Showing posts with label character. Show all posts
Showing posts with label character. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

How to Keep Falling in Love - HALEE SHULTS CHARISMA MAGAZINE

What creates godly soul ties, friendships, and relationships that last a lifetime?

What creates godly soul ties, friendships and relationships that last a lifetime? (iStockPhoto | MediaPhoto)





1/19/2016 HALEE SHULTS   CHARISMA MAGAZINE

Spirit-Led Woman

"It's very easy to fall in love, but it's much harder to stay falling."
There's an old saying that goes: "Guys fall in love through their eyes and girls through their ears," hence the reason why women obsess over their looks and mannerisms, while guys flip between deciding if they are the funny one or the musician. I recently finished a book called, Keep Your Love On by Danny Silk. (It's fantastic for anyone considering it on their book list!) In it, he talked about all the pre-marital counseling sessions during which he asked each one of the couples what they liked about the other. Sadly to say, many of their answers revolved around what the other person does for them. "She makes me feel good about myself." "He makes me laugh."
Driving on my way home tonight, I realized something that I may never have the ability to capture elegantly into words, but it hit something deep inside of my soul. I was thinking about what makes people connect? What creates soul ties, friendships and relationships that last a lifetime? Researchers have spent billions of dollars trying to find the answers to these questions, suggesting that we change our relationships every seven years. It hit me in a single moment; the difference between temporary and permanent relationships lie in the connection to character.
When you peel back all the layers of a human being, their responses to every circumstance completely hinge on their character. I've heard it said that every response that happens in life, stems from what happens on your insides between your collarbone and your waistline. You character, whether good or bad, is unshakeable. It can be trained, molded and damaged, but when the storms come, that's where you see what's below all those layers. While some may argue me, I believe that after a certain age—your character is the same yesterday, today and forever.
I realized, something shifts when we fall in love with someone's character. We devote ourselves to supporting that person's core, not just what they can bring to and for us. Looks, money, status and people—they change, leave or diminish in the ebb and flow of life. However, our response to those things, does not change. Connecting to that core is something so spiritual and nearly ineffable; you understand your partner past what they can explain to you. You can learn to work like a well-oiled machine as a team rather than two individuals walking in different directions at different paces, wanting different things.
Now for those of you who know me—my digging didn't stop there. Those words, "unchangeable ... the same, today, tomorrow and yesterday," they kept playing in an attempt to connect to other concepts until finally it landed on, "In the beginning, God ... ." As you read through Scripture, you will never find a true description of what God looks like. He likens some of His quality to ours but guess what ... our understanding of God is based on what we see in His character. So in the beginning, God breathed His character into us, so that we might reflect His. I wanted to lay on the ground at this point.
I began to think about what God's character is, and some of the dots began to connect. John says that God is love, so naturally the next question would be: "What is love?" We've heard this a million times, but read the next few lines as if love is God and not a feeling": "God is patient and kind. He does not envy, boast, or act proudly. He does not dishonor people, act selfishly, keep track of screw ups or get riled into anger easily. He seeks truth, rather than anything that brings harm or disconnection. He always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and never gives up." I'd say that sounds about right.
I played over the story of the Garden of Eden in my mind. The problem was never about them eating the fruit. It was about the fact that they hid, lied, broke trust and acted in the exact opposite of everything God stands for! Imagine how He would've responded if they owned what they did and asked for forgiveness; if they had protected His character and His honor? They produced the first trait of bad character into a creation that God had breathed Himself into and made perfect. How can such purity mix with something so destructive? So we left Him no choice but to break His Spirit from ours.
I wondered what that felt like? I can only liken it to losing a relationship with someone whom you trust completely and who protects and supports your character and honor while you protect theirs. They walk away from you, leaving you brokenhearted, only to fall into the arms of another. You watch them walk into a relationship with someone who does not value them and who always seeks to fulfill themselves—sucking any life they might have had, right out of them.
We walk throughout this life, trying to fill the void with things and people. Our choices are typically based on what will keep our hearts "safe" because since that moment in the garden, we have feared being lied to or deceived again. We're left with a hole where God's Spirit once was and no matter how hard try, it's never enough to fill up that emptiness.
It's kind of interesting ... this journey began for me when someone said, "I think when you've experienced love, you've experienced God." Guess what ... true love (among every type of relationship), is unconditional—which means it's is unchanging yesterday, today and forever. You don't have to earn it; you just have to value it. Adam and Eve valued hiding their vulnerable selves in order to "look" like there was nothing wrong. They valued covering themselves with leaves doused with fear and shame, rather seeking to work through a tough situation and restoring their relationship. In the end, their reflection of God's character, or lack thereof, is what destroyed their relationship with Him.
We must want to connect with something that is unchangeable. Find the courage to connect with His character, knowing He will never disappoint! When you fall in love, the way you keep falling is to love their core, and always protect their honor and character. If we seek to reflect His character, and restore that spiritual relationship with Him, while learning to love each other unconditionally, we build a kingdom that is unshakeable.
Halee Shults has a degree in family science and currently resides in Kansas City, Missouri. She's loves studying how the physical and spiritual realms collide.
For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!
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Monday, October 19, 2015

Prophetic Destiny: 3 More Tests of an Overcomer - Che Ahn

Here are more tests to pass before you will see your prophetic dreams come to light.


Here are more tests to pass before you will see your prophetic dreams come to light. (iStock photo )


Prophetic Destiny: 3 More Tests of an Overcomer


Get ready to step into a new season.
September 13-15 marked the beginning of a new year on the Jewish calendar (5776). While nowadays we use the Greco-Roman calendar system, I feel the Jewish calendar has prophetic significance, and I always sense something stirring in the spirit around this time of year.
Usually coinciding with Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), September is also a significant month for me personally: It's when I got married to the love of my life, when I was ordained and when I received a prophetic dream to move to Los Angeles.
This Jewish New Year is extra special because it is the Year of Jubilee. On the Jewish calendar, years are observed in seven-year cycles, with a sabbatical year on the seventh year. Then at the culmination of every seven cycles (a total of 49 years) comes the 50th year: the Year of Jubilee, when all agricultural work ceased, all land was returned to its original owner and all slaves were released into freedom! (See Leviticus 25:8-24.)
God wants to unload His immeasurable blessings on you in this New Year!
If you want to walk in the fullness of what God is doing, you must partner with His prophetic plan both for the church as a whole and for your own journey of faith.
On Tuesday, I shared the first two tests you must overcome to see your prophetic dream come to pass as you pursue your God-given destiny. Today let's take a look at the next three:
3. The Purity Test. In Genesis 39 the story of Joseph continues as he faced a test that every person has to go through: the purity test.
"Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, 'Come to bed with me!' But he refused" (Gen. 39:6-8).
Joseph passed the purity test with flying colors. What was his secret? He had the right perspective that was aligned with the fear of the Lord: "How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" (Gen. 39:9).
If you want God's blessing and favor, you must flee from immorality—and run straight to the Lord!
4. The Prison Test. The next phase of Joseph's journey was another test of character. After being falsely accused of rape, Joseph was sent to the king's prison (Gen. 39:17-20). There he was sustained by the Lord as he kept his heart from bitterness due to injustice.
To overcome the prison test, you must persevere and hold onto hope that is anchored in God. Perseverance means fighting the battle while you are waiting.
Perseverance produces character (Rom. 5:3-5), and character is the key to supporting your destiny. Deep character comes through deep trials.
5. The Prosperity Test. Finally, through a series of God-orchestrated events—including extraordinary prophetic insight that came through the interpretation of dreams (Gen. 40-41)—Joseph came into a place of power and influence as his prophetic destiny unraveled (Gen. 40:38-44).
The final test boils down to how you handle prosperity and favor when it's given to you. It's not just about reaching your destiny but what you do with your destiny.
When God prospers you, it's your responsibility to intentionally give Him all the glory.
Joseph's story is a tale of trials and testing, but it's also a testimony of God's faithfulness to complete the work He started.
God has a dream for you! His thoughts for you are higher than yours, and you are called to greatness in His Kingdom! 

Ché Ahn and his wife, Sue, are the Founding Pastors of HRock Church in Pasadena, California. Ché serves as the Founder and President of Harvest International Ministry (HIM) and the International Chancellor of Wagner Leadership Institute (WLI). With a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary, he has played a key role in many strategic outreaches on local, national and international levels. He has written more than a dozen books and travels extensively throughout the world, bringing apostolic insight with an impartation of renewal, healing and evangelism.
For the original article, visit hrockchurch.com.
For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!
NEW - Life in the Spirit is your Spirit-filled teaching guide. Encounter the Holy Spirit, hear God speak to you, and enjoy timeless teachings on love, mercy and forgiveness.LEARN MORE!

Thursday, September 17, 2015

"Prophetic Destiny: Five Tests Of An Overcomer" - Che Ahn


"Prophetic Destiny: 
Five Tests Of An Overcomer"
Che Ahn, Pasadena, CA
The Elijah List

Beginning a New Year of Jubilee: Get Ready to Step into a New Season!

This marks the beginning of a new year on the Jewish calendar (5776), as Rosh Hashanah falls on September 13-15 this year. While nowadays we use the Greco-Roman calendar system, I feel the Jewish calendar has prophetic significance, and I always sense something stirring in the spirit around this time of year.

Usually coinciding with Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), September is also a significant month for me personally: It's when I got married to the love of my life, when I was ordained and when I received a prophetic dream to move to LA.

This Jewish New Year is extra special because it is the Year of Jubilee! On the Jewish calendar, years are observed in seven-year cycles, with a sabbatical year on the seventh year. Then at the culmination of every seven cycles (a total of 49 years) comes the 50th year: the Year of Jubilee, when all agricultural work ceased, all land was returned to its original owner and all slaves were released into freedom! (See Leviticus 25:8-24.)

God wants to unload His immeasurable blessings on you in this new year!

Five Tests of an Overcomer

Everyone has a prophetic destiny and God-given dream that we are called to walk into. But the key is: you have to know how to go from your dream to your destiny.

Why is it that certain people reach their destiny while others get stuck in life? If we look at the life of Joseph, we can identify five different tests that you must overcome as you are prepared to come into your destiny. (Photo via flickr)

If you want to walk in the fullness of what God is doing, you must partner with His prophetic plan both for the Church as a whole and for your own journey of faith.

1. The Pride Test

"Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more." Genesis 37:5

When he was a young man, Joseph received a prophetic dream that showed he was destined for greatness. Yet he lacked wisdom when he shared it with his family.
The truth is that if you can't handle the vision and call on your life, you will never be able to handle the reality of the destiny. You must overcome pride by choosing humility (1 Peter 5:5-7).

When you are truly humble, you are secure in who you are. And this security will take you through the pride test every time you go to the next level of favor and responsibility.

2. The Potiphar Test

After Joseph was sold as a slave, an Egyptian officer named Potiphar bought him. Instead of resenting Potiphar, Joseph chose humility and worked in his household: "And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him." Genesis 39:3-4

ElijahList Prophetic Resources

How well you serve those who are over you is the key to overcoming this test in life. It could be a parent, a boss or a pastor – in any case, you are called to imitate Joseph, who did not work for Potiphar but for God.

"And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men..." Colossians 3:23

3. The Purity Test

In Genesis 39 the story of Joseph continues as he faced a test that every person has to go through: the purity test.
"Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, 'Come to bed with me!' But he refused." Genesis 39:6-8

Joseph passed the purity test with flying colors. What was his secret? He had the right perspective that was aligned with the fear of the Lord: "How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" (Genesis 39:9).

If you want God's blessing and favor, you must flee from immorality – and run straight to the Lord!

4. The Prison Test

The next phase of Joseph's journey was another test of character. After being falsely accused of rape, Joseph was sent to the king's prison (Genesis 39:17-20). There he was sustained by the Lord as he kept his heart from bitterness due to injustice.

To overcome the prison test, you must persevere and hold onto hope that is anchored in God. Perseverance means fighting the battle while you are waiting. Perseverance produces character (Romans 5:3-5), and character is the key to supporting your destiny. 

Deep character comes through deep trials. (Photo via flickr)

5. The Prosperity Test

Finally, through a series of God-orchestrated events, including extraordinary prophetic insight that came through the interpretation of dreams (Genesis 40-41), Joseph came into a place of power and influence as his prophetic destiny unraveled (Genesis 41:38-44).

The final test boils down to how you handle prosperity and favor when it's given to you. It's not just about reaching your destiny but what you do with your destiny. When God prospers you, it's your responsibility to intentionally give Him all the glory.

Joseph's story is a tale of trials and testing, but it's also a testimony of God's faithfulness to complete the work He started.

God has a dream for you! His thoughts for you are higher than yours, and you are called to greatness in His Kingdom!

With Love,

Che Ahn
HRock Church

Ché Ahn and his wife, Sue, are the Founding Pastors of HRock Church in Pasadena, California. Ché serves as the Founder and President of Harvest International Ministry (HIM) and the International Chancellor of Wagner Leadership Institute (WLI). With a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary, he has played a key role in many strategic outreaches on local, national and international levels. He has written more than a dozen books and travels extensively throughout the world, bringing apostolic insight with an impartation of renewal, healing and evangelism.

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Monday, November 24, 2014

RESPONSE TO EVIL by Morris E. Ruddick



RESPONSE TO EVIL

(c) Morris E. Ruddick


"Lord, You have set up a banner for those who fear You, a standard displayed because of the truth. That Your beloved ones may be delivered, save with Your right hand and answer us." Ps 60:3-5

Mind-sets are a compilation of assumptions that influence how we live our lives. They are the predispositions of our attitudes which determine how we respond to the circumstances around us. Mind-sets shape an individual's behavior. Cultural mind-sets mold the identity shared by a people.

Working with believers in cultures where freedom is at risk has often challenged me to take a closer look at my own individual and cultural mind-sets. One culture I've worked with in particular includes a number of leaders who have spent extended time in hard-labor prisons for their faith. The intent of these incarcerations of brutal conditions was to undermine their faith. It had the opposite effect.

In each case, I've been struck by the strength of character, decision-priorities and genuine humility of these friends who bear these brand-marks of their faith. On the other hand, what I have not observed is the focus that the West can give to issues that impact the soul. In conditions designed to break their spirit, those issues included severe deprivation of such essentials as having enough food to live and the realities of facing death.

In short, what I have witnessed has been a distinct absence of a victim's mentality. In lands of persecution, almost everyone has a story of tragedy and serious loss. Yet, contrary to Western predispositions, the choice has been to put their tragic pasts behind them to more fully live in "the now."

"Forgetting those things that are behind and reaching forth for that which is ahead." Phil3:13

Paul's admonition is not to "stuff it," but rather to renew our minds and make a choice to transform our thinking by giving focus to remembering those things that are true, noble, just, pure and of good report (Phil 4:8). That's the rallying banner. It's the standard upheld by those we regard as heroes of faith.

Foundations to How We Respond

At the core of the way of the Kingdom is how we respond to evil. Our mind-sets play a significant role in this response. The first premise is that we cannot hope for much by responding in our own strength or cleverness, no matter how much we verbalize it. It takes a great deal more, even for the most talented.

The opening Scripture is about that added dimension that only comes through God. It is from a Psalm describing a people who have strayed and lost the power and protection of God against evil. It outlines the need to be restored and highlights what is required to maintain that place in which God intervenes on their behalf.

Over the centuries, the Lord has imparted banners and standards for the good of His people. They serve an initial function to help us avoid the subtleties of evil. When ignored, they still provide the means of deliverance, although at a higher cost when evil inroads can only be met by judgment.

The banner displayed gives first priority to embracing the unequivocal fear of the Lord. That calls for a choice. The standard then sets the stage to unveil the truth and the reality of God that empowers deliverance. It is the foundation from which we can cry out to the Lord and expect the manifestation of His power.

Bondages result when God's supernatural standards are watered down with the natural. Within the Body are many who enjoy God's blessings yet are constrained from crossing the boundaries into what is represented by the fullness of their callings. The constraints typically are self-imposed, driven by precepts of men, with the standards influenced by both individual and cultural mind-sets and predispositions.

The response to evil draws a line in the sand. Not recklessly or arbitrarily, but rather as a choice and a priority to uphold the standard. That choice is contrary to the way the world responds. That sometimes means sacrifice. Yet, that choice is the very foundation that Jesus imparted to His followers during His three year earthly ministry.

The Subtle Influence

For years I have worked with men and women of God being prepared with modern-day Joseph-type callings. The calling of God in the marketplace is not one of position or status, but a calling of influence. The influence evolves around establishing God's standard against evil, harnessing resources, and bringing deliverance and transformation within the infrastructures of the world's systems.

Yet, again and again the pressures and subtleties faced by these modern-day Josephs bring challenge and distortion to their mantles. With the distractions and deceptions, the result is being drawn into safe-places, of spiritually treading water.

As an illustration of the subtleties that distort and diminish the standard, the Western media has long advanced a cultural mind-set that turns returning military heroes into victims. It has undermined the standard of the cause of freedom with subtle, downgraded and distorted moralizations. The brand-marks of true heroes are then dishonored and reduced to pity.

Pilate's challenge to Jesus was based on this very premise: that Jesus was facing death and Pilate had the authority to release Him. Jesus' response to Pilate was that his authority was limited and defined only by the Father. Figuratively speaking, Jesus spit in the face of death. Jesus was never a victim. His response refused a mind-set of pity, as He held to the standard.

Jesus said He came not to destroy the law and the prophets, but to fulfill, to bring completion to them. He drew a line in the sand with destruction and death. Yet, until the time He was turned over to Pilate and Herod to face crucifixion, the focus of His earthly ministry dealt with the response to evil within the household of faith.

"From the days of John the Baptist, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force." Matt 11:12

The Evil Within

The evil within the household of faith is far more subtle than the evil from outside the community of God's people. Ranging from factors such as obsessive introspection leading to majoring in minors and spiritual myopia to outright misuses of authority, the result has long been a people of feeble power, fragmented and divided.

Nevertheless, overcoming these vulnerabilities represents the cohesive foundation needed to maximize the power in responding to evil coming from the world's system. No one group has the total picture, which is why we need one another. The level to which the evil within the community of God's people is properly addressed will be the level destabilizing and diluting the impact of the evil lurking outside the camp.

"Do not be afraid of the sudden fear nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being taken."
Prov 3:25-26

The inroads of evil into the household of faith find their seedbed in mind-sets, the most devilish being religious mind-sets. Instead of being the influencers and overcomers, the Body has systematically become culturally compliant and spiritually anemic. The perception is viewed as the reality. Most purveyors of news are no longer presenting facts, but rather the spin of events within the view of a creeping system of godless values and evil-intended priorities.

In God's eyes, the reality is based on the standard. God's standard is the driver for our mind-sets, the factor that determines what is right and the priorities we ascribe in stewarding our destinies. That standard is then wielded to the degree that our thinking and actions are in oneness with Him.

"Thus says the Lord: Stand at the crossroads and look. Then ask for the ancient paths where the good way lies. Then walk in it and you will find rest for your souls." Jer 6:16

When God's people are in alignment with Him, His glory will manifest. God's glory manifested when King David brought God's people together. That was King David's greatest accomplishment and will be the standard for the model in the millennium.

To grasp the dynamics needed to realize the release of God's glory in the face of evil requires a closer look at what pride really is, how true humility upholds the standard and the role of suffering. With that is the need to understand how the Word of God defines wickedness within the ranks of the household of faith.

The Seduction of Pride. There is a fine line between pride and honor. True honor comes from God. Pride, however, is self-created and rails against the knowledge of God. Self-righteousness is based on pride. It seduces and distorts. The Bible says that pride is like death and cannot be satisfied (Hab 2:5).

Jesus addressed this dynamic manifesting with the Pharisees. They reached for the standard and missed. Their elitism and self-serving ambition for status and power pushed them away from God. It manifested in the mind-sets and the priorities they gave to the way they lived their lives. Jesus called them hypocrites because of their spiritual myopia.

The history of God's people is filled with stories of "strays" who have misused their authority and operated under short-sighted, prideful illusions of their own significance in their stewardship of God's power. The Bible describes them as wicked.

Proverbs 12:5-7 draws a sharp comparison between the righteous and the wicked. It applies within the boundaries of God's people. The divergence is between being just and operating with treachery and deceit. It speaks of the wicked seeking to entrap, of being ensnared by their own words, while the righteous maintain their integrity through backlash to emerge not only whole, but with new dimensions of purpose and enlightenment. Remember Job's response to his "friends" and the later end for Job.

"When Job prayed for his friends the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as before." Job 42:10

It is the way of the Kingdom to respond to evil with good. In short, the root of the righteous, defined by this standard, cannot be moved or uprooted (Prov 12:3). It emphasizes our complete dependency on God and the importance of humility and a listening heart in maintaining the standard to stay the pathway.

Humility and a Listening Heart. At the core of a righteous heart is the humility that comes from a genuine listening heart. We continually need to be hearing from God and the truth of His Word. We likewise need the wisdom from those who have gone before us as well as the God-fearing whose orientations are not constrained by our own search for what is truth.

"[The Bereans] were more fair-minded.... in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so."Acts 17:11

That's not to suggest a potpourri of opinions, but rather the discernment of the essentials needed to grasp the biblical standard guiding the steps of the community of faith. The need calls for more than a doctrinal statement on a web-site.

The world we live in, along with today's factionalized Body demands strategic-level wisdom in establishing the scriptural common ground of how we come together and how we operate as the community of faith -- in a way that draws the world.
"You are the light of the world, a city [community] set on a hill that cannot be hidden." Matt 5:14

The homosexual community mapped out just such a strategy roughly three decades ago. They have exceeded their goals. But then Jesus observed that the sons of this world can be more shrewd in operating with their own kind, than the sons of Light. To have a story to tell begins WITHIN the household of faith, with the degree to which we are listening to one another. The common ground involves how we OPERATE together. That will require humility.

Humility toward God and others is a Kingdom key. It is an igniter for unity. Humility is the shield against pride and the fear of man. Paul described the ultimate spiritual enemy we are dealing with as death. True humility inoculates us against the fear of man and the age-old seductions of death and destruction.

The Response and Role of Suffering. People who have faced death in combat and survived, understand the reality involved in face-offs that "cheat" death. Winston Churchill was a man who over the course of his life had many encounters with death. He was intimately acquainted with how evil operated. His demeaner was fearless. His consistently big-picture response was to uphold the standard against evil.

When he was made Prime Minister, what he was dealing with was a faceoff with death. Hitler's machine had conquered most of the European continent. Churchill was surrounded by those seeking to appease evil. As irreverent and as unorthodox as Churchill could be, he was much like a modern-day Cyrus. God knew and called Cyrus long before Cyrus knew there to be such a One as the God of Israel.

In the world of 1940, Hitler may have been the human mechanism, but it was death that was on the march. In its grip were the chosen of God, with the anemic stewardship of the Lord's standard in the crucible. Churchill's response to death, to this amassing evil was to draw a line in the sand. Not unlike King David, with wisdom beyond his own brilliance, he rallied the free world and brought them into unity.

The response involved a time of extreme sacrifice and suffering. Historically, times of great revival have been directly correlated with times of sacrifice and suffering. So it is that we find ourselves today with evil amassing before us.

The Big-Picture Response

These are times described in Isaiah 60 as when darkness is covering the earth and deep darkness the people. Evil has aggressively come out of the closet. The clarion call for the household of faith is to give heed to the big-picture and gird up the loins of our mind-sets. Humility and listening hearts, along with facing the realities is no longer an option.

"While following the way of your judgments, we have eagerly waited for You. At night my soul longs for You. Indeed my spirit seeks you diligently. For when the earth experiences Your judgments, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness."
Isa 26:8-10

The need is to redirect the focus of the energies given to the fund-raising soap boxes, and sweep aside the idols occupying our minds (Ezek 14:5). In responding to the big picture of what is happening around us, is the need to draw a line in the sand, calling the evil within for what it is and to begin giving focus to the strategies needed to fully draw on our Great Equalizer in facing the realities.

Peter notes (1 Peter 4:17) that judgment first comes to the household of faith. Jesus said that each would be seasoned with fire and every sacrifice seasoned with salt (Mark9:49). That's the mix, it is the cost required to be carriers of His presence. In facing the disarray and division, it is time for the household of faith to uphold the big-picture standard, serve as God's calling card, as He draws all men to Himself.

"We have a strong city [community]. Lord, You have established and strengthened our walls and ramparts. So, open the gates, that all who are righteous may enter, the ones who have remained faithful. The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You. For in You we have an everlasting Rock." Isa 26:1-7
___________________________________________________

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.comwww.BarnesandNoble.comand other popular outlets.

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 atsign@strategicintercession.org 

Likewise, email us to schedule a seminar for your congregation on the wisdom the persecuted church has for the times emerging in the West. 

2014 Copyright Morris Ruddick - sign@strategicintercession.org

Reproduction is prohibited unless permission is given by a SIGN advisor. Since 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

Friday, February 14, 2014

Respond to Your Call to Influence by Ed Silvoso (Women)

Respond to Your Call to Influence by Ed Silvoso - Identity Network


The church has not always recognized the spiritual gifts of women. But God has fashioned them to be key players in His kingdom.
 
Men possess these same qualities but in smaller supply; women, on the other hand, overflow with them. Without women the world would look like an army base where everything's painted white or gray and designed for efficiency at the expense of beauty. An awful sense of incompleteness would permeate the planet. 

Women have many qualities unique to their gender, one of the grandest being the ability to host life. This privilege to shelter another life at such an intimate level has been granted exclusively to Eve and her daughters. 

Women can nurture their newborns through the most intimate interaction between a female adult and a child: breastfeeding. The image of a baby being nursed by a loving mother is a picture of total dependency, perfect care and the most sublime transfer of nurture from one being to another. 

Women are also the ones who predominantly shape the character of their children during their crucial early years. They plant tender gestures in the inner layer of a child's malleable soul and watch as, like the seeds in a flowerbed, the spiritual seeds sprout, spreading beauty over the adult landscape in the form of noble deeds.
 
When were the seeds planted? During the nurturing years when a child spends most of his time with a woman: his mother! 

Jesus' First Teacher 

It was a woman, young Mary, who first heard beating within her the heart of God Incarnate when she was pregnant with Jesus. It was her hands that first touched Jesus' body and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes. 

Think for a moment what this reflects: God Almighty, Creator and Preserver of the universe, took the form of a baby and became dependent on the care of one of His creatures. When God experienced human flesh, with all its limitations, who was there to meet His needs? A woman. 
Jesus' mother, Mary, was His first teacher and also later His first disciple. No other human knew Jesus as intimately as Mary did. 

Ponder for a moment the scene at Calvary. While most of Jesus' frightened disciples hid at a distance, Mary and a group of faithful women gathered at the foot of the cross. Despite the pain and suffering Jesus endured, His last earthly concern was for a woman - His mother. 
He could not forget that she had taken care of Him when His earthly life began. And now, as His life was about to end, Jesus lovingly turned her over to the care of His beloved disciple (see John 19:26-27). 

Women's Hall of Fame 

Throughout the Bible are inspiring testimonies of other brave and brilliant women who were not mere privates in God's army but key players who were given pivotal assignments at strategic points and in crucial times. 

Moses' mother challenged the pharaoh's genocidal decree when she preserved the life of the one who would eventually lead millions of Hebrews to freedom (see Ex. 2). 

Rahab held the keys to the taking of Jericho. By turning them in the right direction she assured the fall of the fortress city (see Joshua 2). 

Hannah cried out to God for Samuel to be born, and he went on to become the greatest prophet and judge Israel ever knew (see 1 Samuel 1).
 
Deborah was an illustrious judge and a proven prophetess who delivered Israel from the mighty chariots of Jabin, the oppressing king of Canaan. Another woman, Jael, helped to bring total destruction to Jabin and his leading general, Sisera (see Judges 4-5). 

Esther courageously risked her life to save her nation, God's people, when they were in danger of being exterminated. 

Sarah was called "mother of nations" by God Himself (see Gen. 17:16) and is listed among the heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11. 

Priscilla and her husband, Aquila, instructed and guided Apollos, who had been preaching less-than-perfect theology (see Acts 18: 24-26). The fact that in most translations, Priscilla is listed first in this passage signifies the prominence of her role. 

On the shoulders of these women - and countless more down through the ages - rested the fate of cities, tribes and nations. 

Pillars of the Early Church 

One of the main reasons Christianity spread so rapidly in the early years is because its message restored honor and self-worth to half the world's population: women. Romans had such a low view of women that some men engaged in sex with other men. Jewish rabbis completely silenced women inside the synagogue, and pagans used them as temple prostitutes. 

However, early church leaders dignified women by teaching that in Christ "there is neither male nor female" and we "are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:28, NKJV). Women were also given positions of honor and leadership. 

Priscilla, for instance, was part of the team that founded the church in Ephesus - site of the greatest power encounter recorded in the book of Acts. She was there, inside the crux of God's power, when God dethroned Artemis and brought down the demonic socioeconomic structure that had controlled Ephesus. 

Throughout the epistles women are unapologetically exalted as pillars of the faith. Paul identified two women as the headwaters of Timothy's faith: his mother and his grandmother (see 2 Tim. 1:5). In Romans, a letter intended for wide circulation and public reading, Paul praised several women as people of faith and proven ministry (see Rom. 16:1-15). 

The first European convert was a woman, Lydia, and hers was the first household to be baptized (see Acts 16:14-15). She was very assertive in her interaction with the apostles: "She begged us, saying, 'If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.' So she persuaded us" (v. 15). 

Three centuries later, the driving force behind Constantine's conversion and the subsequent Christianization of the Roman Empire was another woman, Helena, the emperor's mother. 

Extraordinary Sensitivity 

Women have an extraordinary sensitivity to spiritual things. I am not saying that they are more godly than men, but I believe they are definitely more spiritual. This is why Jesus was able to reveal two of the most powerful truths in the gospels to women. 

He told Martha that He is the resurrection and the life (see John 11:25-27). To the Samaritan woman Jesus explained that He is the living water (see John 4:7-15). These women were in a state of confusion when Jesus found them, but both were able to hear, understand and believe these profound truths. 

Women also have the ability to express a greater range of emotions, an ability which enables them to experience worship in a more intense way. Many times female acts of worship are dismissed as emotional and disruptive. 

The men at Simon the leper's house who were watching the sublime act of worship of a woman who was ministering to Jesus accused her of wasting a very valuable flask of perfume. They judged her actions from a financial, cost-effective perspective (see Mark 14). 

But Jesus rebuked these men and declared that she had exhibited great spiritual foresight - she had prepared His body for the sepulcher. As He anticipated His imminent betrayal and rejection, Jesus was overwhelmed by sorrow. 

His heart was taxed with pain; He needed someone to minister to Him. It was a woman who sensed the urgency and spent everything of value she had to comfort Him. 

Women in the church are often accused of being excitable, but this is not necessarily true. Eli, for example, accused Hannah of being drunk when in fact she was genuinely broken before the Lord (see 1 Sam.1: 5-17). 

Many times God has turned to female generosity when needs have emerged in His kingdom. Amid a terrible famine He sent Elijah to the house of a widow to ask for everything she had - and she gave it to him! (See 1 Kin. 17.) 

In another instance, a group of women used their personal resources to support Jesus' ministry (see Luke 8:2-3). Interestingly, no man is explicitly identified in the Gospels as a financial supporter of Jesus. 

Courage Under Fire 

Women in the Bible also showed remarkable courage, even risking their own lives. On Resurrection morning, for instance, it was the women who ventured out to visit Jesus' tomb, even though as a "convicted criminal" He was under constant military guard. 

The disciples, after seeing the same empty tomb, locked themselves up for fear of the Jews (see John 20:19). Later, Thomas demanded tangible proof of Jesus' resurrection even though Jesus was standing right there! Jesus was probably thinking of the women when He rebuked Thomas, saying, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29). 

By appearing first to women on Resurrection Sunday, Jesus made them the first messengers, the first evangelists, the first prophetesses, the first teachers and the first witnesses of His resurrection. This was no small privilege! 

In my opinion, women are more prone to believe God and with greater ease than men. They are following the example from Acts 12:12 when Mary, mother of Mark, fearlessly hosted a large prayer meeting while Herod was shedding apostolic blood all over town. Likewise, Lydia made her house available to the entire church at a time of violent opposition (see Acts 16:40). 

When God spoke, Deborah had no doubt that God could deliver the Israelites from Sisera's army. Likewise, Mary stood firm in her faith that she could bear a child despite being a virgin; and the women at the tomb, deep in sorrow, accepted the resurrection message without hesitation. 

It's Time for a Change 

For far too long the devil has haunted women with a negative portrayal of Eve in the Garden of Eden. Satan wants Eve to be seen as the weak link, the one who brought so much misery to the human race. Even though she was deceived and fell into transgression, let us not miss an important point: Eve was the one who identified the enemy! 

In spite of the shame she felt, Eve understood and described accurately what had happened and who the instigator was, setting the stage for God to announce the rematch. 

Let us be strengthened by the Genesis 3 passage and view it without the distorting lens the enemy has used for so long. Like Eve, women know who the enemy is. Furthermore, Satan knows that her seed will eventually destroy him. 

It is time for a change. It is time for women to stop paying attention to Satan's demeaning remarks, so often channeled through those who look at the exterior and miss the wealth stored inside them. 

Women do not need a human platform to be heard because God has given them considerable spiritual height from which to speak. They are designed to be influencers and shapers. No wonder God has called them to play key roles in His strategic plans! 

Ed Silvoso
 
 
 
 
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