A Monster Amberjack!

1 Corinthians 2:4  My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.

Paul’s message and his preaching, two very specific and different things are mentioned in the passage.  In the same way each of us has a message that we live every day.  Whether that is the message of how we live family, business or relationships, the way we live life is a message that the world is hearing every day.   Our lives are about something. 

Preaching on the other hand is what we have to say about our message.  Who do we give the credit to?  Is our success due to good living, hard work and planning ahead?  While these are definitely good things, in the end, in and of themselves their sum total amounts to Paul’s referenced “wise and persuasive words.”  God has so much more for us than this.

What if both our message, the way we live life and our preaching, what we credit as our source and motivation, were not simply wise and persuasive words, but were instead an actual demonstration of the Spirit’s power? 

What would it look like for your family to be supernatural?  Abraham and Sarah had children in their old age.  How about the little boy whose five loaves and two fish fed 5,000 people?  The widow had a small vase of oil that just wouldn't quit.  Another poor widow's mite amounted in God's eyes to more than all the Pharisee's gold.  Their message was that God can multiply anything no matter the physical circumstances and that his view of supply is a little different from our view! 

What would it look like for your business to be such a demonstration of the Spirit’s power because your nets caught so many large fish that the nets start to break?  What if you got money to pay your taxes the same way Peter did, by getting a coin from a fish’s mouth?  What if we like Jacob, while following the Lord reaped a 100 fold of everything we planted, although the entire world around us is in economic turmoil?

Above is a picture of an 85 pound amberjack that I caught while deep sea fishing several miles off the coast of Louisiana.  An 85 pound amberjack is basically a great granddaddy of amber jacks and it is rare that one ever catches one of this size.  Wikipedia says the average adult amberjack weighs 40 pounds or less...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amberjack .  Like this monster amberjack, let's believe for a demonstration of the Spirit's power by trusting God to help each of us catch the big fish in our families, businesses and our lives!

Jesus said that we could do greater works than him.  Let’s take some time to ask God to transform our lives in such a way that consistently demonstrate the Spirits power.  God’s goal is this…that others faith would not rest on our good advice and hard work, but that their faith would rest in God’s power.

All Saints Day 2011 Part 1

This year I had a rather peaceful All Saint's Day experience.  Though I had several experiences, at this point I feel the Lord has only given me revelation concerning one of them and would like to go ahead and release that one at this time.

During the course of the morning, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said that the colors for the following year are Blue, Red and Orange.  As I didn’t have an immediate spiritual interpretation for the colors, I felt led to look up Bob Jones’ interpretation and use of colors in the past and the following is what I found...

Blue

“The blue was given in part to illustrate the release of the Spirit of Revelation in greater measure. The "rhema" revelation of the Word will be the food by which this group is sustained and upon which He will place His seal.

Our commission for this hour is to do "THE WORKS OF GOD," not merely the works of our own desires, thoughts and agendas. There is a prominent distinction. By virtue of the increase of the Spirit of Revelation delegated to us, we will see more clearly the thoughts and ways of the Father and do them likewise.”(Shepherds Rod 2002) 

Red

”This is a representation of God’s dual desire for us to apprehend greater understanding of the Lord’s sacrifice and the full redemptive power of His blood. It is also a symbolic portrayal of a present call to spiritual war. The “promise land” must be contended for.

A greater understanding of the divine life provided through the Lord's blood will be deposited in this army. We have scarcely touched the redemptive virtues provided through His sacrifice. The spirit of revelation will be imparted to this company, not only to understand, but also embody spiritual excellence.

They will be the virtues of the overcomers.

And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. — Revelations 12:11

Victory is achieved through the blood of Jesus and the application of it to our spirit, soul, and body.” (Shepherds Rod 2005)

Orange

In Shepherds Rod 1999, Bob says that the color orange in an invitation from God for intimate relationship.  He also says that those that engage the Lord in intimate relationship will become… “dread champions that will begin to emerge during the course of this Season of the Spirit. These will be fearless warriors who have been with the Lord and are steadfast in their convictions. From this intimate companionship shall emerge a mighty army of fearless warriors that will begin to lead the church into deliverance and salvation .

The disciple John felt uninhibited to lay his head upon the very breast of God because of intimate fellowship and companionship that he had with the Lord. This is an example of the relationships that some will establish with the Lord during the course of this year.

At the last supper, even Peter recognized that John's relationship was so close to the Lord that he asked John to ask questions of the Lord. Those that attain this intimate companionship with the Lord will be able to inquire of the Lord and He will respond to their inquiry. (John 13:23-26)” 

My response to these words at this time is to take a faith and intercessory role and by praying and declaring the following...

• Blue: I pray that God would release the word of revelation that will allow us to increasingly walk out the works of God.

• Red: I pray that we would have revelation concerning the blood of Jesus in such a way that we would understand what was obtained through the sacrifice of Jesus and thus walk out in a victorious overcoming life.  I declare that we will increasingly understand that we have already been redeemed and reconciled by Christ's blood to God's original intent and purpose for our lives and we can now live life as children made in the image and likeness of God with access to the Father as though we had never sinned.

• Orange: I pray that we would have such an intimate relationship with God that we would display strength and take action because we know our God and that our intimate relationship with the Lord would be so self evident that those around would be attracted to that type of relationship with God.

Thank you to my friends who prayed for me during this season.  I hope to post more experiences in the near future when released!

Stay Close to the Coach!

Recently had a significant dream that has continued to resonate in my spirit as a word from the Lord.

In the dream, I was at a large school and there was going to be a big game soon.  There was lots of activity with people getting ready for the game.  The Coach of the school walked up and told me to stick with him and he would take care of me.  I followed Coach everywhere he went as he was prepping for the game, but after awhile I realized that I was naked.  Coach told me not to worry about it as he would get me some clothes soon enough, just stay with him and he would take care of it.


After awhile I just couldn't stand being naked anymore so I left the coach to go find some clothes.  I did find some clothes, but after putting them on I couldn't find the coach again.  He had gone back to the locker rooms where the players were and nobody was allowed back there unless you were with the coach.


It dawned on me that I didn't know if I would even be able to get into the game now as the Coach was my ticket in.  I also became aware the the clothes that Coach was going to give me were playing jerseys and that I very well could have been one of the players of this great game that was about to happen.

Since having this dream I can't tell you how many times I've prayed the prayer, "Coach, I'm staying with you!"  There are numerous times when I start to feel exposed and uncomfortable because I don't know exactly how things are going to pay out.  It is when I start considering how I'm going to take care of myself that I remember this dream and again choose the life of faith by staying with Coach.

He is a good Coach and has things in store for us that are better than we can imagine.  He might even have a starring role on his Dream Team for those that are willing to persevere and stay with him!

Dreams of Fruit

The following is a poem I wrote after meeting yesterday with my good friend Kurt Mahler.  After having such a good talk concerning the things God is doing in our life, I began to hunger again for the fruit of all that we've sown, the fruit that I've thus seen only through dreams, pictures in the night and internal knowings.

This hungering opens a place in my heart that can hurt so bad that it causes me to stop and miss all that God has for me today.  In the past, this hunger has incapacitated me in such a way that I return to the altar of sacrifice time and time again and offer up my hunger to the only one who can fill it.  Though I've not yet seen the fulfillment of the promise or the satisfaction my soul longs for, still I will trust the only one who is trustworthy.

As I searched my heart in the midst of this pain, the following are the words that arose...



When will I arise?  When will I wake?  When will the visions that I’ve seen take place?

It seems I’ve died daily for a thousand years; sown my fair share in the river of tears.

Things that were promised so long ago, in my spirit have never yet ceased to grow.

I’ve plowed the hard ground with blood, sweat and tears; removed large stones of anxiety and fear.

The seed that was planted under pressure quickly died and thus was released the miracle of new life.

In fact the trunk is now quite large and the branches are green, but the wondrous fruit promised is yet to be seen.

Tantalizing glimpses seem to come and to go, of the coming harvest to which the world will soon flow.

Perhaps if it were now, the branch would be not able; to bear that which is coming and will fill many tables.

So a process slowly done is better to be had, than riches quickly gained and lost like a fad.

So be still my soul, learn to enjoy where you’re at, trust that He is good and your fruit will be fat!

The Angelic

Master’s of power with sword burning bright

These magical beings guard us day and night.

More times than not, their roles are overlooked

Often we don’t know it was their advice that we took.

In many different ways and on many different days

These chosen ones have intervened to keep destruction at bay.

Necessary and vital to all that we do, they are

These mysterious creatures are the ones that fight for the Lord.

What need must there be to recognize such as these?

For to see if we could, we would be very pleased.

Worry and fear would cease need to live

God chose well when giving charge over us to them He did bid.

If we really believed that these things were true

Then we would fear no more, instead we would push through.

So do not let unbelief begin to cloud your heart

For all we need of faith is that precious little spark.

Then the fire will begin and we will see

That they will be released to do all that we need.

Be it to comfort or fight or even to give wisdom

Or maybe sing a song and increase our vision.

Whatever they may do their roles are dear

And recognize we should and then walk free from fear.