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  1. Persecuted! He was preaching Your Word on the street one day, when the police came and said, here you can't stay! They took him away to a cell so cold ; and there he'll stay a long time, he was told. A long time of torture and pain went by, as they tried to make him renounce his faith or die. All the way, You were there by his side, with Your comfort whenever he cried. Urging him to be faithful till the end, not denying his best Friend! He stood steadfast on his faith, not wavering at all; but had decided to be faithful to the call. One day he was finally released from the prison; and he continued to preach about You Who has risen! 23.02.24.
  2. Gereja Kristen Kemah Daun Kelurahan Rajabasa Jaya, Bandar Lampung, Indonesia disallow to build their church even though they have fulfill the qualification to build the church. The village authorities (Kelurahan) have not given permission for various reasons. Bandar Lampung is one of the regions in Indonesia. Indonesia is a Muslim majority country. Even though Indonesia guarantees freedom of religion and worship in its legal provisions. In practice, much of the persecution is carried out by governments dominated by Muslim officials and among Muslim communities. In general, minorities such as Christians, Buddhists or Hindus find it difficult to build places of worship even when worshiping with their families in their own homes. There are always Muslims who protest and get angry when they worship in their own homes in several places. Source: Instagram (@KabarSejuk)
  3. Christian employees of an oil palm plantation owned by PT Incasi Raya in the south of Pesisir Selatan Regency, West Sumatra are prohibited from worshiping by the company.This company's employees use tarpaulin for Christian worship. The company argued that traditional institutions in West Sumatra which are managed by Muslims prohibit worship for non-Muslims in the area of plantation. Source: https://langgam.id/sulitnya-jemaat-kristiani-beribadah-di-perkebunan-sawit-sumbar/ https://www.instagram.com/p/CyqTIEuyoH4/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
  4. Muslim residents in Deli Serdang, Indonesia dispersed church congregations who were worshiping in a shophouse in the Tanjung Morawa area. In many areas in Indonesia, minorities such as Christians, Buddhists and others find it difficult to worship even in their own homes. Usually the perpetrators who prohibit worship are local Muslim residents. Source: https://www.detik.com/sumut/berita/d-6984878/detik-detik-jemaat-kerja-di-deli-serdang-dibubarkan-warga-saat-beribadah
  5. Abba Father, I know that when I wanna live a Godly life in the Lord, I shall be persecuted, and my husband and I have been there for 20 +years now. I pray for all our other brothers and sisters in the Lord whom also are being persecuted for the Lord's sake right now, thank You that You are near us, helping us to endure till the end, even to death, being faithful to You and the sum of Your Holy Word. Even if we are poor, in prison, being mocked and beaten up, and some of us will be killed for the Lord's sake, we will not go astray from You or Your Holy Word, as we love You so much, and have decided to be faithful until death.... Thank You for giving us all we need to survive and to serve You in Holiness and Godliness, in this dark and rotten world, being both light and salt. Make us stronger in the sum of Your Holy Word and in the Holy Spirit, so we can be able to expose all false doctrines, including the "prosperity doctrine". I know that Your protection is over us, and I trust that Your Peace/Shalom, Your Love and Joy will be in us through it all! Let only Your loving will and plan be done in our lives in every way! 🙏🏽 In Yeshua's Name! Amiina!
  6. Shalom! First I will urge you to remember, all those who are being heavily PERSECUTED for the Lord's sake right now ; sits in prison/jail, are beaten and tortured and even killed! I've learned that if I wanna live a Godly life in the LORD, I shall be PERSECUTED, and I have been there for nearly 20 years now, experienced persecution in Norway 🇳🇴 in different ways. I really don't mind when the unsaved are mocking me etc, I can only laugh 😂 at it, but when those who claim to be Christians do the same thing, it grieves 😔 me, for their sake, as it tells me that they are not interested in living a Godly life in the LORD, because they don't wanna be persecuted (?). In countries where they are used to be persecuted for the Lord's sake, and actually know that it will happen sooner or later, they teach and preach it from the "pulpit", but that is not the case for the "western union", I believe, where the "prosperity teaching" has overtaken the true Gospel of the Lord. So, my question is, have you been, or are you persecuted for the Lord's sake? And/or are you willing to be persecuted for the Lord's sake if so be? If you are being PERSECUTED for the Lord's sake right now, please know that we are many whom are praying for you in a regular basis, and you are not alone! Please endure to the end, and draw even closer to Him. Forgive, bless and love those who persecute you, and pray for them. May the Lord's peace and grace be with you, always!
  7. I watched an interesting video the other day. A Messianic Jew was visiting a congregation in the UK, and he gave his testimony, among other things. He said that several years ago he and his family were persecuted in the Ukraine because they were Jews, so they decided to escape to Israel 🇮🇱. His name is Igal Vender, and you can search him up to get to know his whole testimony etc. I just wanted to focus on the fact that he and his family were persecuted in the Ukraine. And I assume that the persecution against the Jews in Ukraine has not decreased during the years, but unfortunately rather the opposite. I've read somewhere that the Ukraine elite allows people who are nazi? That doesn't sound good to me, and I hope it is not true, but I know that the Jews has been, and most likely are being PERSECUTED there in Ukraine, and what a country sow, it will reap eventually, right? Don't misunderstand me now, I'm not for war. I only know that what a country sow, it will reap. As a boomerang?
  8. This one is lengthy, almost 45 minutes, but I think it is worth your time. I found it fascinating and delightful, and should be encouraging and helpful to Christians. I was tempted to put it in the Bible Topics area, there is a not of Bible in it. However it is more of a testimony of the remarkable events of Corrie's life of how she came to be imprisoned in Nazi Germany for hiding Jews from persecution, and her experiences in concentration camps. Did you know fleas and lice, can be a blessing from God, and an ant can give you a sermon? There are lessons here, for any who might find themselves in persecution, (real persecution, not merely being ridiculed for your faith at the work place) to see how faith can see us through, should such events ever befall us.
  9. CHINA: FIRSTFRUITS OF AN ANTICHRIST SURVEILLANCE GOVERNMENT "...President Xi Jinping considers Christians one of the greatest threats to his power. Underground churches are listed as one of the ‘new black five’ national security threats in China. It’s new under this president for churches to be classified as a national security threat. The government-sanctioned churches that are allowed to exist right now have unique restrictions. Each church has to install a facial-recognition camera in front of the pulpit. The purpose is to identify certain people in the congregation. Many classes of people are banned from entering into any church. These include young people under 18 years old, college students, doctors or medical professionals, civil servants, military members and educators. If they’re found, immediately their boss or a government official will be speaking with them. These are huge ramifications right now. It really began after President Xi Jinping took office in 2012. He is now nicknamed ‘Emperor Xi’ since he successfully removed his term limits in March of this year. When he took power, the mass forced demolition of crosses started in Zhejiang province. That area is called the Jerusalem of China. ... These are government-sanctioned churches. The house churches do not have buildings or a cross. ... On February 1 of this year, a new law called ‘Regulations on the Administration of Religious Affairs’ took effect. Things have become dramatically even worse. Bible-burning campaigns are happening across China. ... China is perhaps the world’s most sophisticated surveillance police state. It’s beyond anything the U.S. does. Some of these efforts are aided by greedy American companies. ... Apple decided to remove all virtual private networks from Apple Stores across China. They have a segregated Chinese version of the Apple iCloud. Supposedly this China iCloud is still part of Apple, offering iTunes content. But it’s totally controlled by the Chinese government. Cisco and Google are similar. China has the most cameras in the whole world, on every street corner." "...I noted how China has five categories of dangerous people. Now China is also building the world’s largest so-called ‘social credit’ system. If you get a traffic ticket, then one point of morality is deducted. If you are found in the underground church, your social score is essentially zero. You lose your right to buy airplane tickets. Last week, I was in South Korea attending a house church leadership conference. But 240 out of 300 church leaders were blocked in Chinese airports, even including Hong Kong, and declared as national security threats. They were not allowed to board the flight when they checked in to Customs.” - Way of Life Literature More here...
  10. Greetings in Christ! And blessings to everyone who reads this thread. In the last month or so I have come across three separate dreams that all point in the same direction: Violence may be coming to Christians in the United States in the foreseeable future. These three dreams I will post in succession in this thread. I am not necessarily seeking responses so much as simply posting it as a type of prophetic warning for those who might be effected. This will be something the church in the West is not accustomed to, so the more those who will be involved are warned in advance, the more they will be prepared to deal with it without losing faith or hope in Christ in the midst of it. Should anyone have any questions, they can post me here or privately. Dream #1 (posted three weeks ago, at another Forum I occasionally frequent): _________________________ "I woke up this morning to this very vivid dream - as if I was right there. It was dreary (either dawn or dusk in a snowy/freezing rain/wet and potentially icy roads scene). I can't remember seeing anything so clearly in person and I don't watch scary movies for thrills and didn't have a late night snack that might make me have a dream like this. I am asking you for any insights God may give you. The young man appeared in color, though I really only noticed his head and the amputated left arm with freshly exposed flesh in color. DREAM: I am driving down the road. I forget where I was going - maybe home - but it certainly felt like it was something that was a regular routine. An alert came on my phone about BLOOD in the area. I had never seen a warning like that before on my phone. Then, a map popped up and the "blood" was on the entry ramp to the highway that I was about to get on. I pulled over and got out of the car. Others had pulled over, too, and some were ahead of me on the scene trying to help. Yet, I yelled "I'm calling 911." three times as I was dialing. Then this young man came to me (all of the sudden and out of seemingly out of nowhere) with his left arm completely chopped off about a few inches below the shoulder.and said in an eerily calm voice: "You need to take me to the hospital now." It didn't even appear that he was dripping blood (like it would need a torniquet), it was just open flesh. I didn't even notice a bone just open flesh. So, I yelled down the road I had been on "Does anyone know how to put a torniquet on?" three times I yelled the same thing with no reply. Then, I was going to be taking him and wondering how I was going to get a policeman's attention on the way since I was in an insufficient vehicle to drive as fast as I felt I needed to in order to get the young man to the hospital. The reason I felt that was it had recently snowed and the roads were wet and potentially icey and I was driving our rear-wheel drive car (which is not very safe to drive fast in icey conditions). I woke up to that dream at shortly after 5 AM this morning. Thoughts?" _________________________ My interpretation for him was as follows: "Greetings... I believe your dream is a serious one, and a warning that violence may be coming to Christians in America in the foreseeable future. The symbolism breaks down piece by piece as follows: - Dreary, potentially icy roads/ unsafe traveling conditions = The road some Christians and Christians ministries in the US will be traveling in the future will be a violent one, “unsafe” for the flesh. - You feel you are “driving home” = Sufferings are the path Christians have traditionally taken to get “home,” i.e. to Heaven, and it will be so again here. - “It felt like a regular routine” = This suggests the regular routine of the modern church is going to be broken. The modern church has had it easy (at least in the West) until relatively recently, making the violent attacks that will be coming seem like something “new.” But the fact is, persecution and affliction have always been a part of life for believers since New Testament times. As Paul once told Timothy, “all who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12) - Phone = Messages coming through a phone usually represent receiving prophetic warnings from God, and this is the case here as well. This entire dream is essentially a message to you that violent attacks are going to be coming to believers. You “received” this message on your “phone” when you received this dream. - “Blood in the Area” = “in the area” here is taken to mean the US, though it may also refer to attacks in your area specifically. But keep in mind, the early stages of this dream’s fulfillment might start happening soon, but the greater likelihood is that this will take place in coming years and decades, not weeks or months. - Highway = An expression for taking the “highway” to Heaven, which involves “suffering unto blood” (Hebrews 12:4). The “ramp” leading to this highway is afflictions, as indicated by the blood in that area specifically. - Cars “pull over” and try to help = Cars refer to ministries in dreams, and that they will “pull over” (i.e. from their normal ministry functions) means that they will be redirecting their efforts towards helping the afflicted once this phenomenon starts becoming more common. - No answer from 911 = These attacks will no longer be stopped by human authority. This is rather frightening, but it is what appears to be represented here. But again, understand that this will be ordained of God, since believers are ultimately appointed to it (1 Thessalonians 3:3). - A man says, “You need to take me to the hospital now” in eerily calm voice = Suggests he will be resigned to it. This may be due to a certain feeling of helplessness among believers in coming years. It appears they will feel there is no way to stop it, which again would make sense if the authorities are turning more of a blind eye. The “hospital” here would be deliverance from such conditions. - Man appears suddenly, with his arm chopped off = Islamic terrorism... While the attacks will probably come from a variety of sources, Islam may in all likelihood become the dominant one eventually. Islam is a religion of the sword, and an arm being "chopped off" is indicative of a sword wound. But now please don’t misunderstand. This should not be taken as literally describing the types of weapons that will use; only the source behind where these attacks will in all likelihood be coming from: Islamic terrorist cells operating within the US. This may seem like a reach on such a scanty symbolic reference, but I know of other prophecies that suggest Islam is going to bring terrorism to US shores eventually. And again, what makes terrorism so frightening is that it comes “out of nowhere.” - Arm not dripping blood = Tricky, but after prayer I sensed this points to how the man’s blood had already fallen “in the area,” i.e. into the ground. Scripture says that the martyrdom of the saints often results in their blood “calling out from the ground,” meaning that the area itself will call out to God for judgment against the oppressors. This would make it yet another suggestion that those who appeal to the authorities and get little help from them, and have no choice but to turn to God for deliverance. - No reply to “Does anyone know how to put on a tourniquet?” = Tourniquets prevent blood flow, with the suggestion here that the church will be helpless to prevent blood loss from occurring. It will have already occurred, and trying to stop the coming persecution will be futile. - Not able to get to a hospital fast = This means that this coming time of persecution and affliction is going to last for a good while, before anything resembling “healing” comes. ... Let me know if you have any thoughts on this interpretation. _________________________ The other two dreams I received were from members here at Worthy; one posted publicly, and the other sent to me in private. The one in private suggests one of the reasons why authorities may increasingly fail to come to the aid of persecuted Christians in this country is that the next two Presidential terms following Trump's stay in office may usher in wicked people who secretly serve the kingdom of darkness (as Hillary Clinton does). This, combined with an increased social climate of hatred towards Christians in general will be what eventually leads to an entirely different spiritual climate in this country in coming years. I will post the other two dreams at a later time.* In Christ, Hidden *Please note: The other two dreams are posted on pages 2 and 3 respectively.
  11. "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.” - Jesus (Matt. 24:9 NIV) In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, - Paul (2 Tim. 3:12 NIV) The Bible warns us that we will be persecuted for following Jesus. Because the types of persecution we usually face in countries like the US is usually relatively mild, we can have a hard time relating to this important truth. Yet, all throughout the last 2,000 years of history and all around the world today, Christians often face violent persecution. For a long time I’ve felt that the short (26 minutes) movie Stephen’s Test of Faith does an excellent job helping us relate to the important Biblical truth about persecution. Although the movie is made so that children and youth can watch it and relate to it, in my opinion it is just as effective for adults. In the form of a dream that a young boy has, the movie reviews examples of persecution throughout history. The movie was made in 1998, and is now available free on YouTube. The YouTube version is not HD, and looks better on a small computer screen. The story is so well told that the lack of HD quality does not really distract from the message. One More Story In addition to the true stories we see in Stephen’s dream in the movie, I would like to add one more true story. This story took place while we were living in a Muslim majority nation. We had friendly, good relations with many of our Muslim neighbors during the fourteen years we lived there. But there were radical Islamic groups which brought persecution to Christians living in our city and province. We always had nationals living in our house with us, which was a blessing for many reasons. One of these nationals had a good Christian friend whom I’ll call Mary. Mary was from a Christian family. Mary lived outside the city, so when she visited our home she would take public transportation into the city. The most popular form of public transportation was mini-vans which had been turned into mini-buses. There were thousands of these. One day when Mary arrived at our home, she was visibly shaken. In fact, she appeared to be in shock. She immediately entered the room of her Christian Indonesian lady friend who was living in our home at that time. After a couple of hours she came out. She then told us what had happened on the way to our house. Mary was on a mini-van bus heading into the city. Her bus stopped and a young man got on whom she did not know. Based on the books that he was carrying and the fact that he got on at a stop near a small Christian college, she guessed that he was a Christian. As the mini-van bus entered the city they encountered a massive traffic jam. The young Christian man said, “I can see that something is going to happen here.” Eventually they got to the source of the traffic jam. A group of radicals had set up a roadblock. When the mini-bus reached the roadblock, radical Muslim students forced it to stop. They requested the citizen ID cards (which include a person’s religion) from all the male passengers on the bus. The young Christian man explained that he had lost his ID card. The radical students then demanded that he recite the Islamic Creed, "There is no God but God, and Mohammed is his prophet." The young Christian man calmly said, "I'm sorry, I can't do that, I'm not a Muslim, I'm a follower of Jesus." The Muslim students then forced the young man off the bus. They held him down and severely beat him. They then placed his head under another vehicle behind the mini bus and told the driver to go forward. The driver of the other vehicle was almost certainly Muslim, but he refused to drive forward. This made the radical students angry, and they beat the young Christian man again. As Mary's mini-bus pulled away, the last thing she saw was the Muslim students throwing the body of the young Christian man into a large sewage canal. She assumed he was dead. The next day a local newspaper confirmed Mary’s story reporting the five Christians had been hospitalized as a result of being beaten at this roadblock. Setting up a roadblock and checking for Christians was not a one time thing in our city. It was called “sweeping” and occurred multiple times. Although Mary was from a Christian family and identified herself as a Christian, it was not clear that she really had accepted the Lord yet when she witnessed this terrible event. Almost exactly a year to the day after this event, we were blessed to witness Mary’s baptism after she wholeheartedly committed her life to Christ. Mary lived in a setting where Christians were often persecuted. She witnessed firsthand a traumatic case of violent persecution. But this didn’t prevent her from choosing to follow the Lord. We knew other Christians who experienced persecution during our years living in a Muslim nation. I’ve shared two of their stories in blog posts here and here. Two Applications What should we do in light of the Bible’s teaching about persecution and these stories which verify that this teaching still applies in the world today? Here are some ways we should respond: 1. We should be encouraged to stand firm in the Lord when we are threatened with or experience persecution for following Him and living by His Word. Persecution takes many forms: slander, lost relationships, and lost income are not as severe as being beaten, imprisoned, or killed. Yet, we should not underestimate how painful and costly these less severe forms of persecution can be. When you face these, remember Jesus and stories of others who have stood firm, stories in the Bible and stories throughout history, and with God’s help stand firm. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Eph. 6:13 NIV) 2. We should pray, work, and give for the continued spread of the gospel in spite of strong opposition. We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition. (1 Thess. 2:2 NIV) 3. We should remember those who are suffering severe persecution. Prayer is powerful. We can pray for the persecuted. We can also give financially to support gospel ministry and Christian work in areas where there is severe persecution. Finally, we should be prepared to go if God calls us and to support others who are sent by God. Remember the prisoners, as though you were in prison with them, and the mistreated, as though you yourselves were suffering bodily. (Hebrews 13:3 CSB) This was originally a post on my blog.
  12. I want to run away once I finish high school but I don't know how and I'm so scared. I don't have any money, I financially depend on my father. I want to get a part-time job and save money till I'm done with high school but my father doesn't let me and threatens me. And I don't know how to run away with no money. Simply moving out is not an option for me, I have to go to another country cause if I stay in this country, he will %100 find me, drag me home and imprison me. I also want to live in a Christian country. I'm so sick of being surrounded by intolerant muslims and not being able to go to church. I want to run away cause they don't accept me as I am. I am a Christian and they're super conservative, strict, narrow-minded muslims with sick brains and thoughts. I don't support the political party they support. I haven't told these things openly to them but they probably know it. They ask me if I'm going to vote for that party they support and I either don't say anything or change the subject. They've found my Bible once. They yelled at me and grounded me and threw it in the bin. My father checks my browser history- I'm not allowed to delete it- sometimes I do delete certain websites like Christian websites but one time I forgot to, and he saw those websites, Christian forums, audio Bible etc and he got so angry and took my phone away. He abuses me mentally, verbally, emotionally every single day. He controls me. I'm turning 18 in 2 months and still he tells me what to do, where to go, what to wear, what to eat, who to hang out with, when to go to sleep etc. I'm tired of them controlling me. Living with them makes me suicidal. I feel like a criminal under watch all the time. Unfortunately, reporting him to the appropriate authorities is not an option either, because seriously no one cares. I'm from Turkey by the way. Like girls are getting raped and nothing is done about it. Who cares if a Christian girl is being mentally tortured by her parents? She's a Christian so she deserves it, right? Sadly, many people working in the government think so. I don't know what to do. I have this friend I've known for about 5 years, she's my best friend. I completely trust her. She's Romanian and lives in Romania. She says you can come here, get a scholarship from a university, find a job. But I'm scared. What if I can't get a scholarship? How am I going to pay for my education then? How am I going to apply for scholarships, a passport etc when my father is watching me like a hawk all the time? I need money but how do I make money when I'm not allowed to work? I don't know what to do. I'm hopeless, I'm desperate. I'm considering to take my own life if I can't run away cause I seriously can't take it anymore.
  13. Daily Reading 29 If you prefer, you can look up the following verses in your own Bible, of by whatever means and in whatever version you choose. Luke 21 Genesis 38 Psalm 29 Audio 4:18 Audio 4:34 Audio 1:16 The above addresses are linked to Bible Gateway. That is an easy way to read (or listen to) the Bible verses, and choose your version. Personally, I prefer written, that way I can go at my own pace, on think about it, before moving on. Nothing wrong with doing either or both. The Bible says faith comes by hearing. See the picture below to get an idea of what to expect if you follow the above links. Note: The audio will not play the exact verses, it will play the whole chapters, in which the verses exist. Thank you Lord for making the your word so accessible for us in these times. Amen
  14. Luke 18:1 - "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up." Since He has given humanity authority over the earth, He requires the permission or authorization of mankind in order to act on the earth. This is why, when we stop praying, we allow God's purposes for the world to be hindered. Matthew 16:19 - "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven ; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." AFFIRMATIONS: I bind and cast out those things that are unfruitful and I loose the blessings of God in my life through the confession of His word. (Matthew 16:19) Since I live vitally united to Jesus and his words continue to live in my heart, I ask whatever I will, and it shall be done for me. (John 15:7) I continually ask, seek, and knock concerning the things God has prepared for me because Jesus says I will receive, find, and it will be opened for me. (Matthew 7:7,8) "Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 3:13-14 The breath of God, in its infinite capacity, is breathing and moving through every grave that holds dead dreams; through the graves of hope deferred; through everything that has tangled your faith and paralyzed your movement. He who was and is, and is to come is speaking life into the make-up of who you are, confounding the frequency of the sound of every voice that speaks against your destiny and calling in Christ. God will heal your vision in the midst of the impossibility that He turns intopossibility. The loss and wilderness you have walked through these past years will turn into a gateway of hope. He will make your vision whole in His love, and your heart will overflow with life and with a testimony that will resound all around you. Your Redeemer lives! 2 Peter 3:14 - "With this to look forward to, do your utmost to be found at peace with Him, unblemished and above reproach in his sight." Observation: WE WANT A PEACE THAT TEMPORARILY COMFORTS AND CODDLES BECAUSE WE DO NOT LIKE TO BE CHALLENGED OR CHANGED. THE PEACE THAT FLOWS INTO US FROM THE LORD SATISFIES THE SOUL WITH FULL ASSURANCE THAT HE IS STILL FOR US, EVEN AS WE ARE BEING TAKEN THROUGH FIRE - IN WHICH WE CAN BE CHANGED INTO HIS LIKENESS. 2 Corinthians 3:18 - "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRYhttp://afministry.ning.com
  15. Jeremiah 33:3 - "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable thing you do not know." PRAYER IS MEANT TO BE ANSWERED - OR GOD WOULD NOT ASK US TO PRAY. JESUS DIDN'T PRAY WITHOUT EXPECTING TO BE HEARD. Hebrews 3:13 - "But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." Develop a "discipleship consciousness" and a "love-consciousness" for the lost as well as for the brethren. We do this through love bydiscipling new believers into a consciousness of their inheritance in Christ (Galatians 5:6 - "For in Jesus Christ .... faith which worketh by love." Affirmations: I STIR UP MY FAITH AND EXPERIENCE MORE DEEPLY THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD IN MY LIFE THROUGH THE EXHORTATION AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF OTHER BELIEVERS. I INTEND TO FIND A WAY TO ENCOURAGE SOMEONE WHO NEEDS STRENGTH AND UNDERSTANDING TODAY! Psalm 141:3 - "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips." Observation: THE WORLD IS LIKE A RUSHING RIVER, PULLING AT ME, TRYING TO GET ME TO FLOW WITH IT. Affirmation: I MAKE THE DECISION TODAY TO PADDLE UPSTREAM AGAINST THE CURRENT BY SPEAKING GOD'S WORD INTO MY LIFE. Proverbs 4:20 - "My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRYhttp://afministry.ning.com
  16. Isaiah 43:18,19 - "Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing: now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." When we catch a glimpse the new identity we have in Jesus Christ, we see sin to be the boring, useless, and stupid thing it really is and we turn more easily away from it. This other side has to do with the rich inheritance that we share in with Jesus Christ as co-heirs (see Romans 8:17; Ephesians 1:7, 11). We need to spend much more time confessing, not our sins, but who we are in Christ. Affirmation: I AM BELIEVING FOR GOD TO DO A NEW THING IN MY LIFE. Jude 3 - "Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." Observation: CONTEND MEANS TO FIGHT OR WAGE BATTLE. THERE IS CONSTANT OPPOSITION AND RESISTANCE TO MY PURSUIT OF GOD IN BOTH THE NATURAL AND SPIRITUAL REALMS! In closeness to Him, you are safe. In the intimacy of His Presence, you are energized. No matter where you are in the world, you know you belong when you sense His nearness. Ever since the Fall, man has experienced a gaping emptiness that only His Presence can fill. He designed you for close communion with your Creator. How He enjoyed walking in the garden with Adam and Eve before the evil one deceived them! When you commune with Him in the garden of your heart, both you and He are blessed. This is His way of living in the world—through you! Together you will push back the darkness, for He is the Light of the world. "You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance." - Psalm 32:7 "Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, 'Where are you?'” - Genesis 3:8–9 "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'” - John 8:12 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
  17. The enemy has many Christians trapped in unbelief and self-condemnation. They know what they did was wrong and they hate it, but they cannot unburden themselves of the guilt. Remember, our Redeemer came to proclaim liberty to those who are "prisoners" (see Isaiah 61:1). Is He speaking only of those who are incarcerated in jails? No, His mission is for all of us who are prisoners of our past failures. God wants us to learn from our mistakes, not be held captive to them. Jesus came to deliver and restore those whose dreams lie buried in self-blame. Today God is restoring joy to His people. Many whom the Lord has touched were weighed down – just like you might be – with either moral failure or tragedy. In the very place where our deferred hopes produced heart sickness, Christ is here" to bind up the brokenhearted" (Isaiah 61:1). Where once sorrow and heaviness reigned, He gives a "garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting" (v. 3). No longer will church attendance be a penance for our failures. From now on we shall enter His gates with thanksgiving. Indeed, to every Christian struggling with an unbearable burden, the Lord says, "You are still My Bride." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
  18. Ephesians 1: 9,10 - "Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might GATHER TOGETHER IN ONE ALL THINGS IN CHRIST, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him." THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE OF GOD IS THAT ALL THINGS WILL BE SUMMED UP IN HIS SON. Observation: IF I DO NOT KEEP THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE OF GOD AS THE FOCUS OF MY LIFE, AND ASSURE THAT ALL I DO IS FOUNDED IN JESUS I WILL BE CONTINUALLY DISTRACTED FROM THE RIVER OF LIFE. John 6:63 - "It is the spirit that quickeneth (or makes alive) ; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." Jesus described the words that He spoke as "spirit and life" -- Jesus' words were an investment into others revealing the heart of His Father to them. When He opened His mouth, word-shaped containers of God's grace would bring Heaven to earth in the hearts of the hungry that heard Him. They still do today through the mouths of believers advancing His kingdom. Affirmation: EVERY TIME I TAKE THE WORD INTO MY HEART, BELIEVE IT AND ACT ON IT, THAT LIFE OF WHICH JESUS SPOKE, THE VERY LIFE OF GOD HIMSELF, IS RELEASED IN ME. Try to see things more and more from His perspective. Let the Light of His Presence so fully fill your mind that you view the world through Him. When little things don’t go as you had hoped, look to Him lightheartedly and say, “Oh, well.” This simple discipline can protect you from being burdened with an accumulation of petty cares and frustrations. If you practice this diligently, you will make a life-changing discovery: You realize that most of the things that worry you are not important. If you shrug them off immediately and return your focus to Him, you will walk through your days with lighter steps and a joyful heart. When serious problems come your way, you will have more reserves for dealing with them. You will not have squandered your energy on petty problems. You may even reach the point where you can agree with the apostle Paul that all your troubles are light and momentary, compared with the eternal glory being achieved by them. "A man’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?" - Proverbs 20:24 "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." - 2 Corinthians 4:17–18 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
  19. Ephesians 1:17,18 -- "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling.." The dreams and visions God births in us bring revelation, illumination, and inspiration. The Holy Spirit instantly reveals spiritual knowledge about God and His ways through direct or indirect revelation to a person's spirit. Revelation is not learned through the intellect (Greek - "gnosis" – assumption or scientific, methodical knowledge) -- it is imparted into the depths of the spirit, which brings an exact, truthful knowledge (Greek - "epignosis"). Revelation comes from the Greek word "apokalypsis". It means the unveiling of mysteries which have been hidden or concealed, and are revealed or discovered by removing a covering. Revelation comes to bring an accelerated transformation that births change, and that forwards one's movements or quickens their actions in the spirit. The spirit realm moves at a much greater speed than the natural realm to allow miracles to occur. Habakkuk 2:14 - "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, As the waters cover the sea." Without revelation knowledge we will never progress to the next dimension of supernatural glory. The glory realm requires a humble spirit that is motivated by total dependence upon the leading of the Holy Spirit. FAITH AND DOMINION Faith is the gift God gave to everyone. We all have a measure of faith (Romans 12:3). However, the faith of the Believer allows us to take dominion in the natural realm and also over satan in the spiritual realm. Walking in His authority is actually more than just a right that has been given to us, it's our responsibility. As joint heirs with Christ, we have a responsibility to walk in His authority TAKING DOMINION. He has called us to be good stewards of His Kingdom while we are here on earth, and walking in His authority goes hand in hand with being a good steward of the Kingdom. "It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch."—Mark 13:34 We must SEEK and access God's glorious presence, heavenly plans, and our DESTINY in Christ. The "glory" is the atmosphere of Heaven that gives evidence of God's supreme power manifesting His visible presence to humanity when, and how, He desires. Matthew 7:8 AMP - "For everyone who keeps on asking receives: and he who keeps on seeking finds: and to him who keeps on knocking, (the door) will be opened." God's higher thoughts, glorious light, and plans enter our spirit and our dreams to imprint spiritual pictures and blueprints on our subconscious or image center. 1 Corinthians 2:10 - "But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit, for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." ILLUMINATION AND INSPIRATION Illumination is spiritual and intellectual enlightenment. Inspiration is the ability to communicate the understood, discovered truths of God to others. Hebrews 5:12 - "For by this time you ought to be teachers...." To spiritually inspire is to guide, affect, or arouse by the divine influence of the Holy Spirit. 2 Timothy 2:2 - "You should teach people whom you can trust the things you and many others have heard me say. Then they will be able to teach others." Discipling others (individually) is essential to the advancement of the Kingdom of God. Are you willing to spend and be spent; not seeking to be ministered unto, but to minister? The Spirit of the Lord calls to the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us, to impart revelation knowledge, illumination, and inspiration. Jeremiah 15:19 - "If you return, then I will restore you - Before Me you will stand; and if you extract the precious from the worthless, you will become My spokesman." If we allow the Holy Spirit to move through us, we will be constantly searching for those whose lives are formless and void. We will become a bridge for them into the glorious, creative purposes of God. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
  20. The Apostle Paul lived in the green-light district of the Gospel. He didn't need signs in the heavens to convince Him to obey the Scriptures. When Jesus said, "Go!" that was enough. "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them....." - Matthew 28:19,20 Many believers are unwilling to take any new risks or to stretch beyond the known comfort of the church to take the love of God to those who know nothing of it. God requires to be represented by a fiery church, or He is not in any proper sense, represented at all. God, himself, is all on fire, and his church, if it is to be like him, must also be at white heat. "The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire." Psalm 29:7 The "sound" of your Godly calling (DESTINY) should be nothing less than the driving force behind how you live your entire life. If the things to which you feel called do not require spiritual resources as well as natural labor, then perhaps you aren't fulfilling your call to its full potential. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com
  21. "Feed My Sheep." - John 21:17 If I love my Lord I have to FEED HIS SHEEP. There is no relief and no release from this commission. Beware of counterfeiting the love of God by working along the line of natural human sympathy. The Spirit of wisdom gives you ability that is beyond your ability. It is the creative ability to flow in the thing He is asking you to do. "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. - Ephesians 1:17 PRAYER: Lord, make me a tabernacle for Your Spirit like the tabernacle of old. Fill me with Your Shekinah glory. AFFIRMATIONS: Jesus knows my name. Jesus loves me personally. Jesus gave all for me. Jesus deserves all from me. I realize that I am put here to do the will of God on earth as it is in Heaven. I reject the expectations of the world and begin to discern the yoke that God has called me to carry. Isaiah 54:11 - "You afflicted, tossed with storms, and not comforted, look, I will set your stones in beautiful colors, and lay your foundations with sapphires." God moves on people who are willing to step away from older methods that are no longer effective and step into new strategies coming now from Heaven. God shakes things so that your foundation will be firmly established and you will be able to handle the new levels and anointing. Don't look at the storm, but keep your eyes on Jesus! Trust Him enough to let things happen without striving to predict or control them. Relax, and refresh yourself in the Light of His everlasting Love. His Love-Light never dims, yet you are often unaware of His radiant Presence. When you project yourself into the future, rehearsing what you will do or say, you are seeking to be self-sufficient: to be adequate without His help. This is a subtle sin—so common that it usually slips by unnoticed. The alternative is to live fully in the present, depending on Him each moment. Rather than fearing your inadequacy, rejoice in His abundant supply. Train your mind to seek His help continually, even when you feel competent to handle something by yourself. Don’t divide your life into things you can do by yourself and things that require My help. Instead, learn to rely on Him in every situation. This discipline will enable you to enjoy life more and to face each day confidently. "Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun." - Psalm 37:3–6 "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:19 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
  22. Polycarp (mentored by the apostle John) faced persecution and honored the Lord. I want to be like Polycarp--I want to honor Jesus if/when we are persecuted in our day.
  23. We as kings and priests in God's kingdom are the anointed ones, the sons and daughters of fresh oil, endued with gifts of power, strength, and grace to enable us to accomplish the work we're called to (our DESTINY). If you allow the conditions of life to dictate your level of worship, they will also determine and limit your altitude. "Those whose wait on the Lord....shall mount up with wings like eagles." - Isaiah 40:31 The purity God requires from us is impossible for us. We must allow Him to produce it in us. Purity produces in us godliness when we consistently sit at the feet of Jesus. "...beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into His likeness ....." - 2 Corinthians 3:18 Pay no attention to the present affairs of your life -- Seek to un-busy your thoughts -- Behold Him in the most inward recess of your spirit that you can find. AFFIRMATIONS:I start thinking outside myself and inside the Word -- and let Jesus bless the world through me! When I have the Word of God deposited in my spirit, I'll act on it no matter what the circumstances. As I keep pushing out the limits and going further in my effort to advance the purposes of God, I am taking my life to a higher level. Isaiah 61: 1, 2-- is a familiar passage, yet ever-powerful -- in order to understand more about wielding our God-given authority in the power of His might. "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor...." There is an anointing available to us to proclaim, prophesy, decree, and declare a season of favor! What's more, the impact of this anointing really comes into position once we come to understand what it means to be a servant of the Lord. Being God's servant means there is an authority available to us under or in the anointing, that in the moment we decree "favor" over someone's life they have to come into favor! It'sunder the province of an open heaven, when there's a realm of the spirit, that we can make decrees that change destinies through the spoken word. No matter what your circumstances may be, you can find Joy in His Presence. On some days Joy is generously strewn along your life-path, glistening in the sunlight. On days like that, being content is as simple as breathing the next breath or taking the next step. Other days are overcast and gloomy; you feel the strain of the journey, which seems endless. Dull gray rocks greet your gaze and cause your feet to ache. Yet Joy is still attainable. Search for it as for hidden treasure. Begin by remembering that He has created this day; it is not a chance occurrence. Recall that He is present with you whether you sense His Presence or not. Then, start talking with Him about whatever is on your mind. Rejoice in the fact that He understands you perfectly, and that He knows exactly what you are experiencing. As you continue communing with Him, your mood will gradually lighten. Awareness of His marvelous Companionship can infuse Joy into the grayest day. "Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence." - Psalm 21:6"And if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure." - Proverbs 2:4 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
  24. We as kings and priests in God's kingdom are the anointed ones, the sons and daughters of fresh oil, endued with gifts of power, strength, and grace to enable us to accomplish the work we're called to (our DESTINY). If you allow the conditions of life to dictate your level of worship, they will also determine and limit your altitude. "Those whose wait on the Lord....shall mount up with wings like eagles." - Isaiah 40:31 The purity God requires from us is impossible for us. We must allow Him to produce it in us. Purity produces in us godliness when we consistently sit at the feet of Jesus. "...beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into His likeness ....." - 2 Corinthians 3:18 Pay no attention to the present affairs of your life -- Seek to un-busy your thoughts -- Behold Him in the most inward recess of your spirit that you can find. AFFIRMATIONS:I start thinking outside myself and inside the Word -- and let Jesus bless the world through me! When I have the Word of God deposited in my spirit, I'll act on it no matter what the circumstances. As I keep pushing out the limits and going further in my effort to advance the purposes of God, I am taking my life to a higher level. Isaiah 61: 1, 2-- is a familiar passage, yet ever-powerful -- in order to understand more about wielding our God-given authority in the power of His might. "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor...." There is an anointing available to us to proclaim, prophesy, decree, and declare a season of favor! What's more, the impact of this anointing really comes into position once we come to understand what it means to be a servant of the Lord. Being God's servant means there is an authority available to us under or in the anointing, that in the moment we decree "favor" over someone's life they have to come into favor! It'sunder the province of an open heaven, when there's a realm of the spirit, that we can make decrees that change destinies through the spoken word. No matter what your circumstances may be, you can find Joy in His Presence. On some days Joy is generously strewn along your life-path, glistening in the sunlight. On days like that, being content is as simple as breathing the next breath or taking the next step. Other days are overcast and gloomy; you feel the strain of the journey, which seems endless. Dull gray rocks greet your gaze and cause your feet to ache. Yet Joy is still attainable. Search for it as for hidden treasure. Begin by remembering that He has created this day; it is not a chance occurrence. Recall that He is present with you whether you sense His Presence or not. Then, start talking with Him about whatever is on your mind. Rejoice in the fact that He understands you perfectly, and that He knows exactly what you are experiencing. As you continue communing with Him, your mood will gradually lighten. Awareness of His marvelous Companionship can infuse Joy into the grayest day. "Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence." - Psalm 21:6"And if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure." - Proverbs 2:4 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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