Time Is Speeding Up - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Time Is Speeding Up

- Now Think On This

by Steve Martin

 “And he said, "Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation; for at the appointed time the end shall be.” (Daniel 8:19 NKJV)

I sense the Lord is speaking loudly, to those with ears to hear, of His prophetic time table. Time is speeding up. At least it is as we would experience it, in our natural state of being. What He has set in motion from the beginning of time is falling into place, piece by piece, much quicker than what we may have anticipated. If we are not looking to Him we will certainly miss it. When He came the first time, even His own people missed that coming. We must be alert to prepare for His Second Coming.

The watchmen on the wall are seeing it. They are observing the obvious signs in the heavens and witnessing the movement of His Spirit on the earth. They are proclaiming His Word to those who would stop to listen. Without fear of ridicule, obstruction or rejection, from those who would have their own agendas, these watchmen are proclaiming obediently.

The first years of Jesus’ ministry walk on this planet were met severely by the religious, the self-proclaiming righteous ones. We would be naive to expect anything less from these same in our days as He prepares for His Second Coming.

Yeshua (Jesus) continues to proceed in completion of this phase which had already been planned for the inhabitants of earth. From the beginning of creation God the Father has determined these times. His Only Son Himself proclaimed it in Matthew 24 and Luke 21.

“And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us…” (Acts 17:26-27 NKJV)

The Lord continues to advance His Kingdom on the earth. Those who are in tune with His Holy Spirit will be aware of His actions in their life. They will acknowledge what they are seeing, and become witnesses to His people and the nations. They will speak words of His salvation plan, while also declaring His righteous judgment that must come, if there is no repentance.

This rapid increase in the fulfillment of prophesied events right before our eyes is because He has set those prophetic signs in sequential order, one after another, as we draw near to His appointed hour. More prophetic words, spoken and recorded long ago by those moved by His Holy Spirit, are being witnessed in our day at an incredible rate. It is time for them to be fulfilled, as written.

He is calling His Bride, the believers consisting of Jews and Gentiles saved in all the nations, to be ready and faithful to join Him in the outlay of His plans. We are to hear and obey, and walk with Him in the process.

I hear it. I believe it. It is happening.

If we are to be in tune with His purposes, we must take the needed time to seek His face. It is vital. We must allow His Holy Spirit, Ruach HaKodesh, to open our understanding and see prophecy being fulfilled. That which is to occur in the end times, prophesied centuries ago, is happening now, faster than many would have expected. We cannot miss it this go around as His own people did the first time He came.

With the Lord Jesus, time is not as we would think of it. The Scriptures tell us that for Him, Who has all eternity laid out, what we would think of as a long time is but a twinkling of an eye to Him. Our minds cannot grasp that infinite picture, but He is allowing us to see in part, and proclaim what we know. Signs and wonders will fill in the rest.

“Moreover, dear friends, do not ignore this: with the Lord, one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some people think of slowness; on the contrary, he is patient with you; for it is not his purpose that anyone should be destroyed, but that everyone should turn from his sins. However, the Day of the Lord will come “like a thief.” On that Day the heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will melt and disintegrate, and the earth and everything in it will be burned up.” (2 Peter 3:8-10 Complete Jewish Bible)

The Lord is pushing forward with His plans and purposes. He wants all that will be saved to come to the knowledge of His Gospel, the Good News. God the Father is getting excited about presenting to His Son, Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, His long awaited Bride, the Body of Messiah. This is one reason why time, as we know it, is being accelerated without hesitation.

In 2003 I received a prophetic indication of this quickening, when the Lord woke me up a few hours after I had gone to bed. Following are some excerpts from my book, “Prophetic Stories – Signs Along the Way” (Martin Lighthouse Publishing, 2014) of that time. It involved me driving over to the former Heritage USA/PTL Network property late at night. The vacated 2000 acres of land was still lying barren and in ruin. During my obedience in action, I received a word from the Lord during that drive. (You can read that whole chapter following this message.)

“On Oct. 21, 2003, I felt the Lord had me leave my home (a weekday night) in southern Pineville, NC, and head into town.  He has had me go on these trips before, where I have the sense to get in my vehicle and “go”, and then trust the Holy Spirit to guide me.  Sometimes it is early morning. Sometimes late at night.  Normally I go to bed at 9 pm, so for me to be up at 11:00 p.m. was not the norm.”

“At 12:05 a.m. I completed the first circular lap of the road that I could drive on.  I had weaved past The Barn, with its roof caved in and the interior having been flooded many time by indoor and outdoor waters; past the Upper Room, also left as it was on its last day, back in 1997. Then it was used for crying out to the Lord for His revival and intervention, but left alone in utter quietness over these many desolate years. I drove past the stark and empty amphitheater and through the former campground.”

“Again I proclaimed, “Restore the land to Your people!” seven times.  I then called the Derek Prince Ministries office at 12:08 a.m. on my cell phone and left a message on my desk phone, just to have confirmation that I was actually doing this.  (My personal assistant would check my messages the next day and confirm this.)

Then the Lord gave me further instructions. “Drive around the perimeter six more times, for a total of seven times.” And so I heard and obeyed.”

“As I drove the 3^rd time, I continually prayed in tongues, as I had throughout the first two laps. I completed this round at 12:17 a.m., noting that each trip was 2.2 miles in length on my odometer. I also noted, as I wrote on the purple 3” x 6” paper sheets I had available to scribble on, that the Lord spoke again to “Speed up” when I took the next lap.  He said He was “Speeding up His timetable.”

Often the Lord will use signs to help in our spiritual understanding. In this instance, He was giving me an understood picture of what He was already doing on the earth.

Prophetic proclamations made by the prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and others have always pointed to this end time when the rapid fulfillment of the Lord’s time table would begin to occur. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, with acute accuracy they prophesied of the Messiah’s first coming, that of the Suffering Servant and the Lamb of God. Those words were completely fulfilled by Yeshua (Jesus).

These appointed men of God also prophesied of what would take place before His return. I believe we will be the ones to see those words fulfilled, and see Him when He comes again, riding triumphantly on His white horse, leading the armies of the heavens. This time the world will see Him clearly as the Lion of Judah. They will have their smartphones tuned into the news channel.

The key prophetic proclamation, that launched this end time table, was written in Scripture and fulfilled on May 14, 1948. That was when the nation of Israel was born in a single day.

“Who ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things? Is a country born in one day? Is a nation brought forth all at once? For as soon as Tziyon (Zion) went into labor, she brought forth her children.” Isaiah 66:8 Complete Jewish Bible

The Jews had been brought back to their rightful land supernaturally. The prophetic clock began to advance in 1948, beginning the final count down to the moment of Yeshua HaMashiach’s (Jesus Christ) Second Coming.

As the Jews were being regathered to their Promised Land, from the many nations where they had been scattered after the fall of the Second Temple in 70 A.D., time after time His protection became a witness to them. Through the centuries, though persecuted almost to non-existence, He has kept a remnant for His Name. In the major wars that followed since 1948, as the surrounding Arab nations sought to continually destroy this infant country, their Messiah rose to their defense. He continues steadfast to this day in keeping them under His wings.

We are witnessing in our lifetime God’s promises coming to fruition. He is excitedly looking forward to the time when He will present the prepared Bride, the Body of Christ, to His Only Son, Yeshua HaMashiach. It will be another prophetic fulfillment that will bless the Father’s heart.

Time as we know it is speeding up. Hang on for the ride, and be ready. Be continually about the Father’s business, while He takes care of yours.

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder

Love For His People. Inc.

Following is a chapter from my book “Prophetic Stories – Signs Along the Way”. 

Martinlighthouse Publishing 2014

Available in paperback & Kindle.

Chick here: Prophetic Stories - Signs Along the Way

Heritage USA & the Prophetic Drive

“Then I arose in the night...and went out by night…” (Nehemiah 2:12-13)“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23)

On Oct. 21, 2003, I felt the Lord had me leave my home (a weekday night) in southern Pineville, NC, and head into town.  He has had me go on these trips before, where I have the sense to get in my vehicle and “go”, and then trust the Holy Spirit to guide me.  Sometimes it is early morning. Sometimes late at night.  Normally I go to bed at 9 pm, so for me to be up at 11:00 p.m. was not the norm.

After I had headed up Lancaster Hwy. (old Hwy. 521), I made the turn onto Hwy. 51, and headed west.  By this time I had the sense that I was being directed to go to the former Heritage USA (PTL) property, which I had done so many times before. It is literally three miles from our house, as the crow flies. (Or the eagle, if you like real good prophetic symbols!)

As I approached the entrance onto the former land, now known as Regent Park, I wasn’t paying as close attention as I should have, and actually passed the main entrance.  When I became aware of missing it, I continued onto the All Nations Church property, which was about two miles or so further east.  I drove to its entrance. As I sat in my truck, praying in tongues, I felt the Lord say the building they were wanting to construct over the past three years (since 2001) hadn’t progressed because they were trying to put it in the wrong location on that former Heritage USA Fort Hope land. 

I made a call to the ANC office and left a message on the current administrator’s phone, sharing my belief.  (He later confirmed that a month earlier the decision had been made by them that the building was to go in the area I had specified in my call.)

I then returned to the other Heritage USA entrance, on Hwy. 160, arriving at 11:58 p.m.  After I crossed the railroad tracks onto the main part of the former Christian retreat center, I sensed that I was to drive around the perimeter road. I knew that was permissible. Again interceding in my prayer language, I knew I was imploring the Lord for the land to be put back in the hands of His believers.  I had expected to make only one trip around, even as Nehemiah had done when he approached ancient Jerusalem, and saw the walls in ruin.

At 12:00 a.m. I had driven to the back side of the property, near what was then called The Studio. I believe it still is. I knew this property well, even in the dark. Because I had invested $3000 in lifetime memberships in 1985 (two for my family and one for a family in Fort Lauderdale, who now actually live in the Charlotte area) I had often “scouted out my land.” To this day I still have a big, 20 pound granite rock that I had “picked up” in 2004, that now sits on the floor in our new “history room” in our house.

Also while on staff at All Nations Church/Mahesh Chavda Ministries, as the administrator, we held several conferences on this property. In fact, little did we know at the time, we held the very last conference on the former PTL grounds before it completely shut down – that being in November, 1997, in “The Barn”.  The entire place finally closed down at the end of that month.  The property had been in disuse since, apart from the Kingsway (NarroWay) Christian outdoor plays in the amphitheater and their dinner theatre in The Studio. (In 2004 MorningStar bought 52 acres of the property, including the former Grand Hotel.)

While I sat in my ’99 Chevy S-10 “pick-‘em-up” truck, praying and interceding, I was instructed by the Lord to proclaim “Return seven times what was stolen!” Maybe even as Nehemiah himself may have spoken as he sat on his horse, looking at the walls under the moonlit sky, seeking the Lord’s command and purpose for Jerusalem.  The enemies of the Lord had destroyed that city prior to his days. Now these grounds had also been vacant and falling further into destruction, for over six years now (when I originally wrote this in 2003.). Fallen apart, as if left for dead. Even as Rick Joyner had prophesized in that small blue book he wrote in 1988 on prophetic words.

At 12:05 a.m. I completed the first circular lap of the road that I could drive on.  I had weaved past The Barn, with its roof caved in and the interior having been flooded many time by indoor and outdoor waters; past the Upper Room, also left as it was on its last day, back in 1997. Then it was used for crying out to the Lord for His revival and intervention, but left alone in utter quietness over these many desolate years. I drove past the stark and empty amphitheater and through the former campground.

(Sidebar: My dad, Louis Martin, in 1998-1999, helped re-wire the outdoor, half-moon facility of the former home of the Passion Play. My son Ben has now set up a great memorabilia display off Main Street in the Grand Hotel of Heritage International Ministries. Go check it out! Jim Bakker did, and loves it!)

I then made a left turn at the stop sign posted at the edge of the campgrounds, and drove past the only burnt evergreen tree stump, located just under the walkway overpass, on the right side of the road. 

Back in 1997, I had conducted a Martin family reunion here on these grounds near Charlotte, over the 4^th of July weekend. An errant bottle rocket, lit and fired by this writer, didn’t quite perform the projection that I had anticipated and hoped for, landing the fire piece instead in the top of the evergreen tree. It quickly made a Roman candle out of that once living creation! (I have my entire Martin family as witnesses too!)  With ineffective efforts on our part to put it out, with very little time to do otherwise, it didn’t keep the tree from burning rapidly to within one foot of the ground. For years only the charred stump remained, as a testimony to my unskilled method of shooting off bottle fire rockets. (Sidebar: And as of the last time I checked, it still stands as another memorial, to this very day!)

At that time, knowing that control of this land was heading into a direction that many desired it wouldn’t go, including myself, I spoke under my breath, after all of this extra 4^th of July added excitement had leveled off. “Well, if we (believers) can’t have this land, no one will!”

I then turned my six cylinder around and drove back to the original intersection of the starting point (now known as Regent Blvd. and Starlight), where I stopped momentarily.

Again I proclaimed, “Restore the land to Your people!” seven times.  I then called the Derek Prince Ministries office at 12:08 a.m. on my cell phone and left a message on my desk phone, just to have confirmation that I was actually doing this.  (My personal assistant would check my messages the next day.)

Then the Lord gave me further instructions. “Drive around the perimeter six more times, for a total of seven times.” And so I heard and obeyed.

At 12:12 a.m. I completed the 2^nd encircling of the land, and spoke out to “Restore the widow’s mite!”

As I drove the 3^rd time, I continually prayed in tongues, as I had throughout the first two laps. I completed this round at 12:17 a.m., noting that each trip was 2.2 miles in length on my odometer. I also noted, as I wrote on the purple 3” x 6” paper sheets I had available to scribble on, that the Lord spoke again to “Speed up” when I took the next lap.  He said He was “Speeding up His timetable.”

The narrow roadway reminded me of a NASCAR road course, and it was no easy task to drive the dark, broken blacktop at 35 - 40 mph.  (No speed limit signs were posted! I felt like I could have taken on #24 Jeff Gordon at that time!)  J

At 12:23 a.m. I finished the 4^th round.

At 12:24 a.m. I started the 5^th lap, and completed it at 12:28 a.m.

At 12:29 a.m. I started the 6^th lap, and finished it at 12:33 a.m.  Each time I grew bolder in my driving. (Yes, I would have beaten Jeff Gordon in this race! But kids, don’t always do what your father does!)

At 12:34 a.m. I started the 7^th and final lap, completing the course at 12:38 a.m.  I had driven my 4 x 4 at a speed of up to 50 mph on the “straightaway”, which was rather short on the back stretch, which crossed the parking lot, just before passing The Studio on the right.

The total mileage traveled for the seven laps was 15.4 miles on my odometer.

At 12:40 a.m. I again called my office and left a message for my personal assistant, recording what I had just done.

Upon completion of this divinely assigned task, on my way out of this 2000 acre property, I headed towards the other entrance. That would take me by the former World Outreach Center, or commonly known as “The Pyramid”, back in the day.  All Nations Church/Mahesh Chavda Ministries had seriously considered leasing this building in 1998, for a church, conference and office facility. I had spoken of this possible commitment to the five Malaysian owners’ administrator of Regent. But to no avail.

(Sidebar: And for the record, I saw Jim Bakker’s famous, so-called “golden bathroom faucets”, on the very top floor of the building. From my observation, they were simply better hardware, which could have been found in Lowes, or anywhere else. Why the big issue made at that time in 1987? Just more lies printed and spoken in the media, as usual.)

At 12:42 a.m. I pulled up in front of the pyramid. I then felt led to run my Chevy truck around the flag pole that was located in front of what was then a Laura Ashley administration office, doing this encirclement seven times. (Remember, I originally wrote this act back in 2003. Being it is now Dec. 2010 that I am sharing this publicly, that makes it just over seven years ago.)  I finished at 12:43 a.m., quite dizzy, having driven my good ‘ole girl as fast as I could for those very tight laps.

I arrived back home at 1:04 a.m., knowing that 5:00 a.m. came early. The alarm clocks of Laurie and I had, as usual, been set for that scheduled normal “wake-up” time.

And now back to the future, as history has again shown, the Lord had preserved this land for His purposes. What the enemy had indeed stolen was returned to His people! And I give special heartfelt thanks to Rick Joyner, the past and current Morningstar Fellowship staff, and to so many others who have given of themselves, with long persevering efforts in the natural and spiritual realms, to bring restoration “to these walls.”  (Sidebar: Even the Upper Room has been restored too, for prayer and worship times for many.)

May the same restoration be brought forth in Jerusalem, and in the rightful owners of that entire Promised Land of Israel - the Jewish people.

On January 7, 2011 Laurie and I began to lead the new Beit Tikvah (“House of Hope”  in Hebrew) Friday night meetings at Antioch International Church (Pastors Peter Wyns and Jesse Enns), located within a stone’s throw of where the King’s Castle was located, since torn down.

In April, 2014, Antioch International Church bought the former Heritage USA/PTL Barn, the Studio, the former Heritage Church School building, plus 16 acres of land. Prophetic words and prayers answered!

This special anointed land, with Heritage International Ministries and several others on it, is further fulfillment of the many prophetic words spoken over these past 34 years. Having been undergirded by the prayers of countless aged saints (and some not as fine wined yet), His promises continue to be fulfilled.

The Lord is faithful!

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Now Think On This #189 “Time Is Speeding Up” by Steve Martin 

Date: In the year of our Lord 2015 (10.15.15) Thursday at 3:30 am in Charlotte, NC

Interesting note: I wrote this blog message almost 12 years to the day that I took that prophetic ride around Heritage USA.

All previous editions of Now Think On This can be found on this Blog, and on the website: Now Think On This

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Praying for Israel. Protect your people Lord.

EU: Russian Syria Intervention a 'Game Changer'

EU: Russian Syria Intervention 

a 'Game Changer'

By Heather Sells

CBN News Reporter

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

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European Union nations and others are warning that Russia's military intervention in Syria could have dangerous consequences, with one top EU diplomat calling it a worrying "game changer."

EU foreign ministers are calling on Moscow to center its military action in Syria against ISIS and to avoid moderate opposition targets.

The Russian air campaign which began Sept. 30 has backed moves by Syrian troops against insurgents fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

EU ministers released a statement warning, "This military escalation risks prolonging the conflict, undermining a political process, aggravating the humanitarian situation and increasing radicalization."

The EU ministers also want Russia to coordinate its military action in Syria with the EU and the United States.

Moscow's intervention has infuriated Saudi Arabia, which believes that the Russian air strikes are targeting rebel groups opposed to Assad.

Also, China is warning that the United States and Russia must be careful to avoid the Syrian conflict developing into a full-blown proxy war.  In an editorial in its flagship People's Daily newspaper, it scolded both countries for having an outdated Cold War mindset.

Meanwhile, Russia continues to insist that ISIS poses a major threat which justifies its air campaign in Syria. Arrests in Moscow this week may prove that point.

Russian security officials say they thwarted a planned attack on the Moscow public transportation system. They believe that some of the suspects were trained by Islamic State jihadists.

On Tuesday, insurgents in Syria fired two shells at the Russian embassy in Damascus. The attack came as hundreds of Syrian government supporters rallied outside the embassy compound to thank Moscow for intervening in Syria.

Watch CBN report here: Putin and Russia

7 Types of Churches Jesus Did Not Die to Accommodate

Would people consider your church a cool church, but lacking in spirituality? (Lightstock )

7 Types of Churches Jesus Did Not Die to Accommodate

10/13/2015 FRANK POWELL  charisma news

I remember my wedding day so clearly. Standing at the front of a small church in Greenwood, Mississippi, with my legs shaking, I watched as the doors finally opened. There was my wife. I really couldn't believe she was marrying me.

When I think about the church being the bride of Christ, I picture Jesus presenting the church to Himself and God as His bride. I think of the feelings of excitement and the years of waiting, the excruciating death that was essential for the marriage to become official. What a moment.

In the years since, the church has changed a lot. That's not surprising (or bad). Things change. But the bride Jesus died for isn't the same one that exists in many churches today.

You see, when Jesus died for the church, He died for men and women who would function as His hands and feet. He died for sacrificial followers who would be driven by love, motivated by joy, equipped with a message and led by the Spirit.

The church desperately needs to rediscover the true bride of Christ. Here are seven churches Jesus did not die to accommodate:

1. The cool church. The cool church discussion starts with this: There's a difference between a cool church and a relevant church. Cool churches filter Jesus through the lens of culture. Relevant churches filter culture through the lens of Jesus.

Cool churches only hire worship leaders who look like models, avoid any message dealing with self-denial and build facilities that can be seen from space with the naked eye.

These churches don't understand that the message of Christianity is offensive. It always has been. It always will be. Any church that believes you must be cool to keep insiders or attract outsiders misses the whole point of the gospel.

Jesus didn't die for cool churches. It's time to let go of this idea that Jesus is pleased with any attempt to attract large crowds on the basis of anything other than the offensive message of the gospel.

2. The 1970s church. A few weeks before Tiffani and I moved to Jackson, we drove up to look at a few houses. We wanted to live in a culturally diverse area, so we targeted older homes in the mid-town area. Most of the ones in this area sell not long after being on the market.

But a few had been on sale for months, if not years. The reason?

When you walked in the front door, you stepped back in time 20 or 30 years.

The same is true of 1970s churches.

These churches were probably booming ... in the 1970s. But if you walk into these churches today, you won't notice anything booming. You will, however, notice bell bottoms and some kind of wood paneling.

Since most 1970s churches are unaware anything is wrong, here are a few signs to watch for:

a. Church leaders answer questions no one is asking. For example, should churches use the piano, the guitar or sing a capella? What's the proper attire for Sunday morning worship? You know who cares about these questions? 1970s churches. Everyone else is discussing things that matter.

b. Most conversations include some reference to "the way things used to be." "If we could just become the church we were 20 years ago? Man, those were the good ol' days." Instead of focusing on future opportunities, these churches relive past experiences.

c. There are very few millennials in the church. The average age is 69.35. One or two people occasionally babysit their grandkids. That's where the 0.35 comes from.

d. The word "change" lives in the same house with certain four-letter words. You know, the ones that would cause mom to wash your mouth out with soap? A slow death is viewed as a badge of honor. "We might not be growing, but at least we're not sacrificing 'the truth of the Scriptures' like those hippie churches. They're just trying to entertain people."

e. Everyone speaks in a foreign language. I'm not talking about Spanish. I'm referring to Christianese. Phrases like "transubstantiation" and "hedge of protection" are used often.

The church must strive to remain relevant. This includes altering the context of the message, but not the content of it. This means studying culture for the purpose of reaching it. This means updating the building. It means getting out of the building. And it means speaking in a language the current culture can understand.

Jesus isn't impressed with a 1970s church. He's saddened by it, and unless these churches make some renovations, they will eventually be empty.

3. The business-driven church. Plain and simple, the church is not a business. Does the church have business-like layers? Absolutely. Even Jesus had a treasurer.

But the church isn't primarily a business. Here are a few signs your church is run like a business:

a. Other churches are competition. Motivation for changing a worship style, ministry philosophies and so on is driven by changes from churches around them.

b. Success is primarily measured using numbers. What was the attendance in worship? Is the budget trending up or down? If numbers are up, things are moving in the right direction.

c. Vision doesn't expand beyond the physical location. To put it bluntly, building a huge physical kingdom in the form of large buildings and huge crowds is more important than expanding God's kingdom. The largest percentage of the budget is spent on facilities.

d. Pastors are hired hands. The staff is paid to do whatever they're told. They are the church's property. When outsiders or visitors ask about church ministries, the response is, "We pay the pastor for that."

e. There is no distinction between converts and transfers. A disgruntled family from the church across town deciding to place membership and someone hearing Jesus for the first time and deciding to be baptized are viewed the same way.

f. Words like "irresponsible" are used to justify playing it safe. Decisions that involve faith and risk are rarer than snow near the equator. Every decision is about protecting the bottom line and making sure the numbers add up.

A Spirit-led church can't be business-driven. Budgets aren't evil. Attendance records aren't bad. But the church Jesus died for can't be run like a Fortune 500 company. It must be unapologetically focused on people over numbers and the global commission over the physical location.

4. The social-club church. Recently, while staying with a good friend, I noticed a cup in his pantry that said "Junior League." On the opposite side of the cup was a list of requirements for membership. The list included things like volunteering in the community, attending monthly meetings, paying a small fee and registering to vote.

The list looked striking similar to the ones required for membership at many churches. Volunteer in the community during church-wide service night. Pay a small percentage of your income to the church. Attend weekly gatherings.

So the church is a social club? Some churches are, yes, but churches led by the Spirit—absolutely not.

Every pastor and church leader needs to ask this question: If the Holy Spirit left your church, what would be different? Would you even know?

Some churches are so program-driven that their church could operate for months (maybe years) without the presence of God.

Here's the scary part. It's possible to see "results" in your church without the presence of God. Just appeal to the crowds. Be cool and don't talk about the cross.

But it's impossible to be a church that values becoming more like Jesus unless the Spirit leads, prayer and fasting are integral, and a desire to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth is foundational.

5. The family church. This one is hard because I used to believe Jesus died for the family church. But after a few years in full-time ministry, I see the dangers. Here are a few:

a. Keeping everyone happy is given priority over challenging people to walk in the radical footsteps of Jesus. Keep the peace. Everyone should be happy. Cater to every complaint and disgruntled member. If someone leaves the church, you might as well roundhouse kick the leaders in the baby makers. It's that big of a deal.

b. There's no place for hard questions. This would violate point 1. Families want to remain happy and peaceful. So, any church gathering becomes a "no hard questions" zone.

c. Secrets are often buried because the family name must be protected. The reputation is given high value. If someone commits a sin that might bring shame on the name of the church, this person is asked to bury it.

d. Outsiders aren't accepted easily. If you're born into the family, you're accepted without hesitation. If not, the process for becoming part of the family is extremely difficult.

It's not that churches can't value a family environment. But churches can't value a family environment more than personal transformation, restoring hope to the surrounding community and equipping people for ministry, among other things.

6. The fighting church. Fighting churches get one thing right. They realize they are in a war. But these churches fight the wrong enemy. The church's fight isn't against homosexuals. It's not against the Supreme Court or the president. It's not against atheists, agnostics or Muslims. The church's fight is against Satan.

But don't say this to fighting churches. They will get defensive and ... you guessed it ... start a fight.

Fighting churches operate out of fear, and their primary weapon is manipulation. They indoctrinate their members, convincing them that everyone outside of their group, including other Christians, are wrong and misguided. And heaven forbid you decide to leave a fighting church. If you do, make sure you're chinstrap is buckled. You're now on the "other team." And fighting churches aren't scared to run over your name and reputation.

This was partly my story. I wasn't taught a message of love and acceptance. I was taught a message of exclusion. My group was right. Everyone else was wrong. And I was armed with a lot of Scriptures to back up my convictions. You didn't want to debate me. You would lose. Plain and simple.

But while I debated other Christians and tried to convert people from other denominations, bitterness and pride built up in my heart.

You see, many churches would rather be right than righteous. They would rather convince than convert. They would rather learn doctrine than love people.

The church should be more concerned with loving people than convincing people.

The church should be a place where people say, "I'm not sure about their practices or their God, but I know one thing ... those Christians sure know how to love people."

Can that be said about your church?

7. The white and black church. I grew up in the Deep South. In my hometown, there were white churches and black churches. No one asked questions. No one saw it as alarming.

White and black churches would get together once a year to worship and gorge themselves on food. Even during my teenage years, I saw this as odd. Every segment of society had moved passed the racial barrier ... except the church. What Martin Luther King Jr. said years ago is still true: "Sunday morning is the most segregated hour in America."

I went to school with black people. They were my good friends. I played sports with people of other races. My parents worked with people of other races. But I didn't go to church with people of other races. On Sunday morning, white people went to white church. Black people went to black church.

Why?

To this day, the only legitimate response I've received is: "It's not about race, Frank. It's about preferences and cultural differences."

Accepting racially or socio-economically divided churches is sin.

If your church is almost exclusively white, black or Latino, I'm not saying you should trash your church and start over. You should, however, work toward reconciliation. Pray for it. Preach on it. Practice it.

Jesus didn't die to accommodate white churches and black churches. He died to create the church, a beautiful reflection of God's perfect love for all races and nations.

What are some other types of churches Jesus didn't die to accommodate? Leave a comment below. 

Frank Powell serves in the Campbell Street Church of Christ in Jackson, Tennessee, ministering to college-age and young adults. For more from Frank, visitfrankpowell.me. For the original article, visit churchleaders.com.

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Kerry: Israeli Settlement Construction to Blame for Violent Palestinian “Frustration”

Love For His People Editor's note: Killing, beating and stabbing innocent people isn't the way to "vent" your "frustrations." Lawlessness must be dealt with aggressively, to save your people. 

Blindness will always seek to excuse the wrong doer. Only one more year of this one in that position.  Steve Martin

US Secretary of State John Kerry at a Harvard sponsored event Tuesday, October 13, 2015. (Photo: US Department of State)

Kerry: Israeli Settlement Construction to Blame for Violent Palestinian “Frustration”

By Lea Speyer October 14, 2015 BIN

“A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.” (Proverbs 18:2)

US Secretary of State John Kerry attributed on Tuesday evening the current wave of terror to strike Israel to Palestinian “frustration” over the “massive increase in settlements.”

Speaking at Harvard University, the secretary warned that “unless we get going, the two-state solution will be conceivably stolen from everybody.”

During a question-and-answer session following his talk, Kerry linked Israeli construction in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria as a reasonable excuse for Palestinian violence and terror.

“There’s been a massive increase in settlement over the course of the last years and there’s an increase in the violence because there’s this frustration that’s growing,” he said, adding that there is also a growing “frustration among Israelis who don’t see any end.”

“I look at that and I say if that did explode – and I pray and hope it won’t – and I think there’s options to prevent that, then we would inevitably be at some point engaged in working through those kinds of difficulties,” Kerry explained.

The US official expressed his confusion over why previous peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians have failed, arguing that many people have a sense of how to permanently resolve the conflict.

“So better to find the ways to deal with it before that happens than later and I think what always perplexes me – we’ve been through Oslo, Wye Plantation, Madrid, countless negotiations. Most people I talk to have a pretty damn good sense of what has to be done.”

“It’s a question of making the judgments and having the courage to go there,” Kerry said, adding that “we have 16 months left in this administration and we’re going to stay engaged and try to work through these issues because there are options and there is a better other side to the current conflict we’re witnessing.”

The last US-backed peace talks collapsed in April 2014 following nine months of back-and-fourth negotiations. Kerry revealed he would be visiting Israel “soon” to push for a fresh round of talks to “see if we can’t move away from this precipice.”

On Tuesday, Israel was victim to an unprecedented surge in terror incidents across the country. Three Israelis were killed and over 20 injured. Kerry condemned the attacks earlier in the day, saying “this violence and any incitement to violence has got to stop.”

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Read more at http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/51148/kerry-blames-israeli-settlement-construction-for-violent-palestinian-frustration-jerusalem/#7EfQiEv5qWfyum8O.99

Is Barack Obama Actually Trying to Start World War III? - Michael Snyder

The Obama administration claims that it has been bombing ISIS positions in Syria for over a year. So why in the world do these targets still exist? (Reuters)

Is Barack Obama Actually Trying to Start World War III?

10/14/2015 MICHAEL SNYDER  charisma news

Why has Barack Obama airdropped 50 tons of ammunition into areas that "moderate rebels" in Syria supposedly control? This is essentially the equivalent of poking the Russians directly in the eyes.

Much of this ammunition will end up in the hands of those whom the Russians are attempting to bomb into oblivion, and so to Russia it appears that we are attempting to make their job much harder. Of course, the truth is that there aren't really any "moderate rebels" in Syria at all. Nearly all of the groups that are fighting are made up primarily of radical jihadis or hired mercenaries. Personally, I don't see anyone over there that you could call "the good guys."

At the end of the day, the U.S. supports just about anyone who wants to get rid of the Assad regime, and the Russians are working very hard to keep Bashar al-Assad in power. Just like the civil war in Ukraine, the conflict in Syria is in great danger of being transformed into a proxy war between the United States and Russia, and many fear that these conflicts could eventually be setting the stage for World War III.

The ferocity of Russian airstrikes in Syria has surprised observers all over the planet, and over the past couple of days these airstrikes have been extended to include some new areas:

Russian Air Forces have extended the range of their airstrikes on Islamic State positions in Syria to four provinces, focusing primarily on demolishing fortified installations and eliminating supply bases and the terrorists' infrastructure.

Over the last 24 hours Russian aircraft have attacked terrorist positions in the Hama, Idlib, Latakia and Raqqa provinces of Syria. In total, 64 sorties targeted 63 Islamic State installations, among them 53 fortified zones, seven arms depots, four training camps and a command post.

When I read reports like this, I am deeply troubled. The Obama administration claims that it has been bombing ISIS positions in Syria for over a year. So why in the world do these targets still exist?

Was the U.S. military incapable of finding these installations?

That doesn't seem likely.

So why weren't they destroyed long ago?

Did the Obama administration not want them destroyed for some reason?

What seems abundantly clear is that the Russians are doing what the Obama administration was either unwilling or unable to do. There is now mass panic among ISIS fighters, and thousands of them are fleeing the country:

An estimated 3,000 Islamic State fighters as well as militants from other extremist groups have fled Syria for Jordan, fearing a renewed offensive by the Syrian army in addition to Russian airstrikes, a military official has told RIA news agency.

"At least 3,000 militants from Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL), al-Nusra and Jaish al-Yarmouk have fled to Jordan. They are afraid of the Syrian army having stepped up activities on all fronts and of Russian airstrikes," the RIA source said.

The mainstream media in the United States is not talking much about this, are they?

But the U.S. media is reporting on this latest airdrop of ammunition to rebel groups in Syria. For example, the following comes from CNN:

U.S. military cargo planes gave 50 tons of ammunition to rebel groups overnight in northern Syria, using an air drop of 112 pallets as the first step in the Obama administration's urgent effort to find new ways to support those groups.

Details of the air mission over Syria were confirmed by a U.S. official not authorized to speak publicly because the details have not yet been formally announced.

C-17s, accompanied by fighter escort aircraft, dropped small arms ammunition and other items (such as) hand grenades in Hasakah province in northern Syria to a coalition of rebels groups vetted by the US, known as the Syrian Arab Coalition.

If you were the Russians, how would you feel about this?

I know how I would feel.

And just as Joe Biden has previously admitted, the "moderate middle" in Syria simply does not exist. The following is an extended excerpt from a piece that was originally written by investigative journalist Nafeez Ahmed:

The first Russian airstrikes hit the rebel-held town of Talbisah north of Homs City, home to (al-Qaida's) official Syrian arm, Jabhat al-Nusra, and the (pro-al-Qaida) Ahrar al-Sham, among other local rebel groups. Both al-Nusra and the Islamic State have claimed responsibility for vehicle-borne IEDs (VBIEDs) in Homs City, which is 12 kilometers south of Talbisah.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports that as part of "U.S. and Turkish efforts to establish an ISIS 'free zone' in the northern Aleppo countryside," al-Nusra "withdrew from the border and reportedly reinforced positions in this rebel-held pocket north of Homs city."

In other words, the U.S. and Turkey are actively sponsoring "moderate" Syrian rebels in the form of (al-Qaida), which Washington, D.C.-based risk analysis firm Valen Globals forecasts will be "a bigger threat to global security" than IS in coming years.

Last October, Vice President Joe Biden conceded that there is "no moderate middle" among the Syrian opposition. Turkey and the Gulf powers armed and funded "anyone who would fight against Assad," including "al-Nusra," "(al-Qaida) in Iraq (AQI)," and the "extremist elements of jihadis who were coming from other parts of the world."

In other words, the CIA-backed rebels targeted by Russia are not moderates. They represent the same melting pot of (al-Qaida-affiliated) networks that spawned the Islamic State in the first place.

---

It has been well-documented that many of these so-called moderate rebel groups in Syria have fought alongside ISIS and have sold weapons to them. So this false dichotomy that Barack Obama keeps trying to sell us on is just a giant fraud. The following comes from a recent Infowars report:

In September 2014, a commander with the FSA admitted cooperating with ISIS and the al-Nusra Front.

"We are collaborating with the Islamic State and the Nusra Front by attacking the Syrian Army's gatherings in: Qalamoun," Bassel Idriss said. "Let's face it: The Nusra Front is the biggest power present right now in Qalamoun, and we as FSA would collaborate on any mission they launch as long as it coincides with our values."

In July 2014, a report in Stars and Stripes documented how the 1,000-strong Dawud Brigade, which had previously fought alongside the FSA against al-Assad, had defected in its entirety to join ISIS.

The same month factions within the FSA—including Ahl Al Athar and Ibin al-Qa'im—pledged services to the Islamic State.

Members of the Islamic State claim to cooperate with the FSA and buy weapons provided by the U.S.

"We are buying weapons from the FSA. We bought 200 anti-aircraft missiles and Koncourse anti-tank weapons," ISIS member Abu Atheer told al-Jazeera. "We have good relations with our brothers in the FSA. For us, the infidels are those who cooperate with the West to fight Islam."

U.S. anti-tank weapons are playing a critical role in the Syrian conflict. As reported by the Washington Post, U.S.-made anti-tank missiles are being used by the rebels to destroy lots of Russian-made tanks that are being used by the Syrian army:

So successful have they been in driving rebel gains in northwestern Syria that rebels call the missile the "Assad Tamer," a play on the word Assad, which means lion. And in recent days they have been used with great success to slow the Russian-backed offensive aimed at recapturing ground from the rebels.

Since Wednesday, when Syrian troops launched their first offensive backed by the might of Russia's military, dozens of videos have been posted on YouTube showing rebels firing the U.S.-made missiles at Russian-made tanks and armored vehicles belonging to the Syrian army. Appearing as twirling balls of light, they zigzag across the Syrian countryside until they find and blast their target in a ball of flame.

Like I said earlier, this is looking more and more like a proxy war between the United States and Russia.

Could that be what Obama actually wants?

Obama is poking China in the eyes lately too. CNN is reporting that U.S. warships may soon be sailing into territorial waters around the Spratly Islands. These are islands that the Chinese government claims ownership over, but the U.S. government disputes that claim, and Obama seems determined to flex his muscles in the area:

The United States (U.S.) may soon deploy war ships near China's artificial islands in the South China Sea.

It wants to send a message that it does not recognize China's territorial claims over the area.

This is according to a Financial Times report quoting a senior U.S. official who said its ships will sail within 12-nautical-mile zones that China claims as its territory around the Spratly Islands within the next two weeks.

If Obama sends warships into that area, there is a very real chance that they could get shot at. According to Newsweek, the Chinese are saying that they will not permit U.S. ships to violate those territorial waters under any circumstances:

"We will never allow any country to violate China's territorial waters and airspace in the Spratly Islands in the name of protecting freedom of navigation and overflight," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in response to a question about possible U.S. patrols. "We urge the related parties not to take any provocative actions, and genuinely take a responsible stance on regional peace and stability."

Such exchanges appear to be moving China and the U.S. toward a much feared, yet long expected, military confrontation. Just as unsettling, both sides seem confident they can prevail.

Over the past couple of years, our relations with China have really gone downhill very rapidly, and if the trading relationship between the two largest economies on the planet breaks down, that would have massive implications for the entire global economy.

In addition to everything above, the civil war in Ukraine continues to rage on. The United States funded, equipped, trained and organized the forces that violently overthrew the democratically elected government in Ukraine, and then once those thugs (which actually included some neo-Nazis) took power, the Obama administration immediately recognized them as the legitimate government of Ukraine.

The Russians were absolutely infuriated by this, and they have been providing soldiers, equipment and supplies to the rebel groups that are fighting back against this new government. Of course the Russians deny that they are doing this, but it is exceedingly obvious that they are.

The rebel groups that the Russians have been backing have been doing very well and have been steadily taking ground, and this is not how the power brokers in D.C. envisioned things playing out in Ukraine. So in a desperate attempt to shift the momentum of the conflict, a bill is going through Congress that would provide "lethal military aid" to the government in Kiev. Initially the bill would have provided 200 million dollars in lethal aid, but now it has been upped to 300 million dollars. There are some that believe that the final figure will be significantly higher.

Once this bill gets passed, it will be an extremely important event. For the Russians, it will mean crossing a red line that never should have been crossed. You see, the truth is that Ukraine is Russia's most important neighbor. Just imagine how we would feel if the Russians helped overthrow Canada's government and then start feeding weapons to the new pro-Russian government that they helped install. That is exactly how the Russians view our meddling in Ukraine.

Earlier this year, I wrote an article in which I discussed an opinion poll that showed that 81 percent of all Russians now view the United States negatively, and only 13 percent of Russians have a positive view of this nation. Not even during the height of the Cold War were the numbers that bad.

The stage is being set for World War III, but most Americans are completely and totally oblivious to all of this because they are so wrapped up in their own little worlds.

Most Americans still seem to assume that the Russians and the Chinese are our "friends" and that any type of conflict between major global powers is impossible.

Well, the truth is that conflict has already begun in Ukraine and Syria, and tensions are rising with each passing day.

It won't happen next week or next month, but we are on the road to World War III.

So what will the end result be?

Michael T. Snyder is the publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog and author of The Beginning of the End.

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!