"Let Them Eat Cake"

 

Yashua did admonish his disciples to care for the widows, orphans and the poor.  As modern day disciples, we do not need to do so, because the state will take care of them--right?  That way we all share the burden-at least that is the idea.  But for many generations now, the middle class has carried this burden in compatibility with the wealthy who supplied the jobs and income for them to do so.  It worked-relatively,  unless you were "under class'...ethnically diverse, disabled, undereducated.

 

Now, we are moving into another socio economic status.  Yes, we still have the wealthy and powerful--but they do not share the same values with the poor and middle class.   We have wealthy churches and inner city "mission" churches.  The wealthy are no longer philanthropists and self-governed to care for the weak.  The are elitist, greedy and selfish.  While they take world wide vacation flings, children go hungry and needy.  It is blamed on their drug addicted and media addicted parents that will not work--but that is not the complete picture either. 

 

I have often seen the poor children well provided for with boots and coats and designer brands at that.  They are shuttled off to camps and enrichment programs while the children of the hard working Mom and Dad, maybe with two jobs each, saying, "pizza is good enough" and we can "make do" with those tennis shoes one more year.  They shop at 2nd hand stores and budget their money, pay their taxes and even tithe--because they are grateful to the Creator of the Universe for His creations. 

 

So, enters the Obama era of government--and it is time to "pay back" those selfish Republicans and whites--not the rich and wealthy but the middle class man or woman that goes off to work every day and grieviously leaves their treasure at day care--a government approved day care.  It's not just the NSA that is spying, big brother decides what Medicare and Medicaid will provide, schools cease to be locally run with local values and impose standards that contradict the strong moral and spiritual ethics of the middle class Mom and Dad.

 

Neighborhoods are taken over by druggies and the middle class are asked to relinquish their guns.  Let the government protect you.  Who in their right mind would trust the government to run anything?  We have.  We have more agencies and czars and administrative assistants and interns than the system can afford financially.  And the fact that most are morally deficient is another whole issue.

 

I am not sure this immorally tolerant society gets what is happening to our infrastructure of government.  Yashua said, "Christ (Yashua) in me the hope of Glory"--the hope of the ages, the hope of our families, the hope of our nation.  We substituted.   "Government Agencies" are the hope of America (?)   It can't work, won't work, never has worked.  How well have Communists fared?

 

While the masses "eat bread" and are told to "pull the belt tighter" our elected officials are literally screwing around--on our time, our money and our future. 

 

As we Celebrate Easter, Resurrection Day, let us remember that yashua did not leave us defenseless.  Those of us who belong to Him, are victorious in Yashua.  We have the Holy Spirit to help us overcome in the Spirit.  We need to fall on our knees and pray for America-for the world, for the Jews in Ukraine, Pastor Saed in Syria, for orphans in Nigeria and ask that "His Kingdom would come and His will be done on EARTH--as it is in heaven!"

 

We need to pray that the "wall of poverty, elitism, communism and every other ism will come falling down like the walls of Jericho.  We need to hear God's voice and OBEY.  That word is seldom used and even less understood in a "ME-ism" society.  I am my own boss, I matter to me, My money is mine, I will attend the church that entertains ME...and on and on it goes. 

 

Let' us focus on, envision and work toward that "Glorious Kingdom"--not of this world but of the world to come.  HE is our ONLY hope.

 

 

Powerless Prayer?

Powerless Prayers

 

 

What is a powerless prayer?  Is it a prayer to an unknown god?  -To a lesser god? Or is a prayer of a "lesser" person, perhaps an unenlightened non-clergy?  I s a powerless prayer presented by a modern day Pharisee on a performance based platform? 

 

  We all know the power of a child's prayer.  Simple.  Straightforward.  Full of faith.  A child often knows that their Abba (Daddy) God cares about the smallest detail of their life--a new skate board or a bunny rabbit or puppy--or maybe and often this is the case, a child will pray a selfless prayer for Grandma to get better or for Daddy to get a new job or to stop drinking. 

 

So, how do we graduate from a child-ish prayer to a prayer of power, passion and depth?  Is it in the reading of volumes of liturgy and theology?  Is it in monkish sacrificial fasting?  Is there a formula?  Didn't Jesus teach his disciples a "formula" prayer? 

 

We all become appalled when they try to take out "legislative" prayer in the assembly.  But, is it really prayer?  If we pray to a variety of gods lest we offend someone?  How  do we "vet" those who are worthy to pray on behalf of others or even a nation? 

 

Is powerful prayer when there are accomnaying signs, wonders and miracles?  Didn't Jesus himself say that you will say to me on that day, "have I not preached in your name and cast out demons in your name and I will say to you, Depart from me, I never knew you?"

 

Powerless prayer is prayer that is prayed by someone that doesn't know to whom they are speaking.  Like an unsolicited sales phone call, it doesn't get the attention of its intended.  Do we KNOW to whom we pray?  If we do, we are in awe, we are respectful, we are in love with HIM, we trust him completely with every detail of our lives.  We know His voice (My sheep know my voice) and HE, our shepherd knows ours--not by how many books we have read, or how often we go to church, or fast and pray duty-bound prayers, or how intellectually astute we in biblical hermeneutics.  He loves us because we are HIS beloved and He acts powerfully on our behalf. 

 

Do you want to know HIM?  Just humbly ask him to forgive your sin, to come into your total being, life and thought processes and then begin to read His love letters to you.  Before you know it, you will have songs in the night, revelations and answers to prayer.  That is powerful prayer. 

 

Is

 



Michigan, Love it or Leave It!

People!  If you live in Michigan, love it or leave it.  Quit whinning about snow.  If you live in Michigan you will have snow in the winter.  January usually holds a couple of snow "events".  In March we usually have at least one ice storm.  You need a shovel, a snow blower, warm boots, gloves and a winter coat.  You will have to use your defroster and heater in your car.  It's winter in Michigan.

Aside from the beautiful snow covered trees all glistening in the sun, we have winter sports like ice skating.  Yes,  you actually skate on the ice and come home with rosy cheeks and lungs full of fresh, clean air.  There is skiing in many forms, snow mobiling and we have acres of snow mobile tracks.  If you like to watch winter from inside, grab a book and LEARN something.
Now, yes the expressways can become dangerous during a storm "event".  But there are usually ample warnings and department of transportation workers that keep them clear.  They know when to use salt, when to use sand and when to tell you to "get the heck off the roads, you idiot".
Those who have grown up in Michigan winters know how to slide down a hill sideways and right the car at the bottom of the hill, how to plow through snow drifts on back country roads, they know where to park their car so as not to "get snowed in"...and many have nice garages with electric openers that keep them ever-ready to move in the winter.

There am many fashionable winter-wear accessories for the fashionistas.  If you are too fragile for winter in Michigan, then you are too fragile.  Michigan has lead the nation in many economic endeavors (educationally, manufacturing and of course building cars) --we have not been wimps.We are hardy stock.

So, toughen up, quit complaining or move south.

Review:

John Paul Jackson and Steams Ministries:  " Understanding Dreams & Visions" Revised Second Edition

John Paul Jackson probably carries the label of "out there" a bit charasmatic, over the top.  As I took his 201 course on Dreams and Visions, a bit skeptical, I found nothing contrary to the Word of God.

In the evangelical realm of the church, this is a topic shied away from at best, or met with suspicious warnings at the least.  I grew up with the latter.

When I was twelve, I had a dream about a friend crying for help.  He was "trapped" against something.  Later, he was indeed "trapped" in his swimming pook but a gone awry back hoe piling sand around his above ground pool, he almost died.  As a young girl, this was freightening.  I told my mother about it immediately because I was so upset.  Mom said to pray  ( which I give her credit for that wisdom)  but didn't make a big deal about it at all.  So, I asked my youth Pastor that did make a big deal about not being involved in fortune telling, the dangers of it, the warnings in the Word.  And that warning kept me skeptical throughout my adult life,  Even after I had prayed and asked God to take away such dreams, "incidents" continued.  Once, as a young Pastor's wife, the Lord awakened me in the night several times with vivid dreams about a leader in a church and his "affair".  The third night, I awakened my husband and said, "You are the Pastor, you deal with it, I am going to get some sleep."--I did not yet understand that I was being called into a ministry of intercession.

My study with John Paul Jackson confirmed many things I had learned in over 53 years as a believer.  I am glad for that early warning from my youth Pastor, which kept me seeking ONLY what the Word had to say.  It kept  me grounded and not caught up in some new age philosophy or psychology.  But, as I experienced and as I studied, I learned the scriptures talk about dreams, visions, levitations, tranferences and even though I had been told they were Old Testament, scripture did not bear that out for me.

God works in our nice little denominational boxes of theology, but He is NOT limited to it!  And we are told in the last days there will be dreams and visions and that HE will pour out His Spirit on ALL flesh.  Does all mean all?

I learned that I was not unique.  But these things were not discussed commonly in Christian circles except for those "out there" prophetic/charasmatic/Pentecostal types.  I wan't any of those things, by experience, tradtion or denomination, so what do I do with experience?  I use my gifting,in humility and keep it to myself until that time the Lord says share it with the body.  That day is coming up--pray that the church as a whole will embrace all that is good and pure and true and lovely.  Pray that we will become ONE CHURCH under the ONE true God operating in His fulness.  Pray that as one church we will embrace all HIS GIFTS, all his people--every tribe and nation, Jew and Gentile, Male and Female...for HIS GLORY.

I am grateful for the John Paul Jacksons and the John Sandfords that were willing to be "out there" investigating the moves of God so that we all might walk in more power and understanding.  But, let us be very very careful to discern all things, to filter everything through the Word of God and HIS SPIRIT, let us not walk in the flesh nor the tradtions of men, but by EVERY Word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

As we walk into the end times trials, the gifts of discernment will become increasing important to the rest of the Body of Christ.  We need to know how to weild our weapons of warfare.  We need to become HIS powerful church, not a powerless tradition of head knowledge without the Spirit.

Church Awaken!  Messiah is Coming.  His Church will prosper.