God's Pecking Order

God is selective.  He has personal opinions about what He wants to do. He'll chose one person over another knowing that His choice will have the ultimate effects of a display of His love in the Earth.  Both Mary and Joseph were selected to bring forth the "son of man."  His choices are so often NOT the way we here on Earth would choose. He uses the weak things of the world to shame the wise.  He chose a shepherd boy to slay a Giant Warrior and rule a nation.  He chose 300 men over 25,000 to witness an encamped army destroy itself while only using a water jug, trumpet and torch as their tools to see this aggressive army destroyed.  He chose a 7 day walk around an impregnable city to bring about a collapse of 2 stage wall system designed to keep it's enemies out.  Throughout God's intervention in the earth He has been selective and specific about what He wants to do to that His love and order are displayed in the earth.  

I attended a conference held at Chicago's Loyola University in the 1980's that taught me something significant about the moving of God's Spirit.  At the conclusion of the 1 day conference, the featured speaker inquired of the 3,000 people gathered about a specific health symptom.  To everyone's surprise a disproportionate measure hands went up acknowledging that they had that symptom.  Approximately 400 men, women and children then left their seats to gather at the platform area of the auditorium.  The featured speaker intended to teach us a lesson about how the Holy Spirit works with a hands on lesson.  He set up the scenario by selecting only 2 men from his conference staff to stand at the opposite ends of the gathered group.  The men stood in their positions while facing us gathered there.  I was in the crowd having been asked by a man in my group to come with him to the front.  He had the symptom mentioned.  The conference speaker then prayed a very simple prayer.  He said come Holy Spirit and minister to these people gathered here.  Silence then filled the auditorium as the 2 men who were designated to minister healing to these 400 people also stood and watched the 2 appointees.  Their eyes scanned back and forth for perhaps 5 minutes.  It seemed longer to us who were waiting.  Then one of the men went forward and chose one person to begin praying with.  I wondered if we all had to wait for him to visit each of us to get the prayer for healing.  The other man on the other side of the auditorium did not move but stood his ground for several more minutes and then chose a person whom he would begin to pray.  Suddenly, the sound of weeping began to come from the gathered respondents.  I looked around and saw people dropping to their knees, I saw others bracing some who seemed to loose their balance.  Many then began to pray for each other.  This happened quickly while the designated men remained praying for their original assignment.  My friend whom I escorted was standing behind me and I felt him tap me on the shoulder for me to turn around. Streams of tears were flowing down his cheeks, he said to me, "I am healed, it's gone, it left.  I felt it go."  Within approximate 10 minutes after that short prayer, "Holy Spirit come and minister to your people" the entire auditorium showed evidence that the Holy Spirit went far beyond the 400 gathered at the front near the platform.  Many now were praying for one another with a variety of dramatic responses to simple tears streaming down faces.   The love of God and presence of God were so evident.  Joy abounded through out the auditorium.  So many of us completely amazed at the simplicity of what was done in comparison to the overwhelming results.

God has a pecking order in everything.  He is purposeful and powerful.  He just needs us to keep our eyes and ears attuned to Him and He will take care of things that we can only dream about.  These are kingdom truths that apply in every part of the worlds cultures.  This is yet another example of what God can do if we just embrace His order.  

David's Visit To Ephesus

Acts 19 tells us an account of David's visit to Ephesus .... or sorry, I mean Paul's visit .... hmmm after reading it, it sounds more like something Jesus would do.   

Over the last 7-10 days the Holy Spirit has been hanging the book of  Acts 19 in front of me like a carrot hanging in front of a rabbit and I have been chasing after it everyday.   This is more unusual than usual for me in my relationship with Jesus so my attention is drawn to it.  It's leading me somewhere and I know it so I am chewing and biting on the carrot and it feels right.  In the scheme of my life in recent months the Word of the Lord (rhema) has been coming to me in chunks, all of it somehow connected as an advancement from one understanding to another.  I believe it to be instructive to me as the Lord is laying new foundations in my life for the next season of my life.

Those of us with revelation concerning King David's Kingdom and the 1st coming of our Lord Jesus as the "son of David,"  know David's kingship brought dominance in the land when he ruled as king. When Jesus walked the earth, there was a cry among the Jews to see Him free them from the grips of Rome who brought a gentile oppression over them.   Many of those Jews did not "get" what Jesus was doing by introducing the Kingdom of God into their nation.  He did that by identifying the first 12 men and spent a lot of time talking to them of things concerning His Father's Kingdom.  During that time Jesus performed many miracles, so many miracles that one Gospel writer phrased it this way, "books could not record them all."   What Jesus started here with the 12, still to this day has not stopped in any way, manor, shape or form.  It has an energy level that is so peculiar and can be likened unto the wind.   

Jesus was queried about His non-stop momentum and un-ending variety of miracles that had powerful results among the people connected to those receiving the miracles.  His answer to the questions was that He does and says what the Father shows Him.  My 2013 interpretation to Jesus' answer was, "I am in communion with the Father's heart concerning every situation that presents itself to me.  When I do that, miraculous results follow.  It's that simple."  

David obtained the identical results, that heart of worship inside of him, kept him in love with God and wanting God's very best.  In Acts 19, we find Paul digging into a culture, identifying some disciples and working together with them in long "discussions" and in three years time absolutely turned that city upside down.  So much said in Act 19 does not give us much insight into all they  discussed.  That is probably pleasing to God to not reveal that less men try and duplicate something that was specifically intended to deal with the principalities and powers dominating that city.   However, I "think" that Paul recaps much of his dialog with the Ephesians in the book of Ephesians in follow up letters to them.   

Selah, stop and rest in the generous forgiveness of the Lord!

For Worshipers

Excerpt from my 1st book that is in process, "Help Wanted: Worship Leader". This excerpt is as follows. Are you the one or do we look for another? Those were the words that a disciple of John the baptist asked Jesus in Matt 11:1-5. John was in Herod's prison having laid his life on the line. Jesus reply was not the typical reply because he never offered any education credentials or rank, position or title. He simply gave an historical account of what the Father did when people were in need of the Father as they stood before Him.

What do the people need from the Father when you stand before them with your microphone or and/or instrument? In what Jesus has done in your life through His silent visits to you, will you facilitate the Father's kingdom ? Do we look for another? The answer to that question is something that needs to be answered in your invisible profile of who you are. Your kingdom profile can be compared to the ingredients in a cake. Established ingredients that when put together in the right quantity and qualities are served to those who will taste it as something complete as compared to the individual ingredients that alone would not taste anything like a cake. Your worship leader profile will have communion with God, interaction with God's Word, love for others, submitted lifestyle, spiritual gifts and prophesy rolled together with overcoming, losses, vision, aspiration, faith, dreams and visions, miracles and sins, that satisfactorily should make my point. That's you now before the people waiting for you to turn this venue into a heavenly place filled with the Father. The music and songs selected will not surpass what you facilitate in the next 15 minutes, 1/2 hour, hour or 2. It's your connection with the Father's ability to visit the place you are in and love on His people. It's your collective identity filled with God's mercy for you and all those present.

Some people should just play music for a living!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF2-TKfQOsk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

UnWanted Story

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbMwcCvOqPM&feature=youtube_gdata_player

A Time For Courage

Rick Joyner:
Prophetic Bulletin: 

A Time For Courage

As the revelations of the last few weeks now make abundantly clear, our freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and our freedom of religion may have never been in greater jeopardy than they are right now. The remainder of this year will likely determine whether we will remain a free people or succumb to a terrible tyranny.The scandals around Benghazi, the attacks on the press, and the IRS being used to target political enemies are some of the most shocking Federal Government overreaches in our history. Now we find these are only "the tip of the iceberg" of the assault on our freedoms and our basic privacy.

The revelation that the NSA has the capacity to monitor and store all phone calls, emails, text messages, social network posts, virtually all communications in America, and very soon the world, is so shocking that it is hard for many to believe. Already the power of our Federal Government to impose totalitarian control over its people is the greatest in history.

The Administration maintains that their intentions are noble, regardless of the growing mountain of evidence to the contrary. Only the most naïve or ignorant believe that. Even if their motive is for security reasons, is that not the argument every other totalitarian regime in history used to gain control? Even if this Administration's intent is noble, what about those Administrations which follow?All of these revelations and scandals are far beyond anything we have ever witnessed. They are coming at us so fast that people may go numb and just shut down. In the Book of Daniel, the devil's strategy is to attempt to "wear out the saints," and this has always been an effective strategy. However, now is not the time to shut down and throw up our hands declaring that this is too much to process. Everything we hold dear as Americans, our most basic liberties, are in serious jeopardy. It is time for courage and our most resolute determination that this is not going to happen on our watch, and that we will never give up. It is not too late.The Three Important QuestionsThere are three crucial questions to ask in any crisis: 
What is happening?
What is not happening?
What can I do about it? 

These were first stated by the U.S. Army Colonel made famous in the book and movie We Were Soldiers. In the first U.S. Army battle against a regular North Vietnamese Army, Colonel Moore used these questions to lead his force through what looked like impossible odds to ultimate victory. It was then adapted for the U.S. Army Manual as a commander's basis for evaluating a crisis. We will use it here.What is Happening?

• The Federal Government has built an unprecedented apparatus for monitoring its own citizens that is virtually total.

• The IRS was used extensively to harass and silence the political opposition of the Obama Administration.

• Evidence is surfacing that the DOJ, EPA, and other agencies were used for the same purpose.• The Administration has illegally seized the communications of journalists who were probing the Administration's activities.

• The level of the Administration's lies and attempts to cover up what happened at Benghazi makes it clear that something extremely important is being hidden from the American people.What is Not Happening?

• The Democratic Party has not awakened to how much its future is in jeopardy by what is unfolding. Its legacy could forever be destroyed by the level of overreach, scandal, and incompetence now surfacing in the Obama Administration. Democratic Party leaders and members continue to defend these indefensible actions as if they are already controlled by information of threats against them.

• The news media remains asleep, blind, or neutralized so that it is only tepidly covering what is shaping up to possibly be the biggest issues of our lifetime. As this is the biggest threat to the freedom of the press, more people are wondering if that freedom has not already been lost.

• With but a few exceptions, the Republican leadership in Congress is failing to demonstrate the kind of courage, resolve, and wisdom to lead us through this crisis that threatens the very foundations of our Republic.

• The majority of the American people are not waking up, but they are starting to stir.

• More people are becoming deeply alarmed, but they are not hearing a clear trumpet call to know how or where to rally.What Can We Do About It?•

We must each resolve that regardless of the personal consequences, we will seek to know the truth, and we will stand for truth without compromise.•

An eagle needs a left wing and a right wing to fly. The issues now facing us are bigger than many of the liberal and conservative issues we've been fighting over. Though we must never compromise our convictions, we must learn to fight together as Americans when facing these ultimate issues of our basic freedom.•

The unprecedented Federal overreach is, at least to a degree, the result of the States abdicating their rights under the Constitution to the Federal Government. Leadership at the State level, especially Governors and State Attorney Generals, could be the most important positions in the unfolding battle for our freedom

.• Blog, write, and speak every chance you get. Blogging has now surpassed the traditional media as the source of information for most Americans. Social Media is now more powerful in shaping public opinion than traditional media. Use it! Don't worry about who is monitoring it—preach to them too!• 

Get engaged.

Go to town hall meetings. Write to your elected officials often. Run for office. Work in campaigns. Donate time, money, and other resources. If we don't give it freely now, it will be taken from us soon.•

Don't stop because we don't seem to have quality leaders at this time—we have the greatest leader of all—King Jesus. He is the Truth, and all who love Truth will follow Him, regardless of the consequences, regardless of whether anyone else joins us.• 

We must live by faith, not by fear. When the odds seem impossible is the time when the greatest leaders have arisen and the greatest miracles have been done. This is our time, and we must resolve that we will never, ever retreat or give up.

Key Strategy

It's understandable that Congress does not want to sound too shrill or too reactionary, but to proceed in a sound and systematic way in the face of these serious issues. However, Congress has limited power to investigate and has proven willing to abdicate that power and cave in to Administration pressure or intransigence. Trust in the Government and our leadership will continue to erode if reputable independent prosecutors need to be appointed for each of the major issues addressed above.That being said, the center of gravity for the fight to preserve our liberty must be taken out of Washington. State Attorney Generals have the authority to prosecute any crime committed in their State and against their citizens. With criminal charges, the power to take depositions under oath from employees and the management of these government agencies is the best way to get to the truth of who is responsible for this tyrannical use of police state tactics, the abuse of power, and the illegal seizure of property, information, and communications.
    With the dearth of leadership now being demonstrated on the Federal level, there are some remarkable and courageous leaders arising in the States. If State Governors and Attorney Generals take the lead in this crisis, they will no doubt take back much of the authority given to the States by the Constitution that has been usurped by the Federal Government. This balance, which is essential for the preservation of the Republic, can be restored. There are key Governors and Attorney Generals already taking up this strategy. We must get behind them any way we can.

Rick JoynerMorningStar MinistriesEmail: info@morningstarministries.orgWebsite: morningstarministries.orgRick Joyner is the founder and executive director of MorningStar Ministries and Heritage International Ministries and is the Senior Pastor of MorningStar Fellowship Church. He is the author of more than forty books, including The Final Quest, A Prophetic History, andChurch History. He is also the president of The OAK Initiative, an interdenominational movement that is mobilizing thousands of Christians to be engaged in the great issues of our times, being the salt and light that they are called to be. Rick and his wife, Julie, have five children: Anna, Aaryn, Amber, Ben, and Sam.

Dance your way out of your wilderness

Watch "Ray Hughes "The Wilderness" -MorningStar Ministries" on YouTube

Ray Hughes original song

Transformation

In short, a transformed community is:

• A neighborhood, city or nation whose values and institutions have been overrun by the grace and presence of God

• A place where divine fire has not merely been summoned, it has fallen

• A society in which natural evolutionary change has been disrupted by invasive supernatural power

• A culture that has been impacted comprehensively and undeniably by the Kingdom of God

• A location where kingdom values are celebrated publicly and passed on to future generations

When You Can't Find The Words To Say

Our Father Jesus Culture Video

Things happen in life that affect us.  They can be things of the past, present or future.  They make an imprint on our soul as if it were a branding iron.  In this video I want to introduce to you the concept of proceeding forward with God without the necessity of using Words.  Words are important, but we don't have to always have them to overcome life's challenges.   I want to call this practice or process "un-intelligible."  

There are many, many accounts of this in the Bible.  In these recorded events are activities taken that speak without using words.  All of which accelerate the events of our lives into another dimension ( I think).

Let me site a few of these occurrences that I am thinking of.

• Moses removing his sandals when encountering the burning bush
• Israel marching around Jericho, shouting and blowing trumpets
• Gideon's 300 lighting torches, breaking vases and blowing trumpets around the Midianites camp
•  David dancing when the Ark of Covenant re-enters Jerusalem after it's long captivity
• Joshua and Aaron holding up Moses arms allowing Israel to prevail in battle
• Jesus putting mud in the blind man's eyes
• Peter's Shadow becoming a geographical place of healing
• The ULTIMATES :  Jesus hanging on the cross and suffering for our sin
• The stone rolling away as Jesus walked out of the grave

In this video of the Jesus Culture worship session:  Each musician plays his role both in unity and as individuals.  They react to the presence of the Lord with kneeling, instrumentation separate from a recorded original, the artist's stroke of the brush and color choice on the canvas, dancing, swaying, hands uplifted, heads rolling on their neck, moans .... I have noted them all ?????   

This typical 3 to 5 minute song (as published) went over 48 minutes because individuals reacted to the moving of the presence of God, displayed human bodily reaction and chose words to express themselves.   All of these combined, created a memorable time that continues to captivate those who are seeing this via YouTube.  Just read the comments by those noting their experiences.    

Un-intelligible worship is both reactionary to God's Word and a preface of the depths of what God wants to say. 

May the God of peace crush satan under your feet today!

Breakthrough Lifestyle

by John Belt from the ElijahList.com  
Breakthrough To Blessing I've heard it said that what is better than a miracle is breakthrough. This is the truth. When we live in breakthrough, then we become the conduits of miracles, more than being recipients.
Something In Us That Says, "Not Enough!" Genesis 32:24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, "Let me go, for the day has broken." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."
The Lord looks for something in us that will not settle for less than His best, His blessing. Jacob had this desperation in his life. He would not let go until the Lord blessed him. We need to learn to wrestle with God, press in to the reality of His Presence. We don't need to wait for something to happen. Instead we need to stir that which God has already put inside of us. It is our hunger and thirst for Him that will break us into a greater reality of His glory. 2 Timothy 1:6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
Place of Spillover When we learn to live in breakthrough, we move ourselves into a place of blessing and overflow, spilling over into the lives of others. We can be greater blessing to others' lives when we live in breakthrough. The beginning to living in breakthrough is found in our own times with God. The keys to our personal breakthrough can look different for each individual, although there will be some common methods. There may be one thing that helps you in particular to break through. Every day may look a little different. It's important to stay flexible to how your breakthrough is achieved, even though you will have all your weapons available. Here are a few of the weapons that we can use for breakthrough:
1. Worship, Praise and Thanksgiving I almost always begin here. Although there are exceptions. We are to be continually offering our praise to God. It is a huge key to breakthrough. The extra note is "with thanksgiving." Our heart attitude plays a major role in breakthrough. Thanksgiving is the good foundation to entering into the "spirit of worship." Otherwise we will just be spouting empty, worthless words.
The "new song" is a powerful weapon of breakthrough for our lives. God sings songs of deliverance over us. When we tap into those songs we experience this deliverance by His Spirit. As well, be free in regard to how to express your love for God in worship. There is no set guideline that fits everyone. Some find that dance, flags, instruments, and more all help to engage the entirety of our being in worship. If you choose dance, remember that David danced with all of His might before God. Whether you dance or bend the knee quietly, remember that our outward countenance toward God is a sign of whether we are really entering into and enjoying relationship with God and experiencing the freedom from shame and guilt we have in Christ.
2. Revelation Asking the Holy Spirit to pour out the spirit of revelation and wisdom will help us to break through. When we are receiving His words, they cannot be taken away. His words break up the ground of our hearts making us ready for His will. This is our conversation with God. We speak to Him, but now He speaks to us. Remember that God always has something to say and show us, the question is are we listening? Dreams, visions, and the inner voice are all ways God speaks to us.
3. The Word of God When I receive a revelation word from God, whether it be a dream or something I'm getting in my heart, I then study out of the written Word. This solidifies the foundation of what I have received. We can also study the Word, and then revelation follows. It works both ways.
4. Prayer: Spirit and Understanding When we pray with our spirit or in tongues, it accelerates our strength within. We are building up our most holy faith. Our spirit needs attention, being strengthened by our active communion with God.
5. "Soaking"
We need to make a habit of getting quiet before God, still all the noise of voices and the soul. Our society is geared to be noisy with busyness as the gauge of whether you are accomplishing anything. We need to be committed to just "soak" in God's presence. Turn on some instrumental music and meditate on Scripture, praying in the spirit. Let the emphasis be on what God does in you, not what you do. Note: If you are trying to soak in God's presence but don't feel a thing, it may be that you need to try a different weapon, break through, and then just receive by soaking in His presence. Sometimes soaking comes easy, other times not. When you go through your days, many times you can pick up stuff from other sources that needs to be broken off. Take some authority over these things, break unholy agreements that have come into in your own mind, etc. Then spend some time in worship and thanksgiving. It is usually in the times where you are not experiencing God's presence that God will help break you through in another way. The key is to find what helps you experience His presence in the moment. Once you break through, soaking in the Holy Spirit comes easy. Overflowing Blessings, John & Brandi Belt Overflow Global Ministries Email: office@overflowglobal.com Website: overflowglobal.com Overflow Global Ministries is the ministry of John & Brandi Belt. The heart of their message is that God's greatest desire is to indwell His people with His presence. They believe that man was created to be inhabited by God through His Spirit. With a sincere devotion to God through the Holy Spirit, people can live in a place of overflow in His presence. This overflow translates into touching the lives of others through living encounters with God. When John and Brandi minister, the intimate presence of God is manifest – being accompanied with demonstrations of God's power to heal, revive, and restore.

Angels

http://instagram.com/p/ZhDLXqLtCc/

We knew that the Angelic realm will eventually break through the earthly realm. 

Congregational Worship

By Dave Pitzo

Not quite ready to put in the oven, but it's starting to take shape.

I think that is vitally important to understand recorded music as this seems to be a big stumbling block for musical congregational worship. To accomplish this let's visit the inner workings of a music writer. As a basis, let's consider that there are people who are just conduits to inspired music that are both carnal and spiritual or both. Debra and I met a couple living in Wautoma, Wisconsin who owned a craft retail store there. There was music playing in the background that had a unique substance to it that cause me to inquire who it was that was recorded. It's was the owners wife who told us that it was his wife. She had a great voice and the melodies and music, although secular were inspirational. On a return visit, we met this man's wife. She told us that she had a great opportunity to move to California and pursue fame. They had moved to Wautoma from West Allis, WI. Instead of pursuing this musical opportunity they bought this retail store that was up for sale and chose a quite life in this small town in Wisconsin. Everyone must make decisions for their future and I could appreciate their choices. She explained that they as a husband and wife team were both song writers. They individually and collectively would compose music. They received so many songs in their (approximate) 50 years of life that they had to divert their music writing atmospheres to have some sense of peace. She explained that her husband would have to sleep in audible seclusion. Any semblance of timing such as ticking clocks would instigate a song. She explained that anytime in her day, she was vulnerable to creating a song. It seemed to me that this gift became a source of distraction to other goals in their life as a married couple. Owning this store and living in a small town was a place of safety.

Our conversation seemed to open a door as I could related to their struggles and frustrations of song inspiration and how it can occupy you. We have prayed for them as we believe there is a unique calling on their lives and God has a plan for them.

In conveying this story, I want to emphasize that the song you here and want to play in public has a lot more dimension to it than what you here in a five minute song on your Ipod. You could say that someone paid the price for this song to be published. What you hear in your ears and heart is only on the surface. We as worship musicians and singers really need to consider that an investment has been made by someone for you to have that song before you.

The Secret is in the Sauce

If we are only singing our congregational songs out of what the songs does to us by playing the measured song, we miss the point of the song. The song had to have some order to it for it to be marketed. If that musician or song writer could detail the story behind it, it often would not be marketable. Each song could be a one hour interview. However with all that said, the recording artist must trust in the Holy Spirit to make it's own impact on you in the song that you can sing it in a whole new experience.

My point in all this is to be open to what the Holy Spirit wants to emphasize in the context of the selected song. Having your spiritual eyes and ears open to your surroundings is vital to an a anointed time in the presence of God.

Example: During a worship time, we were singing "Shout to the Lord" (Hillsongs). The typical place to make an emphasis in a song is within the chorus. We were singing "the mountains will sing and the seas will roar at the sound pf your name" when I sensed an unusual power and strength in those words. Our musicians are through experienced in improvisation and caught my signal to repeat that measure. Immediately you could feel the inrush of strength and power through the re-direction. A "new song" developed in the middle of a familiar congregational song. It became a shared experience and a memorable occasion. The mountains will sing and the Seas will roar at the sound of His name!!!! We lost track of time. When the presence of God falls like that the entire atmosphere changes.

In the context of a euphoric text book experience for congregational worship, this is what we look for. It's called different things by different people but can be summed up as "wow!"

A lot of dialog can come out of this brief description. It can and should be talked about as there are so many different ways to do what I gave as an example.

The objective to learn here is that the Holy Spirit moves like the wind or like the river current . We don't know where it comes from and we don't know where it's going too. Those who have walked in the Christian walk know the ways of the Lord. His ways are not like our ways and it should not be in our music either.