The Face Of Honest Humility

This morning my wife and I trekked to the local Farmer’s Market that is not far from our apartment’s location here in Florence, AL. I was not expecting to receive anything there but some really fresh and yummy vegetables grown locally. We got those but something more weighty.

We had walked the length of the bazaar and had returned to the first stand upon our entering. Here I was going to purchase some of the best looking corn I had seen all season, I wanted to wait until we were on our way out before picking up the heavy load so I would not have to carry it far to our parked vehicle.

At the stand was a farmer, his wife, and their son. Based on their age I would say the young boy that eagerly stood to wait on us as I approached would have been the youngest son of this middle aged couple. I was instantly impressed with the lad as he took our order and immediately began to work it up. He paused briefly to politely ask his father to bring the necessary bag needed to place our order in. The dad was already in the process of getting more bags, never said a word but came to the lad with the requested bag, turn nodded and offered a smile our way. The mother had taken payment and was returning my change, smiled and cheerfully said thank you. At that point the lad handed me our bagged purchase saying “thank you” as he did. 

In that moment I discerned here before me was the face of honest humility. I also saw the dilemma of our nation in that same moment as well as discerned the solution. 

The dilemma: I fear that those who are the most qualified to lead America are too humble to step into the role. That leaves a void. A void that is going to be filled. It has been with those who are foolish, greedy, and lusting for power! The most qualified are so honestly humble they choose to not seek leadership roles, at least in the most public positions such as representatives of and for the people. Our government is based on a Republic forum, one that should have every person, not special interest groups, fully, honestly, and humbly represented. Our house is no longer there. It is been filled with something different. Something not balanced. There is little honesty and far less humility than was originally intended.

The solution: Placed securely in the hands of the Ecclesia is the solution: An honest and humble appeal to Heaven. This is our only hope of the house being cleaned and then refilled with honest humility. 

We need those like this hard working farmer and his family to step up into public leadership roles. Honest. Humble. Heroes. For in hard times they hold together, continue to work hard, are truly thankful for what they have, genuinely care for their fellow man and willing to share what they have. With Honest Humility they trust God. That is the person I want to lead me. 

We need to grasp that the solution is not in our voting as important as that is and I am not advocating to stop voting. It is not in debate. It is not in learned lectures. It is not in another inspirational book. It is within individual and corporate appeal to the only one who can do something to change the core of a man and a woman. To cut a seared conscious. Turn a stiff neck. Soften a harden heart. Set at liberty a possessed spirit. 

Dark Time

There is a coming darkness to America the Nation. This darkness will not prevail even though it will cover and cloud over the people. The darkness will not prevail because of the lights that will shine in and out of the darkness. These lights will not be hidden but set upon hills … like Mount Zion … though surrounded by the darkness the lights can not and will not be contained by darkness. For the lights will be as signals drawing many out of the covering cloud of darkness; these drawn out ones will then join in the shining forth of light … there will be thousands times tens of thousands shining from Mt Zion. It will be as though darkness never existed.

Another Weeping Prophet ... Part 2

I was given another dream last night. Very detailed full of Americans being Americans. The setting was not decades ago! It was not decades away! IT IS NOW!

There is an event coming that Americans are not ready for. In the dream everyone was moving to a court room. In the dream I was very much aware of a sense that a ruling by the sitting judge was about to be handed down … judgment was about to be rendered. I knew from the behavior of the citizens in my dream they were totally unaware of the pending ruling. However they should be aware and should be concerned for it had to do with all as we all moved to a point of just being outside the doors of the court room where the ruling would be made public!

America is JUST OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM DOORS!

At first I could not understand why everyone was so unaware regarding the appointed time to be in the court room. I saw that the judge was in his chambers just off the court room. He was sitting on the edge of his desk looking over the transcripts of the proceedings. He had his robe on but the robe was not fastened in front. I could see his white shirt and his tie. He appeared to be in deep concentration as he read. I could see that he was almost finished with his decision. JUDGEMENT WAS NEAR!

I knew from the behavior of all the citizens the majority were unaware of being just outside the courtroom doors let alone the imminent judgment about to become public. I became greatly concerned for the majority of the citizens would be caught completely off guard by the ruling that was about to be handed down.

The citizens were distracted completely by their lives. Some were pursuing higher education. Some were pursuing marriage. Some pursuing careers. Some were working a job. Some were involved with their children in sports events. Some were pursing the Arts. Some were pursuing ministry.

EVERYONE WAS COMPLETELY ABSORBED IN THEIR SELF INTEREST.

Ministers who answered the call soon found any chance of ministry greatly hindered as their ministry wrecked due to their distractions of the nature of loving the Church more than they loved The Head of the Chruch, Christ Jesus.

THESE GAVE THEIR HEARTS, MINDS, and SOUL TO THE PURSUIT OF THE CHURCH, NOT TO THE PURSUIT OF CHRIST!

I had the sense that caught unaware there would be no time to adjust to a life post judgment. Now is the time to turn ourselves around  and rather than turn our backs on God to turn our faces toward Him.

From Jeremiah 3 Holy Spirit had be read:

…“Yet concerning all these things,
you say, ‘I am innocent;
surely he’s no longer angry at me.’
Here, I am passing sentence on you,
because you say, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’
You cheapen yourself
when you change course so often —
you will be disappointed by Egypt too,
just as you were disappointed by Ashur.
Yes, you will leave him too,
with your hands on your heads [in shame].
For Adonai rejects those in whom you trust;
from them you will gain nothing.” Jeremiah 3:34b-37 (CJB)

Another Weeping Prophet

I had a dream last night. That is not unusual. It is also not unusual for me to awake from the dream and not have a clue what it means but feel a very heavy weight. This morning the dream I was given disturbs me and I would not mind if I did not know what it means ... but I do. The weight of it has me posting this with a urgency and honestly I do not know if this is really a good idea. After all, how many will read what I write? And of those who might read who will respond to Holy Spirit if they do not know how to respond?

I am not certain there can be a response to this. Like the prophet Jeremiah I watch my people turn from the Truth and with determined vigor in their steps begin to run to any Lie.

I fear for a people, my people. I have seen a coming of such a bold and cunning lie, so alluring, that I fear that even the watchmen set on the wall for the American church and America will not see the threat, will no longer hear truth, and no longer sound an alarm but will themselves not only buy but will eat and will swallow that lie.

 Within our own seats of authority on every mountain of our society there are those who are the mouth pieces of the lie. These agents of the lie are being honored and called good when in them is all manner of rottenness and death. Their words and deeds are sweet to the deceived and a hope to those about to be deceived. Their way is a way that leads to nothing that is life. Shrouded in the cloud of darkness are those who follow them and they can no longer see the coming cloud of glory that carries The Hope ... and they do not care.

What I was lead to this morning in the scriptures alarms me and should alarm any who read and hear: "Has A nation changed gods, when they were not gods? But My people have changed their glory for that which does not profit. 'Be Appalled, O heavens, at this, and shudder, be very desolate', declares the Lord.

'For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. Is Israel (America) a slave? Or is he a homeborn servant? Why has he become a prey? The young lions ( terrorist ) have roared loudly. And they have made his land a waste; His cities have been destroyed, without inhabitant. Also the men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved the crown of your head. Have you not done this to yourself, By your forsaking the Lord your God, when He led you in the way? But now what are you doing on the road to Egypt, to drink the waters of the Nile? Or what are you doing on the road to Assyria, to drink the waters of the Euphrates? Your own wickedness will correct and your apostasies will reprove you; know therefore and see that it is evil and bitter for you to forsake the Lord your God, and the dread of Me is not in you,' declares the Lord of host." Jeremiah 2:11-19. NAS

My prayer is: Holy Spirit help us not be deceived. Open our eyes to see and help us not turn away for what is truly good and right. Help us to recognize and repent from our wickedness and that we will quickly turn and run away form our apostasies back to You.

My we once again fear You, Holy God.

To Flourish In The Courts Of Our God

For me, and for that matter everyone living, there are many things on the plate for this morning, later today, and the evening. It was no different than yesterday's bill as it will not be for tomorrow's. To be alive is to have a full plate on any given day, at any time during the day. At least that is the way I see it and I do not think I am to far form being TDC on this matter. My prayer is that I can clearly see which morsel on the plate in front of me is appropriately beneficial and therefore worthy of my pursuit.

Now at play is a choice. To know me is to know that "choice" is a topic which comes around often when I am sharing my thoughts. That is because we humans have multiplicities of opportunities to choose and that is major on the spirit and flesh list ... for whoever. Well maybe not for a zombie ... technically a zombie is no longer human ... BECAUSE IT HAS NO CHOICE!

Anyway, to the task at hand, I wanted to journal about last night's assembly at Global Harvest Church. It was amazing on so many levels. By the way I used the word "assembly" rather than "gathering" because it is significant which one I use. I learned a

lesson this past week while at the Contending As One conference in Cartersville, GA. Both words are equally useful and rich in meaning. However one can occur without the other just as one can not occur unless you first have the other.

Let me explain. It seems that each of us carry a part of a whole when it comes to God's purposes. It does say in the scripture for us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together which paints a picture of getting together for fellowship, study of the word, and ministry through Holy Spirit to each other. Here is my explanation from my new found understanding. When we gather it is much like pulling the bagged parts out of a box containing a bicycle and laying those parts out side by side to make sure each part needed is present and accounted for. You can stop there with just gathering the parts but if you do you will not have a working bicycle you just have the "gathered" parts. If you choose to take the next step and "assemble" the parts at some point you end up with a completed and useable bicycle which was the intended purpose of the gathering. Last night at GHC the parts were gathered and assembled!

 During the music with singing last night I got a picture that a portal had opened and that Heaven had come to Earth in the room. I spoke into the mic something like this ... " A portal just open and there is an exchange going on ... Heaven is coming into this room right now! God's Kingdom has come here in this place and now here it is as it is in Heaven ... Right now it is on Earth as it is in Heaven!"

After the service as we worked putting equipment away, Pastor Dan Taylor came over to me and said something like this: " I wanted to tell you personally that during worship I saw this room begin to break away from the earth and rise up toward Heaven while at the same time I saw Heaven begin to open and come down toward this room and then the two met and Heaven filled the room and surrounded us! It was at that very point I heard you say into the mic "Heaven is here now!" We both rejoiced at the goodness of God for Holy Spirit had confirmed the event of Heaven and Earth blending in that space and time!

Psalms 92:12-15 reads:

"The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him."

So I being today in my old age am praying for clear vision as to what is to be pursued today from my plate and fully expect it to be fitting for the day as Holy Spirit assembles my part into the purposes of God for this day at this time and in the space I occupy.

RH

Upside Down And Backwards

I and my wife, Denise, have been on a journey together for going on 45 years. In itself our marriage has been an awesome adventure. Denise and I are so opposite form each other and as a friend pointed out this weekend I must have been drawn to her for just that reason and truth be told I have to admit the little lady has help a lot in shaping who I am today ... the good things one might choose to see in me just to be clear.

Anyway about the "journey", at least the chapter of it that occurred this weekend, February 5-7, 2015, which is what this post is suppose record. The chapter is full of the usual stuff of life and then the not so usual stuff of life. There was the natural and then the supernatural.

This past Thursday through Saturday noon we spent in Cartersville, Georgia. Now this is not our first time to be camped out in this north central Georgia Town. It is our second visit. The first had us on an assignment by Holy Spirit to hear of deep spiritual roots from the past that sprang froth out of this historic area. Our second visit was connected to the first. Denise puts it as being layers being applied one to another.

Both assignments have to do with God's purposes for America and our part in the unfolding.

If you have trouble grasping the concept of someone being on assignment from God for a single individual or nation, or nations, then I suggest you read the book of Acts, in particular the account of Ananias who was assigned by Holy Spirit to pray for Paul of Tarsus, and then the account of Peter and his afternoon vision / dream given him to prepare him for Heaven's assignment to go to the home of Cornelius, a Gentile, to pray those of that household would receive Holy Spirit and there witness a sovereign move of God that revealed He intended to and had already included the nations in what Holy Spirit was releasing into the Earth at time.

Anyway, back to this weekend, I could take some time here and write of what was encountered but honestly I do not know if I possess the capacity to do it justice. What I will do is journal a single end cap Holy Spirit put on the whole event.

The Contend As One Conference ended promptly at noon Saturday. Denise and I said our goodbyes to our close friends Dale and Pat, whom we met on another assignment of a few years ago when on a trip to Ireland, and were on the road headed home with some planned stops along the way. A beautiful day for a drive too! Perfect weather for a February in the South.

Denise had the iPad out plotting our trip as I was navigating to our first stop. She made remark about the strangeness of the map lay out on the iPad. By this time we had stopped to get something to drink for the road. So cutting the engine off I looked over at the iPad and saw what she was talking about.

The image of the map displayed had Atlanta as the hub but every thing around was not correctly oriented. What I mean to say is that where we were on the map, Woodstock, was showing as North East of Atlanta rather than South West as it should have been. The road numbers were the same but every town, city, land mark was backwards, not the letters, the locations.

Denise expanded the view so we were looking at the South East Region states. Tennessee was south of Atlanta. Florida was North of Atlanta, Birmingham was East of Atlanta as was Jackson. However, Savannah was West of Atlanta as was the Atlantic ocean. You get the Picture.

We set there for a few minutes talking about how crazy this was while several times Denise closed and reopened the app only for it to reopen in this, as she put it, Upside Down And Backwards configuration of the South East Regional States.

After the third time we decided that we could proceed ahead and move in a southward direction on Hwy 92 as we knew this would get us going in the right directions toward home.

Then as we were still looking at the screen there was a flicker and then the map actually flipped right to left! The content was now back showing landmarks, cities, towns, in there correct locations!

Now in that very moment I heard in my spirit something like these Words: "Though America has appeared to be turned upside down and backwards I will turn and flip and set back in right order America."

We had spent the weekend in an opened Legislative Assembly of the Ekkclesia, this was our assignment to be a part of that body of representatives to pray, intercede for America and then to agree and align with God's purposes to come! For it to be on Earth as it is in Heaven!

I believe that our iPad's glitch was arranged by Holy Spirit as a visual reminder and a personal prompting to speak out loud, to declare, what was accomplished by this open Assembly's simple trust and obedience to come before God at the designated time and place to pray, intercede, agree, and align.

As we turned southward headed home I spoke out loud with authority what I had heard Holy Spirit give to say. So to document clearly I close this journal entry with a version of that declaration:

"Though America has been Upside Down and Backwards by choice I have heard the remnants’ cry and will turn and flip America back to My purposes and America will fulfill the rightful and legal Destiny I have spoken!"
  

Afternoon Thought

There are times I "hear" my own thought and when this happens I then "listen" to my thought. What I mean is there are times I know a thought has not originated with me but it is in me. Some would say the "small quite voice inside me" is talking or something like that.

Truth is, each of us have this experience often but what it boils down to is a choice to "hear" a choice to "listen".

At some point this past week I either read or heard about an elderly Asian gentleman walking with his twenty something grandson on a very noisy street. The two were walking along this major thoroughfare passing people engaged in life. Automobiles, sirens, people talking, shouting, babies crying, a type setting each of us have experienced.

As the two walked along the grandfather suddenly stopped and began to look all around. The grandson paused in his steps, turned toward his searching grandfather who exclaimed to his grandson, "I hear a cricket!"

For a moment or two the grandson just stared at his grandfather in total disbelief. He then replied what most of us would have I quite imagine, "I can barely hear you above all this noise but did you just say that you heard a cricket?"

The old man responded with a confident nod and an equally confident, "Yes."

The grandfather backtracked a few steps and turned up an alley the two had just passed. He began to turn over cardboard boxes, lift up papers, looking for the cricket. While doing this the grandson was following, wearing on his face a grin that was more of a smirk. After walking a good ways into the alley, the grandfather came upon a medium size tin can and with the toe of his shoe pushed it aside.

There fully exposed was a small cricket! The smiling grandfather bent down and caught the cricket in his hands and held it to his grandson who just laughed out loud. Placing the cricket back on the pavement, the grandfather walked back toward the street again followed by his now amazed grandson.

The two resumed their trek on the major street. They had not gotten far when the grandson touched the old man's arm stopping him and said, "Grandfather", tell me, how is it that you heard that cricket above all the noise but no one else did, including me?"

The grandfather took the younger’s arm with his right hand while holding out his left arm toward the grandson with his left hand extended palm up and said, "Give me some coins."

The grandson looked puzzled as he reach into his pocket for a all the change he had and placed it his grandfather's palm. At this the old man took a few steps forward and motion for the younger to follow him. After a few more steps the old man took the coins and tossed them high up into the air letting them all fall to the sidewalk.

All those in close proximity quickly stopped, turned toward the sound of the coins, and looked down for them.

The young man without understanding looked at his grandfather who said to the stunned Youngman,

"Grandson, the reason you and all these others did not hear the cricket is because you only will hear and respond to what you have trained your ears to listen for."

Very often the small voice is speaking but our heart and our attention is set on something or someone else.

Anyway, my thought was this afternoon: "It is not so important to lead people into church as much as it is important to lead people into the Kingdom."