Today many will pay homage to the “god” of disappointment and discouragement. Yes, I am talking about today, the day of Halloween.
So, what do I mean by that? I mean that many will celebrate Halloween and give themselves over to demonic workings. BUT, I know that you can do that any day. It does not have to be Halloween. You can find something to change your life for the worse and it does not have to be a child in a Garfield costume. Continue reading Can Halloween Hurt?
There has been tremendous growth in the body of Christ in the area of relationships. More and more people are quoting “be the church.” Those hard hurt shells from the spirit of religion are being torn down to make rooms for doors to hearts that are warm and welcoming. Reconciliation and deep healing are taking place between those who have had deep personal hurts against one another. Meals are being shared in homes in the spirit of fellowship all over New England forging Godly alliances to build each other up, so in turn they can go and give love and hope to an ever changing society that has no idea about what it means to be loved. Continue reading Being A Family by Lydia Cooper
I watched the video as the gun was placed to my head. The more I watched, the more I knew the outcome. The person was going to be killed. Shot. And of course that was what happened. (Even as I watched this video went viral. The numbers increasing so rapidly I sat there amazed. (Another snuff film at the hands of the enemy and people were eating it up. Please stop!) Continue reading Manipulation In The Body
Yesterday I had a meeting which a superior said to me, “you are spiritual and it shows in how you do things.” Interesting that they were watching.
Many times I have come in under the radar to see someone’s heart turned to the Lord. No tracts, mini Bibles or newsletters. Just love. I have watched God change a person’s life so many times I cannot count. I have had folks come to my home and spoken to them. From cults and covens and watched them begin to weep as I have shared God’s love. Admittedly I was not always like that with God. I was a “beat them over the head with it” guy. Continue reading Guess Who’s Watching?
This morning I awoke a little later than normal. It frustrated me. Part of the reason was Tina had fallen asleep downstairs looking at pictures and praying. It was “quieter” than normal. When I came down and sent her off to sleep, I heard the word, “familiar”. The Lord said “I am breaking off the familiar”. I am not talking about spirits but familiar, “foot warn” paths we have carved in our walk. So deep we do it by rote. We do not look up or down. In fact we know every step, every response, every answer. Truth be told some of the paths for many have become a “rut”. Now a rut in my mind is simply a coffin with the ends kicked out. Continue reading “I Am Breaking Off The Familiar”
This week I sat with a woman who had to keep her relationship with her former daughter-in-law a secret from her son just so she could talk to her granddaughter. Her son was an out of control dad. He chose to leave a mom and a daughter to pursue life. Spelled “lack of responsibility.” Continue reading Healthy Family Makes Healthy People
Why do I believe?
I ask myself that a lot. Not just about Christ, but about everything.
As a child I grew up with a lot of fear, depression and discouragement. I developed responses to things and people that kept me from others and set me on a path that as one prophetic voice said to “had not God intervened you would be dead”. Continue reading Why Do You Believe?
Today while driving into work I was thinking that if I disappeared, would people know. Would I be missed? How long would it take?
I remember many years ago I was challenged with the imprisonment of a pastor who was in jail in China for “crimes against the state”. Daily people were reaching out in prayer. And one day, some 20 years later, he was released.
Hundreds if not thousands appeared to welcome him. This group of people had met daily to pray for his release. Daily! What is even more important is no one had seen him for all those years. I remember thinking at that time, how many just disconnect, losing touch after weeks, months and at best, years. Please hear me this is not a condemnation thing. It is an observation. (And I have done it. “Out of sight, out of mind.” It is not healthy.) Continue reading Reaching Out Into The Darkness
One of the things we do not like to speak about in the church, is discipline. (And it seems like when we have, it is steeped with condemnation.)We don’t like it because it places a requirement on us. But self discipline falls under the same heading or meaning as self control. And God likes it!
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Continue reading Self Control Is Waiting To Ripen
The last few days since the rioting in our community on Saturday, I began a series of what changes a child to cause them to go do wrongful things. I want to know why things happen. I want to examine cause and effect. One of the things I run into on a regular basis is what I can only call “environmental concerns”. Just as I have begun to examine the life of a child and show the march that leads to moral bankruptcy, I often examine everything. I was “that” kid who asked why at every corner. Not only did I plague my parents and grandparents, but I often caused discomfort amongst teachers and educators. (If you could not tell me the “why” I would find out. And I grew up with the wild expectation you ought to be able to show me.) When I wanted my science project to be a rabbit living under the water and they told me know, that was not the right thing, I assure you. I did it anyways. I would go to museums and questions docents about everything. Yep, I was definitely that kid.
Don’t you want to know “why Johnny can’t read”? I do.
I have been the same with God. I am looking for answers. I want to know why somethings work and why others don’t. I do it at work, church and at home. I answer questions with questions to get to the root of things.
So, why is this important? Because our response to things creates and environment. Our knowledge of things determines our walk, our pathway.
What creates environment in the natural? It is a host of things, but essentially geography, climate and weather and whatever is in the ground. If you live further north it is cooler. Further south warmer until you hit the equator. If you are near water like a lake or an ocean you air quality has more moisture. Near a desert, less moisture. And natural chemicals can cause disturbances in the air or the atmosphere. Things that cause problems are called environmental concerns. A factory chugging out black smoke. Chemicals in the water. Get rid of the concerns and you are environmentally sound.
Our world in the spirit is much the same. Things that begin in the spirit manifest in the natural. Healing is of God for instance. Paid for by Him with 39 stripes. If healing and wholeness are in heaven and we can manifest it here on earth(As it says in the scripture.) we change the environment.
We do contend with natural factors. Some years ago I was in my home breathing. The next I wasn’t. It was determined that black mold had overtaken my home from contractor error and changed the air quality. Environmentally changed my home. (We could not stem the damage that had been done and lost our home.)
If you allow too much noise in your life your sleep patterns will be disrupted. Sleep is an important part of good health, both natural and spiritual. A house filled with smoke would cause fits of coughing.
The same is true with evil or destructive things. If you continue to yell at someone (Or be yelled at.) you will change their spiritual atmosphere or be changed yourself. Many things affect a spiritual environment. They might be anger or rudeness. Perversity or lust. Addiction or jealousy. Gossip or tale bearing.
Where does one begin on the environmental concern list? I believe you first take authority over you. Remove the destruction. If you are addicted or angry, hand it over to the Lord. Begin to partner with Him. First and foremost with the knowledge He set you free. Begin to allow the cleansing of the Lord to take place. Secondly you will want to work on your physical living space. Too often we allow things to come in, both spiritual and natural into our living space and it changes the atmosphere of our home. Again, by the leading and instruction of the Lord. And after that we get to undertake community.
I mentioned that geography is one of the determining factors of environment. And so it is with spirituality. To know you are seated in heavenly or high places is important. It determines your response to things. It is not necessarily an elevation or height, so much as it is a dimension (For it is at hand.)or a place. We are told heaven is in us and about us. Knowing you are seated is important. It is one of the beginning factors for overturning natural environments.
Climate is another factor. What we are near or live by spiritually is important to our environment. What about that river of life? What about that wellspring? What are the attitudes or standards of those about you? That is climate as well.
And finally what is the weather? What is in the air? (Remember we are talking spiritual.) What is changing it? Is it a cool rain or warm breeze? Or is it coldness or arid airs? What are people placing in the “air”?
The other day a friend of mine asked this question, “if you could choose between 65 degree weather year round and what we have now (all seasons including our winters) what would you pick?” My answer is founded on heaven. What does heaven look like? Can we establish that here?
The rioting has brought anger, rudeness, discouragement and more. Someone needs to change it. How do we change it? First ourself. Then our home and then we enter the community.
When I was in school one of my projects was the impact of chemicals in the environment. I followed city buses, climbed smoking stacks and took water samples from local rivers. Things were affected? Died even. The same is true with spiritual things. Allowing spiritual harshness on any level begins to change your chemistry, your makeup. Think long and hard before you succumb to jealousy or anger. Gossip or talebearing.
The kingdom of God is at hand. It can change the weather, the climate and of course, the environment.
