christianity

Jesus Really Does Have a Plan – Frank Work

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Today, today I have this overwhelming feeling of sadness. I feel a sadness as though my heart is broken. I don’t feel this often, but when I do and there is a sadness and heartache to the core of my being, I know that I am feeling God’s heart on a matter. When Paul the apostle said that our war is not against flesh and blood, that is precisely what he meant. My battles in the natural are carnal and therefore contrary to how God intended me to accomplish warfare in the spirit. If I truly believe in the power of Christ, then I need to believe that no matter what I see with my natural eyes, that God’s hand is somehow in it, and I need to ask for the eyes to see and ears to hear. Today I am being reminded that no matter how heart breaking the things of this world are, my Savior has a plan.

I don’t know how many times I have heard the age old saying, “If there really is a God, how come He allows….” And the list is endless. Our Father in heaven is not an angry tyrant who paces back and forth, throwing curses down upon man because they continually mess up. He doesn’t look upon this earth and scream, “You deserve what you get!” No, I believe that our heavenly Father cries out to His son Jesus and says..”Save my children, bring them back to Me.” Then Jesus tells the Holy Spirit, “Go, teach them the love of the Father and the Son. Give them wisdom and understanding. Give them what they seek most, though they do not even know it. Give them the heart of the Father and of the Son. Give them Love.”

Problem is man likes to find his own way and then blame God when it suits him. It’s easy to blame God, because it takes responsibility off my shoulders. Instead of blaming God for the problems I see around me, I should be asking God how I can be a part of the solution. The song I am sharing is perfect. One of the lines in the song is…”I shake my fist at heaven and yell , God why don’t you do something… and He says I did, I created you.”

We live in a Hellenistic society where the motto is, “If it feels good, do it.” Or “Don’t deny yourself your indulgence, you only live for so long.” Then with the same breathe I will curse God because He isn’t answering any of my prayers. You can’t serve yourself and then expect God to work like a fast food burger joint, “I want it my way.”

Our Father in heaven did create a solution to the lost and dying world around us. It’s you and I. Not because He had to, but because He wanted to. He wants to include us in the plans of heaven. He wants us to be the weapons of His warfare. He wants us to cry out to Him in prayer and intercession to be a light to the dark places of this world.

The following song really ministered to me.

Peace as a Weapon (Part 1) – Karen Austin

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Today I am going to begin a short series of blogs regarding peace. Not a natural peace, which can change in a moment, but a supernatural peace which is part of what makes up His Kingdom and stands forever.

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,” Romans 14:17 NIV

Just as there are natural weapons, we who have given our lives to Jesus have been given spiritual weapons. One that is often overlooked is the weapon of peace – even though it is one of the most powerful weapons. We may think that it is not a weapon, but Paul wrote about it in Romans 16:20- “And the God of peace shall soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”

CRUSH- the base meaning is to crush completely, that is, to shatter – break (in pieces), broken to shivers, bruise.

It is the God of Peace who will crush the enemy when we abide in the peace of God. It is a fortress and a weapon that the enemy has no power against.

Think about the times you have been under attack, i.e. a family issue, car problems, sickness or serious medical diagnosis. The first thing that happened was your mind began to go in a million directions at once…thinking of different scenarios. Confusion, anxiety and fear tried to settle in. We then begin to contemplate how we are going to fix this problem. Do we have the means to correct it? Do we know anyone who can help us out of this? Our minds begin frantically seeking an answer that is within our own abilities to solve.

I know I have a tendency to become frustrated when I first come under attack. It is a great temptation to step out of peace and step into anger and then anxiety. Our ability to reason with Holy Spirit influence becomes difficult because confusion and chaos flood our minds. Our ability to see the situation through His eyes becomes difficult. It is hard to hear God when we are in a state of anxiety.

Once we lose the peace of God, we quickly lose our patience which affects our love walk. This in turn affects our faith because faith works by love.

But know this, the peace of God is the anchor that will hold all of the fruits of the Spirit in place. Peace will give us the ability to search the heart of God for an answer.

~~to be continued

Rejoice His Spirit is Moving – Karen Austin

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So many of us have longed for years to see the lame walk, the blind to see, for the multitudes to come into His Kingdom. Sometimes we wonder if we will see it in our lifetime. I don’t think I am alone in this. But I sense from the Lord, that these shall surely take place as He has promised in His word…greater works…greater works we would not only see, but we will be a part of.

I sense He is saying to not give up believing for His signs, His wonders and the mighty miracles to manifest upon the earth in greater measure than we have seen before. For when these miracles begin to take place, we will quickly forget how long we have waited. It will seem like it was just yesterday, for we will be caught up in this move of His Spirit and no longer will our focus be on time as it is on earth. We will be caught up into eternity time where everything seems now.

I have been getting glimpses of this that is next on our Father’s agenda. I tell you it truly is above anything we can imagine! There is much that He has stored up for the times that are upon us. When it begins, it will be like a flood that cannot be contained! All we will be able to do is jump in and allow the flow of His mighty Spirit to sweep us up in what He is doing upon the earth. This move will not be by the sweat of man, but a sovereign move, a holy flow of His Spirit. Oh, the rejoicing that shall take place as we enter into His glory…such overwhelming joy!

So I say to you today, remain faithful. Keep believing. Keep dreaming. For it shall all be worth the price we have paid to be a part of this last days movement and the demonstration of His power! Shout Hallelujah!!!!

I have included a clip of prophetic worship with JoAnn McFatter and Andre Ashby. Be prepared to enter His Presence!

Times of Consecration – Karen Austin

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I received this in 2018, I believe it was the beginning of times of consecration, shifting and alignment.

“2018 will be a year of Divine consecration. My people consecrating themselves and all they have unto Me. As these ones set themselves apart, even more for My pleasure and purposes, they shall see a greater measure of Divine Presence resting upon them. As Divine Presence rests upon them, My favor will make a way where there has not been before.

There will be a separating of unfruitful works and even unfruitful relationships as I am causing even Divine alignment in these areas. There will be a synergy, a coming together of those that I align, for My will to be executed upon the earth. I sense even a parting, as like the Red Sea, of evil structures that have been in place for centuries hindering the work of His Kingdom. Just as the sea parted and My people crossed over onto dry land, so shall you see those things that have previously been unmovable, begin to shift in this New Year. It is a new season for My people, a season of oneness with your God.”

Divine Signals (Part 2) – Karen Austin

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There is a pure river of revelation flowing to those who are pure in heart. Contend for this. Rid yourself of the tares in your soul. It is time to release those things that hinder our walk with Him.

There is a higher way that God is calling His Bride; one that will cause her to walk above that which is to come upon the earth. As a child, when our father wanted us to move along quickly (such as we needed to get out of the way because a car was coming or when we were playing instead of getting ready for school) our father may have said to us, “No Dilly Dallying!” This is what I sense the Father is saying to the church, “No Dilly Dallying with what I have told you to do!”

There are things coming that He needs us to be in a certain position and it is getting late. Things are changing quickly. Things have been set in motion to happen soon upon the earth. They will not wait for us to get into the place He has been calling us to. The Father needs us to be in position, in that place of freedom from the past that would hold us back – hold us down from the place of elevation that He is bringing His Bride.

He is calling His Bride to a place upon the mountain as He did with Moses. Sadly, some will chose to hold onto the things of this world and therefore cannot go. He is sounding the trumpet to assemble, to prepare and to ascend into the Holy Place.

For it shall be there that He will give us instructions for the times that are coming. As we climb higher, as we maintain our clear signal from Heaven, He will send us forth as He did Moses to cause the enemy to Let His People GO! The methods we have used up to this point have been good, but He, from upon His holy mountain, will grant deeper insights which shall enable us to quickly set ones free from deception, sickness, disease, oppression, depression and possession – so we will be able to set multitudes free with a greater effectiveness – for it shall be necessary.

So you may say, “How do we climb this Mountain?” The Father says to you,”It is a mountain that you will climb in worship. It shall be a Mountain of Worship in which you will ascend into the Cloud. In this place, He will speak to us face 2 face, heart 2 heart. Instead of writing His instructions upon stones, He will imprint them upon our hearts.

As we descend from this place, I sense He was showing me that man will come to us and say “Where did you learn this?” and you will simply smile and say, “The Glory, in the Glory of God.”

Divine Signals (Part 1) – Karen Austin

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Spiritual pictures and revelations coming from Heaven must be unobstructed in order to be clearly received. There are strategic truths that Heaven is releasing in this hour that we must receive and activate!

Technology has improved picture clarity by way of high definition, which is a result of more reliable signals with less interference. God is increasing the ability of those who will turn their receiver towards Heaven to have greater spiritual clarity. In order for us to have less interference, other forms of communication must be disconnected or it will draw on the power that is being released and the fullness of what He desires to release. My understanding of this is that our receivers are more toward cell phones, internet, Facebook and TV than towards receiving divine signals from Heaven. His church is on overload.

We must be clearly connected to His signal or our reception of His revelation will be distorted. This is a time of separation, a setting ourselves apart so we will not be distracted from the greatness of our God and His instructions for this hour.

Our receivers must be cleansed and cleared of any obstruction, anything that stands in the way of receiving His divine signals. Thing such as hardness of heart, unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment and jealousies. We must understand the works of the flesh are of no effect and profit nothing in His Kingdom. Only by reflecting His nature and manifesting His gifts will His Kingdom be demonstrated on earth.

As antennas of old are a thing of the past, so are many of the ways that we have done things in past seasons. Old methods and compromise in our lives will not produce Heaven’s desired results. There is a higher calling and definition, a higher understanding of the things that we see taking place in the natural. The Father is calling us to a higher perspective, a higher way to see and a higher way to touch those around us. There is also a higher definition of the operation of His Spirit that He will reveal to those who have singleness of heart.

~~to be continued

Should Women Keep Silent in the Church? (Part 3) – Gary Florence

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Yes, finally we are coming to the conclusion “Should Women Keep Silent in the Church.” Let’s ask our questions from Part 2.

  • Who wrote it? (Paul),
  • Who was it written to? (Timothy).

Now we will do a little digging into the historical context. In 1 Timothy chapter 2, Paul is giving advice on how a church service should be ran. Let’s look at something interesting in verse 8 it says “Likewise I want WOMEN to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments.” (NASB) This is how the women who were leaders at the temple of Diana (Artemis) dressed because prostitution was one of the many things that went on there.

Now look at verses 11-12 “Let a WOMAN learn in silence with all submission and I do not permit a WOMAN to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be silence.”

Look how Paul changed from women to woman. Some scholars believe he was talking about one particular woman not women as a whole.

Continuing on, Verses 13-14. “For it was Adam who was created and then Eve, and it was not Adam who was deceived but the woman being deceived fell into transgression.”

Where did that come from and why did Paul have to say that? One of the teachings of Diana (Artemis) was that they believed Eve was created first and that Adam was the one who was deceived in the garden. Therefore they pointed fingers of blame at the men. So when these idol worshipers got saved they brought this mentality into the church and it caused them to have a negative attitude toward men and the men Timothy put into leadership. Could Paul have been pointing out this WOMAN’S inappropriate behavior? People were literally jumping up in the middle of the services and yelling what they believed and were taught to them regarding their false religion that they had now come out of. So if we look at the historical context of what was happening in the services of that day. Paul was addressing women or particular a “woman” that was an outspoken leader of Diana (Artemis) not women of today.

I would like to say as a man if these scriptures or any others dealing with women have been held over you. First of all I want to apologize on behalf of us men and ask for your forgiveness. You are not to be off to the side or in the background but we are to be standing side by side together as one voice. So finally what is my “opinion” on “Should Women Keep Silent in the Church” it is a resounding NOOOOO!!! They should not keep silent in church.

I would like now to speak into the women’s lives “May the Wonder Women you truly are begin to rise within you and may the lasso of truth be wrapped around your minds. May all the gifting’s, callings and your destiny come into fruition and you be those Wonder Women that you have been created to be.” As men we need you ladies and we love you and speak blessings over you. So do not keep silent any longer!!!

Our God is a Deep Well – Karen Austin

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“..And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love];” Ephesians 3:17, 18 AMP

There is a depth of His love that He is inviting us to enter. It will be in this place that He will share the secrets of His heart. This deep place in His heart is not found by casual observer. It is a place that must be purposely sought. It is a place where we lose ourselves and are total immersed in His love…wave after wave. Oh, how I hunger to go deeper into this place of divine love!

Know this invitation is not for a select few. No, it’s for whosoever will come..whosoever will die to self….whosoever will lay aside the pull of the world and choose to say yes to His desire to be with you.

I have attached a song of hunger and longing for His love by Alberto and Kimberly Rivera. (I apologize in advance if an ad comes on first). Be blessed.

“Move your heart closer and closer to God, and he will come even closer to you….” James 4:8 TPT

The Blind Shepherd Leading the Blind Sheep – Frank Work

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So this was said by a renown and highly public speaker, of a really big church. She made this statement to the congregation in the church, as well as those listening and watching at home. Not to mention what she released into the atmosphere. We really have to be careful what we are releasing from our lips. Below is what she said on a Sunday morning.

“When we obey God, we aren’t doing it for God, I mean that’s one way to look at it. We’re doing it for ourselves. Because God takes pleasure when were happy, that’s the thing that gives Him the greatest joy this morning. So I want you to know this morning, just do good for your own self. Do good because God wants you to be happy. When you come to church, when you worship Him, your not doing it for God, really, your doing it for yourself. Because that’s what makes God happy, amen

One of the biggest problems in my opinion is that we as a people still have the mentality that we need an earthly king to lead us. So we will flock like blind sheep to whatever shepherd is saying the things that make me feel right about what I am doing at the time, whether right or wrong. More times than naught in my limited experience as a Christian I am seeing this played out more and more.

It almost seems as though that the children of God don’t want to be children of God, but subjects or slaves of God. We want to be told what to do, when to do it and how to do it. This is a learned behavior that is ingrained into our spirits over time. It’s a long process to unlearn this type of behavior, even longer when we don’t allow the Holy Spirit to teach and guide us as we learn what it means to be children of God and not slaves. Until we are willing to step up and take our rightful places in the kingdom of God, this sort of “Anti christ-like” message will continue to take place.

What’s funny is that I don’t blame the people speaking from the pulpits for the deceit and lies coming out of their mouths as much as I am sadden that people who know the Lord are giving ear to this prosperity message, which is warping , in my opinion , the true message of what Jesus preached, died and rose again; which is to embrace the message of the cross and dying to one’s self, and accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior.

I am in total agreement with the statement made by a friend of mine,   “God wants to kill us.” Which translate, God wants to destroy our flesh so it can not have sway over our spirit-man and interfere with our relationship with Jesus and hampers communication between the Father and us through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not in agreement with these pastors who are speaking in a direction opposite to Jesus and His word, but I know according to the scripture what will happen, Jer 23:1 ” Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord.”

What can I do for them? I can and should be praying for them. Seeking the direction of the Holy Spirit concerning them. So I don’t have to worry about what’s going to happen to them, I just need to ensure that I am doing what I can to make sure I am hearing God. Which also means seeking His truths where they maybe found, and being open and teachable to the love and Spirit of God.

Stepping into Greater Authority – Karen Austin

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You are stepping into the realm of greater authority. I am giving you understanding that it is OK to use that authority. You will know when it is time to be silent and when it is time to speak.

I did not say “Sit still” or “Lay still” (as many are doing) and you would see My salvation. I said “Do not fear and stand*still: and see my salvation” [Exodus 14:13]. Keeping the peace at all costs is not what I spoke of in My Word. I said to remain in peace as much as it is up to you [Romans 12:18].

I am giving My Bride, those I have called, authority to lead with a spiritual backbone, which is actually the rod of iron that I spoke of in My Word [Revelation 2:26,27]. This is not a time to let down your guard. It is time take the land and rescue those who are trapped in darkness. It is time for those who know My Name to stand in the face of that which opposes My Word and My will. It is time to stand in your place of spiritual authority and take a stand for righteousness. For the enemy knows his time is short and he is no longer hiding in the shadows. His tactics are being made bare for all to see. The enemy is a legalist and will step through even the smallest defect in righteousness and truth. But know that your voice – even when quietly spoken – carries greater authority than the enemy’s roar, when you walk with Me and speak My Word.

*stand – Strong’s #3320 – To take one’s stand, to station oneself, taking a stand to fight