Hurricanes In The Ocean And On Wall St. And Main St.

Oh, How God Loves Us!

I put a link to a picture to illustrate the grain offerings at the altar in a CMMP Church in Laoag City, Philippines. Note the many onions:0) The principle here is sowing and reaping. God’s ways are for our good. Is He getting our attention with hurricanes? He alone is able to be our source in life. When we are blessed for generations in this country we can fall into a trap of thinking that somehow we are the cause of our prosperity.

God’s desire is to bless His people but we are not to forget Him and all His benefits. It is not ironic that seven years after 9/11 we suffer one hurricane after another and the biggest drops in our economy since the Great Depression. What is He saying? The spiritual warfare these days is the most intense in history. God is about to do something that we have never seen in our lifetimes. The enemy of our soul knows this. We must not back down, give up, or desire to go back to Egypt. We are seeing historic events unfold daily. My wife and are sowing extra these days because of the times we are in. CMM Missionaries around the globe need your investment more than ever.

In Haiti, our friends are eating mud because of the devastation of the four hurricanes in four weeks.

In India, churches and homes of people we know are being burned and today I got an email telling of 400 nuns being paraded naked by radical hindus.

In the the southeast US we have long gas lines and even in Charlotte we have people sleeping in cars overnight in hopes of getting gas, not knowing when there will be gas.

The biggest bank in US history, WAMU, was seized last night by the Feds and taken over. A bailout of $700 billion is proposed if they can agree. That amount of money would rebuild every town and city’s infrastructure in the US. Some say that what is needed is 2 trillion. Turn to the Lord and ask for His mercy for our economy. Speak faith and hope into our government. We must rally for faith and cry out for God’s mercy for this mess.

We have had decades of increasing prosperity, incomes, standards of living and more. What did we do with it? Did we honor God with our tithes and offerings? Many did.

His word says, “owe no man anything.” I have been guilty in the past of living on debt. Did we cross the line as a nation in becoming too dependent on debt? I would say yes. God chastens those He loves. Did He bring the hurricanes? Did He cause the financial crisis? No, but nothing happens without His knowledge. The life of Job comes to mind. His word does say also in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

He is our hope, strength, and our source of life, and the abundant life, that He sent His son Jesus to give us. We are in a time of great harvest. We, His people, must be strong in these days as those who don’t know Him, question what is happening and the meaning of the crises we are in.

It is time to die to self, love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and love our neighbor as our self. “As sin abounds, grace does abound more.” While lawlessness spreads and the end of the Book swirls around us, we have never had a better time to enter into His glory. More souls are coming into the Kingdom everyday than ever before. Some say more Christians are alive on earth today than have lived before us in all of history. We truly are in mind boggling times, bringing to mind the words, “beyond any thing we can think or imagine.” We are in those days. We must be in the Word daily. We need to hear God for ourselves by waiting and making time for Him daily. He is speaking. Are we listening?

The fields are white unto Harvest. Lift Jesus higher. If He is lifted up, He will draw all men unto Him. Share Jesus and share the love of the heart of the Father. People need you. God needs you to show His love, not criticism, nor false judgements, but pointing people to the Kingdom and the miraculous ways God loves us. We are prepared for this. We are ready for this. We may not enjoy it, but our relationship with the Lord calls us to be obedient, even unto death, for His glory and for building up His kingdom. Go forth warrior of the Lord. Be strong and of good courage.

Expecting A Revolution

by Jorge Parrott

We, as Christians, have access to the Throne of God, by the blood of Jesus Christ. As we believe the way God desires us to believe we walk into a whole new realm of understanding, seeing greater glimpses of His glory. Jesus said, “Go. Heal the sick....” He did not say to ask God to please heal the sick. God’s will is to heal and that everyone would be saved, set free from all oppression, and walk, “as Jesus walked”.

Robin McMillan, the senior pastor at Morningstar Fellowship Church in Fort Mill, SC said recently that Jesus came to earth not to show us how God lived, but to show us how we could live: full of love, with a servant’s heart, and of the Spirit of God, with power. The Kingdom of Heaven is within you. We have been given an amazing authority to heal the sick.

Is God the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow? What do you think? We are seeing more and more that healing comes, sometimes by laying on of hands by leaders, but more and more by laying on of hands by ‘everyday people’. youth, lay people, congregational members, even little children, when they are free to worship, free to pray for others, and encouraged to step out in faith, acknowledging who they are in Christ Jesus, have been used by God to bring supernatural healing to many.

I encourage you as pastors, to train, equip, and release those in your congregations to rise up, wake up, and take your place as a truly obedient ‘Acts’ church, where leaders and lay people alike are healing the sick and seeing all manner of the supernatural essence of the Lord manifested in our very presence.

Of course, everything must be done decently and in order, but do not hold the saints down. You will see more growth, more giving, more healings when you encourage the Body of believers to exercise their faith and be bold. Remember, you are not God, but you are an authorized representative, an ambassador, sent from Heaven, with a mission, as Jesus tells us in John 17.

Do you want your church to be a true Apostolic church? Do you want to walk in the fullness of joy in the Lord Jesus? If so, then do not place yourself higher than anyone in your congregation. Tell your children and adults there is the same Holy Spirit, for young and old. There is not a big Holy Spirit for adults and a little Holy Spirit for children. It is the same Holy Spirit, the Comforter, that Jesus sent to be our Helper. Let the Lord, your helper, help you in building your congregation to be mature, faith-filled, and walking in unity. Humble yourself. Your mastery of the Word is given you for the purpose you can shepherd your people into power, exercising faith, healing, with sound minds, bodies, and sound emotions, for equipping of the Saints (Eph. 4-11) You are to shepherd the Body from ‘milk to meat’.

Enjoy God with your people. Have fun! Laugh! If you mess up, share how only Jesus is perfect. Man will always let you down, but Jesus will never let you down. Don’t pretend to be something you are not. God gives grace to the humble, and resists the proud. Experience God in all His wonderful joy, love, and power. You know the scripture that says, “the joy of the Lord is our strength.” Do you want to be stronger? Then, exercise your joy, by faith, and release the joy to your people. Life is not easy. But, Jesus said, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Do not carry burdens that only Jesus can carry.

Equip your people to hear the voice of God for themselves. This is the rock Jesus spoke of when Peter heard the Father’s heart, that Jesus is the Christ. “Be still and know that I am God.” You must learn to listen to God more and more. Wait for Him to speak to you. Know His voice. His word is our wonderful gift and treasure. Knowing Him intimately is also a great treasure. The sheep know His voice. Do you know His voice? He speaks to most of us more than we know. Wait, wait, on Him daily.

Help your church members experience the fullness of God by experiencing the Joy of the Lord. God is not in heaven wringing His hands over the events of the world. He sent you to be an overcomer to enjoy the rewards as shown in the book of Revelations. Each of the seven churches John wrote were given what their reward would be if they over come. We over come by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. It’s time to wake up, grow up, and grow stronger in the Lord and release His joy to more and more people. The world is starving for this truth and this joy, particularly in these times of increasing lawlessness.

Enjoy God to the fullest extent you can.You can have all of God you want. How much do you want? Then, go and share that passion with your people and watch a revolution in God come to your church, ministry, or your business and most of all, watch that revolution come to your heart. That is revival. It starts in your own heart. May your fire and flame never die.

Blessings,
Jorge Parrott

Elisha's Questions

by Jorge Parrott

Have you ever wondered why things are the way they are? Have you thought to ask God questions to search out a matter? Many times we talk to God and talk to God and we don't listen well, always in a hurry, with a 'million' things to do. You know the scripture, "Be still and know that I am God." When we get in the secret place with Him, unseen realms of His glory can open up for us. It takes time to get there, in that secret place. It takes time. Sometimes, it takes questions to search out a matter. Have you asked God any questions lately?

Our Father God loves us to inquire of Him. Elisha knew what Elijah had told him in response to Elijah's question of him in 2 Kings 2: 9-10, “ And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.

And he said, “Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.” As children of the most high God we need to be prepared to answer questions, for surely, Elijah, just like God, desired to give his protege the desires of his heart. Elisha's question here is a result of Elijah's question of him. Elisha wanted a confirmation from the Lord when he asked in 2 Kings 2:14, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” Elisha was not pondering, as Peter was, upon Mt. Tabor, when Jesus was transfigured and seen in his glory, thinking what a great place to build a tabernacle,for Elisha was pregnant with the realization of what God had done, or should we say, about to do, in Elisha, who was intently following after God with his focus on not taking his eyes of Elijah, or God's anointing. This pursuit after God was rewarded when Elijah was picked up by the chariot of God, placing a double portion anointing on this expectant servant.

I had many recurring dreams as a child in this old country park where I grew up in central Illinois. These dreams occurred in this tranquil, serene place with log cabins and lily ponds, that was a real place, called Terry Park. I dreamed of being taken up in a slow whirlwind, like Elijah, not tasting death, and being with my Lord. I just floated up, spinning in the air, and knowing I was going Home. What a feeling in that dream! Have you had any dreams that were strikingly similar more than once? Do you think God can speak to you in dreams? Do you think God has dreams of His own?

At Jericho, the transformation Elisha had gone through was recognizable to the people for they acknowledged Elijah's mantle had passed as we read in 2 Kings 2:15-18. Elisha's spirit was now even more attuned to the Holy Spirit for when he was told that there was poison water amidst the pleasantness Elisha knew what was needed. His obedience had allowed God to trust him with prophetic insights as to how to heal their waters. With one new cruse of salt Elisha restored the balance only God can orchestrate to bring forth life healing waters to the dry and barren land of Jericho.

Do you think God could use you in a similar way as He did with Elisha? Have you had a God encounter that was so dramatic, you knew, and others knew too, that it had to be God at work in you?

In 2 Kings 2:23-24 we read of Elisha traveling to the “house of God”, or Bethel, and, as we as leaders after the heart of the Father need to be on guard for the increase in warfare frequently found immediately after a victory. Elisha surely was caught unawares as he encountered forty-two ruffians mocking him as to his deficiency in the hair department for he was bald. Elisha was not one of a compassionate spirit during this encounter, nor was God, at this moment, as seen in vs. 24 when God sent “two she bears (came) out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.”

Elisha's reputation as a healer of the waters perhaps spread to the three kings, of Israel, of Judah, and of Edom, as they decided to “inquire of the Lord by him” in 2 Kings 3:11. Elisha disdained Jehoram, king of Israel, for his wickedness. Elisha's love of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, was greater and again, hearing from God, Elisha called forth a minstrel to play in vs. 13-15. Only the prophetic intimacy of a true prophet of the Lord could know the inexplicable cure about to come forth in such a miraculous fashion.

We read in 2 Kings 4:1-2, “Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.

And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.”

Earlier Elisha was hesitant to help the kings because of one of them being wicked in 2 Kings 3:13. Here, with this widow of someone he knew, perhaps Obadiah, Ahab's steward who was a lover of God, Elisha willingly offered his help. Not only does this show us of our hearts knitted together in the family of God but of God's heart for us to look out for our brethren in time of need. Elisha, himself poor, knew that God was able to provide in amazing ways. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, gives us the gift and authority to “speak to those things that be not as though they were.” Elisha here embodied the heart of the Savior, being full of compassion for this widow, who was about to lose her sons for an unpaid bill. The crisis in her life was real and God sent Elisha to speak life into her situation. Elisha full of wisdom asked her, “what hast thou in the house.?” Amazingly, the solution we so desperately need often lies in front of us, if we but open our eyes to the spirit realm of God's kingdom. The widow answered, “Thine handmaid hath not anything in the house, save a pot of oil”. (2 Kings 4:2) God again reveals His mysterious ways as we see the borrowed pots miraculously filled. God delights in us as we exercise faith. Imagine the widow and her sons as they marvel at their God meeting their need. Even though she may have thought the whole idea strange, she obeyed and that is the key.

When our obedience, by faith, surrenders all, trusting in our holy Father God, in the spoken words of a trusted prophet, something from nothing is not only possible, but a certainty. We are created in the image of our Creator, who is the Father of creativity and allows His obedient children to co-create with Him, to minister His love and mercy in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 encourages us, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Have you been to the throne of grace with boldness lately?

How would you measure your faith level? Are you anticipating God to move through you as Elisha or Elijah did? I pray that you fulfill all that God has desired for you from before the foundation of the world. You most certainly have a God given purpose, calling, and divine reason to be here now, reading this, and living your life for the one true God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Go forth expecting and anticipating 'suddenlies' from God. He gives you the breaker anointing through His son, Jesus Christ. With God, all things are possible.