SAFE PLACES by Morris E. Ruddick (SIGN)

SAFE PLACES (c) Morris E. Ruddick Note from Morris: My latest book, "Mantle of Fire," will be available in hard copy and e-version from Amazon, Applebooks and Barnes & Noble by mid-January. It is a timely message. It targets God's empowerment of today's Joseph-Daniels, as well as God's economy. I would be very grateful if those of you who have been blessed by any of my books would go to Amazon.com and write a review, especially for my last two books ("Righteous Power" and "Leadership by Anointing"). From a personal standpoint, the foundation of the pieces I prayerfully scribe for SIGN has been driven by my time in seeking the Lord -- to better know Him and His ways. In this process, I've learned to rest in His presence and not force issues. The goal is to better understand God's heart in preparing for the times we've entered. This is a new day. The bar has been raised with a major shift in focus. The Church has become global with distinct expressions reflecting significant differences in their power structures, cultures and economies. It is crucial in this hour to appreciate the role of the different expressions of the Body, while also understanding our own roles, tactically and strategically, as we heed God's instructions to mobilize and deploy. The aim of SIGN is to provide timely prophetic insights to enhance this mobilization and deployment. Within the new day we have entered, SIGN will be giving keen focus to strategies for the hour. The SIGN ministry is close to its twentieth year of operation. From the beginning it has drawn prophetic intercessors and leaders from almost every continent seeking God's insights into understanding the times in order to know what to do. Because it reflects God's focus, it has given keen focus to what the Lord is doing in the marketplace and Israel. It is my prayer and I would seek yours as well, that I incisively glean and impart the wisdom of God in each future SIGN post. Our need for the Lord today is greater than it has ever been. Morris __________________________________ "My people have become lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray. They have made them turn aside on the mountains; they have gone along from mountain to hill and have forgotten their resting place." Jeremiah 50:6 The world we live in has changed dramatically. Turbulence has been amassing with an increase of the hazardous. The impact of media-spin just adds fuel to the fires of the realities. Some have commented that the recent tanking of China's stock market exceeded the US crash of 1929. Yet neither the meltdown nor the consequent ripples speculated by many due to the Chinese nose-dive has materialized. What's the difference? China has averted panic because they control their media. Despite huge losses, their sights have stayed focused on a bigger picture economically with much larger stakes. Getting the Focus Right Yet, in the midst of all the global economic and power shifts and hurdles, Israel faces realities tied to its very existence. It begs the question of the matters receiving our attention amid the gathering sea changes rife with information pollution. The issue involves rightly discerning our tactical thrust so to be poised and prepared for the Lord's instructions for next steps in this time of change. The opening scripture from Jeremiah deals with just such a topic: getting the focus right. It places a high standard on spiritual leaders cutting through the distractions in establishing right priorities for the sheep for whom they are responsible. The spiritual leaders have the duty to prepare and equip their people tactically. They also are responsible for the wisdom needed for the places of rest. These are the safe places needed to be refreshed and properly poised to anticipate and respond proactively and strategically to God's "next steps," the consequent shifts, along with the onslaught of evil schemes. "He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His feathers and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You will not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you see the recompense of the wicked." Psalm 91:3-8 The Age-Old Context The context for Jeremiah's prophesy was God's judgment on Babylon and Chaldea. Babylon and Chaldea represent the age-old alliance between mammon and sorcery. This unholy alliance goes back to the days of the Amorites, when fallen angels produced a defiled race whose DNA railed against God and His people. All this was compounded by the subsequent infiltration-advice given by Balaam to Balak. This dynamic has been one of the evil one's repeated strategies over the centuries. Its intent has been to weaken God's empowerment of His people and redirect the anointing to work against them. This is what manifested with the infiltration of the Nicolaitans in the early church, whose doctrines and deeds began polluting the truth and power of the Kingdom message so central to the early church. "'And I will repay Babylon and Chaldea for all the evil they have done in your midst,' says the Lord." Jeremiah 51:24 "The evil done in your midst" points to this subtle infiltration. It targets the tares among the wheat. Jesus notes a time when His angels will be sent to remove the lawless offenders. God's judgment is His strategic-response on the Babylon-Chaldean alliance. The impact is designed to amplify the tactical efforts of His faithful warriors. "With you I will shatter nations and with you I will destroy kingdoms." Jer 51:20 Today's Response to the Realities So as this day approaches, what is the pathway and the response of those called by His Name to facing today's global realities? Jeremiah's prophesy was couched with some hard words for the priorities being given by the leaders. They not only missed the mark, but they made God's people vulnerable to the enemy's schemes. They failed to provide the focus and with that, the safe places, places of rest needed to be ready for God's subsequent steps. These are safe places employed during times of great turbulence. These are the safe places from which God's people will advance. At the core of Jesus' message were the principles on how to employ Kingdom power in a corrupt world. These were not intended as defensive measures, but rather the proactive means to overcome the enemy's schemes and to advance the Kingdom. These principles do not conform to the way the world exercises power. They require something more. Jesus clearly stated that He had come to destroy the foundations of the devil's works. It involved the demonstration of the Spirit and power. Like Jeremiah, Jesus spoke words of judgment on the focus and blindness that described the shepherds of His day. With His victory over death, the balance of power shifted. Those he had trained were empowered to turn the world upside down. They did. The Stewardship of Power The behind the scenes battle then was redirected to target the stewardship of power. Power can be seductive and the mantle of shepherding God's people carries high responsibility. Shepherds have a mantle designed to prepare and equip God's people, not as followers, but as a band of leaders prepared for the changes of the times. The task of leading the sheep beyond being followers is significant to God's purposes. The Gospel accounts outline a sequence of Christian maturity. Beginning with being a follower, one progresses to disciple, then servant. Servants graduate to be friends of God, with the design for them finally becoming the sons that all creation awaits. Idealism has never lacked in providing prime candidates for the defiled counterfeits, even within the context of the Body. Maturity brings the right focus and the discernment to expose the infiltrators. Over the centuries, every people and nation has responded in one way or another to the bondage that has long gripped the world. Wielders of power have generated a range of mass movements, national, social and religious. Counterfeit movements have produced the zealotry of the Judases, the Nazis, the suicide bombers and those innumerable sheep following a range of causes for change to doomsday prophets. The enduring solution will only come through God. The realities of this hour give sobering evidence of the need to advance in maturity beyond the confines of followers and disciples. The issue for the Body is getting the right focus and priorities for the saints to steward His power. Mobilizing and preparing the saints to deploy is central to this stewardship of power. Such deployments require the seasoning and anointing that combine maturity and consecration. The undefiled maturity and consecration needed for Joseph's alliance with Pharaoh was significantly more than that required in his stewardship in Potiphar's house. So it was with Jeremiah's prophecy about the aimless, loss sheep. So it will be with God's judgment against the Babylonian-Chaldean alliance and the polluted infiltrators embedded amongst God's household. The Gateway The task hinges on the shepherds breaking the mold of the illusions of success in ministry, properly assuming the calling to lead by serving and then embracing the Kingdom mantle to lead the sheep into the unpolluted realms of truth, the places needed to spiritually and maturely discern the realities and strategies clearly. The response to these unpolluted regions of truth is to bring us into His presence. This is the place of unfettered peace in which we abide in Him. In indicating that He was the door of the sheep, Jesus unveiled that He was the good Shepherd, that safe place where we learn to abide. He told us that He would not leave us as orphans, but would send the Holy Spirit to abide with us, "Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My instructions and keeps them [abides], it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." John 14:19-21 In this same sequence in John, Jesus told us that with the Helper, the Holy Spirit would come His peace. "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you." John 14:27 Fully grasping the significance and extend of His peace is critical to abiding in His place of rest. When Moses was on the mountain in God's presence and the Israelites wobbled and made the golden calf, a man called Phinehas interceded and made atonement for the Israelites. This act touched the heart of God. The Lord spoke to Moses to tell Phinehas that because of Phinehas' zeal for God's honor among his people in making atonement for them, that the Lord was making a covenant of peace with Him. It was a covenant of a priesthood that would extend to he and his descendents throughout the generations (Numbers 25:10-13). Isaiah 53:5 refers to this peace with the Messianic prophecy of: "The punishment that brought us peace was upon Him." Malachi also referred to the covenant of peace. "My covenant was with him, one of life and peace, that he might fear Me. So he feared Me and was reverent before My name. The law of truth was in his mouth, and injustice was not found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and equity, and turned many away from iniquity." Malachi 2:5-6 His peace is in His presence. It triggers oneness with His heart, the mercy that intercedes when judgment is at hand. His rest that brings sanctification. "Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations that you may know that I am Yehovah-Mekiddish, who sanctifies you." Exodus 31:13 The setting described in Jeremiah's prophecy is the setting reflected in many segments of the Body across the globe today and even more so in Israel. The setting among God's people is replete with "zeal without knowledge" as described by Paul. Far too many are on very low batteries spiritually-speaking. Some are burned out due to lack of maintenance for the level of zeal with which they are operating. Some are burning out because they are running with twenty and thirty-year old operating instructions and they need a fresh word from on high for today's times. Far too many are in a condition that is blind to the enemy's schemes to distract and deceive. Distractions and deceptions breed discord, division and vulnerabilities in facing the realities. On the other hand, the maturity that fosters truth and His peace provides the firm ground for the pathway to provide the seasoned and empowered responses needed for the challenges and tribulations Jesus foretold for this hour. The Model The setting for Acts 15 was a time of great turbulence and change. The leadership reflected by the Apostle James is a model for the days upon us. When Barnabas and Paul shared with the gathering about the miracles they were experiencing among the Gentiles, the leadership was being confronted with something that challenged their doctrines and traditions. The messages given to the churches in Revelation add to these insights. They point to the snares: from the persecution imposed by imposters hating true believers to the embedded infiltrators within: the Balaams, the Nicolatains the Jezebels. In times of change the bar of the mantle for leadership is raised. Leading God's people into safe places has nothing to do with avoiding tribulation and turbulence. From the father's heart evident in James in Acts 15 we realize that it has everything to do with hearing His voice and being prophetically in tune with the flow of the Spirit. It has everything to do with pruning tradition to make way for the restoration of the ancient truths that will demonstrate His power. It has everything to do with searching the Scripture to grasp the implications that the words of the prophets have on the change underway. It has everything to do with the sanctification and consecration needed to close the gates to the infiltrators in order to mature, prepare and deploy the saints for the work of the Kingdom. "To Shebna, I will throw you away violently and there you will die. On that day, I will call my servant Eliakim. I will clothe him with your robe and strengthen him with your belt. I will give your responsibility into his hands. He shall become a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the house of Judah. The keys of the house of David I will lay on his shoulders and what he shall open no one shall shut and what he shall shut no one shall open." Isaiah 22:17-22 ___________________________________________________ Morris Ruddick has been a forerunner and spokesman for the call of God in the marketplace since the mid-90s. As founder of Global Initiatives Foundation and designer of the God's Economy Entrepreneurial Equippers Program, Mr. Ruddick imparts hope and equips economic community builders where God's light is dim in both the Western and non-Western world. He is author of "The Joseph-Daniel Calling;" "Gods Economy, Israel and the Nations;" "The Heart of a King;" "Something More;" "Righteous Power in a Corrupt World;" and "Leadership by Anointing," which address the mobilization of business and governmental leaders called to impact their communities with God's blessings. They are available in print and e-versions from www.Amazon.com, www.apple.com/ibooksand www.BarnesandNoble.com. Global Initiatives Foundation (www.strategic-initiatives.org) is a tax-exempt 501 (c) 3 non-profit whose efforts are enabled by the generosity of a remnant of faithful friends and contributors whose vision aligns with God's heart to mobilize the persecuted church to be the head and not the tail. Checks on US banks should be made out to Global Initiatives and mailed to PO Box 370291, Denver CO 80237 or by credit card athttp://strategicintercession.org/support/ Likewise, email us to schedule a seminar for your congregation on the Joseph-Daniel Calling or on anointing the creative in business. 2015 Copyright Morris Ruddick -- sign@strategicintercession.org Reproduction is prohibited unless permission is given by a SIGN advisor. Since early 1996, the Strategic Intercession Global Network (SIGN) has mobilized prophetic intercessors and leaders committed to targeting strategic-level issues impacting the Body on a global basis. For previous posts or more information on SIGN, check:http://www.strategicintercession.org

Morris Ruddick Global Initiative Foundation www.strategic-initiatives.org www.strategicintercession.org Global Initiatives is a 501 (c) 3 tax-exempt ministry

Morris E. Ruddick - [SIGN] BUSINESS AND MINISTRY

Morris Ruddick

BUSINESS AND MINISTRY (c) Morris E. Ruddick "I have called you to an interlinking between secular business enterprises with overriding Kingdom objectives." Prophecy given to Morris Ruddick in 1986 The setting was pretty grim. Having been at the helm of successfully orchestrating a major corporate turnaround, I became a casualty due to some unscrupulous corporate politics. In my attempt to understand what was happening to me spiritually, I simply asked the Lord why it seemed the harder I tried to be obedient in following Him, the more trouble I seemed to get into. This wasn't the first instance of the bottom dropping out of something I knew had been ordered by the Lord. Without hesitation, the answer the Lord gave me was that it was because of the calling on my life, that He had called me to an arena in which secular enterprises would be linked together with objectives that would serve His Kingdom. While at the time I barely had a glimmer of the depth of what the Lord was telling me, this word brought much peace to my heart and a yearning to better understand what it was the Lord intended for me in the days that were to follow. A Company of Josephs My calling and the calling of a global company of others was patterned after the Patriarch Joseph. Little did I realize the significance of the change that would come from this twenty-first mantle and how it would serve to restore principles and ancient secrets the Lord began imparting to his people from the days of Abraham. Joseph's calling was distinctive. With clarity, he heard from the Lord with a keen understanding of God's heart and attentively acted on it. He broke ranks with religious traditions in his response to the voice of God.  In giving testimony to his prophetic dreams, he found life as he had known it taking an abrupt turn, as he lost his freedom, his family and any semblance of status and power. He became immersed in the world's system in a distant culture. His response was in adapting to being a matchless prophetic steward with both the mundane and as God's emissary. His identity in God combined with the Lord being the source of his exploits, as God's hand upon him was made obvious to all. "The Lord was with Joseph and he was a successful man and everyone saw that the Lord was with Joseph and made all that he did to prosper." Genesis 39:2-3 Joseph anticipated the future with prophetic clarity and insight. He mastered his new culture from the bottom-up before being entrusted with the resources and future of the nation. His amassing of grain became not just the means to feed the people, but served as the commodity of value when the money failed. All this was a backdrop to restoring and protecting God's people from the judgment encroached at their door. Exhibiting prudent discipline, his stewardship anticipated opportunity for the common good. He cornered the livestock market and later took over the land, until when the famine passed he eventually turned the land back to its owners in a modified land-grant program. Joseph oversaw the greatest wealth transfer the world had ever known. Unorthodox Change Apart from a prudent, self-sustaining means for his family to care for themselves in Goshen, not one religious program is mentioned in his activities other than his unswerving commitment to and identity in God -- and him acting on the prophetic insights he got from the Lord. Yet no hero of faith achieved greater exploits for God in the context of harnessing the world's system than did Joseph. He clearly linked secular enterprises and resources to establish a Kingdom model designed for the care and redemption of God's people as he gained the trust and allied with the source of these resources during times of great challenge and change. In so doing he demonstrated the sovereignty of God over both the secular and those called by His name. Operating under great prophetic authority, he provided a safe place for ALL those under his authority. With this snapshot of Joseph's anticipatory response to famine and crisis, the question arises to the role and function of the company of those called as modern-day Josephs. How will today's Josephs serve God's purposes with the potentially unlimited resources they prophetically are destined to manage? More appropriately, do we really understand those purposes from God's long-range perspective outside the parameters of our short-term religious mind-sets? Understanding the Times The answers have got to begin with an understanding of the times from a big-picture, God-perspective. Isaiah 60 tells of a time when darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the people. The implications have an amazing parallel to the time of famine anticipated by Joseph. We also are on the threshold of such a time. Isaiah 60 prophetically paints a portrait of a time in which God is restoring His order to His creation and preparing to fulfill the promises to His people that began with His covenant with Abraham. "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 60:2-3 The focal point is Israel. A Shift of Power and Resources Isaiah went on to prophesy (Isa 60:8) that the abundance of the sea would be directed to Israel and the wealth of the nations would come to them. The ramp-up of turbulence and lawlessness underway today represents the periphery of the birth pangs spoken of by Jesus in Matthew 24 and Mark 13. It will be a time of great restoration, a vast shift of wealth and power. Unfortunately, the topic of the callings patterned after Joseph and Daniel, as well as that of "the wealth transfer," of strategically tapping the resources of the world's systems, have become a part of distorted, pop-Christian culture. It is appropriate therefore, to begin by stating what the wealth transfer IS NOT. The wealth transfer is not a means by which super-achievers fulfill their glimmer of the great commission. Nor will the wealth transfer be driven by Western financial institutions and markets. Neither is it a prosperity doctrine. The wealth transfer will not be the result of the efforts of elite networks of ultra-spiritual zealots. Nor will it be linked to mega fund-raising agendas. It will not be an eschatological orchestration of the weird built on the precepts of men. While each may contain elements of truth, individually they simply miss the mark. For the sake of the zealots and prematurely eager -- and not in anyway to dampen the intentions of those genuinely called, it should be remembered that the calling of Joseph involved serious betrayal of those closest to him, along with a complete loss of his status and freedom. It involved an extremely long waiting period for God's set time, a wait involving some very humble conditions. Yet, during his wait even as a slave, Joseph exemplified the mantle of his great-grandfather Abraham, whose calling was to be blessed to be a blessing. The wealth transfer will be stewarded by those who not only have paid the cost of the calling, but have been uniquely prepared, a global company of individuals with callings patterned after that of Joseph and Daniel. These will be men and women of God whose prophetic gift and authority, sensitivity to God's heart and stellar obedience to God marks their identity and wisdom to those in non-religious circles. They are people of trust who worldly power brokers will seek to align themselves with. The calling will functionally be diverse. From a human standpoint it will involve an element of compartmentalized enterprises, reflecting numerous divinely-connected, yet self- and mutually-supporting enterprises. The Joseph-Daniel calling is at the crux of this great time of restoration, of this shift of power and wealth. As has already been noted, Israel is central to it all. The Issues from God's Perspective Returning to the questions, when the wealth transfer assignments are given out, what is it that will distinguish the genuine Josephs from his brothers who may consider their family position in the household of faith as being ahead of Joseph? Then to what purposes are the resources to target? To better discern this focus requires a look at three key spheres of influence: culture, economic and power. The Culture. Culturally, this great shift will divide the sheep from the goats. It will exhibit a sweeping spiritual awakening accompanied by great signs and wonders. This spiritual awakening will be paralleled with merciless persecution. Despite that, this time will reflect innovative alliances between secular institutions that fulfill overriding self-sustaining Kingdom purposes. The way of the Kingdom will define both the identity and culture of true believers. The Kingdom model is comprehensive in combining the spiritual, entrepreneurial and community, a model familiar to those in touch with the Hebraic roots of the faith. The result will reorder foundations of culture, power and the economic. The Josephs now coming into position encompass what is termed the marketplace movement. It is the restoration of societal-spiritual leadership that interlinks the Kingdom with the secular -- business with ministry, if you will. God's Economy. A study in Global Inc. (Gabel, Bruner, 2003, New York), notes that 53 of the world's 100 largest economies are corporations. That's a major twist in outlook. Despite the change that can be expected in the days ahead, in the same way that God sent Joseph to prepare Egypt as a safe place, preparations are already globally underway for the shift that lies before us. God has forerunners who have been preparing both select corporations and nation-states as safe-places and Kingdom harbingers. They will involve extraordinary alliances with secular enterprises serving Kingdom objectives. They will be self-supporting models of what results when God is dwelling with a people. With unique ties to Israel, there will be a keen focus on new discoveries, inventions and advanced technologies that serve the purpose of averting the chaos, disasters and persecution in establishing the foundations in which God dwells with His people. Kingdom Power. Revival attracts. The global spiritual awakening, demonstrating God's power and restoring ancient truths of the faith beginning with God's covenant with Abraham will sweep every sector of society. Leadership will accompany the anointing of those who unwaveringly have paid the cost, like Joseph in having lost everything personally meaningful to him. They will be ones who within their spheres are graced with unusual trust and favor, but also are targets, initially even with their brethren. The Book of Revelation describes a time of varying discord and hostility against believers. Those leading the way through the persecution will be those who already bear the brand-marks of the Lord Jesus (2 Cor.) In this generation, starting with the Cultural Revolution, key segments of the church in Asia have gone through a cleansing of its Western trappings and accoutrements. Those who withstood and survived the purges became a pure church, one with a very humble dependency based solely on God and a genuine prayer-base. From this foundation, God's power was released. A Time of Great Restoration The release of Kingdom power will bring restoration of the ancient paths. The restoration will trigger a process. At the core will be Israel. At the climax will be the fulfillment of the Kingdom and every promise uttered by God to His covenant people. With Israel being the focal point, emphasis will be given to inventions, technologies and potential discoveries that build the foundations for Israel and God's Kingdom intentions. Investments and alliances will have focus on Israel's means of being self-sustaining. The strategic agendas will range from the return of the House of Israel to the land, to mechanisms that enhance the role of genuine friends of Israel (John 15:13-14), to initiatives toward Israel's energy independence, to advanced technologies, to discoveries that bring healing and fertility to the nations. The Sound of the Kingdom "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts. The whole earth is filled with His glory." Isaiah 6:3 The sound of the Kingdom will conform to the patterns and responses exhibited by Jesus in His earthly ministry. His unveiling of the Kingdom released the harmony by which the natural and the spiritual realms are bridged. John's gospel progressively disclosed the simple secret to Jesus' power: God-in-us and the secret of abiding. It is all about God dwelling with and manifesting Himself through His covenant people. It involves the simple things that confound the wise. It releases God's most unlikely candidates executing the most unlikely strategies to bring about the most unlikely results. Put simply, the players and strategies ahead will not conform to the way people normally view things. Jesus pointed to the Father being in Him and Jesus being in the Father (John 14:10-11). John quoted Jesus as saying: "On that day you will know that I am in My Father and you in Me, and I in you." (John 14:19-21) THAT is the simple answer to how you distinguish Joseph from his brothers. Pharaoh saw it clearly and stated: "Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?" (Gen 41:38) It is the foundation for answering the question of the purpose the modern-day Josephs will serve in this groundswell of restoration. Just as Joseph served God's purposes in Egypt, today's Josephs are God's advance party. Their apostolic-prophetic role in some very chaotic conditions will be served in very practical terms, in strategies that link secular enterprises with overriding ministry objectives in restoring God's order. Today's Josephs are the forerunners, the servant-leaders, heeding the sound of the Kingdom, serving as the foundation of the apostles and prophets for the restoration of the ancient purposes being triggered by the anointed description captured by the Apostle Paul. "God's household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, is now being built into a holy temple of the Lord in whom you also are being fitted together as a dwelling for God in the Spirit."  Ephesians 2:19-22 ___________________________________________________ Morris Ruddick has been a forerunner and spokesman for the call of God in the marketplace since the mid-90s. As founder of Global Initiatives Foundation and designer of the God's Economy Entrepreneurial Equippers Program, Mr. Ruddick imparts hope and equips economic community builders where God's light is dim in both the Western and non-Western world. He is author of "The Joseph-Daniel Calling;" "Gods Economy, Israel and the Nations;" "The Heart of a King;" "Something More;" "Righteous Power in a Corrupt World;" and "Leadership by Anointing," which address the mobilization of business and governmental leaders called to impact their communities with God's blessings. They are available in print and e-versions from www.Amazon.com, www.apple.com/ibooks and www.BarnesandNoble.com. Global Initiatives Foundation (www.strategic-initiatives.org) is a tax-exempt 501 (c) 3 non-profit whose efforts are enabled by the generosity of a remnant of faithful friends and contributors whose vision aligns with God's heart to mobilize the persecuted church to be the head and not the tail. Checks on US banks should be made out to Global Initiatives and mailed to PO Box 370291, Denver CO 80237 or by credit card at http://strategicintercession.org/support/ Likewise, email us to schedule a talk or seminar for your congregation on the Joseph-Daniel Calling or on anointing the creative in business. 2015 Copyright Morris Ruddick -- sign@strategicintercession.org Reproduction is prohibited unless permission is given by a SIGN advisor. Since early 1996, the Strategic Intercession Global Network (SIGN) has mobilized prophetic intercessors and leaders committed to targeting strategic-level issues impacting the Body on a global basis. For previous posts or more information on SIGN, check:http://www.strategicintercession.org

Morris Ruddick Global Initiatives Foundation www.strategic-initiatives.org www.strategicintercession.org Global Initiatives is a tax-exempt 501 (c) 3 organization

"The Angel and the Scarecrow and Your Harvest"- Kathie Walters

"The Angel and the Scarecrow and Your Harvest"

Kathie Walters, Macon, GA

Several nights ago I had a dream. In the dream I saw a scarecrow walking towards me. He was carrying a silver bucket, full of seeds. For those of you who may never have lived in the country – when the farmers planted seeds, they would often put a scarecrow in the field to scare away the crows, who would come and try and steal the seeds.

Well, I was a surprised to see an angel dressed like that – and he was smiling.

So, I woke up and there he was, standing right by my bed. "Put your hand in the bucket and draw out a big handful of seeds," he said. I did, and I could feel the seeds falling over my hands as I scooped a big handful. "These seeds are from your harvest." (Photo via Freeimages)

There are times and seasons in the Spirit: times to pray, times to declare, times to receive the answers, and declare the answers. When people pray and give, and give, and minister, etc., guess what? Then there is a time of harvest.

The angel is bringing your seeds of harvest – but when he told me to dig in my hand and get a whole handful of seeds, he also said, "Be sure and re-plant some of the seeds, especially towards Israel."

I immediately had a vision of my friends, Sid and Joyce Roth. I knew that Sid is wanting to get his book into every Jewish household in Israel. It's called, "They Thought for Themselves." I made up my mind to plant some seeds right there and got up and immediately wrote out a check. The other seeds will manifest in the next few days. God is good.

You Will Have Help Defending Your Seed

Now, I have to tell you something else about your harvest field. This is the field where you have watered and planted and prayed, and helped and ministered and traveled, even when you were tired and just wanted to go to bed and close the door.

There is a time to do that, by the way – Jesus did it. Remember when Jesus and the disciples were being crowded out? "So many people were coming and going," that Jesus said, "Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest" (Mark 6:31). I like that – although I love the crowds too sometimes, if God is moving that is.

So, the "scarecrow" angel will help you defend your seed against the "crows," but there are some things that you may still have to do.One thing is to learn to say, "No – this is my harvest," to the enemy. Too many times we just roll over. "Whatever will be will be" is Doris Day's theology; it's not God's theology. (Photo via Pixabay)

"No, This is My Harvest"

One time after a battle with the Philistines (the Philistines were notorious for looking around after a battle to see if there was any harvest fields they could rip off), the Philistines saw a field of barley (see 1 Chronicles 11:13); "Ripe pickings," they thought. But good ol' Eleazar (Eleazar was one of David's three mighty men, and Eleazar means "God helps") saw them go after the barley field.

Well, you just didn't mess with Eleazar, and he got in the middle of the barley field and he said, '"NO WAY!" (my words), "That's our harvest." It says God gave him strength and he defeated a whole troop of Philistines.

Another time Shammah – another of David's mighty men (Shammah means "astonishing" or "one to be heard") – saw the Philistines had their eyes on a field full of lentils (see 2 Samuel 23:11-12), so Shammah "took his stand in the middle of the field."

He said, "No way, this is our lentil field." He defended it and struck down the Philistines, and the Lord gave him a great victory. You see, it was harvest time.

Well, for a lot of people now is harvest time. I know it doesn't look like it, I know it doesn't feel like it, and you don't hear too much about it – especially if you listen to the news. But I posted several things about people walking on water recently – even from one island to another in Australia. So God can't be asleep, can He?!

The angel is there to protect your seed and to bring your seed – but don't forget to replant some. (Photo via Pixabay)

But you have to do your part – it's your field. It's your harvest. Learn to say "no" to the Philistines. Stand up – do some declaring or speaking in the spirit; Jesus said "speak to the mountain," not make a fuss about it and whine about it and get 50 other people to pray about it. "Speak to the mountain," Jesus said. He didn't say, "This is a good suggestion." It wasn't a suggestion.

There is power in your words, you know. "Declare a thing, and it will be established for you." Your heavenly Daddy spoke and the worlds were framed – how about you? You have the same Spirit.

The scarecrow angel is here to help you – no more rolling over – or, as Godfrey Birtill sings: "No more eagles in the chicken coop."

Live in God's Economy

I love you! I have a 2-CD set called "Faith and Angels" that will also help you with this. There are lots of faith stories, funny animal stories, and angel stories.

Live in God's good news economy not in the government's failed economy, but in God's abundant economy. I want to pray a prayer for you that my friend Prophet Rusty Russell prayed for me a while ago. Ready? You have to receive it:

"I pray for divine encounters and a wealth of revelation and fun that causes you to no longer know debt, but to know wealth... We live in God's abundant on-going, never-failing economy." –Prophet Rusty Russell, Gainesville, FL

Yeah God!

"Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire." – St. Catherine of Siena

Kathie Walters
Good News Ministries
Email: kathiewalters@mindspring.com
Website: kathiewaltersministry.com

Kathie Walters is an international speaker who brings freedom to those who feel they have to "qualify." She also ministers in the supernatural and believes that the supernatural realm is for everyone.

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[RUDDICK UPDATE] BENIN: THE RESPONSE

Morris Ruddick in Benin, West Africa            [RUDDICK UPDATE] BENIN: THE RESPONSE June 18, 2014

Dear Friends,  In God's strategy of things, it is more often the simple things that confound the wise. Benin, a nation of less than 9 million people is a fertile valley, Geographically shaped like a key, it is less than 300 kilometers from one end to the other. Yet, it is situated adjacent to the most populated nation in Africa, one struggling to produce sufficient crops for its own very fast-growing population. Its capital city, Cotonou, is a major port for the entire West African region. As such, it supplies wholesale goods to the surrounding nations. Its market, which also serves numerous surrounding nations, is the largest in West Africa with revenues averaging $12 million (US) daily. Benin's sidewalk economy has been estimated by some to be as much as 67% of GDP. This compares with 27% for Vietnam's significant sidewalk economy. Despite cultural roots of darkness that plague all West Africa, the last two presidents have been committed Christians, intent on establishing righteous standards in otherwise deep-seated infrastructures of corruption. With this brief snapshot of Benin, each situation we ministered in, emerging opportunity has been the byword. God's people are truly reaching for that dimension that only God can bring. Each place we went, we experienced fervent prayer and serious commitment. Our first workshop was one of the most remarkable that we have ever had. Those attending were leaders, some from high levels in business, government and Beninese society. Some we believe are destined to serve in the highest levels of this nation. This group was comprised of an array of genuinely called Josephs and Daniels, poised and prepared for the message of God's economy. From the beginning, each reflected the heart-cry of the Macedonian call with their hunger and grasp of our message, God's strategy for change. Their response was to mobilize this strategy to support one another and nurture the callings of the other members.. We next went to a very poor section of the city for a special evening with a group of committed Christian entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs. The Macedonian callwas evident there as well. We navigated dirt roads with deep, water-filled chuck-holes getting to their church. Their hunger for the God's economy message pulled hard, as we ministered late. The anointing of the very seasoned pastor overseeing them grasped the importance of the strategic nature of the entrepreneurial. His prayer that wrapped things up spiritually shook the rafters as these brethren reached hard for that dimension of "something more" as community builders and people of influence. That spiritual searching is also reflected in Benin's strong Muslim population. One of the groups we ministered to was led by one of the active Christian leaders who attended our first workshop. They were a group of young people aged 17 to 35, desiring to become people who make a positive difference in their community and nation. They included a mix between Christians, Muslims and those whose spiritual roots were still tied to superstitions and occult ways of the past. I spoke to them about something they all wanted: success and leadership. However, what I shared was success and leadership as has been outlined in the Bible. I told them about the people of the Bible who influenced, but survived all the civilizations that have come and gone over the centuries because of God paving an enduring pathway for those who would put their trust in Him. The response was mixed, from those who were skeptical, to those who were curious, to the ones who shouted with joy at the hope it reflected. The Macedonian call was also reflected by those who arranged our second workshop. It was done for a bishop of a network of churches. Upon conclusion of the workshop, hehad a video made of testimonies of those who attended. This pioneer for the Kingdom in his nation attended the entire two-day workshop. He began his own video-testimony with the words: "We have had a visitation." There was more, a lot more. Yet, the bottom line of what I'm describing is a people poised and prepared to accept their assignment from God, as a people. Cultures that have their foundations in the occult understand the reality of God's power. They likewise understand the realities they face. While poverty is systemic, evil is at its core. In the final church service where we ministered, the pastor expounded on my message by telling the congregation of the need to change their way of responding to the realities. He noted that in Ghana, to be a pastor, you have to support yourself in business. His observation was that too many African Christians try to extract themselves from poverty by going into ministry. His point was the need for the entrepreneurial to be foundational to the Christian community for us to be the light and example to those around us. So it is that within cultures that have been assailed by Babylon and Chaldea, there is now arising a remnant that God is using strategically in these times. We have an extensive track record within Africa. The long-time struggle for the soul of this incredible spiritually- and resource-potent continent is now experiencing a turning. Our time in Benin has been something of a crossroads, in terms of the turning underway not only for Africa, but globally, with steps of restoration being evidenced as God reestablishes His order in His creation. I have long had the perception that God intends to strategically mobilize and connect those in Asia persecuted for their faith with the brethren I've been describing in Africa. This connection will serve Isaiah 60 restoration purposes tied to God's set-times for His covenant people Israel. I believe we are at that juncture of turning. It goes back to the simple things. Over the centuries God has mobilized the most unlikely of His people, to execute the most unlikely strategies, to bring about the most unlikely change. It's now happening at an incredible level for the generation taking the helm. Thank you for praying for our role in preparing these key members of the Body for their timely mantles. Gratefully in Jesus,

Morris Ruddick Global Initiatives Foundation www.strategic-initiatives.org www.strategicintercession.org

Leadership By Anointing - Morris Ruddick

The world’s system is being shaken. Tenets of leadership considered benchmarks are undergoing reevaluation. One of the biggest challenges for Christian leaders, especially within the marketplace, is the balance between functioning in their own ability and yielding to God’s headship as leaders. For many, the acceptable inclination is blending their “natural abilities” and what has been gleaned from the world’s system, with an icing of polite ethics and a “praise the Lord.”

Yet, the heroes of faith reversed the equation. Having heard from God, they harnessed their natural abilities to conform to and support an ongoing flow of direction and wisdom from the Lord. Everything else sprang from that. It is a higher standard. During turbulent times, it is back to basics. What endures is drawn from God’s truth. Leadership by Anointing uncovers the principles, pathways and models of biblical leadership in practice with God’s covenant people over the centuries.

The author’s calling has been one of leadership for change. He was recently described by a long-time associate with these words: “Morris Ruddick heads several organizations and corporate entities, including Global Initiatives Foundation, The Ruddick Int’l Group, and a global intercession network. He has led development of entrepreneurial activities in critical needy areas and brought together business and ministry in several nations, including the Messianic Jewish community in Israel, as well as in Africa, Asia, Afghanistan, Belarus, Russia and other areas of need.”

Mr. Ruddick’s Kingdom agendas reflect a unique merging of the secular and the spiritual. He sums it up as “an interlinking of secular business enterprises with overriding Kingdom objectives.” Since 1995, Mr. Ruddick has been a voice encouraging and mobilizing Kingdom leaders and entrepreneurs.

The world is searching for the leadership “pizzazz” that fosters an edge. Deuteronomy 29 notes the secret things belong to the Lord. These secret things are captured in the stories of the heroes of faith and Jesus’ Kingdom message. They are the distinguishing mark of leadership by anointing.

Product Details File Size: 671 KB Print Length: 185 pages Publisher: Xulon Press (April 30, 2014) Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc. Language: English ASIN: B00K277CPM Text-to-Speech: Enabled  X-Ray: Not Enabled  Lending: Enabled Buy now on Amazon.com:  LEADERSHIP BY ANOINTING Other books by Morris Ruddick,  also available by Morris Ruddick on Amazon. CLick here: Books by Morris Ruddick      Buy now on Amazon.com: LEADERSHIP BY ANOINTING

REPORT OF THE TIMES AND INDONESIA (c) Morris E. Ruddick

REPORT OF THE TIMES AND INDONESIA
(c) Morris E. Ruddick

"Men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what to do." 1 Chron 12:32

Because of the significance of what the Lord is doing in Indonesia, this SIGN post merges the focus of my prayerful insights into understanding the times with conclusions from our August/September mission in Indonesia.

Despite an unusual level of spiritual warfare; God's plan for this Indonesian mission has prevailed. Upon arriving, our host noted that having hosted many over the years from around the world, that none matched the warfare he encountered tied to the preparations for our God's economy program. So, from the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for praying.

Each of the three God's economy workshops was eagerly received. From successful

business owners to those eager to start new businesses, those attending were prepared for the times we're entering.


The Kingdom Leadership Conference launched the second half of our time in Indonesia. It was sold-out with 2000 in attendance. Reconnecting with Myles Munroe was very meaningful. My marketplace leadership sessions were well attended and well received. Business leaders traveled from outside Indonesia to attend.


The business community in Asia is truly a mobilized one. All are intent on discerning God's strategies for the time; intent on applying the biblical secrets that have made the Jewish people so successful economically and culturally influentially over the centuries.


Strategies of the Conflict

Spiritually, at the core of the dynamic unfolding is the battle between God's blueprint and the blueprint of the devil. The heroes of faith are the ones who identify God's blueprint. They pay the cost and prevail so that God's purposes are established. The bottom line in Kingdom leadership is discerning God's blueprint in a situation and in a people and then bringing it forth for those they lead.


One of the more subtle deceptions operating in the Body today is the myopia of those whose focus is in discerning the devil's blueprint for a situation and then trying to stamp it out. That was never the pattern for God's best; for establishing His order. The heroes of faith face the fire and give birth to restoring God's order.


The spiritual climate of the two islands on which we ministered on this Indonesian mission was totally different. We went from a Muslim dominant culture to a Hindu/New Age domain. The difference was striking. Yet the impact being made by the Indonesian church in both domains has been the same. They're changing the spiritual climate. They are impacting the culture. It's why it's the fastest growing church in the world. Carol's observation nails it: "Indonesia's greatest treasure is their people."


In one of my messages, I gave an example of the turning point for a company we had association with years ago. The turning came at a time in the early 70s when this firm was a successful $10 million company. They decided to make a corporate acquisition. The firm they intended to acquire was more than a $100 million in size; more than 10 times their size. Remarkably, they pulled it off. The Wall Street Journal wrote an article on this unusual happening. The title of the WSJ article was "The Minnow Swallows the Whale." That describes what's happening in Indonesia.


God is doing the impossible through ordinary people doing extraordinary things. That's been the bottom line of what we've seen on this entire trip. God has been doing some of the most remarkable things; far beyond our expectations. So once again, thank you so very, very much for praying.


Targeting God's Elect

Simultaneously, the dynamics and realities of what we see swirling all around us have brought home the truth of the importance of not going on our own strength. Many years ago, a man of God we were close to encountered a horrible tragedy with the unexpected death of his 17 year old son. Yet his response was an even worse tragedy. This man of God, whose exploits I couldn't hold a candle to, lost it. He left the Lord and left his family.


The subtlety is that it is never about what we can do for God, but rather what we allow God to do through us. Otherwise, when the fires come, we are overwhelmed; we're blinded and fall victim to the full impact of the devil's blueprint.


There are firestorms raging in the heavenlies. It's important to be discerning the right things. It's important not to be overreacting. It is likewise vital when God tell us to act, to be prepared and to know how to do it decisively.


I still intercede for that friend who lost his son back in the mid-80s. In interceding for one's like him; I'm intimately aware that but for the grace of God and the prayers of faithful friends, of the fine line of our response to the loss of our 30 year old daughter Trish in 1996.


Countering Evil Strategies

So it is when I see something in someone else, such as a blind spot, that I begin by searching my own heart for blind-spots. EVEN if it is only at a 1% level, I first repent for the beam in my eye, before I can truly begin to intercede for them.


This truth ties into a subtlety with which witchcraft/sorcery tries to entwine itself within those who love God. This process, in intercession, of first removing any elements of a "beam" in your own eye, helps to flag and remove the subtle snares that so mark the times we have entered.


This process helps eliminate the defilements that can be picked up when penetrating enemy territory. It keeps us in that place of fearing God and no other; a dimension that is needed to break the bondage of corruption.


It is the reason why judgment first comes to the household of faith. When properly responded to, the judgment that first comes to the household of faith, becomes the means of "turning" that brings the restoration of God's order. It's another reason why we fear God and no other.


Signs of the Times

Less than two weeks before this Indonesian mission, I received a revelation. It bears on the timing of this, our first mission to Indonesia. In short, there is a network, an evil infrastructure in the natural that parallels and fuels the activities emanating from the dark spiritual world; being orchestrated by high-level principalities; which has been subtly preparing for intrusions to spread its tentacles.


It targets seats of power and influence. It has epicenters around the world, recognizable only by the "swirls" of confusion, division, counterfeit religious influences, along with demoralization and the dismantling-type of destruction that is manifesting like huge "sink-holes." This evil infrastructure involves shrouded, entangled funding and investors from interests with legitimate business covers which reflect very subtle and distorted connections.


Its largely unreported and shrouded activities range from human trafficking; to the abortion trade, but also pograms reemerging in places like Russia; and initiatives to undermine Israel; and strategies to divide the Body. Insights into this shadowed, creeping evil can be gleaned from the stories of Gideon and the sword of the Lord against the Midianites; as does the story of Joseph in preparing; as does the story of Daniel and his influence in changing the spiritual culture of an infrastructure of sorcery.


A Time of Preparation

The Joseph-type preparations underway by those with ears to hear are a significant counterforce to these hidden gateways of evil. That's why the mobilization of the marketplace is so key; it's one of those "secret things" that the Jewish people have wielded over the centuries. So it has been, as we've ministered around the globe, the Lord is connecting us with those who are mobilized and those who are preparing.


An important key in all this will be the ones to be given a voice and influence that counteracts and disentangles these hidden gateways of evil. The importance of Jew and Gentile, operating as "one new man" in all this is going to be very strategic. Likewise, there is emerging, a very significant and unexpected impact that will result from heretofore under-the-radar and new, unconventional Christian media initiatives; along with alliances with "righteous" mainstream secular media outlets.


All this calls for heightened discretion and discernment; and a need NOT to give in to, nor especially to overreact to the enticements and diversions of "blind passions" or religious spirits. The snare is in premature action which short-circuits the needed preparation.


Back in 2006, after hearing of the tsunami that had hit Indonesia, I cried out to the Lord for the people. The Lord then gave me insight into this event. It came from Psalm 107. Knowing of the tragedies of persecution against believers that had preceded this event, Psalm 107 unveils that when God's people are "brought low through oppression, affliction and sorrow," there comes a time when the Lord pours out "contempt" (His judgment) on princes (those who abuse power). Yet He sets the poor on high, far from affliction and makes their families and communities like a flock. The righteous see it and rejoice and all iniquity stops in its tracks. So it has happened in Indonesia. The church in Indonesia is a forerunner for our times.


Discerning the Shifts and What's Next

There's more. But in short, there has been a paradigm shift. We need to understand that shift as we discern the times; and glean from the wisdom of what has been unfolding in these most vibrant Asian segments of the Body. We need to understand what's next.

Before us is a full schedule in October with our return to Vietnam. We've witnessed the

Lord doing remarkable things, from the far North to deep within the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. The church in Vietnam is a praying church. It is a church that has gone through the fire. It is a church whose mantle is spiritually becoming like that of the "sword of the Lord" spoken of when Gideon, like the minnow swallowing the whale, penetrated the camp of the Midianites and sent them fleeing.

We're honored and we're blessed to be able to serve these brethren in Indonesia and those in Vietnam. We're poised and we're eager for the next steps the Lord is opening before us and them. Thank you again for your prayers as we depart for the long trek back on 12 September.



___________________________________________________

Morris Ruddick has been a forerunner and spokesman for the call of God in the marketplace since the mid-90s. As founder of Global Initiatives Foundation and designer of the God's Economy Entrepreneurial Equippers Program, Mr. Ruddick imparts hope and equips economic community builders where God's light is dim in both the Western and non-Western world.


He is author of "The Joseph-Daniel Calling;" "Gods Economy, Israel and the Nations;" "The Heart of a King;" "Something More;" and "Righteous Power in a Corrupt World," which address the mobilization of business and governmental leaders called to impact their communities with God's blessings. They are available in print and e-versions from Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and other popular outlets.


Mr. Ruddick is also a contributor in the just released five-volume "Aligning with the Apostolic," edited by Bruce Cook with Forwards by Peter Wagner and Bill Hamon. It is available through www.KingdomHouse.net.


Global Initiatives Foundation (www.strategic-initiatives.org) is a tax-exempt 501 (c) 3 non-profit whose efforts are enabled by the generosity of a remnant of faithful friends and contributors whose vision aligns with God's heart to mobilize the least of these our brethren. Checks on US banks should be made out to Global Initiatives and mailed to PO Box 370291, Denver CO 80237 or email us at sign@strategicintercession.org for access information on our secure web-site.


2013 Copyright Morris Ruddick - sign@strategicintercession.org


Reproduction is prohibited unless permission is given by a SIGN adviser. Since 1996, the Strategic Intercession Global Network (SIGN) has mobilized prophetic intercessors committed to targeting strategic-level issues impacting the Body on a global basis. For previous posts or more information on SIGN, check: http://www.strategicintercession.org


Morris Ruddick
Global Initiatives Foundation
www.strategicintercession.org
www.strategic-initiatives.org