WHY ARE SO MANY CHURCHES NOT EVEN PRAYING RIGHT NOW?

Some dear pastor friends of mine who lead a church in South Jersey have been in fervent prayer for 9 weeks via conference call and regularly taking communion (others are praying together online via Zoom or Skype or some other vehicle). But in their region many churches are not even making any effort to pray corporately. And I’m afraid this pattern is consistent nationwide. Thank God for the churches who are giving themselves to serious prayer in this evil hour, but why are so many not praying?

The short answer is lethargy.

The dictionary defines lethargy as a lack of energy or enthusiasm. It is a a pathological state of sleepiness or deep unresponsiveness and inactivity. Spiritually, prayerlessness is rooted in a lack of love.

“Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me”… (Rom. 15:30)

Notice the expression, “that you strive together with me in prayers TO GOD for me…

This statement may seem obvious, but we pray TO GOD. So many forget the simplicity and potency of that truth. In other words, to pray to God is to put our total dependence on Him.

Honestly, prayerlessness is such a sin and a state of spiritual poverty in many churches today because it is an indicator of our independence FROM GOD.

In times like these, acting and living independently from God is spiritual suicide.

Jesus gave another reason for this lack of love:

“And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold” (Matt. 24:9).

With the COVID-19 pandemic birthing such fear in the world and now hate-filled lawlessness abounding nationwide, sadly the love of many is growing cold. This love is agape, the God-kind of love, found only in believers, who are to be the conscience and voice of the nation during such evil times, and who are to pray effectually to thwart off Satan and the hordes of hell who are wrecking havoc on America and the world.

How is it that the love of believers can grow cold in such times of trouble and crisis? It is the plan of Satan in every generation to lull the church to sleep where prayerlessness becomes the norm. A prayerless church in nearly worthless. They are no threat to Satan and his evil plans and schemes.

AN INCREDIBLE ENCOUNTER

Notice from the following incredible encounter that young prophet Jeremiah Johnson recently had that alerted and shook up the body of Christ in America and worldwide, who it is that does the most damage to Satan’s kingdom:

“On the night of May 30th, while praying and pacing over the United States in my home around 2 am, a demonic entity appeared right before me in an open vision. This type of encounter has only ever happened one other time while I was ministering in a foreign country in 2015. I have always engaged in this type of spiritual warfare while asleep and dreaming prophetically, but rarely if ever to this degree while awake.

“This demonic entity had a visible and deep scar underneath its right eye, but it also had the ability to mutate or rather change forms. I watched this being morph several times right in front of me, yet the gash below its right eye remained.

“It pointed its finger right in my face and said, I exist to deceive the whole world. Just as there are forerunners in the kingdom of God that go before the Son of Man, so I am a forerunning spirit in the kingdom of darkness that has been sent before the coming of the man of lawlessness.

It continued, “The scar underneath my right eye has come at the hands of the praying Church, for many of them in this hour have begun to detect our true plans and purposes to disrupt systems, divert attention, and release chaos in the land.”

A NEW BIRTHING IS COMING

The apostle Paul said this: “Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light. See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:14-16.

In my latest book, The Tumultuous 2020s And Beyond, I wrote of a spiritual dream my wife had where The Lord showed her that the true condition of many in the body of Christ was one of sleepiness and slumber—under-utilized, under-achieving, and not living up to its potential, power, and effectiveness. But the good news is that is about to change.

In this dream my wife was pregnant and the surgeon wanted to perform a C-section and cut her open, but someone told her that she didn’t have to give birth the old way as before, but instead she could give birth God’s way — in the Spirit. At that moment, beginning from her navel, there was an expansion of her belly that blossomed out.

INTERPRETATION: There is a super strength in the Spirit for the body of Christ to give birth to a move of God and an awakening right now, but many only need to arise from their state of slumber.

In this dream my wife saw the body of Christ awakening from her slumber and literally get out of bed.

Church, I know right now it may not look like it, but this is our finest hour! Let us get out of bed and arise from our slumber, and give ourselves to prayer and the Lord’s purposes.

MINISTRY RESOURCES

Prayerfully consider subscribing to the following resources:

To our blog to receive inspiring anointed articles and on-fire life-changing truths.

Our YouTube channel for the move of the Spirit to renew and refresh you (Holy Ghost Forums, short Face-to-Facevideos of Bert and Carolyn sharing secrets of the Spirit-filled life.

Our end-of-days books that counter the falsehoods, doctrines of devils, and departure from the faith we are seeing today.

Bert’s weekly Charisma featured blog, an archive of rich prophetic articles dating back to 2014.

Bert’s Beyond The Veil (Behind The Veil) Arabic broadcast available now in English also (a series of rich and rarely taught teachings on the invisible world of heaven, hell, God’s judgements and rewards, and eternity. 

I hope you’ll check them out and that they’ll be a blessing and encouragement to you. 

Finally, this ministry is sustained by the freewill offerings of those who believe in the mandate and message of revival that this ministry carries. Again, if this article has been a blessing to you, would you prayerfully consider making a tax-deductible contribution through our Paypal button to help? 

DONATE 

Thank you, and may God’s richest and best be yours.

Convergence of These Fearful Visions From Prophets of the Last Century Is Upon Us

In 1927 Smith Wigglesworth prophesied:

There must be special preparation for the return of Christ and at least half of all believers will be totally unprepared. We have to see that these days have to come before the Lord can come. There has to be a falling away. I want to speak to you very exactly. All the people which are pressing into and getting ready for this glorious attained place where they shall not be found naked, where they shall be blameless, where they shall be immovable, where they shall be purified by the power of the Word of God, have within them a consciousness of the very presence of God within, changing their very nature and preparing them for a greater thing and causing them to be ready for translation.

This is the day of purifying. This is the day of holiness. This is the day of separation. This is the day of waking. O God, let us wake today! Let the inner spirit wake into consciousness that God is calling us.

In 1950, the late Kenneth E. Hagin received this divinely granted appearance:

I looked at the scroll again, and again I looked to see what I had read about. I saw the skyline of a large city. Looking closer, I saw the skyscrapers were burned-out hulls. Portions of the city lay in ruins. It was not written that just one city would be destroyed, burned and in ruins, but that there would be many such cities.

The scroll was written in the first person, and seemed as if Jesus Himself were speaking. I read: “America is receiving her last call. Some nations already have received their last call and never will receive another.”

Then, in larger print, it said, “THE TIME OF THE END OF ALL THINGS IS AT HAND.” This statement was repeated four or five times. Jesus also said this was the last great revival. He went on to say: “All the gifts of the Spirit will be in operation in the church in these last days, and the church will do greater things than even the early church did. It will have greater power, signs and wonders than were recorded in the Acts of the Apostles.”

I believe in visions we have seen and experienced many healings, but we will now behold amazing miracles that have not been seen before. Jesus continued: “More and more miracles will be performed in the last days which are just ahead, for it is time for the gift of the working of miracles to be more in prominence. We now have entered into the era of the miraculous.

Many of my own people will not accept the moving of my Spirit, and will turn back and will not be ready to meet Me at my coming. Many will be deceived by false prophets and miracles of satanic origin. But follow the Word of God, the Spirit of God and Me, and you will not be deceived. I am gathering my own together and am preparing them, for the time is short.”

Again in 1963, Hagin saw this: ( I included this entire vision as a chapter in my new book, The Tumultuous2020s and Beyond.

For there came a dark hand up out of the ocean from the east, even from the Atlantic Ocean. It came up out of the sea as a hand and as it rose up into the air it became a dark cloud and it filled the whole atmosphere. Yea, and it swept in like a storm at sea. And I said, “Oh Lord! Oh Lord! Oh Lord! What’s the meaning of this?” And He spake unto me and said,

“Son, that is the darkness of atheistic communism that is sweeping across the nation—even in the minds of men in high places and politicians with great power. And this nation shall not grow more strong and you shall not have more liberty than you have now, but liberties that you’ve known and you’ve seen shall be seized and taken from you.”

And I looked again, and I could see upon the mountain a blotch, as though a bottle of ink had been spilled and spread out over several states in the south and east. And then I looked and I could see spots splotched all over the map and I said, “Lord, what meaneth this?”

And He said,

“Communistic inspired hatred among races shall cause greater turmoil than your nation has seen heretofore. Yea, it is not the will of God but men’s hearts are perverse and they walk without the love of God and seek to have their own way. And so it shall be worse than you have seen.”

Hagin also saw this:

And so then I looked into the spirit realm and I saw falling upon that mountain a ball of fire from heaven. The closer to the Earth, the bigger it got, and then when it came to the Earth it divided into small balls or sparks of fire, and it fell upon men. And I saw an army of men rise up, and it seemed as though their hands were fire. And there sat upon their heads a tongue of fire. (When I first saw it, it seemed like their whole heads were on fire but it was tongues of fire leaping.) And I said, “What meaneth this?”

And He said, “Before the worst shall come and the day of darkness encompasses there will be those who shall go and who shall carry the fullness of My truth and the fire, not only to the states of this nation but to many other places. For there is a work that must be done, first spiritually, before the Lord shall come.

“Now prepare ye your hearts, for the time is at hand and the beginning is now; and ye shall see and ye shall know for the hand of the Lord is upon you and many of you shall be used in these last days and the work shall progress.”

In 1965 Stanley Frodsham, companion to Wigglesworth, prophesied this:

With great judgments will I plead with the population of this country. Great darkness is coming upon the countries that have heard My gospel but no longer walk in it. My wrath shall come upon them. The darkness shall be so great and the anguish so sore that men shall cry out for death and shall not find it. There shall be a lingering death, famine and great catastrophes.

My wrath shall be manifested against all ungodliness. It shall come with great intensity. You have known my love but have not experienced My wrath or My severity. My judgments are literal and not a thing to be passed over lightly.

Realize the severity of My judgments and My intense anger against the sin in My household. My judgments shall begin in My house, for I will cleanse My house that it be not a partaker of My wrath against the iniquities of the cities. Before I visit the nations in judgment; I will begin at My house. When I do cause My wrath to come upon the cities of the world, My people shall be separate. I desire a people without spot or wrinkle, and such will be preserved by Me in the time of My wrath, which will be coming upon all iniquity and unrighteousness. (this is the reason I wrote the book, Cleansing The Temple, because judgment begins in God’s house first). 

In 1968, a 90-year-old woman in Norway saw this:

An old woman of 90 from Valdres in Norway had a vision from God in 1968. The evangelist Emanuel Minos had meetings (services) where she lived. He had the opportunity to meet her, and she told him what she had seen. He wrote it down but thought it to be so unintelligible that he put it in a drawer. Now, almost 30 years later, he understands he has to share the vision with others.

The woman from Valdres was a very alert, reliable, awake and credible Christian, with a good reputation among all who knew her. This is what she saw:

I saw the time just before the coming of Jesus and the outbreak of the Third World War. I saw the events with my natural eyes. I saw the world like a kind of a globe and saw Europe, land by land. I saw Scandinavia. I saw Norway. I saw certain things that would take place just before the return of Jesus, and just before the last calamity happens, a calamity the likes of which we have never before experienced.

She mentioned four waves. For her complete vision go here.

And finally, in 2004, Oral Roberts saw a marvel that shook him:

Suddenly, in the clouds in the skies above New York City and the east part of the United States, and which hung there for quite some time and then spread out across America, without touching the ground, and then God diffused it away from America and sent it out to the nations of the earth. And I saw and I heard. What did I see? I saw something coming down from above: Smoke and vapor and blood, or it looked like that to my eyes, to my spiritual eyes.

To read his complete vision, go here.

We are living in a time when the fulfillment of these things is straining at the gate to come forth. The day is nearing when it will suddenly burst forth. Right now, the Lord is holding these things back to give the body time to prepare, but too many are wasting that time in false confidence, compromise and complacency.

We are in a process of cleansing the temple so that when the worst comes, the church shall be separate, and her impact shall be greater in quality and quantity.

Bert Farias’ books are forerunners to personal holiness, the move of God, and the return of the Lord. They also combat the departure from the faith and turning away from the truth we are seeing today. The Tumultuous 2020s and Beyond is his latest release to help believers navigate through the new decade and emerge as an authentic remnant. Other materials/resources are available on this website. You can follow him personally on Facebook, his Facebook ministry page, or Twitter.

PROPHECY: FAITH TO OVERCOME

The following Spirit-inspired utterance was recorded and transcribed in our private prayer time before our public ministry time in Pensacola, Florida at Freedom church. It gave us direction to minister along these lines in the two morning services, which are now available on our Holy Fire Ministries YouTube channel. 

When My people trust Me it brings Me glory, more glory than the myriads of angels that worship Me now in this place. When My people on the earth who dwell among darkness and so much gross darkness… when they trust Me in spite of what they don’t yet see, in spite of what they don’t yet know…when they trust Me under the canopy of darkness that the earth is under, oh, it brings the Father great glory, more so than any of the angels and saints that are now here in this place, for they worship Me in the full light…they worship Me in the full manifestation of My glory here in heaven. Oh, but down there when My people worship Me in a sin-filled, curse-filled world, oh what glory it brings the Father, what attention it brings to the angels as they peer from heaven and take note of this mighty army of overcomers that I have on earth that bring Me such praise and glory. 

So continue to trust Me and teach My people to trust Me, even in their trials and in their tests and in their hardship.  Let them know that they bring Me great glory when they trust Me in spite of what they don’t see and what they don’t feel yet. Yes, encourage them to have the Abraham kind of faith where he staggered not at the promise of God, oh, but he was fully persuaded that what I said would come to pass. Yes, impart this truth and this spirit to My people, for as the times increasingly get darker, so must their faith increase, so must their trust in Me increase, so must they see Me even as you’ve talked about among yourselves. 

They must see Me in the difficulties, they must see Me in the hardship and in the tests and trials. They must turn their face and turn their eyes away from all the difficult circumstances and difficult environment they find themselves in and they must turn and face the wall, turn and and face Me, turn and see Me, turn to Christ, and the veils shall be removed. And they shall see Me in greater accuracy and in greater awareness and in greater glory. And they shall walk  in great peace. 

Hallelujah! Thank you, Lord.

*** Our books are forerunners to personal holiness, the move of God, and the return of the Lord. They also combat the departure from the faith and the turning away from the truth we are seeing in our day. 

SNEAK PREVIEW OF MY NEW BOOK, THE TUMULTUOUS 2020s and BEYOND

CONTENTS

Foreword by Mario Murillo

Endorsements

Introduction

Chapter 1 — Prepare And Position Yourselves For The Tumultuous 2020s

Chapter 2 — Time For Authentic Christianity Devoid Of Mixture

Chapter 3 — Save The Church, Save The Nation

Chapter 4 — The Counterculture Church Can No Longer Coexist

Chapter 5 — The Corruption Of American Christianity And The Evil Agenda To Destroy America

Chapter 6 — America Is Now A Homosexual Nation

Chapter 7 — Three Portals Of Demonic Entry Destroying America

Chapter 8 — The Leftist Narrative: Divorce Christianity From The Bible

Chapter 9 — It’s Time To End The Liberal Leftist Movement

Chapter 10 — Abortion: Satanic Priest Governors Filling Up The Cup Of Judgment

Chapter 11 — Three Modern Fallacies Defiling The Church

Chapter 12 — All That Is Wrong With “Christian” America

Chapter 13 — The Destructive Mind-Set That Fuels Evil

Chapter 14 — Should Christians Be Involved In Politics And Vote For The Lesser Of Two Evils?

Chapter 15 — Further Persecution Of Jews And Christians Coming

Chapter 16 — Not Enough Hate Yet For American Ministers And Churches

Chapter 17 — The Tumultuous 2020s: The Decade The Church Gets Out Of Bed

Chapter 18 — Time For Wimpy Christians To Become Courageous

Chapter 19 — Jesus To The American Church: Meet The Conditions And You’ll See My Power

Chapter 20 — The Tumultuous 2020s: The Decade God’s Underground Church Arises In America

Chapter 21 — Retribution Time Of Nations Who Persecuted Jews Is Over

Chapter 22 — Incredible 1963 Kenneth E. Hagin Vision Of Atheistic Communism In America

Chapter 23 — We Have Entered A New Era

Chapter 24 — Contrasting The Now and Then America: A Friend’s Experience In Cooperstown

Chapter 25 — We Need A Course Correction

Chapter 26 — The Church Must Find The Radical Middle

Chapter 27 — Showdown Coming: Time Of Playing Church Is Over

Chapter 28 — An Example And A Call To Faithful Disobedience

Chapter 29 — The Conditions Are Ripe For A Spiritual Hurricane

SYNOPSIS

“2020 will be a year when the nation will be totally divided. It will be the year that will see the election of your lifetime.” — Mario Murillo 

In many ways, the entire decade of the 2020s will be the most tumultuous decade in American history. The soul of our nation hangs in the balance.

The battle rages, not only for a nation, however, but more importantly, for a cleansed, wholesome, and powerful Church. Instead of the Church being a subculture, the real believers shall become a counterculture.

We have come to the brink of the realization now that authentic Christianity will survive without America, but America will not survive without authentic Christianity.

This is a book to help believers navigate the tumult of the 2020s and to emerge as an authentic remnant. 

One day left to take advantage of our pre-order offer.

http://holy-fire.org/2020-book-promo.html

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WORDS FOR OUR TIME

One prominent minister called it fine wine. Another called it a lightning bolt from heaven. Mario Murillo said it was one of the most important words for our time.

My new book, The Tumultuous 2020s and Beyond, is meant to both shake and steady the American Church — to help believers not only survive but thrive in this new decade. I really want you to have a copy.

I’m not in the business of selling books. I’m in the business of writing the word of the Lord. My primary mission and small part in God’s kingdom is to help restore the real spirit of Christianity in the church today and to light a fire in your spirit. Humanly speaking, I’m a nobody and am continually amazed that the Lord chose me to be a spokesman for Him. Many are much more qualified than I am. But the Lord uses foolish things to confound the wise.

We are at a crossroads in our nation. You will see some more significant and rapid changes every few months before the big one hits that changes everything. Believers must be prepared and positioned. A severe warning is necessary in such tumultuous times.

Please help me spread this message God gave me. The first step is to read it yourself.

For only a few more days until 12/30 a signed copy of my book is available for a small discount with free shipping. Here’s the link:

http://holy-fire.org/2020-book-promo.html

HAGIN 1963 VISION OF COMMUNISTIC INSPIRED HATRED IN AMERICA

Yea, the hand of the Lord was upon me … the Spirit of God moved upon me … the voice of God spoke unto me and said, “Come up, come up hither son of man.”

I went, as it were, up into the air and stood with Him, the Head of the church, even the Lord Jesus Christ…in the air. And as I looked down upon the ground I could see as a map laid out before me the entire nation—all the states of the continental United States. And as I looked He said,

“Behold son, and I shall show you that which shall come to pass, and that which the eyes of many shall see. And they shall remember that their ears heard that it shall come to pass.”

For there came a dark hand up out of the ocean from the east, even from the Atlantic Ocean. It came up out of the sea as a hand and as it rose up into the air it became a dark cloud and it filled the whole atmosphere. Yea, and it swept in like a storm at sea. And I said, “Oh Lord! Oh Lord! Oh Lord! What’s the meaning of this?” And He spake unto me and said,

“Son, that is the darkness of atheistic communism that is sweeping across the nation—even in the minds of men in high places and politicians with great power. And this nation shall not grow more strong and you shall not have more liberty than you have now, but liberties that you’ve known and you’ve seen shall be seized and taken from you.”

And I looked again, and I could see upon the mountain a blotch, as though a bottle of ink had been spilled and spread out over several states in the south and east. And then I looked and I could see spots splotched all over the map and I said, “Lord, what meaneth this?”

And He said,

“Communistic inspired hatred among races shall cause greater turmoil than your nation has seen heretofore. Yea, it is not the will of God but men’s hearts are perverse and they walk without the love of God and seek to have their own way. And so it shall be worse than you have seen.”

And I said, “Oh Lord! Oh Lord! Is there a remedy? Is there a remedy? What shall the answer be?”

And He said,

“Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceived and being deceived.”

And then I said, “Oh, Lord! Do we have nothing to look forward to in the future except the darkness, the blackness, war, destruction and evil?”

And He said,

“Son of man, forget not your text for you look at the things not seen (the title of his message was, Looking At Things Unseen).”

And so then I looked into the spirit realm and I saw falling upon that mountain a ball of fire from heaven. The closer to the Earth, the bigger it got, and then when it came to the Earth it divided into small balls or sparks of fire, and it fell upon men. And I saw an army of men rise up, and it seemed as though their hands were fire. And there sat upon their heads a tongue of fire. (When I first saw it, it seemed like their whole heads were on fire but it was tongues of fire leaping.) And I said, “What meaneth this?”

And He said,

“Before the worst shall come and the day of darkness encompasses there will be those who shall go and who shall carry the fullness of My truth and the fire, not only to the states of this nation but to many other places. For there is a work that must be done, first spiritually, before the Lord shall come.

“Now prepare ye your hearts, for the time is at hand and the beginning is now; and ye shall see and ye shall know for the hand of the Lord is upon you and many of you shall be used in these last days and the work shall progress.”

Hallelujah to Jesus! Hallelujah to Jesus!

And I said to Him, “Oh Lord! May I have a small place to work?” And He said, “I shall cause thy tent to be enlarged. Yea, thou shalt have an enlarged ministry and thou shalt minister to many where you ministered to a few. Therefore, go ye back to the Earth and be thou faithful and give forth that which I tell you to give for you have been reluctant in days gone by to tell it. Now tell it boldly and speak it true for now is the day that it shall be so.”

Oh hallelujah! Oh hallelujah! Praise God! Praise God! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!

For the word of the Lord came unto me saying,

“The prophetic vision shall be restored unto the church, for even in the days of old under the old covenant the prophet would see by vision and prophesy, and so the prophetic vision shall be restored unto the church. And this is the time, and this is the hour, and this is the place.”

Praise God! Hallelujah! Thank you Jesus! Praise God, praise God!

When I spoke up I saw this very night. I saw the vision. I was lifted up to that place. Oh men and women, thank God for His goodness to man.

We are now in a very serious time of judgment and cleansing. There are two cleansings in the ministry of Jesus. He  cleansed the temple at the beginning (Jn. 2) and at the end of His public ministry (Mt. 21, Mk. 11, Lk. 19). In the end, this cleansing  prepared the way for a new order that His resurrection and ascension would bring. Cleansing The Temple is the time we are now in, so that the Lord’s glory can be restored in His people before the worst shall come. America is on the edge of judgment, and when judgment falls, the Church will be separate, and her impact will be greater.

Also, this ministry is sustained by the freewill offerings of those who believe in the mandate and message of revival that this ministry carries. Again, if this article has been a blessing to you, would you prayerfully consider making a tax-deductible contribution through our Paypal button to help? 

DONATE 

Thank you, and may God’s richest and best be yours.

THANK YOU BLOG READERS

I conducted a recent poll and I appreciate the responses of many of our readers. Your encouraging comments helped me to see the value that some of you still place on our Flaming Herald blog. 

Here are many of the comments I pieced together. 

“In this day and hour in which we live, there aren’t many voices out there like yours. Your messages have real spiritual meat in them and are filled with fire and passion.” G. B. 

“I get a lot out of your blogs…Way more than church.” K.P.

“I think the blogs are timely, a voice that addresses the state of the church today and teaches how to move the church forward. So many of us need that input because most of our churches are wanting in areas.” B.M.

“Maybe those of us who value the blog should “forward” it to friends more often for their edification and encourage them to subscribe and thereby increase readership and support.” B

“Often, you right a word that confirms just what I am hearing from the Lord and teaching to my Bible study groups.” D

“I’ve been going to church my whole life and can say that in the latter part of my churchgoing years can count on one hand the times that I have heard the pastor talked about hell, the end times, or encouraging us to get involved politically.” A

“For those of us who can’t find pastors to talk about topics like you do, we rely on online ministers to fill in the gaps.” A. L.

“I look forward with excitement to every article and share them with many and would be VERY DISAPPOINTED if you didn’t share.” M.H.

“thank you for your faithfulness in writing the blog, it has been a great blessing to me even confirming the word I have taught on – a number of times in the same week, which greatly encouraged and lifted me.” A pastor/Bible teacher

“Look forward to reading them and i share them with friends. I have read your books as well but i just purchase the rest of them.” J.C.

“As we know, there is a serious lack of truth being put out in our compromised culture (and Church) that we so need to hear, even be warned as you have! Personally, I’ve remembered points you’ve made, that continue to encourage me, and point me in the right way!” P.P.

“I love your blogs. I read them on my phone or at the library. Now I have the internet myself. I read all of them and forward some.” N.C.

“I read all of your articles. Your articles are stimulating and never boring and feed my spirit and I often pass these articles on to others, especially my wife, and with the Lord’s permission, I sometimes “steal” your main points when ministering to others.” K.J.

“Please keep writing the truth in love… you have been a life line for me..” C

“I know with you that I can get a clear perspective on things that are going on in our Christian community as it pertains to the Lord. Many out there have lost the pure teaching ability to teach on solid doctrine and it’s so watered down and even distorted. So I always hit your pages even if I don’t comment to see if my thinking is lining up with solid teaching.” C.S.

“I envy your writings and have stopped using the highlighter pen as I would end up highlighting most of it.” C.M.

“I do frequently read your blog. I think you are honest and have the courage to speak what the Holy Spirit directs you to share. You are a needed voice in God’s kingdom.” S

“Most people do not say it “the way it is”. I would miss this blog greatly. Do keep it up.” R.C.

“Yes, I’d feel disappointed if you discontinued the blog.” C.L.

Here’s one from Cyprus:

“You are one of the very few true prophetic voices that keep an open path to God’s heart and voice in these perilous days we live now.” A.A. 

Here’s one from a grandmother: 

“I read every blog and have copies of your books. Everything you write speaks volumes to me and brings hope and faith to a higher level. I save them often to reread and share…”

Here’s one that touched me deeply:

“I am so hungry and eager to learn and my only way is by reading. I can’t hear a pin drop- I’m deaf.” A.S.

Here’s one from British Columbia, Canada:

“We have limited access to “in person” contact with other like-minded believers. We are not currently attending any church because it appears that every church in our small city is wrapped up in the current wave of lukewarm and compromised “Christianity”. After struggling for many years, we finally gave up on going to a man-made institution that merely provides entertainment rather than Bible-based teaching. We rely on your blog, as well as a few other blogs, to help us keep a right perspective.” D & T

Here’s one from Africa:

“I have been challenged, motivated, corrected and confirmed by the “part” that God has entrusted you to release. And because of that, I see a greater “whole”. Thank you for your obedience in freely releasing your part. I live and travel in Africa, sometimes with little internet access.” M

Here’s one from Nigeria:

” I use your blogs in some of my sermons. By the way, I’m writing all the way from Nigeria.” P.M.

Here’s one from England:

“Actually I love reading your emails. They are full of passion and wisdom for the times we are in and personally challenging. I’ve also bought two of your books. I love watching the Holy Ghost Forums when they’re posted on YouTube. I love the way the Holy Spirit moves and speaks through you all. I’ve never seen anything like it. It stirs up my spirit, teaches me and increases my spiritual appetite for more.” N.H.

Thank you for encouraging me! I will continue. Please share these truths with others and on your social media pages.

Happy New Year to each of you!

A COMPELLING HOLIDAY SERIES: WILL THE REAL CHRISTMAS JESUS PLEASE STAND UP? (PART 3)

The spirit of Christmas needs to be superceded by the Spirit of Christ. The spirit of Christmas is annual; the Spirit of Christ is eternal. The spirit of Christmas is sentimental; the Spirit of Christ is supernatural. The spirit of Christmas is a human product; the Spirit of Christ is a divine person. That makes all the difference in the world. ― Stuart Briscoe

There is such a great need in this hour for the unveiling of the intimate and excellency of the holy knowledge of the real Jesus.

Oh people, do you see what we’ve done with the Holy One?

We’ve brought Him down to our level and made Him so common. Yes, He was made a common man, but yet so uncommon. No man ever lived like Him. No man ever loved like Him. No man ever spoke like Him. He was full of grace and truth (Jn. 1:14). He spoke from the fullness of the Godhead.

All His words were the purest of wisdom. His works were the purest of power. His motives were the purest of love. He was the perfect man; not like us, but sent to make us like Him. Instead we’ve tried so hard to make Him like us.

Why is there an increasingly number of people in the West so confused or deceived about who Jesus really is? Why do they seem to have so little depth or spiritual substance in their lives? Why can’t some people’s Christianity seem to go beyond, “Jesus said, do not judge?” Is it not in large part due to the distorted message of Him that our pulpits, our preachers, and our churches have presented? Is it not for the lack of example we’ve had in many Christian leaders? Similarly, the reason for much of today’s current moral and cultural malaise stems from the Church’s distorted image and message of Christ. 

The image of Jesus for many professing Christians has been shaped by the society around them.  Unless you have an intimate relationship with the Holy One and His Word, the image you have of Him will be distorted. It will resemble the pop culture you live in and what the people of that culture worship. In the West, self is god. Corruptible man is worshipped. Humanism rules. And this is what we see in much of today’s Church. This is what we see during the Christmas holidays. Jesus is Santa Claus who has come bearing gifts for all of us while His demands are ignored.

The fewer preconceptions we bring from the outside, for instance in the reading of the gospels, the more clearly we shall see Him and hear Him as He really is. It is all too easy to believe in a Jesus who is largely a construction of our own imagination—an inoffensive Person whom no one could dislike or disapprove of, and certainly whom no one would ever crucify.

But the Jesus we meet in the gospels is far from being an inoffensive person. On the contrary, He caused offense quite frequently. Even His own loyal followers found Him to be offensive and quite disconcerting at times. He upset all established notions of religious propriety.

An inaccurate, distorted, and unbiblical view of Jesus is a big reason why many pastors fail to confront sin in the Church and speak of the evils in our society and educate people on true morality.

When asked why pastors don’t speak out against the evils in our nation and government one influential pastor said, “I think one reason is a lot of Christian leaders have the wrong idea about Jesus. They see Jesus as this little, wimpy guy who walked around plucking daisies and eating birdseed and saying nice things, but never doing anything controversial.” 

Oh, how wrong they are. Read the red letters of Jesus. It will be an eye opener for you. There was no political correctness about Him. He was firm. He was direct. And He usually rocked the boat. Such a contrast from the baby Jesus in a manger that is depicted at Christmas time. Yes, He was once a baby, but in glory He was born. The shepherds were frightened when they saw the glory of the Lord that surrounded His birth.

“Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified…” (Lk. 2:9, NLT).

As Christ was formed in Mary’s womb by the power of the Holy Spirit so has He been formed in every true born again believer. That is the true fulfillment of Christmas and why He came.

Do you know Him? Is He in you?

This Christmas series contains modified excerpts from my book, The Real Jesus. It is a book that I’d love to put into the hands of many during this holiday season. It would make a great gift.

If this article has been a blessing to you please share it. And may God make you a blessing during this Christmas season as you exalt the Lord Jesus Christ.  

A COMPELLING HOLIDAY SERIES: WILL THE REAL CHRISTMAS JESUS PLEASE STAND UP? (PART 2)

“Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ” (Col 2:8).

In the above scripture and letter to the Colossian church Paul is writing to them of the inward life, encouraging them in the Christ life they had received — to walk in Him, and to be rooted and built up in Him. He is warning us of philosophies and empty deceits, based on traditions of men, and the basic principles of the world that speak to us of humanistic things, mystical things, and outward things that are without real eternal substance.

Christmas time is a great example of how Christ has been brought down to a superficial man-made and mystical level by the traditions of men.

Much like today and throughout the centuries of time, Christianity can too easily slip into an outward-ness, a mere form of the power that it was meant to reflect and transmit through Christ. “Don’t be cheated”, Paul says, from the simplicity and completeness of the inward Christ life. There are many things that seek to rob, steal, and plunder our love, affection, and holy intimate knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, and none more evident than this time of year. Christmas trees, stockings, and mistletoes, Santa Claus, and his reindeers, jingle bells and the one horse open sleigh tend to nurture warm fuzzy feelings that make us happy but hide the life altering revelation of the Holy One.

It is not just the philosophies and empty deceits, included within them these human traditions of Christmas we need to beware of, but there are even good and acceptable things, which while having their proper place in the Christian life, have a tendency to cheat us from the real person and mind of Christ. For the true Christ-professing Christian, such things as buildings, budgets, programs, projects, meetings, committees, or other things that concern the church system apart from the mind of Christ, have the potential to dry up the real heart of the Christ life. Often it’s these very things that rob us of the hallowing intimacy which we are to experience with the Lord. These things although useful, must be kept in their proper perspective lest they dilute the vision of Jesus Himself.

When Christ was born, a hellish opposition immediately arose to attempt to kill and destroy Him (Mt. 2:13, 16). Likewise when the corporate counterpart of the Christ, the Man-child Company is brought forth near the end of this age (Rev. 12) there will be yet another most violent release of hellish opposition. “Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know it is the last hour” (1 John 2:18).

Everything of this world order is in direct opposition to the Christ being revealed personally in reality and power.

The return of the Lord will once again signal the removal of all that is earthly, temporal, and of man, so that only the eternal order of Jesus Christ and His kingdom remains. In the millennial reign of Christ on the earth I don’t believe we will be celebrating Christmas for He will be personally among us in reality and in power.

When Christ returns He is coming for the formation of Christ in us. It is Him in us that He will recognize. His words, “I never knew you,” and “I don’t know you” were spoken to so-called ministers and foolish virgins who were supposedly doing the work of God and who laid claim to His name (Mt. 7:23) (Mt. 25:12), but somehow the Christ was not found in them. Somehow their form of Christianity had replaced Christ Himself. Beware of the forms and festivities that hide Him from us.

So once again the question beckons us: How much of Christ is in your Christianity? Do you know Him or are all the Christmas traditions blocking your view?

This Christmas series contains modified excerpts from my book, The Real Jesus. It is a book that I’d love to put into the hands of many during this holiday season. It would make a great gift.

If this article has been a blessing to you please share it. And may God make you a blessing during this Christmas season as you exalt the Lord Jesus Christ.  

A COMPELLING HOLIDAY SERIES: WILL THE REAL CHRISTMAS JESUS PLEASE STAND UP?

When we see Jesus as He is, 
glorious and worthy of our deepest loyalties and affections,
 deserving of our total focus and supreme attention;
 we will catch fire inwardly and burn with holy fear, and a holy hunger for the Word will grip our hearts,
 and we will proclaim Him as He is. ~Anonymous~

We celebrate Christ’s birth on Christmas, but for most He is not the center of the rejoicing and celebration that marks this time of year. I think many of us would agree that Christmas has become so commercialized that Christ is hardly noticed, much less celebrated and revered.

Easter would be in the same category. How in the world a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ could’ve ever evolved into an affinity with Easter bunnies and Easter eggs I’ll never know. Such is the tenuous nature of idolatry.

Is it possible for Jesus Christ to be lost at Christmas time and in Christianity in general, the very religion whose name it bears and professes? We know that without a relationship with Christ, just another religion is all that remains. We also know from scripture that someone can profess to know Christ but in works actually deny Him (Titus 1:16). But isn’t it also true that in works many may profess to know Him, but in authentic heart knowledge they do not?

Who knew Jehovah in Old Testament times? That earthly system of Judaism was to point the way to Christ, but in actuality it hid Him from the multitudes who were enmeshed in the works of the law. The external had glossed over the need for the internal. Sin and death reigned in the old order of the Law and all its rituals and ceremonial rules and customs.

Isn’t the same true today? There is an external order in modern Christianity that seems to rule and it is quite evident during the Christmas holidays. Its emphasis on appearance, hype, professionalism, showmanship, production, and commercialism that is prominent, especially during this time of year,  tends to hide the real Jesus from us. It easily allows us to deceive ourselves into thinking that somehow God is pleased with all this while Christ is glossed over.

Even many of our contemporary churches with their Madison Avenue tactics have become echo chambers for the latest trends in pop psychology, marketing, politics, entertainment, and entrepreneurial leadership while the piercing revelation of Christ and His simple demands are often overlooked or packaged in a way to make Him palatable to the masses.

We have become all too enamored with our own glory in the kingdoms that we are building, at times totally unaware of receiving that invisible kingdom “that cannot be shaken” (Heb. 12:2).

Judaism with all its forms, rituals, and framework began its removal 2,000 years ago and was replaced with a spiritual, heavenly standard established in the New Covenant. And now in this end time marks once again the removal of all that is external to bring us to a forcing point, and it is this: 

After all is said and done, how much of the Christ do you really have? Not what you do, not what you’ve built, not what you have, not all the shopping and gift giving and receiving done at Christmas time, not even the noble activities which constitute your Christian life, but how much of the Christ Himself have you got?

This Christmas series contains modified excerpts from my book, The Real Jesus. It is a book that I’d love to put into the hands of many during this holiday season. It would make a great gift.

If this article has been a blessing to you please share it. And may God make you a blessing during this Christmas season as you exalt the Lord Jesus Christ.