Dealing With Disappointment

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life (Proverbs 13:12).

Anyone who has ambition will face disappointments. Ambition is not a bad thing. Ambition is a desire to achieve something. God takes the self-centeredness out of our ambition and turns ambition into useful kingdom purposes.

So out of godly ambition, when we set goals and they are not fulfilled, we get disappointed. It’s a normal human reaction to be disappointed when a desire isn't fulfilled. But we must guard against disappointment turning into discouragement. The slippery slope is disappointment, discouragement, then depression.

Big dreams often bring larger challenges! Those who succeed in life are not the ones who never fail. In fact, to succeed, you may fail more often than others who sit back inactive. Those who succeed in their endeavors are the ones who refuse to quit. They may face disappointments, but they get up and try again. Abraham Lincoln was a failure for years as a politician, but through faithful plodding left a legacy. Thomas Edison failed thousands of times looking for the right filament for the light bulb, but his one success changed the world.

Get accustomed to disappointment if you’re going to succeed. Remember, a righteous man falls seven times and rises up again (Proverbs 24:16). Turn disappointment into prayer, praise and thanksgiving. Never allow disappointment to stop you!
 
Elijah became disappointed right after the victory over the prophets of Baal when God by fire sovereignly consumed his water soaked sacrifice. After this great feat, Elijah outran Ahab’s chariot when he heard that Jezebel wanted him killed. Elijah allowed himself to become disappointed, discouraged, and depressed, as he thought on the idolatry of Israel and how few godly prophets there were to lead the nation back to God. And Elijah’s discouragement and depression cost him his ministry.
 
When God spoke to him after he found him hiding in a cave, he gave Elijah instructions to anoint Elisha to take his place in ministry! God cannot use discouraged people! And God will find someone else to perform a task if the person he has chosen to do it sinks into discouragement! (You can read about all of this in 1 Kings 17 through 19).
 
Refuse to allow present disappointments to discourage you! When you face a setback, take a step back, and reassess your plans. Take disappointment and turn it into an appointment with the Father in prayer! Tell Him what bothers you, cast the care of the disappointment on Him, and get up and go again!

The Word Produces Life Stability!

We live in unstable times in an ever changing world. The only thing I know of that never changes is the Word! It’s forever settled, fixed and established! Basing my life on the Word produces stability and confidence.

I want to share with you today the scriptures that I meditate on regularly to keep faith in the Word built up strongly within me. I’ve been meditating on these scriptures for many years now, and they have given me strength and confidence in my Father. Take time to meditate on them regularly. Believe them, and you’ll gain life stability. Act on them, and you’ll overcome obstacles.
 
God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good (Numbers 23:19). For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11). My covenant I will not break, Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips (Psalm 89:34). Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89). I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name (Psalm 138:2). The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever (Isaiah 40:8). So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:11). The Lord said to me, You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled (Jeremiah 1:12 - NIV). Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away (Matthew 24:35).

These scriptures have kept me during some really difficult times. I often meditate them while driving, or when I wake up in the night. Many times I mention them to the Lord when praying. They have become my constant companion. Make them yours!

Seed-Time and Harvest

While the earth remains, seed-time and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease (Genesis 8:22).
 
Seed-time and harvest is a universal law of God on earth and in the kingdom of God. Everyday, with every act, we are planting seeds that will produce a harvest!
The harvest is determined by the seeds that are planted.
 
What kind of harvest are you expecting in the various areas of your life? Look at the seeds currently being planted by your words, thoughts, attitudes, and actions! Tomorrow’s health, material well being, relational stability, spiritual stamina, etc., are determined by what you sow today. You just don’t get something for nothing!

Give and it will be given to you: good measure pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you (Luke 6:38). This law is as stable as the rising and setting of the sun. Cooperate with it, and you’ll have a life of blessing. Work against it, and misery will keep you company!

Paul said it this way: Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Let’s sow seeds today that will benefit the kingdom of God, and that will bring blessing to others and to our own lives. Sow time in the Word and in prayer today. Sow words that bless, heal, inspire, quicken, and mend. Sow attitudes that will glorify God and exalt Jesus. Sow actions that will produce health and plenty. You’re casting seed today with every action. Make it count!

Calling Those Things that Do Not Exist as Though They Did

As it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations) in the presence of Him whom he believed — God, Who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did (Romans 4:17).
 
God wants us to imitate Him in all things. One of the ways He desires that we imitate Him is in calling those things that do not exist as though they did. The above verse is rich in helping us understand the basic concepts of walking by faith.

First of all, notice that it says that God calls things that do not exist as though they did. Calls in this verse refers to speaking words. And that’s an important part of understanding faith. Faith must be released with words!  And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke, we also believe and therefore speak (2 Corinthians 4:13). But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach) (Romans 10:8).

Faith never floats out of our heart independent of our words. Word convey faith from the human spirit to God.
 
Then notice in this verse that God calls those things that do not exist as though they did. He changed Abram (exalted father) to Abraham (father of a multitude). Jesus is the lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
 
Everything exists in two realms; first the spiritual and then the natural. God spoke the world into existence from things unseen with words (Hebrews 11:3).
 
To put this together, I must speak what God says about me and my life even when it doesn’t seem that it is true. I must say I believe I’m healed according to the word while the symptoms get worse in my body. I must say my God is meeting all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus  while the bills are piling up. I must say in all these things I am more than a conqueror through Him who loved me while I feel defeated. I must say He promised to never leave me or forsake me even when I feel alone!
 
Faith receives before it sees the results. It believes before there is any manifestation of the answer to prayer. And it talks the way it wants things to be, not the way they are!
 
Start today to call those things that do not exist as though they did and watch the miracle working power of God work for you!

Two Necessary Ingredients in Marriage: Love and Respect

Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband (Ephesians 5:33).

The basic need of a wife is love.  The basic need of a husband is respect. The husband’s main responsibility before God is to show agape love to his wife. The wife’s main responsibility is to show respect to her husband.

In Ephesians 5, Paul compares the husband and wife relationship to the relationship we as the church has to Jesus. Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it (Ephesians 5:25). The Greek word for love in this verse is agape.

The two main characteristics of agape love are that it is unconditional, and that it self-sacrificial. Agape loves another regardless of their actions, words, or choices. Agape love puts another’s needs above its own.
 
This agape love is a love of action, not feeling. Husbands are to show by their actions that they love their wives. Wives need to hear I love you frequently and then need to see I love you demonstrated in practical ways. Helping with the dishes, the laundry, house cleaning, and taking care of the kids so the wife can have some “free” time can be tangible expressions of love.

Agape love is unconditional and self-sacrificial. A husband walking in agape love will express love in tangible ways regardless of the response he receives from his wife.  A husband walking in agape love will put his needs last and his wife’s needs first because agape love moves him to be self-sacrificing.
 
Nowhere in the New Testament is the wife commanded to Agape her husband with the unconditional, self-sacrificing love. Once in Titus 2 the wives are commanded to love their husbands, but the word for love there is the Greek Word phileo (friendship) and not agape. But the wife is commanded in verse 33 above to respect her husband.
 
Husbands need to hear words of encouragement like: You did a great job with…or I think you’re the best at…or I like the way you…A man needs the affirmation that his wife values him and what he does for the family. And that’s the major responsibility of the wife. Don’t nag your husband for what he’s not doing, thank him for what he is doing right, and you’ll see a husband that is motivated even more to do acts of love for his wife and family.

Let’s believe God for our marriages to be strengthened by the Father. He instilled a strong desire in a woman to be loved and nurtured. The Father instill a strong yearning in a man to affirmed.  So husband, love you wife, and  wife, respect your husband!

Married to an Unbeliever

But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace (1 Corinthians 7:12-15).
 
Today, I want to discuss marriage between a believer and a person who isn’t, or a person who says they are, but never acts like it!
 
In the verses above notice that Paul strangely says but to the rest, I not the Lord, say. He said this because this is the first time in scripture that a marriage between a believer and an unbeliever is mentioned (In the Old Testament, and in the gospels, marriage is addressed in the context of two Jewish believers und the law). When the church age began, those who were converted and already married found themselves in this situation. No believer should marry an unbeliever!
 
Let me mention how I deal with a marriage relationship where one is a Christian and the others says he or she is, but honestly rarely acts like it. In all the years that I've been in ministry since 1981, I have dealt with this kind of marriage as a marriage between a Christian and a non-Christian, so it fits this section of scripture I'm dealing with today.

Paul basically says that if a believer has an unbelieving spouse, they should remain together as long as they get along and treat each other with kindness and respect. As long as the believer is in the home with the unbeliever, there is an influence of righteousness that speaks into the life of the unbeliever and sets an example for the children. And the unbeliever may come to the Lord!
 
Those who do not get along have to weigh their options. If the unbeliever is abusive or hurtful to the spouse or children, then the believer has to make the choice of what should be done. Are the actions so bad that they warrant leaving? These matters should be discussed with church leaders, and be treated with much prayer and caution. Rash decisions and hurtful actions by a parent can leave a child scarred for life!

God’s ultimate will is for the unbeliever to come to the Lord in this relationship. And if the believer will pray and live a godly lifestyle, then that may just happen!
 
This is a day to carefully guard our marriages and families with much prayer. Our nation needs strong families. Our children need the example of those who do it right! Let’s pray for families today. Let’s believe God for His best in life where we find ourselves right now. Don’t waste time brooding over the past. Look ahead from today, and let’s give God our best!

Tips For a Healthy Marriage

He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord (Proverbs 18:22).

Today, Susan and I celebrate 33 wonderful years of marriage! It’s a milestone in this day where over half of all marriages end in divorce. Here are few ingredients in our relationship that have helped us over the years.

Accept your spouse the way they are without trying to change them. Susan and I are so different! And that’s a good thing! If both of us were like me, we’d explode! Years ago, the Father dealt with me about comparing Susan to this image of a perfect wife I had in my mind (men will sometimes even compare their expectations of their wife with their mother’s example). I learned to accept Susan for who she is, and just lover her. That changed me!

Walk in agape love. While phileo love (friendship) is the reason you marry someone, agape is the oil that keeps your relationship running smoothly. Agape doesn’t take account of the evil done to it, doesn’t pay attention to a suffered wrong. All of us will fail at times. And this agape will cover the multitude of sins (mistakes)! Agape treats the other person as if they had never done anything wrong! It doesn’t bring up the past.
 
Date each other. Susan and I usually take a night a week to “date.” We’ll go out to eat, rent a movie, go to the mall, etc. And we’ll just talk about whatever.

Verbalize your love. You can’t wear I love you out! We tell each other several time a day. And we hug and kiss and show affection every day! Keep the flame alive!

Give each other some space. Susan needs her time for her woman stuff! I need my space for my man stuff! Give each other some liberty to take time for person hobbies and friendships.

Allow differences without anger. Two people living in the same house coming from different families are at times going to disagree! That’s not a bad thing unless you let uncontrolled anger enter the picture. I think that if you never disagree, you’re not being honest about issues! Allow for differences in views.
 
Don’t go to bed angry. Each day, clear the air of the day’s conversations and differences. Love forgives, accepts, and forgets. Eph 4:26 reveals, Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath.
 
Keep your physical relationship strong. Sexuality is a part of human life. God’s answer to the physical desires He places in us is marriage! Hebrews 13:4 reads,
Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Keep this area of life private. It should never be discussed with others. As your marriages ages, and children and busy careers enter the picture, it’s important to make private time with each other happen.
 
Pray for your spouse daily. Instead of praying, Lord change my spouse, pray Lord, help me be the best spouse my mate could possibly have. He me be what (he or she) needs.
 
Above all, just be a good Christian! IF you do, you’ll honor your mate, you’ll be responsible for your actions and words, and you’ll humble yourself and admit when you’re wrong! And you’ll love and respect your spouse.

Work Out Your Marriage Problems

Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife (1 Corinthians 7:10-11)

I’ve often stated it this way: When you get married, regardless of the former circumstances, it becomes the will of God for you to stay married. The will of God for our lives in found in the Word, not in subjective circumstance.
 
In the above verses, Paul addresses the relationship between two believers in a marriage relationship. He tells both husband and wife that God’s best is that they not divorce when they have difficulties. He acknowledges that at times someone will succumb to the pressures of life and divorce, and in that case he tells believers to remain unmarried for a period of time because as long as they both remain unmarried, there is the possibility of restoring the relationship.
 
Susan and I have been married 33 years this month! She’s had a lot to put up with in me! We made a decision before we were married that when married, we would never consider separation or divorce as a way to solve problems that would arise.
 
Just like everyone else, we’ve had disagreements and challenges over the years. That comes with just being human! But we both made the choice to deal with ourselves and to let the Father deal with us.
 
For two believers, unless there is unrepentant infidelity involved, they should work together to solve their problems. Separation and divorce do not solve problems. Separation often creates a sense of false peace and removes the immediate pressure to problem solve together. And divorce doesn’t solve the problems either; those that go that route may find themselves dealing with the same problems they had in the previous relationship.
 
Some people say, well, we have marriage problems. Actually, it isn’t the marriage that is having the problem, it’s the two people that make up the marriage that have personal issues that they must face and deal with! Marriage problems are people problems!
 
God hates divorce because it hurts people, it wounds children, and it weakens society. For us Christians, we have tools available to us to help solve our personal problems that hinder marriage. We have the Word of God to believe and obey. We have the fruit of the spirit that we must choose to develop. We have the Holy Spirit that will help us change. We have the spiritual strength that comes from praying. We have the ability to pray the perfect will of God by praying in the spirit. We have the authority to command Satan to take his hands off of us and our family. We must use what God provides.

Work on your marriage today by working on yourself. You can change yourself. You can’t change your wife, and you’ll frustrate her and yourself if you try! Keep yourself built up in the Word. Pray for your spouse and for the Father to watch over you and your marriage. Ask for His help. Ask for His wisdom and strength. Refuse the taunting of the enemy to compromise with the influences of the world.  

Work on Your Marriage!

The family unit is the basis for any human society. And marriage is the foundation of the family. If marriage loses its value, then that society is in danger of collapse. Marriage and family are God’s plan to pass values and morality from one generation to the next. As goes the family, so goes the nation.

In our nation, we have more couples living together in fornication and having children than ever before. Divorce is as rampant in the church as it is with the unbeliever. We are a nation in great danger. Our moral fabric is coming apart!

You and I can make a difference by making an unqualified commitment to remain loyal and faithful in our marriage for life. Too many believers have an “escape clause” in their heads if problems in the marriage arise!
 
Here’s the bottom line. It is the will of God for you remain married for life to your present spouse. There are basically two God sanctioned reasons for divorce in the scriptures. Only two. And if the problems a couple have don’t fit those two, then they should work together to solve them. Every marriage will have some problems because we humans are imperfect! We just have to be willing to work on ourselves and change!
 
The two God sanctioned reasons for divorce are 1) adultery - But I tell you, whoever dismisses and repudiates and divorces his wife, except on the grounds of unfaithfulness (sexual immorality), causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a woman who has been divorced commits adultery (Matthew 5:32) and 2) desertion by the unbelieving party - But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace (1 Corinthians 7:15). This second God sanctioned reason also covers spousal abuse and neglect.
 
Other than these two reasons, generally speaking, stay married! Work your problems out. The Holy Spirit and the Word are God’s two problem solvers! If we’re really committed to Jesus, these two friends will help us find answers to the problems life brings! The Holy Spirit knows you, and the Word of God will change you! All it takes is a committed will.

If you’re already divorced, walk in the grace of God! God forgives and cleanses our past! There are innocent victims of divorce. The Father doesn’t hold guilty a person who has a spouse who chooses to go their own way and forsake God’s plan. If you’re experienced this, let the mercy and grace of the Father mend your heart. And walk in forgiveness.
 
We should pray for our spouses daily. Here’s a great prayer. Father, help me be the best spouse my husband or wife could possibly have! Help me to be what he or she needs!  Don’t pray, Lord, change my spouse! Pray, Lord, change me!
  
I’ll address the issues of marriage again tomorrow!
 

A Fresh Holy Spirit Outpouring is Now!

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come (Matthew 24:14 - NKJV)

And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.  And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the remnant whom the Lord calls (Joel 2:28-32 -NKJV)

Ask the Lord for rain In the time of the latter rain.  The Lord will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, Grass in the field for everyone (Zechariah 10:1 - NKJV).

The context of Matthew 24:14 is the seven years of Daniel commonly called the Tribulation period. In my blog yesterday I mentioned that we should be looking for some kind of peace treaty between Israel and some element of the Islamic nations there in the Middle East and Northern Africa. It could be soon if violence continues and something is needed to calm the growing uprisings.

That peace agreement may be the beginning of the last seven years before the Second Coming of Christ. It’s during this time period that a great moving of the Spirit was seen by the prophet Joel as you read about at the beginning of this article. Jesus mentions there in Matthew 24 that the gospel will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations during this time.

We are in the beginning stages of another fresh move of the Holy Spirit throughout the earth. Let’s stop saying a moving of the Spirit is coming, let’s rather say, it’s here!

My prayer is that it catches here in America! It is already moving in other parts of the world! Zechariah 10 tells us to ask the Father for rain, or for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit during the latter rain. Israel had two main seasonal rains; one was for the harvest of grapes and olives; the other was for the grain harvest, it was the latter rain.

According to 1 Corinthians 14:1, we are to earnest covet or desire the manifestation of spiritual gift. These gifts are listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 and are: The word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, discerning of spirits, the gift of faith, working of miracles, gifts of healings, different kinds of tongues, interpretation of tongues, and the gift of prophecy.

Mark 16 tells us that works of power (signs) are to follow them that believe. When the early church began after the resurrection of Jesus, the disciples walked in a powerful anointing of the Holy Spirit. The sick were healed, the dead were raised, the blind were cured, the crippled were healed, the deaf were healed, and miracles were common. Peter’s shadow even healed folk as he walked by them (Acts 5). And, persecution was strong.

Here we are at the close of the church age. The last seven years of history before the return of Christ may be very close. During this time, at some point, the rapture of the church will occur, and we believers will be in heaven. And before the church goes to heaven in the rapture, this great, fresh moving of the Spirit will usher in a great harvest of souls for the kingdom of God! Yes, there will be persecution, not unlike there was with the first century church. But the Glory of God, His manifested tangible presence, will be on us to set people free.

Let’s get involved with longing in prayer for a this fresh move of the Spirit of God to grow stronger and stronger. And let’s prepare with prayer and consecration so God can use us to impart His life. Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising (Isaiah 60:1-3 - NKJV).

What May Happen With the Current Middle East Unrest

The ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven, but after
half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. And as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the fate decreed for this defiler is finally poured out on him (Daniel 9:27 - NLT).

Daniel lived during the time of Israel’s captivity in Babylon in the 6th century BC. In Daniel 9:24-27, God reveals 490 years of Israel’s future as a nation from Daniel’s time until the return of the Messiah to earth. The previous 490 years of Israel’s history was one of disobedience to God, which resulted in their captivity in Babylon.  Out of Daniel’s prayer and concern for his people, God gave Daniel the prophet a revelation of what would occur with respect to Israel just before the return of the Messiah to earth.

483 of the 490 years that God revealed to Daniel has already come to pass. God put Jewish time in a holding pattern after Jesus died and was resurrected and Israel did not believe He was their Messiah. There are still 7 years of the 490 years that must be fulfilled.

Daniel 9:27 is the restarting of God’s stopwatch concerning His dealings with Israel. God will begin to deal with them as a nation again just before Jesus the Messiah returns. This 7 year dealing of God with Israel will start when a peace treaty is signed or as the New King James version reads, “confirmed” between Israel and “the people” for one set of seven, or 7 years.

Exactly what this treaty is we are unsure about. But I believe that the current unrest in the multiple Islamic nations around Israel in the Middle East and Northern Africa may evolve into some kind of peace accords being entered into between Israel and these nations. It may be a re-confirming of the Camp David Peace Accords signed during the Carter Administration between Israel and Egypt. Or, it may be something else. I believe that the nation of Turkey and its leaders will be involved in this peace process. It will be a 7 year agreement. Keep your eyes and ears open and your heart tuned to God’s voice. We could could see this happen soon as this volatile situation continues.

Once the peace treaty is signed or confirmed, we know that 7 years later, Jesus second coming occurs. And we know that before that happens the rapture of the church will take us to heaven out of the terrible things that will happen on earth.

I’ll talk tomorrow about what ramifications this whole scenario has for the church. I will be amazing! Big things are looming before us. God is beginning now to show Himself strong.

Let me end today’s blog by encouraging you to pray for the USA. Satan wants the current instability to spread within the borders of this nation. With our prayers and repentance, I believe we can keep it at bay. But we must be diligent and persevering in prayers and intercession. Our enemy never sleeps. Let’s be vigilant to pray for the salvation of the lost, and for the plan of God to be fulfilled worldwide in this hour. Lord, let your Kingdom come, let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven!

 

You've Got To Say It!

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us
diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place (2 Corinthians 2:14).Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Romans 8:37).
 
It’s right thinking, right believing, and right speaking, that will lead us into victory in our lives. The first thing that we must correct is our thinking. We are to think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, positive, and worthy of praise. If our thinking is right, then our believing will be right. And if our believing is right, we’ll speak what we believe.
 
Words are so important. Your success or failure today will be determined by the tenacity of your confession in the hard place. You may feel and experience all kinds of things, but it’s important to say out loud what you really believe!
 
Even if it seems like the Word isn’t real and it isn’t working for you, it’s important to say it anyway!  Perhaps you’ve heard someone say, so and so has said that so much that they really believe it! Well, the truth is that you can “school” yourself into believing by saying something over and over again.

Meditate on the Word in the area of challenge you face, and then start confessing out loud what the word says. At first, you may not seem to believe it, but just keep on saying it. Sooner or later your words will register on your heart, and you’ll begin to believe what you say. You’ll notice a quickening on the inside, and joy will rise on your spirit! I’ve used this principle so many times in a hard place.
 
Many years ago, Susan and I faced a financial challenge. It seemed as though lack dominated us! I felt trapped and defeated every day! On a note card, I wrote out scriptures that promised God’s blessings on those that obey Him and are givers.
 
I meditated on them every day and begin to repeat them out loud. And I would say every day, Father I thank you that we have not only enough money to meet our own needs, but we have enough to give away! I said this over and over again.

Slowly my thinking and believing changed, and I saw myself as a prosperous person. And what I said came to pass! The Lord has blessed us, and our needs are met, and we’re able to give and bless others! God’s Word never fails! He watches over His Word to perform it!


Here in the last few weeks I’ve had a great struggle with a back problem that brought excruciating pain when I would sit. A couple of weeks ago, I drove to a ministry event in Tennessee and was in serious pain sitting for hours in the vehicle. Last week I had another three hour drive that brought terrible pain because of this back issue. This pain was unrelenting whenever I would sit. I stood in my office when I had meetings with people instead of sitting. The pain was really almost unbearable.

When the pain started, I immediately prayed and asked the Father to heal me. I told Him that according to Mark 11:24 I believe that I receive my healing, and though I didn’t feel healed that I believe that I was healed when I prayed. The pain persisted for weeks. But I SAID what I believed every single daily throughout the day as I dealt with terrible pain. I praised God out loud for healing me when it seemed like it wasn't working. This past Saturday the healing manifested. I now am pain free!

Faith in God for whatever you need is released with WORDS. God watches over His word to perform it, to bring it to pass (Jeremiah 1:12). Give God something to watch over in your life today today! Start saying what you want to believe, and sooner or later you’ll believe it, and you will have it!

More Insight into the Middle East and North Africa Unrest

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows (Matthew 24:6-8).

I want to comment some more on the unrest currently expanding in the Middle East and North Africa. In my studies and reading about the Second Coming of our Lord, I see eerie parallels to what is occurring right now. Without a proper understanding of the Word of God, it’s hard to make sense out of what we see and hear from that part of the world. Why are these people so upset about a movie that has cast a negative light on their prophet? What has America done to deserve such treatment? Why are these radicalized people so upset with Israel and the US, burning our flags and encouraging violence and death to our representatives?

Some basic ideas are necessary in order to make sense out of the chaos. WHen it comes to understanding what the Bible says about world events just prior to the return of Christ, here are some things to keep in mind.

1. This is a spiritual battle that began over three thousand years ago. Abraham had a son named Ishmael by his concubine Hagar. This was before his child of promise Isaac was born when he was one hundred years old. These boys were in conflict from birth. This conflict continues through their descendants. It’s a natural conflict with a spiritual root system. The Arabs are descendants of Ishmael, while the Jews are descendants of Isaac. Both have roots in Abraham. Isaac was the child of promise by grace and faith. Ishmael was the child by human independence, pride, and carnality.

2. God has made four covenants that will be fulfilled: The Abrahamic Covenant, The Palestinian Covenant, The Davidic Covenant, and The New Covenant. The Abrahamic Covenant promises that God will bless all the families and nations of the earth through Abraham and his progeny. The Palestinian Covenant promises a certain parcel of land to Abraham and his descendants forever. The Davidic Covenant promises that one of King David’s ancestors will sit on the throne of Israel forever. We know this ancestor to be Jesus the Christ! The New Covenant promises that all mankind can be regenerated and cleansed from sin by the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. All who partake of the New Covenant are heirs of all of God’s promises to Abraham!

3. God revealed many times through the prophets that before the return of Christ in His Second Coming, Israel would once again become a nation after having been scattered all over the world as disobedient exiles from their God promised land (See Deuteronomy 30: 1-3; Hosea 2: 14-23; Ezekiel 11: 16-21; Isaiah 11: 11-12; Isaiah 14: 1-3; Isaiah 27: 12-13; Isaiah 43: 1-8; Isaiah 49:8-16; Isaiah 66: 20-22; Jeremiah 16: 14-16; Jeremiah 23:3-8;Jeremiah 30: 10-11; Jeremiah 31:8, 31-37; Ezekiel 11: 17-21 ; Ezekiel 20:33-38; Ezekiel 34: 11-16; Ezekiel 39: 25-29; Hosea 1: 10-11; Joel 3: 17-21; Amos 9: 11-15; Micah 4: 4-7; Zephaniah 3: 14-20). Israel became a nation again in 1948 after 1,1878 years of exile. This a tremendous signpost that tells us that the Second Coming of Christ is soon. Furthermore, in 1967 Israel regained control of Jerusalem for the first time since A.D. 70! Israel will NEVER AGAIN CEASE TO BE A NATION! For eternity!

4. When Jesus returns, He will personally judge every nation that has harassed, dominated, and hindered Israel and His plans for it. The Bible is His-Story, the history of God’s  purposes and dealings with His people both Old and New Covenants. When the Bible addresses the return of Christ, ALL of the scripture about this event have to do with Israel and the nations that have dominated it through the thousands of years of time since it began as a nation. These nations are in the Middle East and Northern Africa. The Bible doesn’t mention the USA, because we have not ruled Israel and its land over the centuries of time. THe Bible is written from the perspective of Israel and Jerusalem being the center of activity, not from the perspective of the USA and its power over the last few decades. This a really important point. Without understanding this, you will be hopelessly confused when studying about the Second Coming of Christ.

5. Hang with me as I explain this one.THe Bible mentions the nations that have dominated Israel and its land there in the Middle East since it became a nation. Every nation or empire that has ruled Israel through history has assumed control of the previous empire and it’s land that ruled Israel and the Middle East. These empires include the Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Grecian, and Roman Empires. And when Jesus returns, He will judge every single one of these nations for their resistance to His purposes for Israel.

According to Revelation 17:10-11, an empire would emerge that would assume the control over Israel and the Middle East that the Roman Empire had for two thousand years. There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. (11) The beast (empire) that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.

These verses are so insightful. Verse 10 mentions seven kings or empires that will rule over Israel before Jesus Christ comes to rule the earth. Then it reveals that five of these kings or empires have fallen or have been defeated and assumed by the next empire that will rule over Israel and the Middle East. As I mentioned, the five that have fallen or have been defeated are the Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, and the Grecian empires. During the time of John writing the book of Revelation, Rome ruled Israel and the Middle East and Rome was the sixth empire to rule over Israel and the Middle East.

According to history, Rome divided into the Western and Eastern Roman Empires. The Western Roman Empire lost it’s power around 476 AD. The Eastern Roman Empire rose to power under the Roman Emperor Constantine in the 300’s AD and it ruled from the city of Constantinople in Turkey until it was defeated by the Ottoman conqueror Mehmet 2 in 1453 AD. The Ottoman Empire was Islamic. It rose to power in the eleventh century, a few hundred years after the prophet Muhammad's death in 632 AD.

So, the empire that conquered the Roman Empire and rose to power in the Middle East was an Islamic Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and it ruled from Istanbul (formerly Constantinople), Turkey from 1453 AD until around 1923. After World War 1, the Islamic Ottoman Empire lost its control of the lands in what we know now as the Middle East. This empire with its Islamic Caliphate faded away. Turkey became a secular pro-Western country.

This verse in Revelation 17 reveals that this seventh empire ruling over Israel and the Middle East, which I believe was the Islamic empire, would last for a while then would not be, that is, it would lose power. That’s exactly what has happened! And Revelation 17:11 reveals that the eighth empire to assume power in the Middle East would  come from the seventh empire. I submit again that the seventh empire is Islamic. This eighth empire that will be in power when Jesus returns will be the reformed Islamic “Ottoman” Empire! It will have its base in Turkey! Islam will once again be a major player in Middle Eastern affairs before the return of Christ, and will seek to stop God’s purposes for Israel and the church.

For many years now, End-Time teachers have said that the Roman Empire would revive again and from that empire the Anti-Christ would rise. I submit that yes, the Roman Empire may rise, but not the Western Roman Empire, but the Eastern Roman Empire that rose to power in Constantinople, now Istanbul, Turkey. And this revived empire will be an Islamic Empire seeking to revive an Islamic Caliphate in the Middle East and Northern Africa.  

6. The battle of Armageddon, the battle that will end all battles, will be the armies of the Anti-Christ seeking to remove Israel from the map as a nation. Ezekiel 38 and 39 mentions the last battle, and it mentions Gog, who is the Anti-Christ, and Magog, the land from which the Anti-Christ comes. It also mentions Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. The origin of the people mentioned here can be traced back to modern day Turkey, which was the seat of power for the Ottoman Empire from 1453 until 1923! This is where the Anti=Christ will originate. Who is he? We may soon know.

So, in a nutshell, here is what has been and is happening in our world that shows us that Jesus is returning soon. The nation of Turkey has been changing from a secular, pro-western nation to an Islamic country for several years now. Redip Erdogen, the current Prime Minister of Turkey, has been instrumental in combining Islamic law with the government of Turkey through his political party for over a decade now. Turkey has the second largest army in NATO (4 million troops), and is now a central figure in bringing agreement between the Islamic nations of North Africa and the Middle East. Watch for a huge rise of power in the Middle East through Turkey.

The current situation in Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Tunisia, Lebanon, Syria, and several other Islamic nations where the embassies of the US have been breached and US flags taken down and replaced by Islamic flag is prophetic. We are watching the rise to power of radical Islamic jihad against the powers of the nations of the West, mostly the USA and Israel. The instability will continue until these nations adopt to some degree Sharia law (Islamic law), and demand compliance to these laws by their citizens. Eventually, these nations will band together under the rule of a Middle Eastern ruler termed by the Bible Anti-Christ. Serious persecution of Christians and Jews in the Middle East and Northern Africa will result. And, it may spread to our own beloved country unless our politicians work hard to keep it out.

7. Look for a peace agreement between Israel and its Islamic neighbors. Daniel 9:27 is clear that this Middle Eastern Leader, Antichrist, will confirm a covenant between Israel and many (probably the Islamic driven nations surrounding Israel) for seven years. When you see that seven year peace treaty affirmed, count seven years from that time and you will experience the Second Coming of Christ! And before that, the rapture of the church to heaven will occur!

It could very well be that the instability we are witnessing right now in the Middle East will be one of the catalysts for a peace agreement to arise and be ratified. Again, watch how Turkey may provide leadership to these nations in the Middle East. Things are falling into place like the pieces of a puzzle.

Jesus return is on the horizon! Before the rapture of the church and during these tumultuous days, there is a prophesied revival that will cover the earth (see Isaiah 60:1-3; Joel 2:28-32)! It’s time to engage God full force. Don’t look back. Don’t look at yourself. Don’t look around. Look up! Your redemption is getting close. Jesus wants to use you to minister life to all around you who walk in darkness. Get into the Word of God. Saturate yourself in it. Get familiar with the Holy Spirit and how He speaks. He wants to use you to set people free from sin, sickness, and all kinds of habits that mar life. The harvest is ripe! The time to act is now!

Here are four books that I highly recommend to you: The Islamic Anti-Christ  by Joel Richardson; God’s War on Terror by Walid Shoebat; Mideast Beast  by Joel Richardson; and The Prewrath Rapture of the Church by Marvin Rosenthal.