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” And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His Heart.”(Genesis6:6)Does God have emotions? Of course He does! In John, He expresses Love. In Genesis and many New Testament passages, He has compassion. In Nehemiah, He is joyful, and we see Him Rejoicing In Isaiah. And yes, we see Jesus weeping in John at the death of Lazarus.(11:35)So how does He respond emotionally to our apahetic response towards His chief vessel, the Church- in this present church era?

What if I’m breaking the heart of God and don’t even realize it. Please, from my heart to yours,consider my words, because I believe that they reflect the very heart of God towards the Church that Jesus, God’s Son, gave His life for. And whether you are struggling with making sense of life right now or merrily going about living life, these words are for you.

How can I ever forget the unspeakable joy that I experienced just seven weeks ago, as I celebrated with 200,000 Ukrainians in Maiden Square, in downtown Kiev. They were not only celebrating the 500 year anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, but the freedom to attend church and worship without the fear of going to prison or a re-education camp. Tens of thousands of teen and college age youth, family units, older people with Cains and walkers-they were all there to celebrate their freedom to worship-to be the Church, and boy did they party and celebrate that freedom!

As I shared in my last post, I will never forget that day, September 17th 2017. Eight hours before, we had begun our journey from L’viv, Ukraine on the train, and now we were about to witness the very first declared Day of Thanksgiving in the country of Ukraine. What were they being thankful for; the freedom to worship the one True God, as the body of Christ, without paying a heavy cost.

Now, seven weeks later, as I try to come to grips with what I witnessed, many thoughts and feelings are competing for my mind’s attention. But as I prayerfully have tried to think through just why God took me there-one overwhelming revelation stands out-THE CHURCH. And so, I want to share with you what He showed me; namely, what is breaking His heart concerning the church at large today.
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Let me begin by saying that if you, the average American “Christian”,consider church as being irrelevant or not at the top of your priority list, you are increasingly, in this culture, in Spiritual danger. Now- hear me out. A recent reputable poll found that it is becoming commonplace today for the average believer to attend church only one in five Sundays! Hey- I’ve heard all the arguments;”I can do church at home. I don’t have to go to church to be a Christian or even a good person. There’s too much drama in church and hypocritical attitudes. I don’t have to be told how to live my life. Ive been hurt by Christians.” While there can be found fragments of truth throughout these arguments, how do our human imperfect responses impact an all loving but justice seeking God? Are we breaking the heart of God by our rebellion towards His Plan and why He birthed the church in Acts chapter 2?

I am increasingly seeing people coming and going to church on Sundays at their own convenience; showing up just enough to be sure that heaven still recognizes them but not enough to plant their flag, so to speak, while picking up the blood stained banner of Jesus Christ and taking the fight to the enemy along side of their fellow brothers and sisters who are counting the cost. The writer of Hebrews could not have made it any clearer when he wrote in chapter 10 verse 25, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhort one another, so much the more as you see the day approaching. The times and ages never change. Let’s make his charge very simple-“THERE ARE THOSE WHO SAY THEY ARE BELIEVERS BUT SEE AS IRRELEVANT AND UNIMPORTANT THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE CHURCH THAT JESUS DIED FOR. LET THEM KNOW THAT DANGER IS ON THE HORIZON, AND SOON, WE WILL NEED ONE ANOTHER MORE THAN EVER!

Doctor Tony Evans, in dealing with the state of the church today, had this to say.” The church is God’s primary agent for achieving His chief Goal-namely representing and advancing God’s Kingdom Rule. (Matt. 16: 18-19) That is why it saddens me when I meet Christians who are detached from the church, because I know that they are operating outside of God’s Plan and as such , are not well positioned to hear His Voice. Since He speaks the loudest within this Divinely established community, disconnected Christians are less likely to know His agenda and their part in it. The church is much more than a place where we go to get information, but it exists to cooperate and expand God’s Kingdom Agenda. The Bible refers to the church as a body (I. Cor. 12:13). Christ, as the head of the body, (Eph. 1: 22-23), communicates to the various parts of the body their function-that their Kingdom Purpose Role and Function might be lived out. But no individual part can receive instruction from the head, if it is detached from the rest of the body. Being connected to the church, as opposed to just attending occasionally, allows the Holy Spirit to speak into your life in ways that being detached could never accomplish. I truly believe that when God sees that He can work through us to be a blessing, He is much more apt to speak to you , trusting you with with His insight and instruction. This takes place in communion and the unity of the brethren.”

Well there, I have shared my heart! Let it never be said about us that we Broke the Heart of God by being indifferent towards His Greatest Chosen Vessel to establish His Kingdom Rule. Could it be that Revival is not engulfing our country because rebellion towards the Church, with all of it’s human imperfections, has hardened our hearts? Will we be like Israel and continue going around the same mountain until persecution and evil force us to love one another, stand with one another , and support one another again?

If you consider this an important message for the church at large, please feel free to re post!

“Shine Jesus Shine-fill this land with the Father’s Glory- blaze Spirit blaze set our hearts on fire. Flow river flow, flood the nations with Grace and mercy-send forth your Word Lord, and let there be light.”

Thirty years ago, a powerful worship song echoed throughout the church with a passion and fervor that helped to ignite the Charismatic revival that was sweeping our country and the world. It was a song for the ages-with a message of hope for today! That song would be the musical theme for what we were about to experience in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev.

I will never forget September 17th 2017. Eight hours before, we had begun our overnight train journey from L’viv Ukraine. The ride was uneventful but filled with expectation of what was about to happen in downtown Kiev on Maidan Square- celebrating the 500 year anniversary of the Protestant Reformation led by Martin Luther, and which declared that salvation was not found in good works alone, but in the saving Grace of Jesus Christ.

As we left the Kiev train station, the fall air was crisp and the sky was a deep royal blue, with nary a cloud in the sky. Soon as<img src="https://katharospursuit.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/kiev.jpg&quot; alt="kiev" we approached the Square, also known as Independence Square, we were immediately reminded of events that transpired there on November 21st 2013 when a violent revolution led to the deaths of many young Ukrainians. There were pictures honoring the dead on walls and buildings signifying the cost of the revolution which had established a new government in 2014. But today, there would be a different revolution taking place on the streets of Kiev.

The history of the Ukrainian people has been filled with human tragedy and violence. Especially during the last 100 years, the nation has experienced untold suffering -casting a shadow of darkness over her people and future. Beginning with the forced famine, instigated by Russian leader Joseph Stalin in 1932, which lead to the starvation deaths of 7,000,000 men, women, and children and soon followed by WWII, And ending with Communist rule that lasted until 1991-Ukraine had been cloaked in darkness for many years. But today would be different! The shadows of suffering and pain were being replaced by the dawning of a New Day and a Celebration of New Beginnings! Through a declaration ratified by Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko , this day would not only honor the church reformation, led by Martin Luther but a Spiritual Revolution celebrating a New Day of religious freedom for Ukraine.

As we made the 20 minute journey to Maidan Square, we turned on to Khreshchatyk street which had always been a staging ground for Communist party demonstrations. But now people were joining us from every Ukrainian province, and what had begun as a trickle, was now quickly becoming thousands of Christians, marching under a different banner proclaiming the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

I will never forget what happened next. As we approached a giant screen and stage, approximately 3,000 feet in front of us, as if on queue, the stringed orchestra, flutes and trumpets began to play "Shine Jesus Shine". It didn't matter that the choir hadn't joined in yet, because the words echoed in my heart and spirit as the sounds echoed between the towering buildings and alley ways.

"Lord, the light of your love is shining-in the midst of the darkness shining. Jesus light of the world shine upon me. Set us free by the truth you now bring us-shine shine on me."

Now, as days are turning into weeks, I do not believe that I have yet grasped the true meaning of what happened that day. Being part of a gathering which grew to 200,000, and experiencing joy that I have not seen since the JESUS Revolution OF THE 1960's and 70's, truly revived my spirit and reminded me that freedom isn't free and cannot be taken for granted; because these believers were not just celebrating Jesus but the freedom to worship Him!

Yet what amazed me more than anything, was not the sheer numbers, but the ages of those attending. Everywhere I looked, I saw families, young and old celebrating together their freedom in Christ- whether it was political or spiritual. I must add that as I observed the crowd, the average age had to be 30 and younger, with a large percentage being teenagers! This gave me renewed hope for our country!

Finally, I've asked myself the question as to why I had been given the privilege by God to attend such an important gathering in the history of Ukraine and the world, for that matter. A few thoughts have come to mind. First of all, I was reminded of the importance of the family unit as central to a country remaining strong. Because when family structure begins to crumble, a country decays from within. Judges chapter 2 verses 10-11 state, "When all the generations had been gathered to their fathers, there arose another generation who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel. Then the children did evil in the sight of the Lord and served other Gods." This is an amazing picture of our country today. But Hope was birthed within my heart that day on Khreshchatyk street/Maidan Square , because God loves America just as much as He does Ukraine, and what He is doing there, He can certainly do here among our youth!

One Final point- one of the speakers, Terry Mecuwsen, from CBN, shared a thought that is still echoing in my mind. She began, "God is not looking for men and women of power and wealth. He is looking for men and women who are looking for Him." Those who came to Maidan Square on that beautiful fall day were not people of power and wealth but a people filled with meekness and humility-and they accomplished what no previously powerful world system could ever achieve, because they Looked for God, and they found Him!

"As we gaze on your kingly brightness, so our faces display your brightness. Ever changing from Glory to Glory-mirrored here, may our lives tell you story. Shine shine on me,

*You can listen to SHINE JESUS SHINE on You-tube.

“Let the word go forth, from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans-born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage, and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.”                                              January 20, 1961 Inaugural Address  John F. Kennedy

This blog is not about personalities or even politics, for that matter. It’s not about whether you are A Democrat or a Republican or even who you voted for or what axe you have to grind. But it is about taking a long hard look in the mirror and asking the question- whatever happened to decency and free debate; even more so, just what are we allowing ourselves to become morally?

Benjamin Franklin, upon leaving the Constitutional Convention, in Philadelphia, in September 1787, was asked by a lady standing outside,” Mr. Franklin, what sort of document have you given us?” He replied, ” A Document that will stand the test of time, if you ascribe to two principles- First of all, as a nation and government, retaining a strong belief in God, and secondly and concurrently, retaining a strong moral foundation; without either, this document cannot stand.”

Whatever happened to Kennedy’s Torch passed down to our generation? Is it on the verge of being extinguished? What has happened to our integrity and character-both personally and politically? Where has respect for authority and the common good gone? We live in a time where arrogance has replaced humility, civility has been replaced by rebellion and anger, and truth with a lie. Seems like I read about this scenario in the Bible some place before, but that’s for the next blog.

We have practical examples all around us; For example, the movie industry has made it illegal to have actors or actresses smoking during any scenes. Just recently, a high school football coach was fired for kneeling in a moment of silence, at the end of a football game. In unbelievable comparison, a play in New York City, is allowed to continue night after night, depicting the President of the United States, playing Julius Caesar, being assassinated while the crowd cheers. A so-called entertainer, trying to gain ratings, holds up a bloodied severed head of the President of the United States and thinks it’s cute. Sadly, many on the left agreed with her in print and commentary. Save for the Grace of God, just several weeks ago, 20 Congressmen could have been massacred at a softball practice to raise money for charity. The gunman had a mind that had been poisoned by the media. Do you remember even five years ago, speakers being shouted down, buildings being burned, and college presidents surrendering their authority to ruthless thugs bent on not allowing free speech to Conservatives because well-they are conservative in their political views. The double standards are unparalleled in our nation’s history.  In John Kennedy’s America, coaches would have been praying and those espousing hate filled speech and actions would have been locked up!  Granted, John Kennedy, like all of us had issues, and America, during those years faced racial inequality and political turmoil about to be unleashed with the Vietnam War. But his America and the message he delivered, brought hope that together, we could make it. It seemed like Americans believed in America and our destiny as leaders of the Free World. Today, I wonder how many millennial’s even care to pick up that torch again. I was stunned when over Memorial Day Weekend, a talk show host walked the beaches of Southern Florida, as well as some major college campuses, asking question related to our heritage and history. One college sophomore, at a California college, was asked what year we declared our independence? He responded,”1984?” A young lady on the beach was asked who we fought in the Revolutionary War, and she responded,”China?” I could share many more enlightening facts concerning the state of affairs on American College campuses, but you can see my concern.

So what must we do as counter-cultural Christians to bring decency and spiritual order back into our culture and government? What role must the church play in that change in strengthening Benjamin Franklin’s two points of reference for a sound and functioning society? I want to address those issues in my next blog but want to leave you with several thoughts that will form the thesis and basis for that blog. First of all, we must realize that we are not dealing with political parties as much as principalities and wickedness in high places. While our government has many Godly men and women in office, the level of spiritual warfare has attained to new heights never seen before. Jesus warned us about these days. Secondly, we cannot wring our hands in despair, but fall on our knees, cursing the darkness and rejoicing in the Light of the One whose Kingdom is coming and even now dwells in us.

Finally, don’t surrender to a spirit of fear. The mayor of London recently proclaimed that we must learn to co-exist with terrorism as a fact of life. Wow! Realize that Jesus spoke of these times and false prophets and purveyors of lies and sent a remedy- His Holy Spirit that we might wave the banner of Righteousness and silence our enemies. This is going to be the Church’s finest hour!

As a nation, we must become unified again. We must pray for revival of enormous proportions, because that is what it will take to free our country of the evil besetting us. We cannot stand divided as a nation. President Lincoln , himself a Spiritual man, coined these words before his death.” At what point shall we expect the approach of danger? By what means shall we fortify against it? Shall we expect some transatlantic military giant to step the ocean and crush us in a blow? Never! All the armies of Europe, Asia, and Africa combined , with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest, with a Bonaparte for a commander, could not by force take a drink from the Ohio or make a track on the Blue Ridge in a trial of a thousand years.

At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it will  ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us; it cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be it’s author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time, or die by suicide.” Kennedy would have agreed!

My God,where has all the time gone? I will never forget that moment in time when my dad said to me,” You know, one day you will wake up and be 40 years old and wonder just where all the time has gone.” I was only 14 or 15 at the time and today, while I can’t even remember what 40 looked like, I can appreciate what he was trying to communicate. Time is a precious commodity and too often, we don’t appreciate the fact that it is passing by at a rapid rate. Too often we wake up realizing that we have wasted valuable moments and what could have been becomes a distant memory instead of a promising future.

In 1819, Washington Irving, an American author, penned a short story set in the years before and after the American Revolution in a village at the foothills of New York’s Catskill Mountains. Here lived kindly Rip Van Winkle, a Dutch villager who was a blessing to the children in the village, spending time telling stories and fixing their broken toys. He also loved wilderness activities and hanging out with his friends. But to his nagging wife’s dismay, he shirked his duties at home and their farm fell into disarray. One autumn day, to escape his wife’s nagging, Van Winkle wandered into the mountains with his dog Wolf and suddenly hears his name called out. He sees a man wearing antiquated Dutch clothing carrying a keg up the mountain hollow. Seeing that he needed help, he gave him a hand. Soon he hears a thunderous roar where a group of ornately dressed bearded men were playing “nine pins”- a form of bowling. He doesn’t ask who they are but instead begins to drink from the keg and soon falls asleep.

When Van Winkle awakens, he finds himself in a totally different season of living. His musket is rusty and falling apart, his beard was a foot long, and Wolf was no where to be found. He returns to his village and knows no one. He soon learns that a revolution has taken place and a portrait of George Washington has replaced the one of King George the Third on the inn’s sign. He then finds that most of his friends had been killed in the revolution and there was another Rip Van Winkle in the village-namely his grown son! He also discovers that he had been gone for 20 years, and  his wife had died some time ago, but the news didn’t sadden him.

Awhile back, I was called to the hospital to pray with a dying man. As he lay in his bed, with only a short time to live, I asked him if he knew Jesus, and he said ,”No.” So I knelt at his side, and he prayed with me and as the words of salvation fell from his lips, he began to weep uncontrollably. When we were done praying and talking, I was going to leave when he looked up at me and said something that I will never forget. He began,” There is something that you must know; I’m not crying because I finally made it right with God, but more so for the years that I have wasted when I could have had the joy and peace that I have right now.” He was talking about time that was too late to redeem. He died an hour later.

Ephesians 5:15-16 tells us this,” Be very careful then how you live-not as unwise but wise. Make the most of every opportunity-redeem the time, because the days are evil.” Question- What if you were to fall asleep one night and not wake up for 30 or 40 years? What would your reaction be? How would you feel about those wasted years and how time has passed you by; especially when you looked in the mirror?

I believe even more disturbing would be to hear the claims of Christ presented to you and realizing that He has something wonderful in store for your life, and then deliberately walking away and doing your own thing and rejecting His Plan- only to come out of the spiritual fog years later and realize that it was too late and a lifetime had passed you by.

In the Greek language, there are two words for the word time. Chronos time is simply time that just rolls on-day after day week after week with effortless boredom and monotony. I’ve seen kids lost in video games for days and weeks at a time with no real appreciation for the time that it is taking nor the opportunities missed. But Kairos time is time that is appointed. It is Divine! It is time in due season where opportunities abound. It is Kairos that is used to define time in this Ephesians scripture. Paul is challenging his readers that the times are evil and that they (we) must be careful how we use our time-being wise and making every moment count! Paul is saying,”Wake up church! We can enjoy the pleasures of life, but we must be aware that time is short and Jesus desires through us to extend His Kingdom Rule in a Culture that is decadent and crying out for answers. We are the Answer, because we have the Truth! Romans 8:11 tells us that the very power that raised Christ from the dead dwells in us. How can we sit on that and not take advantage of the time that we have been given on this earth to extend His Kingdom Presence ? There are Divine Appointments all around us waiting to be birthed if we are willing to seize the moment with open ears, seeing eyes, and expectant hearts! Don’t let life and time pass you by because of circumstances, perceived hurts, or selfishness. Rise up , experience the moment, become true History Makers and Changers and let it never be said of you that you sat on your gift while others were perishing!

We are a tapestry of life’s experiences, and when we allow those experiences to shape our destinies, what we are becomes a reflection of who we we were and most importantly, what we shall become-His workmanship redeeming the time allotted to us!

 

 

 

 

It was early in the morning, as our bus entered New York City, on our way to Brooklyn Tabernacle Church for their weekly Tuesday night Prayer meeting that drew thousands from all over the city. I awakened just in time to see the magnificent twin towers rising to my left. I immediately grabbed my camera and took a picture that I would soon come to treasure for the ages.

The date was September 4th, 2001, just one week before our weekly prayer meeting at High Mill Church was about to begin. The prayer meeting that night took on a whole different meaning as the Tabernacle leadership had us stand and then prayed for us that the Holy Spirit would use our weekly gathering to bring healing and revival to our city and churches. Little did I realize how important those prayers would be as we gathered, one week later on September 11th to seek God for our country in the midst of falling towers, death, and broken hearts.

I will never forget church that sorrowful night. It was filled to capacity. People that hadn’t come to church for sometime, as well as occasional attendees, filled the sanctuary. Emotionally, there was hardly a dry eye and no one seemed to be embarrassed of outwardly expressing their grief. Simply, we were a family which gathered together, clinging to one another, and crying out together for God’s mercy and love. In short, we were what the church was  always meant to be–a community where broken people could find solace in relationship with their brothers and sisters; a place where the mandate, message, and meaning of Christ’s love could be nurtured and sent out to a hurting world that needs hope and truth.

Recently, I have talked with more and more people who are asking the question, “So why do I have to attend church to be a Christian? I have church in my home, isn’t that good enough? I can do the faith thing by myself. Why do I have to bother with others? God doesn’t dwell in buildings, so why should I attend?” While each of these statements contain some truth, because yes, you don’t have to attend church to be a Christian, you can worship at home, and you don’t need others to have a relationship with Jesus,  yet have you consulted the ONE who birthed the church– namely Jesus Christ, about your arguments and opinion?

The writer in Hebrews 10:25 presented a real challenge to his readers.” Let us not stay away from Church meetings . Some people are doing this all the time. Comfort each other as you see the day of His return coming near.” (NLB) Benjamin Franklyn, at the time of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, in July 1776, uttered these famous words. ” We must all hang together or most assuredly, we will all hang separately.” Of course, he was referring to the signers of the Declaration, as well as the colonists, and their need to rely upon and trust one another in community and loyalty and not living solitary lives.

Romans 1 tells us that there will be a day, before His return when everything is going to be in chaos. That which has been right will be looked upon as wrong and that which is morally wrong will be deemed as right. Look around us and see. When late night talk show hosts like Bill Marr and Stephen Colbert can use their air time to spew the most vile and sickening display of arrogance and sexual  incivility without the networks challenging their words, it becomes obvious that we have lost our moral compass–like the Greek and Roman world in Jesus’ time. Do you remember the “I Love Lucy” show of the early 1950’s when Lucy was about to have little Ricky, and the show writers would not allow the cast to use the word”pregnant”? My have times changed! Also, no longer are free speech and diversity of thought tolerated on college campuses. There is little difference today between those bastions of so called learning and free speech than Nazi thugs that took over German campuses in the mid 1930’s. We see crazy laws being scripted in the name of equality which are no more than attempts to silence free speech.  I could list hundreds, but a recent one caught my attention. There is now a proposal pending in some court that would make it illegal to clap at sporting events, because it is offensive to those who are deaf.” The times , they are a-changin.”

So why do I need church in my life? Simply because, right now we don’t really need one another as much as we are soon going to. On September 11th 2001, churches across America were jammed, not for any other reason than we were desperate! In much of the world today, the church is under siege, and without the power of Christian Community, many would die. Tribulation has sculpted the Church into being THE CHURCH.

I ask–” What are you waiting for? What will it take to make you realize that we are in this TOGETHER? Spiritual Crisis is gripping the world! Will it take the next tragedy to motivate you to action? Do you realize that you are needed to bring your gifts to the table, so to speak? Heed the Words of Jesus and understand that true Holy Ghost Strength is not found in the” I can do it alone approach” , “But where two or more are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them!” (Matthew 18:20). Let me challenge you with one more thought; We don’t have time to waste, BECAUSE HE’S COMING BACK!

 

For me, Facebook and Social Media used to be an interesting adventure into the hearts and minds of fellow bloggers and posters, but it’s not so much fun anymore. While it has provided avenues of communication the likes of which the world has never seen before, it has increasingly been corrupted by self principled zealots of rancor and hatred pushing their personal bias based agendas that leave no room for discussion and understanding of others points of view.  It has been a tremendous blessing for me to connect with friends all over this great land and world, but putting those joys aside-Social Media has become an agent of strife, division, and twisted Truth-separating families and life time friendships.As Believers, we shouldn’t be surprised, because Jesus warned us about the Great Deceiver and Deception that would characterize the Last Days. But that is a story for another day.

What seemed like such a blessing at inception , has turned into something that our Founding Fathers could have never dreamed of when they coined First Amendment Rights. With freedom of speech in mind, those founders, in writing the Declaration of Independence  and U.S. Constitution, envisioned healthy give and take debate that would strengthen this holy alliance of the people and it’s governing body-where respect for the order of law, others opinions, and the rule of majority would be respected and a stronger Democracy forged.

Today those principles of fairness, respect, and decency seemingly are vanishing before our eyes. No longer do we value healthy debate nor respect differing points of view but instead hide behind computer screens and cowardly shout each other down with tweets, texting, postings, and vicious voice mails. No longer is our goal through discourse to make America a better country for all of our diversity, but instead a hopelessly divided country where the most important thing has become “my” bias and opinion, often times without regard for the Truth, being proclaimed with vulgar, indecency, and bigotry.

Without calling it such, many Americans are falling prey to a spirit of Anarchy which has become evident on our streets through the agendas of various movements which value neither life, the rule of law, nor faith based principles. Anarchy, which is being funded world wide by such dubious figures as George Soros and taught in the writings of such men as Saul Alinsky, can be defined as: ” A state of disorder due to the absence or non-recognition nor respect for authority and the rule of law.” It is a state of lawlessness and political disorder that takes place when no one is left to procure or enforce the rule of law. Let me simplify it. What would your neighborhood look like if law enforcement was removed and no one answered your call to 911 at 2:00 am?

Let me bring this home. Mass hysteria fueled by a media bias sold out to destroy this President has commandeered common sense and created a frenzy, in my opinion, the likes of which has not been seen since the Nazi propaganda machine convinced a whole generation of Germans (not all but many) that Jews were not human beings and were the direct reason for Germany’s economic plight and deserved to die. This might be a rather strong comparison to you, but I spent 8 days at Buchenwald with 5,000 ex-Jewish prisoners some time ago, and their stories of how the German press manipulated the masses was and is eerily familiar.

I will be the first to admit that Donald Trump was not my first, second, or even third choice for the presidency, but he won and contrary to the “He’s not my President” rancor, if Hilary would have won, she would be my president, because that is the rule of law and a rebuke to the the black flag (they chose the right color) of anarchy.

When you have a so called Hollywood “star” say at a march for women’s rights that she would like to Blow the White House up; when an editor of a major newspaper declares that the only way to stop Trump is to assassinate him, and when a classroom is given over to a high school student shooting some sort of fake  gun at a picture of the President of the United States so that she could release her pent up feelings- Anarchy is given birth. These are just a few examples of intolerance and fascism taking place, and those guilty need to be dealt with legally and not coddled by lawyers twisting the Truths of First Amendment rights. A TV commentator recently said that the rule of law is being returned to this country and those used to breaking it and getting away with it are having a major meltdown.

In conclusion, as Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, all of this can seem like a waste of time and words. Yet we are called to respect our governing authorities and pray for our leaders. President Reagan once said,” If we forget that we are one Nation under God, than we will be a nation gone under.” On September 11th, 1787, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, upon leaving the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin was asked by a lady, ” Mr. Franklin, what kind of document have you given us?” His reply is one for the ages. “Madam, We have given you a document that if you do two things, it will last for ever. First of all, as a people stand in strong moral character and secondly, remain faithful to God.” Both are under siege. But we will never know if God is up to something, unless we give this President a chance. For God’s sake, he’s only been president for almost two weeks! Let’s stop the rancor and anger and give him that chance!

 

 

 

 

When I was born, “Give ’em Hell” Harry Truman was in the oval office. Then, as a child, I don’t remember too much about Dwight Eisenhower except that he gave really boring speeches. But then again, how much can a six year old understand when it comes to the economy and world events? All I know is that he always seemed to be on the tv screen when I wanted to watch “I Love Lucy” or “Gunsmoke”. Then came the early 1960’s and Camelot. As a young teenager, John Kennedy embodied all that I wanted to become. And I can say today that I am in ministry (public service) because of the vision, charisma, and zest for living that JFK embodied. Even now, after Dallas, 53 years ago, the pain is still there.

I remember Lindon Baines Johnson’s Great Society and it’s incredible failure in changing the course of economics in America’s inner cities. He also gave us Viet Nam and massive division among Americans politically. Then there was “Tricky Dick” Nixon and Watergate, which now pales in comparison to the criminal activity enveloping America’s political landscape today. Gerald Ford followed and then Jimmy Carter, who had a big heart but no understanding whatsoever in running an enterprise as big as the American Government.

Who can forget Ronald Regan! I became one of  those Regan Democrats , when at the Berlin Wall, Mr. Regan stared Russian president Gorbachev down by proclaiming,”Mr. President, tear this wall down!” Regan was far from boring-often falling asleep during cabinet meetings, but he restored American exceptionalism and dignity lost during the Carter years.

The Bush Years, father and son, contained a myriad of issues producing a mixed bag of results that is not my point of discussion here. This leads us to the past 8 years and President Obama’s “Change that we can Believe in” slogan for American Society. History will be the judge as to whether that  Promise has been fulfilled.

Personally, there were many republican presumptive nominees that I liked better than the nominee the voters picked. I thought that Marco Rubio had those Kennedy like qualities that touched my heart back in the 60’s. I liked Dr. Ben Carson, but knew that his inexperience would, in the end, be his downfall. I would have even liked John Kasich or Carly Fiorina, but again, the voters saw differently.

So, I am back to my original Question. When is the right time to stay home on election day? I can say that without hesitantly, THIS IS NOT THE TIME! Like many of you, the stories, some true  and others exaggerated, the language, and lewd actions are not qualities that I would expect from a President of the United States. So this time, I am not voting for a man or woman (a third party vote is a wasted vote) but for a party platform that the Party’s head fully endorses.There are 5 reasons why I believe that America’s destiny for the next 2-3 generations will be enormously impacted by who is the next president. For the sake of my children and grandchildren, I am sharing my heart!

Someone said to me today that we have made it through the last eight years, and nothing will change with this election. I beg to differ with anyone echoing this particular point of view for these reasons. First-the next president will appoint 2-3 supreme court justices. If the Progressive Left wins the election, the constitution will not be interpreted by the letter of the law but shredded as it has been during the past 8 years. Late term abortion, which consists of ripping a living human being from it’s mother’s womb as late as nine months, will be the law of the land, as well as the second amendment being legislated out of existence. Secondly, as bad as illegal immigration is today, the Democratic candidate wants totally open borders where 600 million people south of the border would have open access to our country. We only have to look at Western Europe today to see what border-less countries has produced. Vast parts of Major European cities today have little or no police presence because Sharia Law has replaced western courts. Whole inner city populations are slaves to religious fear and crime. It is also interesting that the Democratic Party wants to increase 550% non-vetted Refugees from Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East. I might add that if you are Christian, you need not apply. 96.5% of immigrants are non Christian.

Thirdly, the Republican nominee wants to cut corporate taxes from 39 to 15 %, while the left wants to raise taxes on the rich, who already pay over 70% of all taxes. Ronald Regan followed a lower tax policy , and our economy boomed. Our inner cities don’t need more rhetoric about more taxing, but need jobs, modernized infrastructure, and hope. The Republican nominee has pledged 500 billion dollars to make our cities Great Again.

Fourth-NAFTA-the North American Free Trade Organization, signed by former President Bill Clinton has ravaged American companies all over the country-costing America millions of good paying jobs. Now the Trans Pacific Partnership is staring us in the face. Potential President Trump has  promised to renegotiate the first and cancel out the second.

Finally, and most significantly, our approach to military preparedness as well as a genuine understanding of the dangers we face will be a major challenge for the next president. As we have learned ISIS is no jv team and the recent Iranian Nuclear deal will give Iran nuclear weapons within 8 years and go down in History as the most dangerous and horrendous deal ever signed by an American Secretary of State or signed off on by the President of the United States. Also, need I mention Benghazi or a host of other failed foreign policies over the past 8 years-with many of those failures placed in the lap of the secretary of state.

To all of my liberal friends that I will still Love Wednesday Morning, don’t write and tell me why my points are wrong but give me facts as to why! Let me conclude by challenging you to vote your conscience, but be sure your conscience considers which party platform honors your values. Like King Cyrus and Samson in the past, God has used less than stellar examples of righteousness to bring about His Will. With all of my heart, I feel that this is one of those times.But putting it all aside, I am thankful that politics and political leaders will come and go–But my hope is in Jesus Christ who has given me wisdom to discern the signs of the times and act appropriately!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Where Have all the Flowers Gone” made famous by Peter, Paul, and Mary in the 1960’s celebrated the meaning of “time”and it’s impact upon societal evolution, during that period of political and social unrest in our country. The lyrics also spoke to the value of time upon humankind and how it was appropriated. And so these simple lyrics (check them out) have inspired my following thoughts concerning how we value time today in our culture driven by the next fad or event that can make me happy and in many cases forget the pain..

Do you ever feel like you were once  young and carefree and then blinked one day and found yourself to be fourty years old? (Some of us have a hard time remembering what fourty looked like!) The seasons of time have a way of passing us by very quickly-yet the older I become, the more I am realizing the importance of time as a daily adventure in God’s Great Scheme of things, rather than seconds, minutes, days, and months endlessly ticking by with little meaning or purpose. A friend of mine recently shared this quote. “It is not the harvest at the end of the day that matters, but the seeds we have planted along the way.” If we are listening, each moment of every day can be an adventure just waiting to happen and what seemed like a meaningless moment in time can blossom into a New and Great Adventure!

Presently, I am sitting in Big Meadows Lodge on beautiful Sky Line Drive in Virginia overlooking beautiful Shenandoah Valley. Where has all the time gone? My grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles brought me here when I was just 10 years old. As our children grew through the years, Diana and I brought them and a horde of friends to experience the beauty that is Shenandoah. And now, here I am with five of eight grandkids and parents doing the same hiking, deer chasing, bear hunting, and waterfalls splashing that we have enjoyed since seemingly time began in my young life.

Time can be our best friend or our worst enemy, a very wise friend recently told me. It is simply how you view time. As I talk with so many especially young people today, I see hopeless struggle to find purpose and meaning in life. Time has become an evil slave master filled only with hopelessness, despair, and lack of joy- where in some cases, drugs  alcohol, and criminal behavior have filled the void. What is even more disturbing is seeing Christians, who should have the greatest reason to be Joyful sounding much like Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes, where in chapter one he laments,” There is nothing to anything…What is there to show for a lifetime of work?…One generatioin fades away and the next one arrives, but nothing changes…Everything is utterly boring; no one can find meaning in it (time).” (Ecclesiastes Chapter 1-The Message Bible)

But what if God has a Bigger Plan in mind for Time as we live and know it- not endless monotony, but a short expanse of time  filled with endless possibilities that could bring fulfillment and purpose? James 4:14 declares,” For what is your life? It is like a vapor that appears for a time and then vanishes.” If this is true, why are we wasting even one second of time when God has so much more in store for us to experience and enjoy?

I want to conclude by examining the word Time from God’s Perspective in the New Testament. Ephesians 5:15-16 says, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” I believe, brothers and sisters, like Queen Ester, “For such a Time as this,” we have been summoned by God to be that “City set upon a hill that cannot be Hidden,”and like the Sons of Issachar, to discern the Signs of the Times and act accordingly with the wisdom and time granted to us!

This brings me to two Greek Words each used for the word Time-Chronos and Kairos. To make it simple, Chronos time is time witnessed in 24 hour segments that simply rolls on and on-second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour with no end in sight- much like the lives of many who simply exist and have no expectation of anything happening or changing. Kairos, in contrast, is used for time in the above scripture in Ephesians. Kairos Time refers to an appointed time, an opportune moment, or a season in life whose time has come. The problem is this-when we are living in Chronos Time expecting nothing to happen, we will get just that-Nothing! We then miss what Paul is saying in Ephesians 5:15-16. As Christ Followers, we have been given one moment in time to seize that moment, redeeming Kairos Time and taking advantage of opportunities , times, and seasons!

What does this practically mean? Personally, it requires a mental shift. As believers, we must realize that we have been called, chosen, and anointed with Power in this Hour of Time to see our purpose fulfilled and destiny attained. There is no room in a Believer’s mindset to meander through life simply trying to make it to the next day. We must seize the Kairos moment granted us. Secondly, dont get hung up in living out Chronos time where you miss the Kairos Moment granted you. Simply put,” With Chronos Time , we count our years while with Kairos Time , we make our years count!” Divine Appointments are Kairos Moments where your Life , at the exact right moment in time, intersects with another in need of a Savior’s Love.

Psalms 90:12 tells us,” to number our days that we might apply our hearts with wisdom.” I don’t know how much Chronos Time that I have left, but one thing that I do desire, is to listen and be aware of every Kairos Moment of opportunity granted me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I  share these words, My heart is overwhelmed , because I was blessed to be part of something so overwhelming that even now, It is hard to comprehend as well as understand the depths of God’s mighty love. The Jesus’ Movement had burst on the scene, in the 1970’s followed by the Charismatic Renewal in the Protestant and Catholic Church. But as amazing and life changing as those Moves of God were, there was the Promise of another Movement of God’s Spirit that was in the formative stages laying the groundwork for a Revival that would shake our world in the not to distant future, and it would directly spring forth from my hometown of Canton, Ohio. Canton would not be the only aquifer or well spring of Revival nor would it be out of just one church. But it would burst forth from  those believers in our city hungering after God with a passion not seen before. This article is a reprint from an article that I wrote in November 2002, because the Movement has begun, Heaven is waiting, and the Holy Spirit is Gathering His Army signifying that Jesus is waiting on us, His Church, to burst upon the scene in all of His Magnificence and Glory! So here goes.

“Do you understand that where you live is unique to God’s end times plans. Do you realize that God has chosen your city to be mightily used in the Last Great Revival that will sweep the world?”

Those words I will never forget, and as my dear friend Miriam King related them to me, I came to the realization that I was part of something very huge spiritually. Miriam and Claire King, her husband, were spiritual giants in my life back in 60’s and 70’s, as well as giants in this city in the area of spiritual healing. . I had the privilege of attending many of their healing services at Christ United Presbyterian Church in downtown Canton when such things were unheard of . It was an encounter that Miriam had with a visiting  U.S. congressman’s wife that forever changed the direction of my life , for it began a sequence of events that have transgressed these past 40 some years. I remember the day that Miriam called me and mentioned that she wanted to share something with me concerning her conversation with the senator’s wife. She shared that as she approached the city, she saw a dome of light over Canton, and the Holy Spirit began to speak to her heart these words, as well as those above. ” I have chosen this city to be a key player in what I am about to do all over the world.”

We’ll, as a new believer and just recently baptized in the Holy Spirit, as well as possessing  a discerning if not skeptical mind, I heard those words but did not allow them to penetrate my heart nor understanding. But what I want to share with you is what the Holy Spirit did with those words, and just how He confirmed many times His Plan for our city. Space does not allow me to journal the totality nor depth of my experience, but I pray that as I share a few examples from the archives of my journey, you will be encouraged to know you also are part of something very special that God is about to do through our church and churches and city.

Several years after that initial encounter, I found myself in school in Anaheim, California, which was a miracle in itself, because being a homebody, California was the last place that I would have gone for seminary after  just dropping out of graduate law school. Then, strange things began to happen. One Sunday morning, in the midst of 4,000 people, my pastor called me out of the crowd. I couldn’t believe my eyes as he was directly looking into mine  and summoning me forward. As several friends pushed me out into the isle, I stumbled towards the front. With eyes that seemed to pierce through me, the pastor  looked at me and said,” Son, God is taking you back to Canton, Ohio to start a church and out of your city, will flow revival that will touch the world. ” I was speechless, because I had never met him nor spoken about where I was from.

A week or so later, I met a lady named Doris Smalley  who proceeded to tell me about a vision that she recently had. How I had met her, was another Divine Appointment that was beyond logic for my brain to figure out. Anyways, she had been waiting to meet me. The first words out of her mouth when she saw me were,”You’re the one.” ” The One what, I responded?” she replied,” You are going back to your city, and you’re going to start a church which will minister to youth in particular, but it will also minister all over the world. She then went on to describe our original meeting place at High Mill swim park, even describing the color of the front doors on the farm house which was our meeting place. She said that she had been given it in a vision. She and her husband Phil, became like our spiritual parents for the next 15 years and eventually came back and shared one Sunday morning the whole experience.

Sometime later, I was in San Francisco and during a church service, a man began to prophesy. ” There is a city in Ohio, named Canton, out of which will flow a mighty revival in the last days.” I was stunned and turned to a friend and said, ” Did you tell him that I’m from Canton, Ohio?” ” No, he replied, I didn’t know that was where you’re from.” No more than a week later, the same thing happened in Los Angeles and later in Denver and Canada.

Down through the years,  at various conferences, when my hometown’s name has come up and I’ve mentioned Canton, Ohio, I’ve gotten the same response. Not too long ago at a mega church in Atlanta, Georgia, a pastor friend related a like occurrence. The pastor began his sermon and then abruptly stopped. He began, ” I can’t go any further until I say something. There is someone here from Canton, Ohio and the Holy Spirit wants you to know that out of your city will flow a mighty revival that will touch the whole world.”

A well known author recently shared in a magazine article about Revival flowing out of Ohio-especially out of the northeast part of the state. A noted evangelist recently did likewise.

Church-What does this mean? Does it mean that we are special or more anointed? Of course not! I feel that it only speaks of the blood, sweat, and tears, as well as prayer that have been sown in this city and for this city by those who have possessed obedient servant hearts. I believe that we are going to reap the harvest which they have sown-And the scripture, “weeping and sorrow are at night, but joy cometh in the morning.” (Psalms 30:5)  will be our victory and destiny.