had called me to do. We all have to be cleansed of our fear of man to accomplish the things that God is requiring of us.

If you have been having a hard season, I want you to know that you're not alone. The hardest thing for me through this whole season was seeing others "doing well" and feeling alone. The truth is that from outward appearances, I looked like I was doing great. I have a confidence in the Lord and believe in speaking in faith and I was doing everything I knew to do.

It finally took me finding someone who I knew would understand for me to open up, confess my sin and wrong thinking, and ask for prayer.  And I believe that God provided that in His timing. Sometimes we need to come to the end of ourselves before God can help us.

I want to add to this that God spoke the word "Rest" to me numerous times during 2017.  I had to learn to rest again. Hebrews chapter 4 talks about the 'rest' that is Christ. I believe there was a time in my life that I was resting in the Lord but as I entered this season, I began to question and become unsettled. It took months before I was able to lay it all down and rest and trust God; tell Him that I was nothing without Him and simply ask for help with nothing to contribute.

I am a warrior. But I was a little like "Don Quixote" swinging my sword at windmills.  I was tired.  This lack of rest as I battled in my mind was my Job season.

There were times I wanted to blog, and knew eventually I would again, but I also kept feeling like God was telling me to cover myself, protect myself, and rest.

So, I think I'm back. I always want to make decisions day by day with the Lord, allowing Him to continually correct my voyage. I hope to share lots of things this coming year that I've learned about Godly health, decorating and everything else we face in this life of joy in Him.

My word for the new year is "Praise/Joy"~ because they're really the same thing!

love and blessings~

Psalm 103

1Bless the Lord, O my soul,And all that is within me, bless His holy name.2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,And forget none of His benefits;3 Who pardons all your iniquities,Who heals all your diseases;4 Who redeems your life from the pit,Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;5 Who satisfies your years with good things,So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
6 The Lord performs righteous deedsAnd judgments for all who are oppressed.7 He made known His ways to Moses,His acts to the sons of Israel.8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.9 He will not always strive with us,Nor will He keep His anger forever.10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins,Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.12 As far as the east is from the west,So far has He removed our transgressions from us.13 Just as a father has compassion on his children,So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.14 For He Himself knows our frame;He is mindful that we are but dust.
15 As for man, his days are like grass;As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.16 When the wind has passed over it, it is no more,And its place acknowledges it no longer.17 But the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him,And His righteousness to children's children,18 To those who keep His covenantAnd remember His precepts to do them.
19 The Lord has established His throne in the heavens,And His sovereignty rules over all .20 Bless the Lord, you His angels,Mighty in strength, who perform His word,Obeying the voice of His word!21 Bless the Lord, all you His hosts,You who serve Him, doing His will.22 Bless the Lord, all you works of His,In all places of His dominion;Bless the Lord, O my soul!

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Home & Garden

Joyous 2018

Hello Sweet Friends!

I am blessed and unreasonably excited for this coming year! My hope is that you are, too. I'm praying that you are encouraging yourself in the Lord and committing your ways to Him. When we do this, He will cause our plans to become established and succeed according to His will.

I know that for some, it has been a hard year. It has been a hard season for me!

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those are called according to His purpose. (Don't forget the next scripture!) "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." Romans 8:28,29

I was coming home from a friend's house last summer when the Lord spoke to me. A group of us had been meeting weekly for Bible study, fellowship and prayer and we had spent the morning in prayer, declaring the truth of God's Word. The Lord told me I had been in a "Job season", that it was ending now, and I had succeeded in this season.  I was driving when the Lord spoke to me and I know I drove the rest of the way home in a daze.

What?!

I have always loved the story of Job. I know that sounds contrary. I have never loved all the tragedy that poor Job suffers~ obviously. What I do love is that the enemy has to ask God's permission to attack Job. We can always know that God keeps the enemy within a boundary that he cannot cross. And we can trust Romans 8:28, 29

So when God spoke this to me, I immediately understood that God had permitted this season to cause me to become more Christ-like.  I also believe that God is good all the time. That all His ways are perfect. Psalm 18:30

There has been a theology taught in the Body of Christ that Jesus bore all the affliction so that we don't have to. But when we look at the lives of the men and women of the Bible, we see over and over again, that they suffered because of the gospel. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 "Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.  For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

Often time it's our weaknesses and sin that cause our afflictions. Remember Joseph and his pride as he shared his dreams with his brothers. But other times it's simply God's preparing us for what we are called to as He cleanses us from selfish ambition, pride, etc. and perfects our faith.  Remember Joseph being thrown into prison even though he was innocent. Remember what God was preparing Joseph for.

Remember Moses living in the wilderness for years before he comes back to declare, "Let my people go!" Remember Saul/Paul being blinded by the Glory of God. Remember Noah building a boat for one hundred years in the middle of a desert while he was mocked and scorned.

I don't believe that God ever makes anyone sick. That was paid for by the Blood of Jesus on the cross. But I'll admit, I had to rethink several of my beliefs as I reconciled this to God. I'll also admit that I would like to think that Job was an isolated incident. lol 

I think my Job season has lasted almost a decade. I wonder if I had done things differently if it would have been shortened. I honestly don't know. I certainly see my weaknesses and sin now. I see how I have reacted to adversity and see how much I need God in my life to change me and purify me. 

I want to give glory to God that even through this hard season, the Lord spared me so much.

1 Corinthians 15:46 talks about the natural things coming before the spiritual things. Very often, examples we see in the Old Testament of physical happenings are to give us understanding of spiritual things.  We see physical battles as examples of how to fight spiritually. I did not lose any family members or suffer physical loss. But the battle was very much against my mind and the things that God had called me to do. We all have to be cleansed of our fear of man to accomplish the things that God is requiring of us.

If you have been having a hard season, I want you to know that you're not alone. The hardest thing for me through this whole season was seeing others "doing well" and feeling alone. The truth is that from outward appearances, I looked like I was doing great. I have a confidence in the Lord and believe in speaking in faith and I was doing everything I knew to do.

It finally took me finding someone who I knew would understand for me to open up, confess my sin and wrong thinking, and ask for prayer.  And I believe that God provided that in His timing. Sometimes we need to come to the end of ourselves before God can help us.

I want to add to this that God spoke the word "Rest" to me numerous times during 2017.  I had to learn to rest again. Hebrews chapter 4 talks about the 'rest' that is Christ. I believe there was a time in my life that I was resting in the Lord but as I entered this season, I began to question and become unsettled. It took months before I was able to lay it all down and rest and trust God; tell Him that I was nothing without Him and simply ask for help with nothing to contribute.

I am a warrior. But I was a little like "Don Quixote" swinging my sword at windmills.  I was tired.  This lack of rest as I battled in my mind was my Job season.

There were times I wanted to blog, and knew eventually I would again, but I also kept feeling like God was telling me to cover myself, protect myself, and rest.

So, I think I'm back. I always want to make decisions day by day with the Lord, allowing Him to continually correct my voyage. I hope to share lots of things this coming year that I've learned about Godly health, decorating and everything else we face in this life of joy in Him.

My word for the new year is "Praise/Joy"~ because they're really the same thing!

love and blessings~

Psalm 103

1Bless the Lord, O my soul,And all that is within me, bless His holy name.2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,And forget none of His benefits;3 Who pardons all your iniquities,Who heals all your diseases;4 Who redeems your life from the pit,Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;5 Who satisfies your years with good things,So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
6 The Lord performs righteous deedsAnd judgments for all who are oppressed.7 He made known His ways to Moses,His acts to the sons of Israel.8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.9 He will not always strive with us,Nor will He keep His anger forever.10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins,Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.12 As far as the east is from the west,So far has He removed our transgressions from us.13 Just as a father has compassion on his children,So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.14 For He Himself knows our frame;He is mindful that we are but dust.
15 As for man, his days are like grass;As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.16 When the wind has passed over it, it is no more,And its place acknowledges it no longer.17 But the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him,And His righteousness to children's children,18 To those who keep His covenantAnd remember His precepts to do them.
19 The Lord has established His throne in the heavens,And His sovereignty rules over all .20 Bless the Lord, you His angels,Mighty in strength, who perform His word,Obeying the voice of His word!21 Bless the Lord, all you His hosts,You who serve Him, doing His will.22 Bless the Lord, all you works of His,In all places of His dominion;Bless the Lord, O my soul!

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Letters

Waging War With Your Prophetic Words

It was a heartbreaking season in my life.

I’d been given some prophetic promises about an area of my life. God had declared some beautiful things: unity and power and intimacy and victory. Yeah, it was a lot of “the usual stuff,” but it came in a declaration from God. Actually, it came in two or three declarations; this wasn’t just a warm and fuzzy thought from one person.

We’ll pause here for a definition. When I talk about a “declaration from God,” that might be a prophetic word; those are the best, and I give them the most weight: when someone with a known gift of prophecy says, “This is what God says,” and the community judges it to be true (1 Corinthians 14:29), that’s the gold standard of prophetic revelation in my view.

But the idea of a declaration from God includes what I hear God whispering to me, and it includes those times that something from the pages of Scripture leap alive and demand my attention. They include when friends tell me what they hear God saying about me, and when the promises of scripture actually, contextually apply to me.

As I said, I had two or three of these, including both the prophetic words and the whisper of my Father. There was a good bit of unity among the declarations. I trusted them.

And then things began to go to hell. I wish I spoke metaphorically. Without putting too fine a point on it I’ll say that just when I expected the promises to begin to manifest, to show up, just when I expected to see things turn toward unity and power and intimacy and victory, they turned the opposite direction.

It was a heartbreaking season in my life. You see, this was an area that was really quite important to me. This was no cute little bonus.

I ran through the demonic logic tests: Can God be trusted? Is he really a good God? You know that list. They came at me hard and fast, and I threw them back in his face just as hard, declaring God’s goodness, his trustworthiness, and my confidence in Him. I went further and rebuked every demon I could think of from every aspect of this promise. I felt victorious!

I thought, There. That will do it. And the promises down-shifted for better acceleration into oblivion.

My heart was crushed, but still I held on. I began to ask better, more honest questions: Did I assume God had promised this, when in fact he had not? No, he’d been quite clear.

Were the promises for right now, or was I rushing him? That one was tougher, as he’d never actually given a date, but if this trend continued, then there was no chance of fulfilling them later.

Was I imposing my own definition of what these fulfilled promises needed to look like? Maybe the fulfillment was so different than my expectations that I didn’t recognize it. I searched my heart long and hard on this, and I examined the circumstances. No, the failure was real. This wasn’t just my misinterpreting it.

My life was pretty much over. I nearly gave up.

And then something whispered in the back of my mind. It was a quiet little whisper, easy to miss. “I want you to give thanks for my promises as if you were already walking in the fullness of their fulfillment, as if everything I said has already happened, even though you’ve seen nothing yet.”

It took rather a lot to take the voice seriously, and it took even more to do what he said. But I did.

In those days, I took my lunch hours in a remote meadow. I parked my truck, and since I pray best when I walk, I’d worn a trail into the grasses and shrubberies of the meadow.

I began to pace my trail, questioning my sanity, and mumbling thanks for these hallucinations, these promises. I recognized the failure of my prayer, so I began to pray out loud. That was better, but I could tell I wasn’t to the point of actually engaging my faith yet.

So I began to shout. It was hard, and it took me days to get there, but before long, I fairly flew into that meadow, locked up my parking brake, and before the truck had fully stopped, I was on that trail, roaring my thanks for these promises, for the glory of having been my experience, for the power that had been unleashed. I screamed my gratitude for a victory I had not yet seen, and I wept in thanksgiving for the intimacy that I still only imagined.

Over the next days and weeks, I watched several changes. The first were in my heart. Eventually, my empty declarations of faith began to actually fill with faith, and I began to understand that I was waging war with these promises (1 Timothy 1:18). Not long after, I realized that the things that I was declaring that had not yet happened, they were going to happen. I began to expect, not fearlessly, not solidly, but I began to expect to see things change.

My prayers expanded. I spent my spare time thinking of what that will look like when these promises are fulfilled, and I prayed every answer to that. By now, I was thankful that my meadow was remote, and occasionally, I checked the trees near the meadow, to make sure I hadn’t roared their bark off.

And still I prayed. I walked and prayed and shouted and demanded and wept and gave thanks like there was no tomorrow.

And then things did begin to change. It was like lighting a match to the tinder of a well-set fire: the change was so very small and fragile, and the slightest breath would extinguish it. I said nothing of this to anyone, so as to not blow out my precious flame, but I gave myself to serving that tiny, flickering flame, nurturing it the best I could.

But gradually, over months and years, it did turn, and today I can say I’ve been walking in the fullness of many of those promises for many years.

I’ve also noticed a change in me. I’m quicker to give thanks than I ever used to be. I think I like that.
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