FOUNDATIONS - Morris E. Ruddick STRATEGIC INTERCESSION GLOBAL NETWORK (SIGN)

FOUNDATIONS © Morris E. Ruddick Ghandi once commented that the teachings of Jesus are beautiful. His caveat was that if only he could find one real Christian. Ghandi's claim was that he liked Christ, but that the Jesus followers he had met were unlike Him. His observation is a reflection of what the world sees in the faith that believers put in action. Yet, Abraham was viewed as a prince by the sons of Heth, one of the dominant societies in his region The powerful biblical leader Abimelech's response to Isaac, Abraham's son was: "We see that the Lord has been with you. Let us make a covenant that you do us no harm." Pharaoh's discernment of Joseph was: "Can we find such a man as this, one in whom is the spirit of God?" What Jesus imparted was not a philosophy or new religion. It was a dimension of reality bridging the natural and the spiritual. It was a reality, a threshold in God, that impacted everything. From the early days of God's people walking with Him, this reality of God, seen through His people, was recognized and acknowledged with awe as God manifesting. This dimension, this corridor of walking with God incorporated the knowledge of God with His ways, His truth. It was this dimension that Jesus referred to as the Kingdom of God. It is both the gateway and pathway into knowing God. It involves what Jesus referred to as "abiding" or the process of abandoning ourselves to become one with God. Jewish Foundations This truth came from the foundations of what Jesus referred to as the law and prophets, which He noted that He had not come to change. They are foundational. Jesus spoke very clearly to the issue of these foundations, of what we refer to as "our faith." As a Jew, Jesus made the point that He had come to bring completion to what Jews referred to as "the law," or the Torah and the prophets. Yet, what followed digressed into the institutionalization of "the faith." This institutionalizing of the faith resulted in the loss of two key things: the foundations and the power that resulted, the result when what Jesus imparted is truly grasped and set in motion. The Struggle for the Foundations Instead, historically one generation beyond those of the first-century church and those so remarkably touched by this new dimension of the foundations, began seeing the replacement of the power of God with human effort. While retaining some of the essence of the faith, the effect lost the vibrancy of the foundations. The progressively embattled result became something akin to the settling of the wild west in America, which was polluted with lawlessness and corruption. What played out in the next couple of centuries among the followers of Jesus was a serious division over matters foundational to the faith and with that a struggle for power. When the foundations are restored, the Jesus I know and serve will not be misperceived as the son of Mr. and Mrs. Christ or as having His birthplace in the Vatican. Jesus was a good Jewish boy who God sovereignly entrusted to a good Jewish home. He grew up expounding on the "law and the prophets." However, in the early fourth century the struggle that ensued between those who adhered to the foundations and those who were institutionalizing the church converged with an unusual Roman emperor whose mother was reported to be a believer. In response to a battle he won, the emperor Constantine made Christianity the religion of his realm and in the process, he sided with the institutionalizers. In that process, the Jewish foundations of the faith were expunged. The church that resulted started opposing anything related to the Jewishness of the good news, this fullness to the foundations laid out by Jesus, the Jewish Messiah. This shift from the foundations marked the beginning of what some refer to as the dark ages. It resulted in a growing number of church leaders and sects taking a stand against Jews and anything Jewish tied to the "faith." It progressively produced deep rifts in the relationship with any of the Jewish faith with atrocities that created ripples that extend to this day. The Foundations Recovered Yet today, God is not only sovereignly restoring the Jewish roots to Christianity, but the biblical foundations of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to the Jewish people. These Jewish roots to the faith represent the foundations to be recovered. They are what was missing and caused Ghandi to say he liked Christ, but did not consider any of the Jesus followers he had met to be like Him. To understand these foundations, how they affect what Jesus referred to as "the Kingdom" and how they impact every aspect of our lives: the mix of the economic, culture and power, we need to begin with the patriarch Abraham. Abraham is considered the father of the Jewish people. But before we talk about Abraham and how this all started, I'd like to outline some of the factors that are pertinent to this culture of business navigated by the people the world has accepted as being a people of business, the Jews. The People of Business Over the millennia the Jewish people not only have succeeded in retaining their cultural identity, but with disproportionate achievement have served as catalysts and influencers to the civilizations that would rise and fall around them, like the Greeks, the Romans, the Assyrians, the Ottomans, the Babylonians and others. Historically, in civilizations without a middle class, the Jewish people have served that function, as merchants and bankers and people of business. They have been advisors to kings, rulers and leaders and financed national agendas in the societies in which they lived. Yet, as a people, Jews have been distinctive. As a people, they have released nuggets of wisdom from the roots of their faith that have impacted the foundations: economically, governmentally, judicially, and morally, for what is now considered as the good and enduring virtues and values within Western civilization. Today, despite being only one-fourth of one percent of the world's population, since 1950, Jews have been the recipients of 27 percent of the Nobel prizes awarded. Studies such as "The Golden Age of Jewish Achievement" and "Startup Nation" attest to their modern-day contributions, which statisticians would view as "beyond chance expectation." In short, Jewish strategies have resulted in them outliving, as a people, the civilizations of which they have been a part. The keys to this remarkable phenomenon lie in the restoration of the foundations and its long-term, enduring model. Pertinent Ancient Foundations Identity. As already noted, at the foundations of Jewish culture is their identity. Jews hold to the belief of being a prophetic people of God whose ways reflect the pattern of their forefather Abraham: to be blessed to be a blessing. This distinction has been both unique and pertinent to their destiny. For the most part, they have resisted assimilation and from age to age they have maintained their unique identity as a culture within a culture. Jews share with many Asian cultures the distinction of having had their share of centuries as a conquered people, yet without losing their foundations culturally that have made them unique and strong. Jewish and Asian diasporas share in both having retained their cultural identities and serving as positive influencers to the cultures of which they have become a part. Community. Jewish beliefs nurture the dynamic of community much more than Western cultures. Historically Jews are an Eastern culture. As a culture within a culture, Jewish communities tend to operate with an approach of being a trust society. They foster entrepreneurship and creativity from within and build incisively from the bottom-up. Self-Sufficiency. Within that context, community-wise, when adhering to their standards, they operate in a self-regulated, self-sufficiency within their communities. Self sufficiency will result from discipline, excellence and dependable stewardship. It is why Jews have succeeded even when the societies around them have made untenable legal requirements and even contained them within ghettos. Even during severe times of persecution, Jews typically have mastered fostering the type of stewardship that serves and reflects excellence, while profiting and overcoming. Gifts.  Jewish communities are known for nurturing and mentoring emerging generations to excel as individuals, yet for the benefit of community. Everyone has a gift. First defining one's gift and then developing it to where what is being done stands out in excellence among others represents something that can be successfully commercialized. It is also the foundation of true leadership. Leadership. The Jewish brand of leadership has the distinction of operating best through influence and service. Jesus described this brand of influence as being the salt of the earth, a city on a hill that cannot be hidden. As a people, Jews are disciplined and are willing to pay the cost to live according to a higher standard, as well as to sacrifice for the future of their people. Moral Standards. With many similarities to the ancient roots of some key Asian peoples, Jews are a moral society. Their distinctive identity upholds the standards of community, entrepreneurship, innovation, excellence and industriousness. While not exempt from corruption, Jewish standards in business, community and seats of power do tend to be higher, with corrupt practices less tolerated. However, these moral standards are significant. They form a part of knowing God's ways. They explain why certain Asian cultures have excelled in business without knowing the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. However, moral standards are only a part of God's ways. That's the point of taking a closer look at the foundations embraced by Jews. These observations provide the practical keys to opportunity. A recent Wall Street Journal article (Vietnamese Lessons for Burma, Chin and Collazo, 20 Nov 2013) has challenged whether Vietnam's doi moi economic reforms have lost their momentum and Vietnam, Asia's shining star for foreign investment, its advantage. The answer lies within. Foreign investment will stir the economy, but building an enduring economy will follow the wisdom from the Jews, from within. That brings us back to the issue of the foundations and business. Jews have mastered the way they merge the economic with community and the spiritual. Bottom-Up Foundations Long-term economic growth that helps society as a whole requires bottom-up economic foundations. This doesn't discount either the opportunity or importance of leveraged development from top-down investment activity or business accelerator strategies. Nevertheless, while the term "start-ups" and "small business" in the West has tended to embrace a threshold of anything under 20 million USD annually; the threshold tied to the foundations that has evolved from the people of business needs to be lower. Healthy economic structures need to foster family-owned businesses that employ a handful of employees and serve a local neighborhood. In places like Vietnam, the reality is that a healthy ratio of Vietnam's GDP (roughly a fourth) comes from what has begun being referred to as the "sidewalk economy." Historically in the West, some of the current, longest-lasting, more stable, larger organizations have grown from very humble beginnings. Ford Motor Company began in a garage. Again, this premise reflects the centuries-old approach employed by the people whose renown has been as a people of business and finance: the Jews. What is most pertinent and warrants examination is the Jewish model which merges the spiritual, economic and community. From age to age, this model has operated with consistent success despite adversities and the very different, but dominant cultures of which Jews have been a part. Cultural Compatibility and Entrepreneurship A highly respected social economist has uncovered some unique insights into these issues in his examination of economies and cultures in "Trust: Social Virtues and the Creation of Prosperity." Francis Fukuyama contends that social capital may be as important as physical capital. Dr. Fukuyama holds that only societies with a high degree of social trust will create the foundations needed for the large-scale business organizations that compete in today's global economy. Nevertheless, large-scale organizations are only a part of the equation. Former Cambridge University entrepreneurial expert and author, Bill Bolton, stresses the importance of the creative and innovative dimensions which drive economic opportunity and the dynamic of entrepreneurship. The challenge lies in the foundation of the economic structure. While the West has repeatedly gone through a process of reinventing the venture capital and "accelerator" investment models for fast-growth organizations; investment trends can be fickle and at times, abruptly cyclic. The reality is that without a firm foundation of entrepreneurship with community-level businesses; the economic structure will eventually soften and become top-heavy. So, in wrapping up this brief introduction to Jewish business secrets, I want you to view this as a journey that we're taking together. We're going to look at foundations that fit into three categories: the spiritual, the entrepreneurial and the community and how they relate together. What I'm outlining is a way of thinking. It taps the creative. It bears on your gifts, which we'll also talk more about. But more importantly it significantly impacts what we each call our destinies. In this series, some of the highlights we will be addressing include both very practical and foundational issues like: The Model: The God-Centered, Entrepreneurial, Community Matrix Your Destiny Gifts: Developing your natural, spiritual and entrepreneurial gifts Entrepreneurship and God's Economy: Create, innovate, build, multiply Anointed Planning:  Learning to plan with God's guidance Financial Stewardship:  The pathway to mastering financial cycles and growth The Dynamic of Increase: Community responsibility and generosity The Creative Advantage: Practical application of harnessing the spiritual Opportunity in Crisis: Entering God's economy and succeeding in tough times Understanding the Times: Prophetic insights into these times of change The Power Factor: The reality of God and how good overcomes adversity Success Groups:  A Jewish strategy for business success and opportunity Community Building:  Understanding God's purposes for business Jewish Strategies of Leadership: Keys to becoming agents of change The Kingdom Factor: The paradox that restores the power and foundations. What we're going to be covering was what was missing in the lives of the Christians that Ghandi had encountered, yet remains the essence of who Jesus is and the teachings He imparted. As has been written by the prophet Jeremiah: "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." Jeremiah 6:16 ___________________________________________________ Morris Ruddick has been a forerunner and spokesman for the higher dimensions of business leadership 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 to be blessed to be a blessing where God's light is dim in diverse regions around the globe. 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;" "Leadership by Anointing;" and "Mantle of Fire," which address the mobilization of business and governmental leaders with destinies to impact their communities.  They are available in print and e-versions from www.Amazon.com, www.apple.com/ibooks andwww.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 economic community builders imparting influence and the blessings of God. 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 seminar for your group's gathering on the Joseph-Daniel Calling or on anointing the creative in business. 2016 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 501 (c) 3 tax-exempt organization

Morris E. Ruddick - GAME CHANGERS - SIGN

Morris & Carol Ruddick

GAME CHANGERS   (c) Morris E. Ruddick     "Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons and concerning the work of My hands, you command Me." Isaiah 45:11   Isaiah prophesied this amazing word for Cyrus centuries before Cyrus' birth. The time of Cyrus was critical for God's people. Cyrus was raised up by God as a champion-warrior-leader. He would serve as God's chosen vessel to bring about a paradigm shift. His mantle would radically change the game plan to release a new day for God's people.   This prophecy indicates that although Cyrus had not known the Lord that he would. When that happened, his destiny as a game-changer through God would manifest.   In this context, the Lord instructs Cyrus to ask Him about His people and His purpose for them. With those bases covered, God indicates that Cyrus would then be given an authority from heaven to accomplish these things. So it came to pass.   We have come through a time in which we've been instructed in faith. We've learned about the gifts. We've become acquainted with the prophetic and the importance of hearing from God to get His instructions. Yet, God's purposes are always progressive and focused on the big-picture fullness of His plan for His people.   Not unlike the days of Cyrus, God today is again raising up game-changers to accomplish His purposes. Like Cyrus some will come from outside the community of faith. It portends a time of restoration.   For some, it will be as water on parched ground. For others, they won't get it and will even resist it, being so entrenched in their own ways. For them it will be like the generation that Moses led out of Egypt, who failed to flow with His purposes resulting in them neither understanding the shift nor seeing what was promised.   David was a game-changer, as was Moses and Joseph. Each were called, anointed and prepared for times in which God was restoring the forward momentum of His ancient plan for His people.   Prior to the cross, Jesus told His inner circle, that they had not chosen Him, but that He had selected them. So it will be for today's game changers. The modern-day game changers God is raising up will bring restoration the Lord covets for His people. This mantle will be endued with unusual authority. But the pathway is not an easy one.   Power and Blindness David went against the grain. He was misunderstood. He was chosen by God when the desires of the people to be like everyone else had hit a peak. That was and continues as the trap. It is an identity thing, but it is more than the community's identity with God. "Being like everyone else" masks and erodes God's power among His people, emasculating the purity of its application.   With Saul, Israel had the king they wanted, yet they and Saul remained blind to the heart of God. This was the community context, the spiritual climate and the uphill challenge faced by David on his path to becoming a game-changing champion of God.   David wrote over half the psalms. Many described those from Saul's armies who were tracking down and attempting to destroy him as "wicked." Such responses from the household of faith are not unusual for ones who bear a game-changing mantle.   Game changers are pathfinders, ones who illuminate the path for others to follow. Joseph triggered the ire of his brothers who resented his spiritual sensitivity and betrayed him. Those blind to God's direction and purposes tend to become enraged and seek to destroy those anointed to take things beyond their ensnared view of things.   There's a cost to operating outside the box. Jesus did and was quick to expose hypocrisy. He clearly said the litmus test would be evident by one's fruits. True fruits are derived from those whose mantles have undergone the rigors of a baptism of fire.   That means challenging prevailing mind-sets. It means a higher standard for the ones sent to restore the pathway of human efforts fallen short. Despite having the opportunity for retribution against Saul, David refused to touch God's anointed. Joseph's prescient prophetic gift enabled him to perceive and act on opportunity that would bring results beyond the realm of time. God's perspective in the deliverance of his brothers went toward the future fulfillment of God's covenant with Abraham.   The Distinctive of Game-Changers The distinctive of the game-changer is the honor of the warrior. It is the bond that is willing to die (John 15:13) for the cause of those and the One served. It is the distinctive marked by a wide gap between true warriors and those wearing masks.   Jesus despised the phonies, but lauded those without pretense who bore the honor of warriors. Discerning the destinies in those he selected for His inner circle, he chose ones with warrior hearts. He told the religious phonies that prostitutes and tax-collectors would grasp the truth he unveiled and enter the Kingdom before them.   Jesus led by example. He stated that He had a baptism to be baptized with and how distressed He was until it was accomplished (Luke 12:50). While game-changers will be misunderstood, they cannot respond personally. When Jesus said His followers would lead by serving, He was describing the heart of a warrior, ones not swayed by the approval of men, but rather impelled by the quest to do the right thing and go to the wall for the truth they served. That distinctive involves the employment of power, righteous power in corrupt settings. These are the ones who will make a difference.   Western Christendom is plagued with wannabes and zealots, ones who have never experienced a baptism of fire. Without the baptism of fire, the zeal is without knowledge. Warriors in the natural are quick to identify those they want along side them in battle. While sound training is paramount, it is those who have transcended the ranks of the phonies, wannabes and zealots and emerged from their baptism of fire with the bond of the warrior, willing to face the ultimate test for their brethren.   They are ones who can be counted on when the going gets tough. It is why God chose Cyrus long before he was born. It is why Jesus was amazed at the heart of the Centurion and his grasp of the essentials bearing on the spiritual.   Spiritually, the cost for game-changers is where faith and the realities of the unseen world collide. Before his martyrdom, Dietrich Bonhoeffer made frequent mention of cheap grace. He lived by what he believed. He was a catalyst in the remnant German church that stood behind the Jewish people and withdrew from the acquiescing church aligned with Hitler. For hypocritical phonies and wannabes, words are cheap and their goals short-sighted. They misdirect and mask the realities. Deceit is driven by evil (Prov 12:20) and undermines otherwise upright intentions. Idle words and deceit fuel this blindness and tend to proliferate to take on a life of their own.   Spiritual Myopia and Idle Words This is why Jesus made it clear that we would be held responsible for every idle word. This issue involves the misuse of power, the inclination of those untested under real fire, to misdirect their authority to condemn and find fault. Protecting their turf, they stamp out anything contrary to their own limited perspectives. Claiming their actions to be of God and succumbing to a Judas spirit, they indulge themselves in self righteously responding blindly to God's blueprint in others.   The idle words referred to by Jesus are evidence of spiritual myopia, whether knowingly or unknowingly, that opposes God's plan and purpose. Idle words not only are defined by and mask deceit and falsehood, but operate within a regular practice of gossip, compromise, self-serving exaggeration and hearsay. Such practices are at the core of what empowers the wicked and dilutes the efforts of the truly righteous.   Saul and most of his subjects suffered extreme cases of spiritual myopia. It was the same with Joseph's brothers. Jesus discerned the myopia and phony destructiveness in the idle words of the religious rulers against the righteous, whose destinies Jesus affirmed against their condemnations.   Idle words are aligned with those David describes as "bringing down and slaying those whose ways are upright." They hinder and reflect deceit. They are critical and seek destruction. Misuse of the prophetic that overlooks mercy and is predisposed to only discern judgment and calamity can fall into the stronghold marked by idle words.   The truly righteous are called to a path of honor. They bring about restoration, not being ensnared and defined by those who misunderstand and are intent on their destruction. They are first-responders taking up the mantle that brings restoration to God's people. "Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." Matthew 5:44-45   It is the application of such Kingdom principles, to overcome evil with good that ensures vengeance remains with the Lord which opens the gates into the supernatural power required when the game is to be changed, when a line against evil is to be drawn in the sand.   It is revealing that during the rise of Hitler, that although Hitler's inner circle was strongly occult and anti-Christian, that he publicly gave church leaders just enough to harness and then align the German church with his evil purposes. In this he embedded a new level of the wedge of replacement theology. The righteous standard is never to be compromised. Hitler knew he couldn't stand against the church without a major infiltration of its ranks. Hitler's intent was for a non-dissenting church standing behind his Third Reich. He understood the power to be gleaned from usurping the anointing.   So it has been over the centuries that unrighteous power and wickedness from within the community of faith have fueled unrighteous power and wickedness outside the household of faith. The playbook for this scheme is the passion of God's people for acceptance, to be like everyone else.   Yet, when the cosmic struggle that has plagued creation since Adam and Eve reaches this stage, we learn that like in the case of Cyrus, God has already foreordained and prepared the game changers. From the time God has had a people the game changers have been those who have embraced a process.   This process discerns the heart of God and maps out the path to release His authority into the steps toward His plan of restoration.   The Heart, Authority and Sphere Having discerned and embraced the heart of God, game changes face an alignment with the authority of God. This alignment holds to a critically fine line. It is where the costs are paid and the challenges faced.   The sphere, described in 2 Corinthians 10, is the boundary of the calling, which in turn denotes the boundary of the authority. The sons of Heth in answering Abraham recognized him as one with the authority of a prince. So it was that Joseph, Daniel and Moses were each groomed by God as His righteous representatives with an authority that was at the court level of the rulers of their days.   Jesus stated that those who loved their lives would lose it. David breeched this threshold. In facing Goliath, he risked everything. His face-off with Goliath wasn't a game. It was mortal combat in which only one victor would emerge alive. Against all odds in the natural, David assumed the cost for the sphere and then proceeded with his heart aligned with the heart and authority of God. Then for all to hear and then witness he proclaimed: "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine to defy the Armies of God?" When God is defied and His champions arise, everything changes.   Game changers pay the cost for the sphere and mantle in which they are called to operate. It is not a superstar thing, as dependence must be solely and completely on God.   For Joseph, the cost was 13 years as a slave and prison inmate with an unblemished identity in God. For Daniel, it was the unwavering public honor that he ascribed to God in the court of a king surrounded by the best of the best of the sorcerers of that day. For Moses, it was his face-off as God's ambassador with the idolatrous Pharaoh who unrighteously was repressing God's people. For David, it was years of abusive rejection despite his unquestioned loyalty and service.   The Paradigm Shift With the game changers in motion, the paradigm is going to shift. This is the groundswell of what is described in Isaiah 60 when it says the wealth of the seas will be turned to Israel and God's covenant people. With the shift, God's authority and power operating through the game changers will bridge into the supernatural.   With the mounting pressures, accurately grasping the heart and timing of God is vital. The models and strategies acceptable a generation ago will be superseded by the new, as the power and impact from the Lord multiplies exponentially. Unlike the corrupt power manifesting, God's righteous power and strategies have always masterfully anticipated the plans and intents of the evil one.   What is pertinent for this hour is the role of the Josephs and Daniels in setting the stage for the alliances with the Pharaohs and Cyruses of today. Joseph was deeply embedded and trusted within the world's system. Daniel, also operated within the courts of a pagan ruler who gave honor to Daniel's faith and the God of Israel.   However, for each, before the game could be changed, the spiritual climate had to shift. Although scripture doesn't say so specifically, I am convinced that the dreams Pharaoh had were the result of Joseph's prayers. I likewise believe that Daniel's intercessions were the catalysts for the progressive climate changes in Babylon preceding the game change that took place through Cyrus.   Both Joseph and Daniel were instrumental in the game change to the benefit of God's people. Their roles and the authority with which they operated supernaturally were the actuators for the paradigm shifts that took place. Both spiritually and in the natural, they embodied God's heart and became His ambassadors of restoration.   The Dividing Asunder The matrix, the pure matrix of the game changer is embracing His heart and purpose for His sons, for those who face the fire to bear His identity. It will be as Isaiah spoke through the dimension of time to Cyrus: "Ask of Me of things to come concerning My sons and concerning the work of My hands, command you Me." It is a day in which the words of David will manifest prophetically as the paradigm shifts. "Although the wicked may draw their swords and bend their bows, to bring down and slay those whose ways are upright, their bows will be broken and their swords will pierce their own hearts." Psalm 37:14   Proverbs 3 notes that the root of the righteous cannot be moved. One translation expresses that the truly righteous will never be uprooted. A sequence of scripture from Proverbs 12 then unveils the intense drama underway and the role of words in this struggle, and with it, the outcome for the righteous.   It states the plans of the righteous are just but the advice of the wicked is treacherous. It further reveals that the words of the wicked entrap, but the words of the upright will deliver them. It concludes by stating that the wicked will be ensnared by their own words, but the righteous will escape from trouble, so that the wicked are overthrown and are no more, but that the house of the righteous will stand.   Jesus changed the game. He raised the bar and brought perspective and understanding to those who yearned for the Kingdom, for the fulfillment of God's promises to Abraham. He bridged the natural with the spiritual and unveiled God's heart. He went against the grain and told his followers to do the same and more, and to do it with love and with truth at the helm. He defined love as He demonstrated it, by giving up His life for His friends.   So it is for the times upon us. Jesus said many are called but few are chosen. The crucible has been applied in the preparation. The days are now here when the visions will be fulfilled. "Oh God, do not remain silent and do not be still. For your enemies make an uproar and those who hate you have exalted themselves. They make shrewd plans against your people. They conspire together against your treasured ones. They have said, 'Come and let us wipe them out that the name of Israel be remembered no more.' They conspire together with one mind. Against You they make a covenant. Make them like the whirling dust. Like the fire in the forest, so pursue with your tempest and terrify them with Your storm. Fill their faces with dishonor, that they may know that You alone, whose Name is the Lord are the Most High over all the Earth." Psalm 83:1-5, 13-16, 18 ___________________________________________________   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;" "Leadership by Anointing," and "The Mantle of Fire," 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 seminar for your congregation on the Joseph-Daniel Calling or on anointing the creative in business.   2016 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 tax-exempt 501 (c) 3 organization LOVE FOR HIS PEOPLE Editor's Note: We love Morris and his courageous wife Carol. We support them monthly in their ministry outreach to Vietnam, his greatly encouraging books, and for being the mentor that he is to so many of us.  We highly encourage you to support them monthly (see below) and buy/read his books! (He has another new one coming out any day now.) Thanks Morris and Carol! Steve Martin Founder Love For His People, Inc. 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 seminar for your congregation on the Joseph-Daniel Calling or on anointing the creative in business. sign@strategicintercession.org

Do you know the difference between the Temple's Menorah and a Hannukiah? - ISRAEL365

Daily Deal Exclusively for Subscribers Free Shipping on All Hanukkah Menorahs, Dreidels and Candles 24 Hour Only Promo Code: SHIP4FREE    Did you know that the Hanukkah Menorah (also called a Hannukiah) that we light during the holiday of Hanukkah looks very different from the Menorah lit in the temple? Watch this cute video for a quick explanation on the differences.   Watch the Video » To receive your discount follow these 4 easy steps: Step 1: Choose your products Step 2: Click 'Add to Cart' Step 3: When finished shopping click 'View Cart' Step 4: Enter the exclusive coupon code and click 'Apply Coupon' Your discount will appear in your Cart Totals and you can complete the checkout process! More Great Gifts from Israel

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"I Am Awakening Talents All Over the World… Use Them!" Dr. Theresa Phillips

"I Am Awakening Talents All Over the World… Use Them!"

Dr. Theresa Phillips, Saint Charles, IL

The Elijah List

Church – Use Your Talents!

An encounter: I was driving to church when the Lord invaded my car. He began to speak to me in a profound way...He was teaching me discernment once again. I was contemplating on the hours ahead when He spoke to me and said,"Give this word to the Church. Theresa, there is a difference between ministry and the talents."

"Yes, Lord." I said.

He said, "The talents I have given to the Church need to be used. I'm calling them forth," says the Lord! "So long now many have been delayed from using the desire of their imaginations because of teachings that have hindered them. I am releasing that mindset even now and calling forth the talents of My Church to give them wealth."

"I have said in My word that YOU shall be the head and not the tail (Deuteronomy 28:13). The lender not the borrower (Deuteronomy 15:6). Now I say to you, O Church – arise and use what I have given you: media, entertainment, arts/dance, music, creative arts, inventions, books, and all the more... Even the silversmith will come back into the forefront – the goldsmith, the carpenter, and the carver...

Artistic Expressions Over the Nations

"Yes, I am releasing the artistic expressions to overtake polluted airways and visionaries. I am even giving nation's artistic expression. 

In Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, many of these expressions will catch the eyes of the media and souls will come to salvation," says the Lord. "This is the use of My talents I have given to assist in the blessing of ministry," says the Lord. 

(Photo by Lillis Boyer "Embracing the Glory: Empowered From on High" via elijahshopper.com)

"Australia, I have called you out to share in the prophetic blessing of artistic glory. An artist will come forth out of Australia who has My heart and the paintings will make one weep for the hunger of My Presence,"says the Lord.

"Canada, I can set a seal upon you with angelic help to CREATE a medical system for cancer research. This will bring a cure in colon cancer," says the Lord.

"New Zealand, I have My eye on you! Be prepared for a media blitz concerning the workings of miracles. The artists of the local media will try to fake it, BUT out of you will come a group to prove them wrong," says the Lord.

"America, You have a dance inside of you... a dance group will emerge strong and take the stage by storm. Get ready, in their feet they will have the sound of thunder.

"Tonga, Yes TONGA, I have a gift for you! The Church in Tonga will sing a new song and will be recording an album that will touch hearts around the world. Watch Me and see this happen.

"Creativity is being released all over the world NOW as a celebration of My presence in these dark times.

"A songstress will emerge from Great Britain. She had endured hardship, yet her voice is one like a trumpet calling many into a sphere of glory. She will carry a new sound.

Releasing Talents – Awakening Talents Now!

"You see, I love your talents... I gave them to you! Use them or forfeit them," says the Lord (Matthew 25:14-30). "I am calling them back to you. I am releasing old dreams and desires. I am doing this, for you shall be a witness to the world that you are blessed in My presence," says our Lord. "You are Blessed to be a blessing."(Photo via pexels)

• Talents: flair, aptitude, facility, gift, knack, technique, touch, bent, ability, expertise, capacity, faculty; strength, forte, genius, brilliance; dexterity, skill, artistry.

• Gifts of the Spirit: special abilities provided by the Holy Spirit to Christians for the purpose of building up the Body of Christ, meaning – the anointed ones.

• Ministry: the extension of the Presence of GOD doing what He is asking you to do in that given moment.

"Yes, My Church, you are alive and doing well. Go forth and Dream Big and use what I have given you. No talent is too small or insignificant. Do not measure your talent against another's, for this will compromise what I have given you. I call you now to use your talents," says the Lord.

Dr. Theresa Phillips
Global Prophetic Voice

Email: GlobalProphetic@aol.com
Website: GlobalPropheticVoice.com

Dr. Theresa Phillips is an ordained apostle under Dr. Renny McLean of Global Glory Ministries. She is Senior Pastor and founder of Praise Ministries Church and Christian Seminary in St. Charles, Illinois. She has served there for 24 years. Her ministry spans 28 years, seeing many signs and wonders, including eight risen from the dead. 

She has authored eight books, recorded one album, and is often commissioned to write poetry. Her knowledge of God's glory and His ever-advancing monarchy of Heaven is known by many. She is a regular contributor to the Elijah List and she is also the editor of GlobalPropheticVoice.com, an online publication of prophecy and prophetic glory. Theresa often moves in the prophetic gifts and word of knowledge.

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"These Prayer Requests Have No Postage on Them – Return to Sender!" - Bill Yount

"These Prayer Requests Have No Postage on Them – Return to Sender!"

Bill Yount, Hagerstown, MD    The Elijah List

In the Spirit I saw many prayers ascending upward toward the throne. I sensed that many of these prayers were being prayed according to the Father's perfect will. Many were prayers for gifts, callings, and destinies to be manifested. A majority were bundles of prayers for the lost, especially for family members. Many of these prayer requests were made up of strong cries, day and night with fasting, that had become heavy burdens on hearts over the years.

As these prayers began to ascend, they seemed to go only so far and then drop back down to earth as though they were bouncing off the ceiling from where they were being prayed. I saw in Heaven something like a huge "heavenly post office" where prayer requests are received and where answers to prayers are sent out. 

At the entrance of this "heavenly post office" on the front door was written in gigantic letters the Scripture Philippians 4:6: "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God."

Many Prayers Weren't Making It

As huge bundles of prayer requests came through the front door on the way to the throne room, I was appalled by how many requests were being stopped and never made it to the throne room for answers. I heard a voice that shook me. 

An angelic postmaster general proclaimed, "These prayer requests have no postage on them. Return to sender!" (Photo via Freeimages/Tawny Nelson)

In the Spirit I saw these huge bundles of prayer requests like letters that had no postage stamps on them. These could go no farther! The ones I did see going on into the throne room to be answered had a postage stamp of "thanksgiving" on them. 

These ones became "priority mail" inside the throne room, and immediate confirmation of peace was sent to the sender with the following verse: "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).

Before the answers of these prayers were manifested on earth, the people that sent their requests with thanksgiving were receiving the assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not yet seen because of the peace of God they were receiving through "giving of thanks".

There Can't Be Thanksgiving Until There's Believing

Many prayers for lost loved ones never really reached their heavenly destination, not because people weren't praying, but they simply were not believing that they would receive what they were asking for. Therefore, to be thankful was very difficult for them.

The Lord seemed to say, "Tell My people that many have already prayed and prayed and filled Heaven with their prayers for the lost and their loved ones. They actually need to stop praying and simply believe ME to save them. 

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved...and thy house! Many are carrying a false responsibility, feeling that they are responsible to get their family members saved. May I remind you that you could not save your own self, and therefore, you cannot save anybody else. And since I saved you, I can save anybody!"(Photo via Pixabay)

Many who were faithfully praying for family members for many years were actually praying themselves into a state of depression. I sense the Spirit saying, "This kind of praying is not scriptural! Begin to believe and start thanking Me that I am going to save them now! Thank Me that I am going to bring in the lost. Just send up some stamps of 'thanksgiving,' and I will stamp your prayer requests to forward them to the throne."

Start Living as Though Your Prayers Are Already Answered!

I sensed the Father saying, "As you are thanking Me, go ahead and start treating the lost as though they were already saved. Start living as though your prayers are already answered! When you do, your life will become so full of thanksgiving and praise and worship, that you will begin to see My heavenly 'UPS' and 'FED EX' arrive, bringing speedy delivery from Heaven to impossible requests upon the earth! Praise and worship moves Me to do outrageous acts of blessings upon the earth!"

I remembered when Peter was put in prison and the Church was praying for his deliverance. There was also a prayer meeting going on for Peter in a woman's house. Her name was Mary. As the angel came and delivered Peter, he made a straight run to Mary's house. I believe he felt the power of their prayers.

We Can Stop Praying Now!

As he knocked on the front door, a handmaiden, Rhoda, answered the door and got so excited she forgot to let Peter in. Rhoda ran inside that prayer meeting shouting, "Peter is at the front door. We can stop praying now!" (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)

For some reason they didn't seem to hear her. Perhaps someone was giving a strong prophetic utterance about Peter's soon release! Again, I can hear Rhoda shouting, "Our answered prayer is at the front door! We can stop praying!" Finally, Rhoda gets the prayer group's attention, and here is the spiritual temperature in that prayer room – here is what they say to Rhoda: "You must see his ghost!" In other words, "We don't believe it!"

You Will Never See It If You Don't Believe It

You can pray for a hundred years, but unless you believe that you are going to receive what you are asking for, you will never see it! "Whatsoever things you ask in prayer, believe that you receive them and you shall have them."

I personally believe there are some prayer meetings that need to be broken up. Many churches have prayer meetings, but few have "prayer-believing" meetings. It was easier for Peter to get out of prison than it was for him to get inside that prayer meeting!

Our Thanksgiving Proves Our Faith

Next time you pray, try putting a postage stamp of "thanksgiving" on your request. I promise you, you will enjoy prayer time much more, and you will probably live much longer! Prayer with thanksgiving proves to God that we believe we are going to receive what we are asking for. (Photo via Pixabay)

As a father, when my children thank me for something in advance, it's hard for me to get out of giving it to them!

Bill Yount
Blowing the Shofar Ministry
Email: theshofarhasblown@juno.com
Website: billyount.com

Bill Yount has been a member of Bridge of Life in Hagerstown, Maryland, for the past 36 years where he is now an elder and a home missionary. He is currently an advisor at large for Aglow International. Bill faithfully served in prison ministry at Mount Hope for 23 years and now travels full-time, both in the U.S. and internationally, ministering in churches and Aglow circles. "Humility and humor" characterize his ministry as he brings forth a fresh word that is "in season," proclaiming the Word of the Lord! 

The shofar (or ram's horn) is often used in his meetings, breaking the powers of darkness over regions, churches, and households. The shofar represents God's breath blowing into the nostrils of His people, reviving them and awakening the lost. Many of God's messages, which Bill ministers prophetically, come out of his everyday life with his family and friends.

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