More God

God's favorite prayer to answer is the one that seeks more of Himself.

[more-god]

(I sat down this morning to write an email of encouragement to a young minister. As I started to write scriptures came to mind and I just wrote them all down. They formed the following letter. Posting it here because I believe it will encourage and strengthen everyone. Blessings.)

Dear Brother,

As a young and gifted leader in the Body of Christ I wanted to encourage and strengthen you in your pursuit of Christ.

The Bible admonishes us all to be sober minded, and watchful, for our adversary the devil prowls about like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

However he will not outwit us because we are not unaware of his schemes. (2 Cor. 2:11)

Therefore be imitators of God, as his beloved child; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. For this reason it says,

“Awake, sleeper,

And arise from the dead,

And Christ will shine on you.”

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. (Ephesians 5:1-21)  

Flee sexual immorality. Every other sin that a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought for a price: therefore glorify God in your body. (1 Cor. 6:18-20)  I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. (1 John 2:1-6)  This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. (1 John 1:5-10)  Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much. (James 5:16) If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:26-31) 

If anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. For each one will bear his own load. (Gal 6:1-5) Through Him then, let’s continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips praising His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Obey your leaders and submit to them—for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account—so that they may do this with joy, not groaning; for this would be unhelpful for you. (Hebrews 13:15-17) Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep [through the blood of the eternal covenant, that is, Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. But I urge you, listen patiently to this word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly. (Hebrews 13:20-22)

Maranatha! (1 Corinthians 16:22)

Brother Mark

[more-god]

The Testimony Of Jesus Is The Spirit Of Prophecy

"And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelations 19:10

Here is a word I shared recently on how God wants to use YOUR story to advance his Kingdom on the Earth.

[more-god]

The Death Of Billy Graham - A New Day - Paul Keith Davis

[more-god]

Lift Up Your Hands And Praise

Lift up your hands and praise him. Praise changes the atmosphere. Praise transitions you into the spiritual. Through praise you can shift the battle.

There is a heavenly transaction that takes place when you praise. God says he gives you the Spirit of praise in exchange for the garments of heaviness.

Are you feeling heavy? It is time to change your clothes. Are you feeling beat back? It is time to change your clothes. Are you feeling depressed? Oppressed? Or pressed upon? Are you feeling empty? Are you feeling stressed? Beloved it is time to get dressed. It is time to praise him.

Praise the scales off your eyes until you can see that there is more with you than there is with them.

There is more with you than there is with them.

Praise Him!

Praise him until you can see that he causes all things to work together for your good.

Praise him until you can see that he causes you to triumph in all things through Christ.

Praise him. Beloved, praise him before the rocks cry out.

There is a mantle that will come upon you as you praise. Your praise will arise. Your praise will carry you. Your praise will lift you up till you see yourself right now as you truly are.

Beloved, let praise lift you up high enough till you SEE that you are already seated with Christ in heavenly places.

Beloved, praise is the refreshing. Praise is the answer.

In everything that could ever happen to you praise is always the right response.

Give praise.

Lift up a voice of a praise!

He is glorious. He is worthy.

Praise!

[more-god]

Christ In You The Hope Of Glory

"... to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Col. 1:28 I had a dream a few nights ago where I was telling someone the story of Arnel Pineda, the unknown singer for a cover band in the Philippines who woke up one morning to an email from Neil Schon of Journey asking him if he would be interested in auditioning for the band. In the dream I asked "Can you imagine how excited he must have been when he received that email to sing for the rock band Journey? All his life there had been struggles and heartaches and then BOOM one day he is chosen and his whole life changes." I was fighting back the tears in the dream as I spoke as I considered how Arnel's story is an illustration of the goodness of God. I then said as exciting as Arnel's story is we as believers have reason for far greater excitement and joy because we have been chosen to have Christ in us the hope of glory. Yet sadly because we do not KNOW what it really means to have Christ in us we do not understand how great the calling it is we have been given. We do not understand it is far greater than waking up one day to be asked to be the one guy in the world who is the lead singer for Journey and we do not get as excited about it as we should. The dream ended with me passionately conveying that we must fully comprehend in this hour what it means to have Christ in us the hope of glory. That was the dream. There are a few thoughts this dream has brought to my mind that I would like to share with you. The first is, how real is it to you that Christ lives in you? You do not have to answer that publicly but I believe that if you consider the following in light of your answer you will agree that it is true. I believe that to whatever extent you believe Christ lives in you to that same extent you will have His life, His power, His victory. The dream seems to suggest that we are missing alot when it comes to the reality of Christ living within us. I will be the first to say that it has been awhile since I took time to consider the staggering implications of what it truly means to have Christ in me, the hope of glory. In fact, it was back in 2008 when I was told in a dream that "The surest word of prophecy is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (There seems to be a theme emerging in my prophetic life.) What does "Christ in you, the hope of glory' mean? Someone once put it this way. Christ in you, the confident expectation of glory being released through your life. In other words if Christ truly lives in you His glory will manifest through your life. The glory of His imputed righteousness. The glory of His sufferings. The glory of his splendor. The glory of His power. The glory of His resurrection. The glory of His love. We must have the eyes of our understanding opened in this hour of time so that we might believe and become fully convinced that Jesus Christ resides within us and that because of His resident presence there is resident power to overcome every bondage the enemy tries to put on ourselves and others to keep us from truly entering into the fullness of life He has provided for us. Beloved, we must repent (change our minds) with regard to our unbelief in this regard. We must change our minds until our thinking changes. We must renew our minds with the washing of the water of His Word until we can fully believe Him as we ought to believe Him. Please do not receive any condemnation from these words for there is no condemnation but only hope. Hope. Glorious hope. Beloved, take the next month and shut yourself away each day with God for a time and ask Him to help you truly understand and believe that Christ lives in you. He will do it and when He does your life will never be the same. Before the greatest harvest the world has ever seen fully begins there will be a people that know their God and do great exploits. These people will truly know their God lives within and they will demonstrate His love and power. It will happen.

[more-god]

Just Wait

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31 Are you weary? Tired? Stressed out? Burned out? Oppressed? Feeling heavy laden? Anxious? Worried? If so then allow me to make a suggestion that I am absolutely certain will help you. Just wait. The Bible promises that those who wait on the Lord will find renewed strength and stamina to move forward in life with ease. You do not ever need to feel worn out or weary in your soul. You do not need to feel like the only cup at a tea party with nothing left to pour out to anyone. Noone has ever had as many demands placed upon themselves by others as Jesus did and yet the Bible never records Jesus getting burned out or so weary that He cut short a day of ministry to go have a nap. Nowhere does the Bible record Jesus ever getting so stressed out that He became irritable and called the guy on the donkey in front of him an idiot for not signaling he was turning. Jesus maintained a steadiness of energy and a calm emotional outlook. Though the demands upon him were great He never became anxious or worried about anything. What was His secret? "After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone." Mathew 14:23 Jesus knew to wait. Waiting on God is the antidote to weariness and stress. Never before has society been so busy and hustled at such break neck speeds. With the advance of smart phones there now seems to be demands placed for your attention in your every waking moment. I want to encourage you to find a half hour every day where you turn off your cellphone and draw aside as Jesus did to wait in God's presence. Beloved waiting on God changes everything. Get away from every distraction and take thirty minutes to just present yourself to God as a living sacrifice. Put on some quiet worship music and invite God's presence to come surround you. He will surely come. When you wait on God you are not waiting for him to come and do something for you, instead you are causing yourself to wait as you give your full attention to God for that time. As you rest in His presence your entire being is strengthened and renewed in God. You can't come into God's presence and not be changed. The word used in Hebrew for "wait" in the scripture reference is "kava" and it has the meaning of making something stronger by intertwining. You see as you wait on God your spirit intertwines with His Spirit and you become stronger. Not only do you find renewed strength but times of waiting on God also help us to take our eyes off everything else and to put them back onto Him. When our eyes are on God all of life's problems seem so small and insignificant. The demands of this life will wear you thin and burn you out if you let it. Instead I encourage you to let feelings of stress and anxiety remind you to draw near to our God who never grows weary. You can find fresh strength, peace, perspective, and new life anytime you need it. Just wait.

[more-god]

Fear Not

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." Mathew 28:18-20

Jesus said that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him. There is no higher authority or power than has been granted to Jesus. Every other power is in submission to him. Every other authority is in submission to him. Jesus is the name above all names, as his name is higher in rank, authority, and privilege than any other name. It is to the name of Jesus that every knee will be made to bow. There is no other name, no other power, no other authority in heaven or the earth that is anywhere even close to holding the supremacy of power and authority as has been given to Jesus. In fact if you compared the power and authority of Jesus to the sum total of every other power and authority that has ever existed or will ever exist it wouldn't even be a close second. The power and authority of Jesus is so infinitely great and all encompassing that it is difficult for the human mind to even comprehend its vastness. You could spend your entire life thinking on the power and authority of Jesus and you wouldn't even come close to scratching the surface.

I say all of this not to just belabor the point of the authority of Jesus but so that while you are considering these things in a fresh light I may ask you the following question.

What do you fear?

I'll come back to this question in a minute.

Jesus was sending out his disciples to continue the work of his ministry. They were well aware of the dangers associated with his ministry as many of them had repeatedly witnessed those who had schemed against him as well as his Crucifixion. There would certainly continue to be resistance to the message they were being commissioned to carry forward. In fact he had already previously told them that they would be hated by everyone because of him. (Mathew 10:22) Notice Jesus didn't rehash any of his warnings about being hated or persecuted or dragged before kings. He didn't even admonish them not to fear. He just simply stated that ALL authority in heaven and on earth had been given to him and then told them to go. In other words what Jesus was communicating was that he has all the power and authority and that there is nothing to worry about. "I am in control, go disciple nations."

Jesus isn't saying that everything will be easy or that you will never find yourself in a trial, He is saying that when you face difficulty or you find yourself in a trial that you can still rest in the full assurance that He is in total control. Nothing catches Jesus by surprise.

What do you fear?

The answer to that question is of extreme importance in the life of a believer. I imagine that there are probably a great many things you fear, Maybe you fear losing your job, or sickness, or maybe you are just afraid of the dark. All fears, irregardless of size, have one important thing in common. They all indicate an area where you are failing to appropriate the totality of the power that now belongs to Jesus. If all authority belongs to Jesus and you truly believe this then there is no reason to ever fear anything again as nothing can harm you without it first passing through the authority of Jesus.

I believe in the power of prayer and I appreciate the hearts of those who have a desire to understand the various aspects of spiritual warfare, yet at the same time I entirely disagree with any premise of spiritual warfare that is not grounded in the established truth of the supremacy of Christ and the vastness of his unlimited power. Spiritual warfare begins and ends with the implicit acceptance that ALL authority in heaven and on the earth belongs to Jesus Christ. That means there remains now no authority of the enemy to harm you in any way unless you have failed to fully recognize the utter completeness of the authority of Jesus. Put more simply, the only authority the enemy now has to harm your life is that which you have failed to recognize as already belonging to Christ.

There is nothing to fear anymore. No power can harm you. You belong to Jesus and everything that comes against you to harm you must submit and come under his authority before it ever reaches your life. You can have confidence that anything that is coming against you is being allowed by Jesus to produce for you a far surpassing and eternal weight of glory.

[more-god]

The New Apostolic Order: The Greatest Show On Earth

"Many signs and wonders were done by the hands of the Apostles." Acts 5:12 There is a new apostolic order coming that will demonstrate true apostolic power. Much of what the Church has experienced so far that bears the title of apostolic has been nothing more than the attempts of man to fulfill the promise of what is coming. The Church has followed into the error of ancient Israel which the scriptures record, "...set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval." Hos 8:4 Though we rightly discerned and hungered for the release of apostolic power we thought we could apprehend it by implementing what we believed to be apostolic structure. Much of what has been called apostolic in the last ten years has been nothing more than earthly king making and networking strategies. We failed to recognize the one key truth which governs every other aspect of the apostolic: ONLY the Lord Jesus Christ himself can call and commission an apostle. The apostle Paul wrote of himself that he was an apostle not sent from men or through the agency of man but through Jesus Christ and God the father. (Gal 1:1) Apostles are one of the five ascension gifts that Jesus gives to the church. "And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; UNTIL we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ."  Ephesians 4:12 Only Jesus through the authority given to him by God can make someone an apostle and through birth send them into the world. (Gal 1:15) Jesus will keep making and sending apostles "until". The emphasis on until in the text is my own as many attempt to argue that Jesus no longer gives apostles to the church. They believe that apostles were only given at the beginning of the church age to help get the church up and running. However this belief stems more from a fear of the spiritual than it does any reasonable scriptural interpretation. The Bible is clear that the apostles and other gifts will be given until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. I don't believe anyone is arguing the Church has arrived to this maturity so I will rest my point. Every apostle that exists now that has not been created by Jesus and sent by him is a false apostle. Whether through simple ignorance or empowered by demonic deception they are not true apostles. There will be both true and false apostles in these last days and we must exercise sharp discernment in order that we do not be led astray by that which is false. The bible instructs us to test all things and to hold onto that which is good. Thankfully there are easily recognizable signs we can use in our estimation of apostolic authenticity. The apostle Paul writes that, "The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles."  2 Cor. 12:12 In short apostolic authenticity is established by demonstrated apostolic power. If there is an apostle around these signs will follow them. Just as Jesus the chief Apostle did great miracles and mighty works everywhere he went so it will be with his true apostles (sent ones) today. The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the lame will walk when the truly apostolic is functioning. The other sign of an apostle mentioned is perseverance or rather, longsuffering. This to me is the greatest of the signs of the apostles. Miracles can be faked or worse yet orchestrated by demonic powers to lead believers astray but longsuffering is not so easily manifested. Longsuffering is the supernatural ability of an apostle to stay faithful to God and his calling in the face of physical suffering and hardship. It is the preeminent sign of an apostle and was modeled by Jesus Christ himself in his beating and crucifixion. The apostle Paul wrote in defense of his apostleship, "Are they servants of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure." Paul argues that the proof his apostolic ministry is authentic is evidenced by all of the hardship and persecution he has endured in the execution of it. Notice nowhere does Paul make the argument that he is an apostle because he has a hundred thousand people on his mailing list or that he has several other churches under him in his network of ministries. I am not saying these things are wrong but they have nothing to do with authentic apostleship. There is a new legitimate apostolic order coming and they will not be about position or title or affluence. They will be about hearts totally sold out to Jesus that will not seek the spotlight and that will not bend under the weight of tremendous suffering and persecution. They will have nothing to do with the agendas of men but will be resolutely and determinedly focused on the expansion of the kingdom of God. They will be friends of the bridegroom laboring tirelessly to prepare the bride for her King. They will set true order into the Body of Christ and activate the saints for ministry. They will demonstrate true apostolic power in mighty signs, wonders, and miracles as they undo every work of the devil. The apostle Paul writes that they will be the greatest show on Earth, "For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men."  1 Cor. 4:9 The truly apostolic is right now at the door. When it emerges it will mark the beginning of the greatest harvest ever seen. They might not look like you were expecting them to look but they will carry unprecedented power. They have been in fiery furnaces and pits for many years being prepared in hiddenness and obscurity to be the Lord's dread champions. They have waited like arrows hidden in the quiver of the King. Now is the time for their release. Get ready.

[more-god]

Just watch this. Five minutes. So good.

God Could Have Left Job Alone ~ Bob Sorge

[more-god]

Fear Not: The Power Of God's Pursuit

"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!" Isaiah 43:1

The instruction here is pretty clear. Do not fear. It's right up front in plain language. There is no need to break out several commentaries to grasp what is being commanded. It's all right there in front of you. "Hey, you know all that anxiety and fear you have about that thing in the future? Well don't do that."

What maybe isn't so clear, and what makes this scripture so powerful is why you should not fear. Remember now, this is God speaking. He could have said do not fear because I am the most powerful being that has ever existed and there is nothing I can't handle.  That would have been just as true.

Instead though, He says not to fear because he has redeemed you,  he has called you by name, you are his.  He puts the focus of your fearlessness not on his ability to overcome all but on his unrelenting pursuit of YOU. You can know and truly believe that God is all powerful and still have the tendency to fear. But if you truly know and believe that God is totally committed to your life there will be no place for fear.

Beloved, there is nothing you will ever face in life that God will not face with you. God loves you and He is 1000% commited to you. You belong to Him. No matter what you find yourself facing in life, He's got you. 

[more-god]

Come Up Here

"After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things." Revelation 4:11

At present there is a great call going forth for all who can receive it to step into a higher level of obedience and surrender to the Lord. There has been great warfare recently against the minds of those God has been preparing to "Come Up" into higher dimensions of faith and revelation. In recent days it has seemed almost as if you were unstable as your thoughts bounced back and forth between carnal and spiritual mindedness. This warfare was allowed to contrast the stark difference between the peace that accompanies being spiritually minded and the fear and anxiety that accompanies carnal mindedness. The spiritual mind sees situations through the eyes of the spirit which empowers decisions to be made that are full of hope and faith. The carnal mind is limited to employing natural logic and reasoning to its decision making. Often times this shuts down faith and prevents hope from entering which results in fear. It is critical in this hour that God's elect understand that their daily decisions are either cultivating an atmosphere of faith or fear.

The hour is late. There is no time left to practice faith empowered thinking. It is imperative that we "Come Up" in our thinking and step out of the boat of reason into the realm of water walking with the Lord. What the rational mind would dismiss as illogical or impractical the spiritual mind seizes as an opportunity to employ faith. The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God because they are foolishness to him. Likewise natural thinking is foolishness to those who have set themselves on life in the Spirit.

Beloved, your calling is an upward calling. You are called to go from strength to strength and glory to glory. Determine in your heart to look beyond what you can accomplish in your circumstances. Look beyond your own abilities, see further than your own limitations. Take some time to pray and to consider God's ableness on your behalf. Come up out of the place of natural mindedness. God wants to enlarge your faith and increase your vision to see beyond that which is possible to achieve by your own ability and power. Not just for your own life. You are called to be a bridge between God and the seeming impossibilities in the lives of others. God is breaking you out of the realm of comfortable so that you can taste of a realm that is extraordinary.

"God help me to come up in my thinking. I want to live a life that is rich in faith and pleasing to you. God I believe, help my unbelief. Help me to live life in the Spirit beyond the limitations of my natural understanding. I want to walk fully confident and expectant of your goodness towards my life. Amen."

[more-god]

The Need For Courage

"Men’s hearts will fail them for fear and for looking upon those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken." Luke 21:26 Recently I had a dream I was watching a breaking news report on television of a magnitude 9.0 earthquake that had just happened. The devastation I saw was unprecedented and really shook people to the core. The newscaster struggled for words to express what had happened. As I was watching the images on the T.V. of the aftermath I heard a voice say, "Men's hearts will fail them." Then the dream ended. We are living in the days where we are going to begin to see more and more great shakings and unprecedented storms as we approach the final chapter of history. As these things occur mens hearts will truly fail them. It is important to understand though that this passage of scripture is not talking about believers in Christ. Though this world may crumble all around us ours is an eternal Kingdom that will never be shaken. As the world goes into deeper darkness the Body Of Christ is going to begin to shine in the radiance of His splendor. All of creation groans for the emergence of the sons and daughters of God who will know their God and do great exploits. It is in the midst of world disorder that the order of God will be established and "the greater signs than I have done" spoken of by Jesus will manifest with increasing intensity. As darkness seems to be prevailing in the world the corporate body of Christ will emerge with such light that the contrast of the two kingdoms will emerge with succinct and piercing clarity. In this hour there is a present need for courage. To "Be strong and courageous, not afraid or discouraged." (1 Chron. 22:13) As things unfold in the scope of history that will cause men's hearts to fail them God's children will posses a remarkable and steadfast courage. There will be an increasingly marked and visible difference between the hearts of this world and the citizens of the far better country. In the midst of great signs in the Earth and Heavens there will also be a sign born on the hearts of God's elect. (Phillipians 1:28) The fearlessness and courage demonstrated by the Church in the midst of great upheavel will result in unprecedented harvest as many begin to seek out the mighty and peaceful refuge of our God. Hearts burning bright with the intense light of courage will serve as lighthouses guiding the storm battered and weary to Christ's eternal shore. It is important that each believer begins now to endeavor to always be courageous which is the mark of our calling to so great a faith. There is much need for honest heart examination to bring even the least amount of fear into the light of God's bright countenance so that it may perish. Begin now to draw near to God in fresh abandoned pursuit. Worship and pray without ceasing. You are not of the darkness or the day but of the light and eternal. Set your heart in confidence upon the bulwark of our mighty God and savior Jesus Christ. The final victory is assured. His will is certain to be established in all things. Take fresh courage. It is needed.

[more-god]

Bearing The Mark Of God

"When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth." Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is greater than I can bear! "Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me." And the LORD said to him, "Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." And the LORD set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him. Then Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden.” Genesis 4:12-17 There is a lot of speculation about what the mark was that God placed on Cain. Theories range from a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, a magical horn growing from his head, to a change in his skin color. The Bible doesn't say what the mark was but it does say why God marked him. God punished Cain for slaying Abel and banned him from His presence. Cain was worried that someone would eventually slay him to avenge the death of Abel so God in His loving compassion set a mark upon him that would keep him safe and assure that nobody took vengeance. Then the next thing that happened is Cain went out from the presence of the Lord without so much as a thank you to God for the tender mercy God had shown him in protecting his life with the mark. Cain was so blinded by pride that even after he murdered Abel he still thought he was owed some benevolence from God. Cain set the bar really high in the area of arrogance. Sometimes our lives too can bear the mark of God. We may bear it visibly outwardly or hidden spiritually inwardly. Regardless of where we bear this mark it can be a weighty thing to carry. Cain certainly must have felt awkward with his peculiar mark. As it served as a warning to others not to harm him, you can easily imagine people might have withdrawn from him or shunned him. Even though the mark was meant for his good it was not an easy mark to bear. All marks from God are hard at times to carry as they set you apart from the common. In a house there are vessels of silver and gold and vessels of wood and earthenware. (2 Tim 2:20) Vessels of silver and gold are rare and valuable and require a lengthy firing process and much skilled detail work in their formation. They are set apart and used for special purposes and most always bear the mark of the craftsman who made them. Vessels of wood and earthenware are common and easily made and bear no craftsman's mark. It is the mark that sets the uncommon vessel apart from the common and is an indicator that they have a special use intended for them by their Creator. There is also an inner mystery unfolding in God's marked ones. Though the Bible doesn't say it I believe there was a hidden intention in God's marking of Cain. Not only did the mark serve as a warning to others, it served as a constant reminder to Cain of the fact that he had murdered his brother Abel. This in no way was meant to forever trap Cain in condemnation but rather to work secretly in his cold heart to steer him ever towards repentance. Sadly the Bible doesn't record this inner working of the mark ever resulting in Cain's heartfelt turning back to God. So too is there a hidden working in the hearts of God's marked ones. It may not be working you towards repentance but it will be working to produce in your heart and spirit the character and graces necessary to be a chosen vessel unto honor, fit for the Master's use in His service. So if you bear the mark of God determine in your heart to bear it thankfully. God has marked you for some glorious yet unseen purpose. Your thanksgiving is the verbal proclamation of your trust in God which enables your heart to cooperate fully with God's hidden work within you. When the season comes for your purpose to be revealed you will be certain of your ability to complete it. God loves you and has great goodness planned for his marked ones. Get ready.

[more-god]

Word For Singapore

I have seen a lot of traffic recently from Singapore and as I have been praying about it I saw the following. I saw hearts in hiddeneness secretly burning in worship to the Lord. Some groups were twenty or more people gathered in homes. Some groups were just two or three people and I was shown individuals alone playing guitar in their apartments secretly releasing new songs and prayers over their cities. Great power was being released even though those worshiping could not perceive it or the dynamic shift occurring in the atmosphere. I felt the Lord saying now is the time to step out of hiddenness and to begin to put out a clear call to worship. He desires to connect the dots between these groups and people that have been burning secretly to His name and to establish a new worship furnace that will begin to release the sound of worship and prayer 24/7 in Singapore. It will be a quick work. He has already been working and preparing hearts to release a new sound and a new level of fire over Singapore. Now is the time to gather and join together in coffee shops, on street corners, and in places God will give you the keys to and open the doors for you to enter. God inhabits the praises of His people and He is calling you to be a facilitator of a great move of God. Countless myriads of young people will be drawn to the sound of the raging corporate fire. Release the call for worshipers and musicians and come together in His name and release the new songs. It will be a fresh working, a dynamic release. The Lord will inhabit your praises and release mighty signs and wonders in your midst as he disarms the strong man. There will be a great sense of the Lord's blessing and favor on the vision as you begin to run with it. Singapore your day of visitation draws near. If this word resonates with you drop me an email at mark "at" moregod [dawt] org.

[more-god]

You Are A Flower Now Blossoming

You are a flower now blossoming Emboldened by the past pain and loss More beautiful because of the dying Your heart profited despite the night's bitter frost You are the object of God's vast affections His heart is moved to joy at your sight He prunes and He nourishes you ever tenderly Plants you securely in His favor and light The storm and long night could not destroy you Your love refused to bow down before pain All that was harm has refined you Now inside the flower a flame Your heart burns with a fire majestic Full of grace with a flame that imparts Your life now bears the fragrance of victory For many trials could not extinguish your heart This is the hour of your becoming As your petals now open full bloom The glory and mystery they were concealing Now suddenly burst forth in plain view All of the angels now marvel At the depth of the strength wrought in you For the night and the death could not vanquish The love in your heart or its truth So sing flower, sing of your triumph Sing of your God's loving care Let your voice rise up above the ashes Silencing all lies and all fear Sing in the strength of your knowing That your heart has withstood the dark flood And all of the tears and the heartache Only made you more nobler and good You are a flower now blossoming In the warm gentle light of God's rays Everything that has been before now Has only served you in hastening this day

[more-god]

The Unfolding Of His Words Gives Light

The unfolding of Your words gives light, it gives understanding to the simple. Psalm 119:130 Many in this hour are in a season of profound transformation and spiritual acceleration meant to propel them into higher glory. As the new thing overtakes the old the spiritual shifting can leave those in the middle of it feeling overwhelmed, confused, and uncertain as to the good that awaits them in the next season. Emotions can be raw and personalities on edge which may temporarily put you out of sync with those around you. Rest. Take a breath and a step away from external pressures as the Lord leads you. You will be fine. You will find in the culmination of this season a restoration of the harmony and peace of your life as you emerge from this season once again in sync with those around you. In seasons of transformation hope is your greatest ally. Hope anchors you to Christ and allows you to fully yield yourself to the transformation process within you. Hope is the security of the good outcome and the guarantee of you arriving upon the shore of your promise. In transformational seasons hope is the navigator of the journey. Though storms, murky mist, and rough waters may seem to surround you hope allows you to trust God in the process and to confidently expect to enter into the fullness of his kind intentions towards you. Hope comes through understanding. A person who finds themselves suddenly adrift at sea with no understanding has no hope of arriving anywhere. In the same way a person adrift in the sea of transformation without understanding will feel lost, entirely abandoned and at odds with the process meant to work ever to their good. The Bible says, “In all your getting, get understanding.” (Prov 4:7) Why? Because understanding worketh hope and hope empowers you to successfully navigate the journey from process to promise with a fully yielded heart. Being fully yielded to God in the midst of transformation allows him to release to you the fullness of his work within. The unfolding of his words giveth light and giveth understanding to the simple. What does that mean? It means that in seasons of transformation you can be assured that God has already spoken to you about where he is taking you and that he continues to speak to you at every point in the process. Through the revelation of the living scripture and confirming words of prophecy you will discern that a clear path has been established for you. God has not left you unaware but has carefully and tenderly planned every step in your transformational journey. As his words unfold arround you in the midst of your circumstances you will find they bring clear light and understanding to you on your journey. As a lighthouse helps to guide a vessel safely through narrow and treacherous waters so the light his word brings to you serves to safely guide you to his intended destination. Your life will have multiple and profound seasons of transformation and each will be charted by multiple unfolding revelations of his word. Transformational seasons can be brutally bewildering but they are never without the clear and distinct light of revelation. Are you undergoing transformation? If so, what has God said to you about where he is taking you? As you continue to meditate on and recall his words you will see them begin to unfold before your eyes. As they do his light will break forth like the dawn and his shining amber rays will flood your heart with the confident and warm certainty of hope. God loves you and he is bringing you to a far greater and immense shore of his goodness. Take fresh strength. Your destination is certain, fixed, and unmissable.

[more-god]

A Word In Season

Relationships are vital to the healthy expansion of the Kingdom. God sets the lonely in families (covenant communities of mutual upholding, edification, and nourishment towards spiritual formation). The enemy knows the power of spiritual multiplication. One will chase a thousand but two (in covenant agreement) will put ten thousand to flight. There is at present a great onslaught of the enemy working to bring discord among the saints of light. Clear, open, and honest lines of communication empowered by love are critical to avoiding the pitfalls of the enemy in this season. Be quick to forgive and to employ the peacemaking heart of Christ in order to maintain the atmosphere of unified grace upon which God commands His blessing. "How pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity for there the Lord commands the blessing, life forevermore."