Below I have shared a link that I hope you the reader will take time to view. You may or may not be interested after looking at the link but I hope you will take that look. Most likely you know that Adrienne is my daughter but then there are some who may happen upon this blogg that did not know this bit of information. If you know my daughter personally you have an opportunity to get to know her heart a bit more. If you do not know her then this is an awesome introduction to someone who is walking out her destiny. Being her dad I most often see her with her long blonde hair caught in the wind as she is riding her bicycle with all her 7 year old legs can muster! Even then she was full of adventuresome energy always covered in a grace that carried her safely. Not afraid to try and willing to stick with it until whatever it was accomplished. Most of the time it was an action that spoke volumes of who she was destined to be and I am so proud of her ... blessed to see with these father's eyes the beautiful, graceful, and anointed vessel of honor who carries the presence of the Uncreated One in our midst.https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1857600301/even-a-sparrow

Upon Pondering Recent Rise Of Persecution Of Christians

Sometimes I just have to write out my thoughts and feelings. Well here goes!

When before in time has Darkness pushed harder against Light?

Where, upon this globe, whether flattest plain or raised mount,

leafy forest or foamy fount,

ever has rawest Evil lay such violent siege

upon bastilles of the just; strong high towers of the right?

Now a full front charge from Hell’s emboldened thieves!

 

Who of any past generation has been a witness? Either strong or faint?

Why now the dragon’s rising flight but for an unholy obstruction,

Leviathan unleashed fiery breath bent on complete absolute destruction?

Of all who embody the sacred trinity faith hope love.

A coming against Adam’s sons, Eve’s daughters, no matter if sinner, or saint,

To vanquish once and for all a gentle dove.

 

What action now, by royal ambassadors, are Heaven and Earth to see?

Hope’s illuminated stand or a coward’s flee?

Truth given a voice found in solidarity through Redeemed’s loud out cry,

Confronting Gates of Hell manifested in misleading words from Lie?

Or a muteness as Darkness tauntingly ask: “Can you not hear the timely towing of death’s bell for all keepers of the faith?”

 

Hear this Darkness, we in Light are no longer waifs!

Fear this Hell, I AM is Light displayed through His Only Begotten!

Those not found in The Light of Eternal One are already forgotten!

　

" Planted "

I like to think of myself as strong, self sufficient, able to stand on my own. A lot of that has to do with certain life experiences from my childhood I had to overcome and by my late teens to early twenties I had found ways to stand strong, that is, not be intimidated by others to a point that I totally would shut down. By my late twenties I had gained an attitude that I was not going to be pushed away, denied, or discounted. I was going to push back, stand my ground, and show that I had value, something to bring to the table! I am now in my mid sixties and have unlearned a lot over the years. The thing that I unlearned the most is that true strength comes not by standing on my own, alone ... but depending on another to help me not just stand but walk and sit when necessary. My pride was my source, my arrogance my shield, my education my armor, and my physical strength my sword. How foolish of me! In truth I was planted by Eternal One and all the processing of life directed by Holy Spirit. This brought me to the revelation of truth ... joy is my strength; joy comes only via one source; it is not internal but external. I had nothing to do with where I was planted! I had nothing to do with processing life, Eternal One planted me with purpose, from design, created exclusively for the pleasure of Eternal One. Holy Spirit producing that fruit from me is my joy. The following is from Spurgeon's Morning And Evening and caught my attention so that I could not wait until tomorrow to blogg about it ( it is the reading for the 13th not the 12th of August ). This spoke to me about myself a volume in a matter of a few seconds it took to read, hence my attempt of a blogg above. Please read this and my you be blessed as I was. R "The cedars of Lebanon which He hath planted." — Psalm 104:16 Lebanon's cedars are emblematic of the Christian, in that they owe their planting entirely to the Lord. This is quite true of every child of God. He is not man-planted, nor self-planted, but God-planted. The mysterious hand of the divine Spirit dropped the living seed into a heart which He had Himself prepared for its reception. Every true heir of heaven owns the great Husbandman as his planter. Moreover, the cedars of Lebanon are not dependent upon man for their watering; they stand on the lofty rock, unmoistened by human irrigation; and yet our heavenly Father supplieth them. Thus it is with the Christian who has learned to live by faith. He is independent of man, even in temporal things; for his continued maintenance he looks to the Lord his God, and to Him alone. The dew of heaven is his portion, and the God of heaven is his fountain. Again, the cedars of Lebanon are not protected by any mortal power. They owe nothing to man for their preservation from stormy wind and tempest. They are God's trees, kept and preserved by Him, and by Him alone. It is precisely the same with the Christian. He is not a hot-house plant, sheltered from temptation; he stands in the most exposed position; he has no shelter, no protection, except this, that the broad wings of the eternal God always cover the cedars which He Himself has planted. Like cedars, believers are full of sap having vitality enough to be ever green, even amid winter's snows. Lastly, the flourishing and majestic condition of the cedar is to the praise of God only. The Lord, even the Lord alone hath been everything unto the cedars, and, therefore David very sweetly puts it in one of the psalms, "Praise ye the Lord, fruitful trees and all cedars." In the believer there is nothing that can magnify man; he is planted, nourished, and protected by the Lord's own hand, and to Him let all the glory be ascribed. Psalm 104:16 Day 14

Oh I Want To See Him

Earlier today a longtime friend of mine, Rev. George Arnett, from Southeastern University days, posted on FB, as I read his shared thoughts something begin to stir in me that later surfaced as a memory of a song form even further back in time when I and Denise were freshly transplanted from the Methodist Church into the Assemblies of God. Now, that is another story for another time, back to the memory and song. At first I began to sing the refrain over and over in my head, “Oh I want to see Him, look upon His face, There to sing forever of His saving grace; On the streets of glory let me lift my voice, Cares all past, home at last, ever to rejoice.” The song, Oh I Want To See Him, written by R.H. Cornelius in 1916, was one of my favorites old hymns during the years we were at Huffman Assembly of God in Center Point, Alabama. Denise and I had experienced nothing like those meetings before in all our years of growing up in the Church, she Methodist and I Southern Baptist. I did a search for the song on-line and found it. Grab my guitar and began to play and sing it my style. I was really not prepared for what occurred next. I had a vision. As clear as I can see the monitor screen in front of me as I type now I saw Brother Charles Greenaway on a street dancing to the rhythm of “Oh I Want To See Him”. I was not even prepared for my response to that vision. Looking on that and seeing the joy on him reminded me of the very small window here on Earth I had to sit under his ministry. Taken by the sense of "belonging" like I have never felt before I wept and laughed at the same time! I love my AG influence. I can never call it a heritage, not really, because I did not grow up in that movement. But influenced I was and still am and I am very thankful for those years and those whom Father had cross my and Denise’s path and us theirs. I embrace the AG as I do the Baptist and the Methodist history my wife and I have. God was in it! Over all I have come to understand that the Body of Christ is diverse and yet it is one. How wonderfully rich I and Denise are today because of those dear saints, many having gone on before us now, whom Holy Spirit used to build us up, equip us, and send us out. And the list of friends … so diverse, each one so wonderful. I believe that as Father created each of us He made each a unique instrument to release a certain sound needed to fully express His composition for His concert eternal. You and I, each of us, have a place and a part in His exquisite symphony orchestra formed for the express purpose of releasing our God given sound within that compiled assembly called the Church as He conducts and directs each movement He has composed. Traditionally there are four movements to a symphony piece. I believe you and I are now just over the threshold into the fourth movement. The sound we were destined to release is for that movement. So, Look to the Eastern sky … and watch ... He is coming to the finale. Maranatha. Here is the song: Oh I Want To See Him As I journey through the land, singing as I go, Pointing souls to Calvary—to the crimson flow, Many arrows pierce my soul from without, within; But my Lord leads me on, through Him I must win. Refrain: Oh, I want to see Him, look upon His face, There to sing forever of His saving grace; On the streets of glory let me lift my voice, Cares all past, home at last, ever to rejoice. When in service for my Lord dark may be the night, But I’ll cling more close to Him, He will give me light; Satan’s snares may vex my soul, turn my thoughts aside; But my Lord goes ahead, leads whate’er betide. When in valleys low I look toward the mountain height, And behold my Savior there, leading in the fight, With a tender hand outstretched toward the valley low, Guiding me, I can see, as I onward go. When before me billows rise from the mighty deep, Then my Lord directs my bark; He doth safely keep, And He leads me gently on through this world below; He’s a real Friend to me, oh, I love Him so.

Garden Tips

We have all seen it. The yard in the neighborhood that is to die for. Beautifully landscaped with nothing dead. Everything lush green or showing bright colors of reds, yellows, blues, white, pinks, purples ... nothing brown unless it was suppose to be brown according to the book. Now I have never had a yard like that but I have had a few that were presentable. One in particular I remember when we moved into the house the frame work was there thanks to the previous owner's landscaping vision and skill. However, it had been neglected for at least one season perhaps two; things were not as they could or should be. After a survey of the grounds, we had 3/4 of an acre to work with, I had to come up with a plan and my plan was to try to find my dad's gardening books he had left me at his passing not long before our acquiring this place. My dad always would have answers for me. He faithfully was there when I had been an adolescent, teen, youngman going off to the Navy, entering marriage, becoming a father, how to repair this and that. It seems he was still holding some answers for me. I found those books that had dad's written notes along side the paragraphs and began to study about the plants I had and what to do to bring them back and maintain them so that year after year we could look upon their beauty and reap the reward of their fruit, mainly flowers. One plant was a rather large azalea bush located on the front corner of the house with enough sunlight but it just did not seem to be fairing well. Reading I determined it needed some natural nutrients and what it would need through out the season to keep it healthy and producing. I went to the local nursery and made my purchase of all, there were several, the items suggested by the book and rushing home I went to work. It took some weeks to notice a change but change it did. The plant responded as the book said it would and new growth came upon the limbs even while the former less healthy growth was still there. Change happen once the roots were fed the nutrients that would allow the azalea to thrive. At first it was all about the soil and the roots in the soil. Azaleas are surface feeders meaning the root system is close to the surface of the ground so only a light scratching and moving of the soil was needed to get the applied nutrients into the soil and close so the roots could benefit. Next came water to wet the soil and the nutrients so a blending could happen again so the roots could benefit. This was all under ground out of sight but change happen immediately upon the application process ... the roots responded as they were meant to respond and began to absorb the water nutrient tea. I mentioned that on the surface the change did not manifest for several weeks. When it did it was springing forth from dormant "buds" already in place on each limb. They had been ready ... waiting for the moment to produce new growth of leaves. These were green and not the brownish color of the former older existing growth that barely did the job of changing the light of the sun into food needed to produce fruits. Now there would have been fruit, of flowers, on the plant for the older growth was performing ... just not with an abundance of fruit ... which I, as the owner gardener, desired from this plant. You see I knew the pant was alive. I knew the plant had fruit in it. I also knew that the plant was perfectly placed and the size of it was right for where it was placed. The soil was ok but the natural nutrients needed by the plant had been all but depleted from the neglect. The plant needed the gardner to help or it would eventually stop bearing fruit and die. So, with a process, change came that very first season. However, it was the years after that, six all together, neighbors and friends would comment on that plant and how beautiful and full it was each season. I would smile real big. The Kingdom of God is like a garden.

The following is the manuscript for a message I prepared this past week and delivered last night (February 8, 2014) to Global Harvest Church. Its framework came out of a dream I was given on October 8, 2013. I can not recall ever working on a sermon with as much clarity in the leadings of Holy Spirit. From the revelation of certain parts of the dream's content, to include contacting the person specifically named in my dream regarding the focus for the sermon: "forgiveness" ... I, like my friend was amazed. However, being amazed is not the goal nor the intent for this occurrence. We are at the threshold of a move of God upon and in this Nation as well as the Nations that is unprecedented by any other recorded move that was poured out from Heaven upon humanity. If you, who chose to read this, think that I am in anyway wanted to sound my own horn ... please remember with me that God once used a donkey to deliver a message to a man ... perhaps He has again ... the message is not from me ... I just know that I could not be silent. Let the harvesters come forth and the harvest be great according to His purpose. May you glean much from the following. TITLE: WALK IN FORGIVENSS, SIT IN FORGIVENESS, STAND IN FORGIVENESS KEY: WALK .... SERVANT / PRIEST SIT ...... LEADER / KING STAND .... APOSTLE / PROPHET KEY SCRIPTURE: Deuteronomy 30:16 “If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.” Psalm 55: 16 - 19 “…I call to God, and the Lord will save me. Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice. He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me. God will give ear and humble them, he who is enthroned from of old, because they do not change and do not fear God.” I was praying and meditating about tonight … what I was to hear and see from Father for you … us … tonight and Holy Spirit reminded me of a dream I was given in October of last year … I believe, partly, within this dream there is a mandate for us to carry out in this new year … in this new season that we have transitioned into; where we are to prepare for the harvest of harvesters and the harvest that will then be gathered into the Kingdom of God. As I pondered the dream, it characters, its rhythms, the circumstances, I was given directions. First I was to contact the person I could contact who was named in my dream and was now being highlighted by Holy Spirit. Then Holy Spirit highlighted someone I could not contact … for he has been dead for some time. But still I could observe, hear, and learn from recorded history one of this person’s life events. Holy Spirit laid out the frame work of what was in Father’s heart to be communicated regarding a principle our being successful in carrying out the mandate for this new season we find ourselves thrust into. SET UP BY READING THE DREAM Now first allow me to set this up by laying out my dream for you so you can have some kind of platform to gather with me to begin the journey in this story Holy Spirit is telling, hopefully together we can successfully glean fruit for our knowledge, understanding and ultimately our benefit. I had this dream in October 8th of last year (2013). As I often do I wrote down the details afterwards during the morning of the dream. { It surprises me each time how detail of the dreams unfold as I write it out } HORSE AND PONY SHOW SURPRISE OUTCOME: In the dream I found myself along with my wife Denise and our first born, Sonia (now in her forties who here was age 7 or 8) standing in what appeared to be a continuous passage way that circumference the rather large stadium; all under the concrete seating. There was a major event, a Rodeo, going on that we had been spectators of and we were now waiting in this area to catch a glimpse of a very famous equine star … a Shetland Pony. As I ponder the dream seeking a revelation of its pictures I am struck by a couple of things: this “famous small pony” having greater fame than the larger more powerful and impressive horses in the event. The Lord wants to say “Very often My intent, My truth, My hidden treasure, My presence, is found not in the large, powerful, that esteemed higher by public opinion, but most often found in the small almost obscure.” For instance volumes have been written about the Welsh Revival … but one account, to me, stands out from to show just how far reaching and impacting the move of God was on the people, their animals, their work, THEIR LIFESTYLE . The historical account of the “pit ponies” of Wales, a rather small pony much like a Shetland Pony in size perhaps a little larger and stocker, were said to have started having great difficulty in performing their task because the “pit ponies” could no longer understand their master‘s commands. Why? Those “changed” masters’ commands no longer contained cursing. The “pit ponies” had to be retrained or “changed” because of the impact Holy Spirit was having on the masters’ hearts! My point? The revival truly impacted people where they lived. Even the livestock were changed! This is where we are headed but it will be vastly different in appearance and vastly more impacting than the revivals of old. I am one that holds to, as many do, of another great awakening coming to America … in fact I believe it has already begun but has not yet moved into hyperspace mode we anticipate. In fact, historically the sentiment of the faithful regarding the “state of the church” in America for the 1857 awakening and then again in the1904 and again in the 1950’s and then the 70’s has striking similarities to what is being said of the “state of the church” in America today. The other thing that stood out to me is what I strongly believe to be the prerequisite of each out break, every break through to be A GRASSROOTS PRAYER MOVEMENT. The faithful fervently and earnestly praying for God’s Presence, Holy Spirit’s lifestyle changing power to come in fullness of Heaven‘s glory. Once we stop praying for God to judge our land and start praying for him to heal our land and really mean it … He will come … but I will promise you this it will not be on the wagon drawn by the very large powerful work horses nor will it be by the larger than life personality riding on the back of a very fit polished stallion. It will be as the Shetland pony amongst the giants that will be outstanding and remarkable! In my dream I heard spoken a name of someone I know. This person name was associated with a particular action: FORGIVENSS. Friday, Holy Spirit had me contact this person who is a FB friend. We had an amazing conversation. I asked this person if they could to give me their insights or practice about forgiveness since this seemed to be Holy Spirit’s intention. Here is a break down of what was shared. Obedience Formula: Hear the command, Choose to obey (Walk it out in Authority), Rest in that Choice (Sit in Joy), Trust for the Outcome of the Choice (Stand in Faith) Yesterdays forgiveness : Be obedient to forgive those who hurt (sin against) you deeply. Obedient to what Jesus said ( in red ink) Matthew 6:14-15 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Daily forgiveness: This one had to do with on going personal relationships and knowing that one person is in relationship with another there will be offenses. Spousal, friend, co worker, children you name it there will be offense but the joy in this was the choice of pre-forgiveness in other words not taking up an offense even when the occasion rises that you could be offended. Like water rolls off a duck’s feathers and keeps the duck completely dry choose to NOT BE OFFENDED! Again this leads to great joy and strength and the absence of bitterness as one walks in forgiveness. Self Forgiveness: this one is coming to grips with the offenses you have caused other people as well as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is simply choosing to forgive yourself and not listen to the Accuser of the Faithful who would have you believe otherwise that you are not worthy of forgiveness yourself … you failed God by not keeping his commands, his statues, his rules. This lie will keep you impotent in your prayer walk, faith walk, and walk in holiness. Important it is to forgive one’s self. To Cap it off my friend said of these that if the choice to forgive had not been made and walked out the outcome would be one of becoming “bitter“ not “better”. Bitterness would negate any chance of changing in fact it would ensnare and cripple. But the “better” was describe as having come to a CHANGE IN HEART and was able to look upon all who had offended no longer with hate and bitterness but with true compassion … "when Jesus saw the crowd, He was moved with compassion". I further quote my friend with this: “… this is my sign that I can know I have completely forgiven, when I feel that compassion!” DAVID IS NOW KING: Now this brings me to the second person named in this dream: David King. I have to say that at first I thought David King was a real time person too. I do not know a David King. But in my dream he was very prominent in the proceedings and the outcome of the important event. At first I thought he possibly was connected to my friend … I asked in our conversation. Amazed at her response she did know of a David King by way of a dream sometime ago. My was able to point me to this real time person. However, as I investigated and pondered this did not seem to be the intended focus Holy Spirit desired . So I pondered a bit more while walking Peanut ( out one year old Doxie) and I got the focus: This was to look at David who now was King. The character in my dream was David the King! That lead my thoughts to an event in David’s journey with God when as King over Israel he made a choice to not go to battle as was the time and season for him as king would go to war. He stepped into a place where he did not overcome temptation and we got the story of David and Bathsheba where A man who was the Apple of Gods Eye, A man after God’s own heart, coveted another man’s wife, plotted that man’s murder, had it carried out, and entered into an illicit relationship with the widow. And was publicly exposed by God’s prophet. It is in Psalm 51 we have a writing by David recounting when “he remembered his sin” and threw himself upon the mercy and grace of a forgiving God asking God to restore him in His salvation and once again release the joy of that divine relationship into the soul and spirit of David. He asked that Holy Spirit not be taken from him and that he, David, not be cast away from the presence of God. He spends the first 12 verses in penitence confessing his sin nature and his rebellion against God. The last seven he with anticipation of receiving his sought forgiveness, writes of his deep gratitude and how he will publicly display that gratitude before all men. Holy Spirit does not want us to focus on the sin of David while he was king. But instead he wants us to focus upon the repentance and the restoration … forgiveness sought and the forgiveness given. Close with Psalm 55: 16:19 The power of the Gospel to change a person, a people, is in it message! God has come to dwell with men! That God has made a way for that to happen! He desires not one to perish but for everyone that will to come and be in covenant with Him through Jesus Christ who is “The Way.” We have here an old testament account of how God saves completely, God forgives Completely, “…I call to God, and the Lord will save me. Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice. He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me. God will give ear and humble them, he who is enthroned from of old, because they do not change and do not fear God.” This thought is what God is communicating … we are called to be Servant / Priest, Leaders / Kings, Apostles / Prophets. Workers of the Forever Kingdom that has come to Earth through Christ Jesus. Our task now is to pray for harvesters and for the harvest! If we step into the task, take on the mission, answer the “Now Call” to wage the battle for the dream that is in Father’s very heart (Matthew 3:16) then you and I must be willing to be and live changed lives … we must be people who not only humbly receive forgiveness but with humility forgive! For only then will our prayers be as those of David the shepherd boy, David the warrior worshiper, David the chosen and anointed King, and find wings uplifted by the wind of Holy Spirit and swiftly rise up into the very presence of our Great God, capture His eagerly willing ear, delight His Father’s heart, and fully aligned with Him, reap what is our soul’s desire to see the lost found, the captive set free, the lame to walk then run, and the mute to open their mouth to offer sounds of joyful and thankful praises to the Lamb of God! Before we can be any of these we must be like Christ Jesus. That requires for each of us a change of heart. A change that can only come through the power of Holy Spirit indwelling us. Forgiveness and humility are our clothing. Like my friend, named in my dream, has come to understand and now practices The Spirit of God calls us to be like David: praying to make a difference … that when God moves and the next humbling comes, and it will come, that in the humbling there will be a change of hearts, a turning to repentance and an entering into the bliss and joy of God’s faithfulness to forgive!

On The Matter of Faith

Faith is an interesting positioning of the human heart. On one hand it stretches the heart to higher levels of trust and obedience; most often before empirical evidence is available. On the other hand it pleases God.  For us to embrace faith, of which its substance is hope, we align with the open door into the Kingdom of Heaven and do then easily move into that realm of the " not seen". Once present there, we gain such revelation with understanding which does stretch the human mind, and awakens our spirit.

Faith effects my heart, challenges my mind, and quickens my spirit. My having faith does please my God, My King.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,  the evidence of things not seen." -  Hebrews 11: 1

"Therefore He who supplies the spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? ~ just as Abraham "believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed." So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham." - Galatians 3: 5-9

Last night during the gathering of saints at Global Harvest Church, Pastor Bo Walker made a comment that God always sees in the now. Events and people are with Him and before Him always in the present. Our past is before Him now. Our future is before Him now. Our current breath, thought, act, is before Him now! He sees all that not through the filter of time but through the filter of  His son, Jesus The Christ. It is you and I who have a perspective of past, present, and future and because of this filter you and I will categorize and address places, events, people, and indeed revelations through the filter of "time".

That said, fourteen years from this coming April (2014) Bob Westbrook wrote a teaching regarding " "Damascus Annihilated" (April 9, 2005) posting his work in an online blog titled "Trumpet Sounds".

In my personal opinion there were are some good and useful insights there as to how to look at world events as we venture into the new year of 2014. There are things coming we need to be aware of and for which we need to prepare. Let us prepare not as fear my try to ditate but only as Holy Spirit guides. That way we face the future in perfect peace.

I personally have just read "Damascus Annihilated" for the very first time. It may seem odd to you but not to me that I am just now coming to read something, I believe, is playing out on the World's stage even as we breath. In God's kingdom, timing of revelation is often as much a mystery as that being revealed was before it was revealed. You should get some kind of prize if you followed that. Alas no prize for you from me though. May the revelation of that what is coming be your prize.

I am placing here the link to "Damascus Annihilated" by Bob Westbrook April 9, 2005,( http://www.trumpetsounds.com/isaiah17.html ) that will take the reader to that article/teaching at the "Trumpet Sounds" page.  I must confess that I have more than one reason for using my blog to post this link. Mostly so I can easily access it in the future. Also by doing this here I follow the permission to use "Damascus Annihilated" as stipulated by Mr. Westbrook, and last but not least partly for you the reader as you may benefit form what this insightful teaching reveals from Bible prophecy out of Isaiah 17.
Maranatha, my friend.

RH