Showing posts with label Bride of the Lamb. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Amid Prayer Movement, This Nation Elects Christian Comedian as New President - CHARISMA NEWS

Comedian Jimmy Morales was elected president of Guatemala. (Vimeo)

Amid Prayer Movement, This Nation Elects Christian Comedian as New President

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Guatemalan voters have chosen a comedian with studies in theology as their new president.

Jimmy Morales was initially considered an outsider but surprised the nation by leading the first round of elections, easily qualifying for the runoff.

Morales ran on a platform of conservative values, opposing gay marriage, abortion, and the legalization of marijuana.

"According to my belief, my ideology, I would have to veto such laws," the president-elect told CBN News. "I think in Guatemala we will not have this because of conservative thinking. In case Congress approves such laws, my position would be against them."

Morales presented himself as a champion against corruption, with the slogan "neither corrupt nor a thief."

The election followed months of political crisis, including the resignation of outgoing President Otto Perez Molina and his arrest on fraud and corruption charges. With a jailed president, the country teetered on the verge of social and political chaos.

The Guatemalan church played an important role through the crisis, holding prayer meetings like one held every Saturday morning at the Central Park.

The "Guatemala Prays" movement mobilized more than 700 churches for prayer vigils and fasting. For 40 days they prayed for a peaceful solution to the crisis.

"God put His hand in Guatemala, it's a miracle what happened," prayer participant Marco Antonio Ruiz said. "We came together as Church and cried out with one voice. The effectual prayer of a righteous man availeth much. God heard the voice of all those who joined us in prayer."

"The role of the Christian Church is to be the bride of the Lamb, a role of service and devotion," Morales told CBN News. "Also to evangelize, train and improve the talents of people. So, it's a fairly large role."

The church's active participation was also reflected in a debate held days before the election. The event, organized by the country's main evangelical organizations, was broadcast on national television and by satellite on the Christian network Enlace.

Both Christians and non-believers agree that the peaceful solution to Guatemala's crisis and the entire electoral process offers a lesson to other nations.

Christians in this election have affirmed that Guatemala begins its road to recovery as a direct answer to prayer.

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Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Prophetic Insight From Charisma: Rick Joyner: 2014 Is a Roller Coaster Year

Rick Joyner: 2014 Is a Roller Coaster Year

When I prayed for this coming year, I was shown a roller coaster. This means we will have ups and downs this year. I realize that hardly takes a prophet to predict, but the encouraging thing about this vision was that the ride ended at the highest point. We're going higher this year! So don't be discouraged by the dips. Hang on, and know that we will be going up again soon.

Our prophetic friend Bob Jones told us several months ago that it was going to be a very hard winter. I think this one has already qualified for that. As I am writing this in South Carolina, it is 8 degrees outside. I don't remember it ever being that cold here. However, the great thing is that spring will certainly follow. The point is that we must hang on during any dips or hard times. They will come to pass, but they will pass! As Winston Churchill once said, "When you're going through hell, keep going." Keep going.

The roller coaster I saw was very rickety. It did not seem that it could make it through another turn or the ups and downs. It held together, though. I love roller coasters, but this one was not the kind I would get on voluntarily. We don't have a choice; we are on it. Even the strongest systems of this world are very shaky, and most can only make it through another day because God is holding them together. He is doing this for our sakes, so we should never stop praying for them.

A Glistening Train

In the vision, there was a platform at the end of this roller coaster ride. It did not look any stronger than the roller coaster, but as we walked across, it became stronger and stronger. On the other side, there was a beautiful, brilliantly glistening train, which we boarded. It was the most beautiful and well-appointed train I've ever seen.

However, as I boarded, I saw that when it left the platform, it would enter a long, dark tunnel that I could not see the end of. Even so, the tunnel was going up, and this was a powerful, mountain-climbing train.

We're going up. It may be dark and a bit scary for a while, but we are going higher. That was the end of this vision.

Trains often speak of training in dreams and visions. We may still be on a rickety old roller coaster, but the vehicle that is going to take us to where we must go will be training. This speaks to me of Ephesians 4—the equipping of the saints to do the work of the ministry. Even though it may take a while for us to see where we're going (the long, dark tunnel) we will be going up. This is the vehicle that will get us to where we must go.

The City God Is Building

It is the nature of the faith walk not to be able to see where you're going, but you should know what you're looking for. The one who started the walk of faith, Abraham, did not know where he was going, but he did know what he was looking for—the city that God is building, not men.

The cities that men have built are impressive, but once you see what God is building, you can no longer be impressed with anything man is building. It takes revelation to see what God is building. John saw Babylon until he was carried to a high mountain. Then he saw the New Jerusalem, which is the city that Abraham saw. It is still being built. Being a part of it is the highest calling we can have. Do you see it?

As we see in the book of Revelation, the New Jerusalem is the bride, the wife of the Lamb. As Don Potter recently remarked, it is an amazing thing how a bride can look like she is in shambles just minutes before the ceremony. However, in those last few minutes, she comes together and emerges so beautifully and so perfect that you know you have witnessed a great miracle.

This may well be just the way it happens with the bride of the Lamb. We may look like a disaster right up to the end and then, miraculously, we come together without spot or wrinkle. Never give up.

Rick Joyner is the founder and executive director of MorningStar Ministries and Heritage International Ministries and is the senior pastor of MorningStar Fellowship Church. He is the author of more than 40 books, including The Final Quest, A Prophetic History, and Church History.

He is also the president of The OAK Initiative, an interdenominational movement that is mobilizing thousands of Christians to be engaged in the great issues of our times, being the salt and light that they are called to be. Rick and his wife, Julie, have five children: Anna, Aaryn, Amber, Ben and Sam.

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