Gentle Breeze of Transition Before the Storm of Change

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Change, Jesus, Moses, prophetic words, Ruth, Storm, Transition

If you have ever been in a place where you can feel in the atmosphere the precipitation changing, you know more often than not, there is a gentle breeze that precedes the storm. The air starts to smell different; the clouds start rolling in, the trees start swaying just a little bit more. It is like a symphony playing the first lines of their song, before they hit the crescendo. It’s like the song that builds up to the chorus which carries you through the rest of the song. Nature has a way of revealing to us what is coming and just like nature so does God, He reveals in the gentle breeze of transition that a storm of change is on the horizon. For those who are awake, they can see it all around them, they can smell it in the air. Transition is happening and many people are struggling with the gentle breeze of transition, not knowing this is nothing compared to the storm of change that is just around the corner.

I have listened to those around me, online, on television and on the radio the sounds of the gentle breeze of transition are everywhere. Circumstances are shifting and it is causing many to be drifting. Those who we thought would stand, are struggling. Many who have said all the right things are finding themselves to not be who they thought they were or who others thought they were. The gentle breeze is blowing and straw houses are shaking and some are even falling. Can you see the gentle breeze of transition blowing, can you hear the gentle breeze of transition happening around the world? To some this gentle breeze of transition is a big deal, but it is just a gentle breeze. The storm of change has not arrived yet, but it is coming and coming quickly. Jesus said, “If they do this when the tree is green, what will they do when it is brown?” (Luke 23:31)

Believers in Jesus Christ, now is the time to do what you say and say what you mean. Now more than ever, we must be in the word of God daily, in worship continually and praying in the spirit on all occasions. Not for the sake of anyone else, but you. You do not need to get a prepper kit of food and water; you need to prepare yourself spiritually for a storm is on the horizon. A storm that is going to change everything for the better, but a storm nonetheless. Believers must exercise their authority in order to stand during the storm. Remember Moses stood in the midst of the Red Sea as the people crossed over (Exodus 14). He exercised his authority over the storm that sought to keep God’s people out of the promised land. Remember Jesus walked on the stormy water that was buffeting the boat of the disciples, the storm could not control Jesus, Jesus took control over the storm, but not until after he tried to show Peter how to do the same (Matthew 14:22-33). We are being invited to exercise our authority while there is no storm, so when the storm comes, we are prepared.

Being under authority, doing what someone else tells you to do, is a great way to exercise your authority. Lawlessness is what takes away your authority, while obedience increases your authority. If you are one that does not let anyone tell you what to do, you will not be able to stand in the storm. If you are not in obedience with the word of God you will not have authority in the storm. Anger is not authority. Remember the Centurion, he was a man under authority and was a man in authority and Jesus was impressed with his faith (Matthew 8:5-13). Remember Ruth, she told Naomi, where you go, I go…(Ruth 1:16-17). Obedience is the greatest way to exercise your authority and only through exercise will you get strong and be able to stand in the storm. We are experiencing the gentle breeze of transition, but the storm of change is coming and is closer than you realize. We, the body of Christ need to exercise our authority so we don’t get lost in the storm.

What Days Are We Living In?

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Change, Houston, Patience, Seasons, Sons of Issachar, Texas, Transition

One of the hot topics in the church is that of the end times. We love the idea of the rapture, so we can escape this evil and corrupt world. Others like the idea of being pre-tribulation, so we do not have to go through any pain, when God “judges” the earth. Many believe we are living in the days of Noah, where Jesus says in Matthew 24:37, “As in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the son of Man, for in the days before the flood people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark.” With what is happening in Houston, TX right now with record flooding hitting 52 inches and now with Hurricane Harvey landing in Louisiana for a stay before it considers coming back to Texas, some could say, lift up your eyes to the sky, for your redemption is here, Jesus is about to split the sky and come down in his second coming.

Others believe we are living in Matthew 24 with all the “signs” of the end of the world, but the Bible does not say that they are signs of the end of the world, but the end of the age, the end of an epoch, the end of a set amount of time. The signs are truly there, for the end of the age, but what age is ending and does that mean another age is beginning. I believe it does, I believe the church age has ended and the kingdom age has arrived, but I also believe there is a transition between these two ages, which can mean weeks, months, years. Remember Jesus prophesied the destruction of the temple in 30-33 CE, but it was not destroyed until 70 CE. Therefore, one age can end, the age of the Law and the Prophets, which included the temple and its animal sacrifices ended when Jesus said, repent for the kingdom of heaven is here, but we see a crossover or transition time with the arrival of the tongues of fire at Pentecost and the destruction of the temple.

What days are we living in then? Are these the days of Elijah, when fire came down from heaven and consumed the false idols of Baal and put an end to Ahab and Jezebel? Are we in the days of Ezekiel when dry bones are coming alive and being made into a great army? Are we living in the days of Ninevah, when an eclipse crossed over the land from west to east? Are we in the days of the Judges, when everyone is doing right in their own eyes? Are we in the days of Jesus, when people are leaving the temple to follow Him into the fields, mountains and beaches to hear what He has to say? I think the answer is yes to all of the above. These are days of transition, days of change, days of incredible awe and wonder. These are the days of the Bible!

This change we are in is not like any we have seen in our lifetime, with the darkness (ignorance of people) getting darker and the light (revelations of God) getting brighter, with despair seeming to sink lower and with hope seeming to rise higher. It is amazing to me how people are in distinct and different camps of thought whether they realize it or not. It was as though God drew a line in the sand and people made their choice, now we are seeing who is where. The name Christian is no longer representative of just one kind of people anymore, just like the name thief, when the two guys on the cross meant two different attitudes. One said, I am guilty, Jesus you are innocent, remember me when you come into your kingdom and the other said, if you are the Christ save yourself and us. Same cross, same title (thief), two distinct and different attitudes (Luke 23:39-43).

Now to answer the question, what days are we living in? We are living in days of opportunity like never before, but man-made plans are not going to stand. These days demand we slow down, get silent, and say, speak Lord, for your servant is listening. This is not the time to jockey for position, try to be the loudest, longest or most listened to voice, this is the time to pause, relax, trust, and wait for the call, the command. In days of extreme change, intense transition, it is critical, that we recognize we have hit a speed bump as a nation, as a church, as a globe and it is advantageous for those who know their God and want to do exploits, that they selah until they hear Him speak, then move as He says move, for He is positioning us purposefully for what is upon us. These are the days we are living in.

A Whirlwind Year

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Change, Christianity, faith, love, Prophecy, Tornado, Whirlwind

A Whirlwind Year 1.4.15 

In the Hebrew calendar we are in the year 5775AD, which is the Year of the Whirlwind. 5 is the number of grace and 7 is the number of completion, which means we have double completion of grace this year. Daniel 4 confirms that grace has an expiration date, by revealing a prophetic word that was spoken over King Nebuchadnezzar and then in verse 28 says, 12 months later, an angel spoke the same word to him and immediately the word spoken had come to pass in his life. Grace has an expiration date and I believe we are coming upon that date this year. I believe God has been speaking to people about what He wants, even expects from them and he has given us a grace period to obey, but if we refuse to obey in the grace period, when grace expires discipline begins, so we can repent and be restored. (Daniel 4)

This year is going to be a whirlwind year, the Hebrew calendar says it is, the signs in the heaven are declaring it with the 4 blood moons, which mean change in a way that is unprecedented (I encourage you to study the 4 blood moons and what they are saying to the earth). Another sign in the heavens was the double tornado (whirlwind) that hit Nebraska in June 2014. Any time there is double it means it is going to happen. Jesus would say, truly, truly or in some versions, verily, verily I say unto you. I believe God is speaking through the prophets and the signs in the heavens, truly, truly this is the year of the whirlwind.

So, what does it mean, what can we expect in the year of the whirlwind? I believe the year of the whirlwind means everything is going to change and it is going to happen suddenly. The prophets in the land are speaking of acceleration, fast, sudden, swift change. When I was inquiring of the Lord about the year of the whirlwind, He reminded me of the movie the Wizard of Oz. Dorothy was in her house, when the whirlwind came and took her into a world she could not even have imagined or dreamed of. Her whole life changed forever. Elijah was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind. (2 Kings 2:1) Whirlwinds take everything and fling it to somewhere new. I believe the year of the whirlwind is going to usher in something brand new, that some have tried to put into words, but none of us can accurately articulate it.

The year of the whirlwind is going to be the end of one age and the beginning of another. Pastor Steve Gray said on Friday night, we serve a God of endings and beginnings. He went on to say, we cannot have a new beginning without something coming to an end. I believe we are on the tail end of one age and on the precipice of another. This end is going to mean a season of discipline for some who did not repent (change the way they think), and a season of rewards for others who endured the flames of the last season and came out as vessels of honor as Frank Seamster said just this week. Gold must go through the fire in order to withstand any fire. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were made of gold, so they came out of the fire without even the smell of smoke (Daniel 3).

The signs are in the heavens, the words of the prophets are in the earth, so what is God telling you do, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand! Do what he has told you to do, no matter what personal cost it will be to you. This is the year of the whirlwind, we are about to see everything change, forever, these are incredibly exciting times we are living in and it is going to be very very good for the people of God, so repent, heed the warnings you are hearing and get ready for a whirlwind year.

The Exchange

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Believe, Believers, bible, Blessings, Change, Character, Christianity, church, Cuba, Obedience, President Obama

The Exchange 12.23.14

Mark 8:36-37 says, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Earlier this month the President of the United States exchanged some Cuban prisoners for some American prisoners with the President of Cuba. This exchange came as a result of a reconciliation between Cuba and the United States. Some people that commentate on the President of the United States decisions, said this was a terrible exchange, they even went on to say, we got the short end of the stick. A couple weeks later my mom told me that she went and exchanged her old pair of shoes that were falling apart for a brand new pair of shoes, at a very small cost to her. In America we understand the idea of being able to make an exchange. If you get a Christmas gift you don’t like this week, you can exchange it for something else, with usually very little hassle.

Other countries do not understand exchange in the sense of being able to return something to a store for a similar product or a cash refund. While I was in Malaysia, they would not return anything, once you bought it, it was yours, there is no return, nor exchange policy in that country. As an American who is used to being able to make a mistake and have it corrected by the store, I had to learn to think clearly before I bought anything, for there was no making an exchange, once I handed that money over to the clerk.

As Christians, we have been taught that the greatest exchange the world has ever known is the exchange of Jesus’ life for our sins. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” God gave His life in exchange for our sins, this is the greatest exchange that was made for us and we have been taught this from before we were saved. However, there is another exchange, that is very rarely talked about, but needs to be addressed, it is the worst exchange.

As Christians, who are recipients of the greatest exchange, we make some of the worst exchanges. We exchange the kingdom of God for our religious traditions; we exchange our family members for our ministries or jobs; we exchange our health for food that tastes good; we exchange God’s thoughts for our thoughts; we exchange trust for independence; we exchange the glory of God for the approval of men; we exchange the love of God for immorality. The list could go on and on, but the reality is, we make exchanges that are costing us the very life Jesus gave us.

During this Christmas holiday and New Year, I pray you would begin to think about what you are exchanging for life. People exchange death for life everyday, because they do not want to listen, learn, obey, change. It is not always comfortable nor convenient to live, that is why most people choose chocolate over chick peas; or religion over relationship. Jesus said, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is here!” Repent is a call to change the way you think, it is an invitation to exchange your ways for His ways.
My prayer is that we together, would stop exchanging death for life, so we could embrace the kingdom of God that is here. It takes changing the way you think and that can only happen, by spending time in the word of God and spending time with the God of the word. Merry Christmas my friends!

Actor or Authentic?

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Autheticity, Believers, Change, Christ, Christianity, Christians, church, Empowerment, Exposing, faith, Family

Denzel Washington, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock are actors/actresses that can convince you they are the character they are portraying, because they have mastered the art of acting. But as soon as they step out of character, who they really are is seen by those who are behind the scenes. Some of these people have track records off set that make them even more respectable, while others have some personal issues that have discounted their character.

Religion is a master at teaching people how to say the right thing, act the right way and make people believe you are doing better than you really are. Some people put on golden globe performances when in church, talking to other Christians, or even when praying, but not even a golden globe performance can fool the God of heaven and earth.

King David was called a man after God’s own heart, not because he mastered the act of religion and right living, but because he allowed the authenticity of his heart to be seen by God and others. Listen to something he said in Psalm 22:2-3, “O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but I have no rest. Yet, You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.” David allowed his true feelings to be spoken, so what he believed about God could rise above his circumstances.

When we shut people down by not letting them share what they are really thinking and feeling, there is no way for them to tap the into the well of salvation that gushes with living water. Religion wants to silence your voice, but God wants to hear your voice. Your pain, your struggle, your trial, your authenticity is someone else’s victory.

If we are going to reap the harvest, we have to be willing to listen to people’s pain, so the promise is real to them not just the right words. This has to start in the chuch and from there it will flow to the nations. Authenticity builds trust and when someone trusts you, they will be authentic around you.

Are you an actor or authentic? Others know, but do you?

Change in the Command Center

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Change, Christians, Grow Up, life, mature, men, Mind, Spouse, Thinking, women

Romans 12:2 “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.”

Everyone has something about themselves that they want to change. And if you don’t have something about yourself you want to change, there is someone in your life that has something about you that they want changed. So, no matter how you cut it, change is needed in everyone’s life. Once the change that is needed is identified, Christians will pray and ask the Lord to help them in this or that area of their lives. They will cry out for the Lord to change what they see as the problem, however, the issue may never get resolved, because the need for change is not in what you can see, but in what you think, in what you believe.

I have been overweight my whole life. Literally, I was born 9 lbs. 15 oz. and kept growing from there. I do not have one picture of me as skinny, or small or even light. So, I am not one of those people who were small in high school and then gained weight after marriage or pregnancy, I have always been overweight. I have tried every diet known to man, but failed at all of them because I would quit, before I could see results. I have prayed about this issue, I have fasted about this issue, but it was not until 5 weeks ago, that the Lord revealed to me the root of this issue. I had a self-sabotaging belief system that caused me to be and stay overweight. I never saw it before, I never knew it was a problem, so I never addressed it. But, now I see it, I have dealt with it, repented of it and am now on the fast track to a new body.

I say all that as an example, for we tend to look at the situation and try to change it, but very rarely do we see the root cause of why that problem has manifested in our lives. Marriages are on the rocks daily, not because the two people do not love each other, but because they have a faulty thought process going on somewhere in their brains and it is effecting the marriage. You see, everyone has beliefs that are known to them or unknown to them and those beliefs manifest in our lives for good or for negative results. Until we renew our minds, we will never see changes in the area we struggle with and pray for and want to change. The problem is no your weight, not your spouse, not your church, not your boss, not your kids, the problem is the way you think.

We have no control over anyone but ourselves and until we realize that the way we are thinking is causing the problems we are experiencing, we will never see a change in the issue we struggle with, because we never change the way we think. The Lord has given us a success plan to follow, but most people want to fix the symptoms rather than deal with the root of the issue which will bring about lasting change. The Lord says, renew your mind, change the way you think, and he shows us how to do it, dive deep daily into His word, listen to sermons and hear the voice of God through the preacher, read books and listen to the voice of the spirit coming through the author. Saturate yourself in the word of God whether written or spoken, but let the word of God transform the way you think.

We all have stinking thinking going on and it is manifesting in our finances, our faith, our family, our friends, and we have the power to change the way we think which we change the results we see. Your spouse is not your problem, it is the way you think about your spouse and what he or she does. If husbands would saturate themselves in the word of God and learn what it means to be a man of God, there is not a wife I know that would not gladly submit to him. And wives if you would saturate yourself in the word of God, taking every opportunity to build your husband up, not tear him down with your words, you would trust him, not interrogate him, if you immersed yourself into the world of God and discovered what it means to be a woman of God, there is not a man I know who would not love to honor you, cherish you, cuddle you. However, it takes a renewed mind.

Many people want to use self-will to change something in their life and some, who are very strong willed can see lasting changes, but there is still a fault line because they did not change the way they think. Our minds are the command center of our whole lives and if we were honest, everything we do or don’t do originates in the way we think, so it is time to make a change in the command center.

What Are You Waiting For?

Tags

Change, Christianity, dream, God, grow, just do it, mature, obey, success

“The bottom line in the Christian life is obedience and most people don’t even like the word.” Charles Stanley

 

While in church this morning, the Pastor preached on the need to work on our bodies, he spoke about how neglecting the temple of God is hindering the work of God in our lives. It was a powerful sermon, inspirational, convicting, all around motivating. I was on the edge of my seat ready to change, yet again something in my life, based on what I heard. But others were not ready to change anything, someone even came to the Pastor and said, I am going to the Chinese buffet for lunch today. I just smiled on the outside, but began to ask on the inside, what are you waiting for? When are we as Christians going to obey instantly what we hear. Week after week, in churches all over the world, people are hearing sermons, some more inspiring than others, but sermons nonetheless, with no intention of doing anything different. What are you waiting for? What do people need to hear in order to obey, what they hear?

 

These thoughts and so many others have been swirling in my head all day long. I was at a Women’s Conference this weekend and one of the talks was during the offering and the Pastor said, leadership is not being able to make decision and boss people around, leadership is being the first to do something. He went on to say a leader is the first one to do something, which makes the way for others to do it. I was so moved by this, because I have struggled for years with the lack of leadership I see in so many sectors of society and life. Yet, I could not put my finger on it. But this is it, there are people with titles that declare them a leader, but they are not leading the way into anything, they just like being in charge. They like the control, the respect, the honor of their position, but what are they doing to lead. When was the last time they heard something and changed immediately?

 

So, whether it is church people sitting in the pews or manager, politicians, CEO’s or whomever is called by the name leader, people are not doing anything with what they hear. We listen and listen and listen, with no intention of change, then ask the question, why is nothing changing, why is this happening to me, why, why, why? It is simple, but true, no change will come, unless you, unless I am and willing to do something different. If you go to church with no intention of doing anything different, you will look the same, pray the same, talk the same, walk the same year after year.

 

BUT GOD…God has put something inside of every person, He has put the desire for more, the desire to grow, the desire to change inside of you, inside of me. There is something in our spirit man that hears the truth and knows we must do something different. We may not know how to do it, we may not know where to start, we may even talk ourselves out of it, but we all know that there is something great inside of us. That is God in you! When you come to church and worship is going on, something inside of you says, raise your hands, during the preaching, you feel the desire to shout amen, you know you were made for more than this. God is for you, so who can be against you, we say this all the time, and honestly, the only who can stop us, is us. I am the one that quits, I am the one that says, I can’t, I am the one that does not want to change. The problem lies with me. I am not a victim, I cannot blame anyone else, the truth is, if nothing changes in me, it is my fault. God is for me, so who can be against me? The answer is no one, so stop getting in the way of your own victory, stop waiting for someone else to do what you are called to do, stop defeating yourself.

 

What are you waiting for? Obey God, be successful, enjoy life, worship your heart out, sing a little louder, dance a little longer, dream a bigger dream, do what you were created to do. You only have one life to live and if you don’t live it, no one else can do it for you. What are you waiting for? Today is the day of salvation, now is the time, stop putting it off until tomorrow. Start that diet, fill out that application, ask that girl to marry you, whatever you have been stalling to do, do it now, change is hard, but change is good. What are you waiting for?