PRAYER: AMERICA NEEDS "A GREAT AWAKENING"

25 years ago I was living in a small town in Oregon where in the area racism was quite entrenched. Coming originally from Hawaii with it's mixed ethnic and racial culture, I really didn't have much of a clue as to all that. 

I had a pastor/friend there and we used to joke around a little with each other. I called him one day but had to leave a message. I was going to say something funny but the strangest thing happened when instead of saying what I was going to I found myself saying, "My name is  Katinka Motobu and I am from Nigeria. I am staying at the house of Paul Rapoza. The Lord has shown us to bring 400 African evangelists to come and aid the believers in your area and I would like to speak to you." I got off the phone and said to the Lord, "WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT?" and "WHO is Katinka Motobu?" 

I never heard from that pastor again and some months later we were warned to flee for our lives. Every once in a while I would remember that instance on the phone and being perplexed all over again I would ask the Lord, "Lord, Who is Katinka Motobu?" Probably a couple years after that happened, when I asked that question again, the words came to me, "Katinka Motobu is the spirit (or angel) of the Church at Nigeria." I didn't know exactly what He meant then but I do now over 20 years later. 

The picture enclosed in this post is only a tiny glimpse of the work of the Holy Spirit through the "spirit" of the Church at Nigeria. Hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds of small christian gatherings from miles and miles around all coming together for days in the Spirit of the unity of the whole Church once given to the early saints. Going from city to city and now spreading over many parts of Africa. Millions gathering together under the power of the Holy spirit with millions overall getting touched by God and being saved. Hundreds if not thousands being healed. 

If we are going to pray and ask God for anything that is sufficient to save this nation, let us pray for this: A massive outpouring of the Holy Spirit and a "Great Awakening" the likes of which this country of 300+ million people (Christian or non-Christian) have ever seen. 

"Without vision, the people perish." - Proverbs 29:18

THE COMING STORM IS NOW COMING SOON!

It is with a heavy heart that I repost this but it is apparent to me that I have to and today. Other than Israel of old I cannot think of any nation or the Church within a nation that has been so thoroughly warned. If God has to chose between the purity of His Church and the life of a nation, He WILL choose the purity of His Church, even at the expense of our comfort.

DREAM: THE COMING STORM

Written Feb 20th 2014    

Today, I found myself needing a rest in my heart and mind from things so I lay down on the couch for a "few minutes" and found myself in a state where I was neither awake or asleep. I had this very long dream unfold where I was trying to get into someone else's basement because I was aware that a "tornado" was coming because the sky had gotten very dark and ominous. Apparently the house had been abandoned because I got into the house very easily. 

While I was pounding on the door of that basement to get to safety, I discerned that there was somebody down there but they wouldn't respond or let me in. I forced my way in and found I had interrupted a man who had kidnapped an older middle aged Asian woman and was attempting to rape her in that basement. Just as I was about to intervene, the storm and it's destruction came and I quickly pulled the woman into a small space in the basement for safety. The only thing I was aware of was the darkness, the incredibly loud noise of houses being destroyed and the sense of the fearful power of that storm.... When the storm seemed to have passed and we went out from that small space, the man had been pierced through with debris and was dead. The entire house had been destroyed.

We went out and saw devastation everywhere for miles and miles as we walked to find an area that was not devastated. Most of the dream (over an hour) was walking and seeing endless miles and miles of the devastation. If it was a "tornado," it was like no tornado on earth...

While we were walking, it became apparent that those who had survived the storm, (and there didn't seem to be many) had become desperate in their quest to survive to the point where they were acting like packs of animals. They were roaming about in the miles of devastation raping, murdering and stealing at will. Even from each other. They seemed to bear the same character as the man in the basement. Even though they were committing evil, they had no sense of remorse. It was like they expected their victims to submit to their evil as though they were somehow justified in what they were doing.

The woman had apparently suffered some kind of trauma earlier in her life and she could not speak as a result of that trauma. That is also why she could not call out when I was banging at the door of that basement in the beginning. Even though she had suffered trauma earlier in life, which I suspected was rape, she had an abiding air of purity to her and I had a deep sense that I needed to be her protector and reassure her of the purity of my intentions to do so.

Apparently we were walking to the place where the woman lived and when we finally got there, to my surprise, the house was completely intact. I asked her, "This is your home?" and she lowered her head like someone in shame. Discerning the situation, I then said to her, "You are a slave in this house?" She nodded yes. She had been a slave in that house all her life... It didn't seem like anybody was there but she insisted upon staying there despite the danger of the roving gangs finding her so I reluctantly went off to find my children...

Then I slid out of the dream completely rested and in a wonderful sense of peace. Ironically(?) my facebook news-feed was still on and when I went to the computer, there was a short post from an acquaintance who mentioned that he was having spiritual dreams of a very destructive tsunami... The thought went through my mind and heart, "Pay Attention!"

Several hours later, I had some insights come to me even though I wasn't especially looking for it. 

-That the massive destructive storm was financial in nature and more devastating than anyone can even conceive of.

-The Asian woman was those people who live in a communist dominated Asian country (or countries) that had (have) suffered greatly during the communist takeover of their country and had been made to be silent and serve the communist agenda that has ruled their country all these years.

-Her purity is found in the believers in the Lord Jesus (the church) among them that has been purified through the fires of suffering and persecution.

-The rapist was trying to gain control of her and get her to submit to what he wanted from her.

-His terrible death was the judgement of God.

-Both the rapist and the gangs of  lawless men are those who control the finances of the world through their wealth and power, so much so that some of them survive the financial destruction of the "storm."

-Their self-serving nature will no longer be subject to any form of conscience towards others.

THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Years ago I had the pleasure and priviledge to observe something for about 6 months. We were back in Hawaii for 3 years living in an apartment building that was once housing for farm workers about 2 miles off the highway near some farms. In between two apartment buildings was some grass that a young lady kept her sheep fenced in. She loved her sheep.

One day a neighbor was hunting pigs nearby and his hunting "dog" (that was half wolf) got wind of those sheep while we were all gone and jumped over the fence and attacked them before his owner got him under control. When we came back those sheep were laying out in the grass with severe wounds. Some had gouges chewed out of them 2-3 inches in diameter and over 1/2 an inch deep. It didn't look good for them to live. The vet told her to put them down but she just couldn't do that to her sheep.

I watched that young lady nurse those sheep for quite a few months before enough growth was able to cover over those huge gapping gouges. Every day putting new dressing on them and trying to win the battle over the flies that would congregate around the wounds. Finally though they were all healed. It was slow and arduous progress.

The apartments faced that grassy area and their decks were about 6 feet off the ground. One day I was out in the parking lot (also facing that fenced in grass and the sheep) while fixing a car early in the morning I witnessed something that was utterly precious. The sheep were in there eating grass as usual but every minute or so they would all stop and stare the deck in front of that young lady's apartment. She hadn't woken up yet. This went on for over a half an hour every minute or so.

Suddenly, the young lady came out of her apartment and surveyed her sheep from the railing of the deck. I saw something amazing. From the second she stepped out on the deck those sheep stood motionless for quite a while staring at her in what appeared to be utter admiration for their shepherd, their healer, their protector. It was like they were in awe (and so was I) locked into their gaze of her appearance on the deck. It was as though they worshipped her and lived for her appearing every morning on that deck.

I couldn't help but equate what I saw to Jesus and His sheep. He will never leave or forsake us. He will never abandon us no matter how wounded we are or what it takes for us to be healed - even if others give up on us. And we should be watching and patiently waiting for His appearing and awestruck at even a glimpse of Him. The whole experience was such a wonderful picture of the Good Shepherd.

Now this was a beautiful picture of spiritual reality but I have to be honest and also mention that quite some time later, there came a day when this precious young lady had to move elsewhere and had to turn over her sheep to the care of another. That must have been really hard for her.

Now if you were God and you had some human "sheep," what kind of a shepherd would you pick to take care of them?

Well I better end this story but I should tell you that a few years later, at about 19 years of age, God called her to a mission field in a South American country where she has been ever since, working with young people and adult villagers. (over 15 years now)

I hate to even tell you how many times in my life I have given up on people only to have the LORD later prove me utterly wrong. He never gives up on us. That is a lesson each and every one of us should consider every day.

"Christ died for ALL sin, for ALL mankind, for ALL time."

Willing To Ask? To Truly Hear The Answer?

© 2013 - 2016 ClipArt Best (altered by PDR)

What is God's desire for HIS CHURCH?

I haven't written anything for some time now while focusing on other edeavors but I was reminded of something this morning. May you be blessed in the reading of this in Jesus name. 

Years ago I had found a severely fire-damaged house and purchased it with the intent of restoring it. A dear friend of mine and brother in the LORD had decided to help me by financing the restoration of if in which I would do the work.

One day he, some other brothers and I were meeting in a restaurant discussing this investment and the brother asked me what would seem like a normal question. He asked me, "What do you want out of this house?"

For some strange reason, when I tried to answer that, I found very powerful emotions rise up inside me so much that before I could speak even a word, I would break out in uncontrollable tears to the point of having to fight back the urge to break into deep sobs. Each time I collected myself, I would try to answer and the same overpowering emotions would overwhelm me. This went on for perhaps five minutes and it was a mystery to me and them. (and quite embarassing)

I finally managed to collect myself and gave an "answer" but it was not one from my heart. What was really wanting to come out from my heart was, "Nobody has ever asked me that." but in the context of our fellowship that didn't make any natural sense.

I pondered this for several days as I was left with two things:

1) A question - "What do you want out of this house?"

2) An answer accompanied by deep emotions - "Nobody has ever asked me that."

To understand my true answer to that question, one would have to understand the background. Over the prior perhaps 30 years we had moved many, many times and lived in many dwellings of all kinds. We have never really had a "certain dwelling place" for very long in our lives. (ie for many years)

When I found the house I would have to say that despite that fact that it was severely fire-damaged, I was notably drawn to it. I saw it as our home not just another house. A "certain dwelling place" for me and my family.

Circumstances were, however, that I couldn't finish it by myself so we had decided we would have to sell it after it was restored. That was our agreement with my friend the investor so when he asked the question I felt hindered from saying what was really on my heart. (I didn't realize that at the time.)

Now I have got to say here that brother loved me and I'm sure he would have had no problem with me expressing my inner desires at all. I am firmly convinced he wanted nothing but God's best for me so what was this all really about?

I have many more times than once lived in circumstances that God orchestrated to reflect something that He was saying. This was what I was left with in this instance.

We are all "investing" in building God's house which is in all actuallity consists of human beings touched by His Spirit and saved by the shed blood of His Son. God's house on earth is not a physical building, a collection of organizations or even a collection of ideologies and imperfect understandings.

We are all eager to "invest" in restoring it but have we truly ever asked Jesus what He wants out of this "house" and what would be his answer if we were even remotely willing to hear it? Are we really investing in it only for the one who will rightfully occupy it or are we inwardly working towards our own gain?

Throughout the history of the Spirit of God's revealing of Jesus to human beings, that movement and work of the Holy Spirit has moved from "house to house" and over the centuries has not had a "certain dwelling place" (external) that anyone who is truly honest can point to. (there is a long list of organizations who would claim they have always been the ones but by and large the Spirit of God has moved on to where there is greater openness. He always has.)

This is especially true since the inception of what is called "the Reformation" which is an ongoing thing and at no point since can we point to anything along the way and say "It is finished!"

The Spirit of God moves on when we reach a point when we are unwilling to hear the answer of Jesus to the question of "What do you want out of this house." I dare say that in all reality we have never truly asked that question of Him in totality without reservations. I'm not ever sure if we are totally capable of hearing His complete answer.

Part of that answer is that ALL external houses (organizations and movements) that Jesus has resided in over the entire history of "The Church" are nothing more than temporary dwellings.

Even though there has been movement from house to house over the centuries, Jesus is building His house out of human beings who have followed him. They are chosen and faithful. That is the house He is building.

The other part of that answer is that it has been a long time and a long history of moving from external house to external house. Jesus is longing to be with his WHOLE family in one place. That longing has been growing for centuries.

His answer: "I want a CERTAIN, PERMANENT dwelling place for Me and my family and I am coming back soon to live with them. No one will dare lay claim to them. They are mine."

Jesus has a very large family and the vast majority are now "asleep." He has all along been building a living, ever expanding building not made by human flesh. He is coming back to resurrect those that "sleep" and transform those yet alive to dwell with them forever.

Everything else is temporary....

The earth is being harvested by the sickle of choice. If any man or organization of men is laying claim to the people of God, henceforth let them fear the judgement of God to come.

OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS IS LIKE FILTHY RAGS

"The day of denominationalism is over. That which is highly esteemed in the sight of (religious) men is an abomination to God."

One night in 1980 I had this desire burning in me to stay up late to read the scriptures. As I was reading, it was like the Holy Spirit took over and suddenly I found myself opening the scriptures randomly and my eyes focused in the dim light of the oil lamp on the words, "To the Church at _____ (a locality)" then just as quickly I found myself opening the scriptures to yet another passage with the same words.... Over and over and over again until I had opened to every passage in the new testament with those words. I could not have possibly done so in the natural.

While this was going on the thought was burning inside me, "Lord, what does this mean?" "What are you saying?"

A Dream/Vision I also had In 1980...

In this dream/vision I was suddenly caught up very high in the air overlooking what appeared to be a subdivision of houses. The houses were all basically the same and were on both sides of a straight road. There were many, many of them. All of them had driveways that led to the road but I couldn't see where that road went to. Being a builder, I was somewhat impressed with all this.

I found myself observing this scene from high above for a time then just as suddenly as I had been caught up in the air, I found myself inside another huge house in the midst of a large crowd of believers worshiping God. I didn't recognize any of them but we were all caught up in the presence of God so much so that it was beyond anything I had ever experienced. I had been ushered into the presence of God many times before this in gatherings of believers but nothing anywhere near like this.

The presence of the Jesus was so powerful, so real, so permeating that if anyone had a question in their heart towards Him about something while they were worshiping , the answer was instantly revealed. As I looked around in awe at all this, a question came into my heart. "Where did all these people come from?" Instantly the words came into my mind,

"These are the ones that have come out of the houses you saw." (in the subdivision) [Note: I much later realized that this coming out was in our hearts]

I looked around in awe at the multitudes that were gathered in the presence of Jesus. He was there in the midst of it all. The gathering went as far as I could see. The house was like no house I had ever seen. God was the foundation and the floor. He was the very roof of the building. It was expandable for as many who would come to gather in His presence because the building had no walls. The foundation was laid on the earth but the roof was suspended from above so it didn't need any walls to hold it up. It was built by God and held together by Him and it was filled with the Glory of God Himself.

Then as quickly as I had been caught up, I was back from where I had been before the dream/vision.

The houses of men are built for the pride of men but the House of God in Jesus the Messiah is built for the glory of God Himself. There are no walls in His house. There is only the glory of God that fills those that believe from every nation on earth.

Is it possible that everything we are so proud of about "where we gather" and "who we gather with" named or unamed, that very thing to God is an abomination?

Even the Roman soldiers, when Christ was being crucified did not take a meat cleaver and chop HIS Body into pieces yet we think nothing of doing so ourselves.

Before this, I used to think that "ecuminical unity" was the unity that God desired but ecuminical unity is the upholding of the concept of the "subdivision." God's unity of the Holy Spirit is given to all believers in our hearts. The two are diametrically opposed to each other. In the one we endevour to create a unity but in the other the unity IS and we are commanded to maintain it.

THE ARTIFICIAL OR THE REAL THING?

If we only knew how much mental and emotional manipulation goes on through music, TV, ads, internet, etc.... "1984" has been here since 1984. It's even imbedded in some of our modern "worship music." It all looks innoculous but it is all training the brain to respond to externally enhanced stimulation for a desired result. (especially visual stimulation...) It may be the government and corporations (maybe even some churches have fallen into it) but in reality our addiction to it is orchestrated by the "god of this world."

It is all built on the science that the brain through the eyes and ears stores far more information than what we consciously see or hear. A lot of actors today admit that they do not act the part. They "channel" the character they are "playing." That's why there is such an emotional element to movies and even cartoons today that hardly existed decades ago. Back "in the old days", while watching a movie, one pretty well knew it was only acting but today we are drawn into the movie or even cartoons as mental and emotional participants. I hate to say it but what we view on the internet, even yes Facebook, has that element to it. It is replacing normal thought and emotional patterns with artificial stimulation. We are becoming and thinking what we are being artificially stimulated with. We have artificial news, information, emotional and even spiritual stimulation. It's all designed to create a society that is controlled by artificial stimulation. Once established it makes for a very high degree of control of human beings.

If we were to actually think about it, a century ago, mankind did not have this volume of aritificial stimulation working on their thought processes. Children grew up with little or none of it. Adults lived their whole lives without it. Everything in life was real and tangible. They lived in a world where everything in it was touchable. They were in touch with the expression, "The real world." There was almost nothing about life that was artificial. Even their imaginations were fairly healthy. They imagined real things.

If we are aware of third world countries, children there are not imagining their latest digital input. They imagine things like "going to school" or a different life having the things they need. They are quite comfortable playing with a stick. Adults by and large imagine a better life. They are by far more focused on real things or real things that are at least tangible in their imaginations.

We have become slaves of the digital world and digital imagery input. Artificial sensory input and our memories and imaginations have been made captive to what is constantly injected into our minds with a volume and intensity that the world has never before known. That's why things like porn have become so prominent in society. It is artificial stimulation. It is not even remotely real. People's minds are tuned to the digital and artificial for satisfaction in life.

There's a spiritual element to much of all this. It kind of is reflected (for example) in the news people absorb. By and large the news media personel (that we see) are not "trying" to deceive us so much as they are already deceived themselves so become conduits of deception.. The bottom line is if we are filled with deception we become channels of deception. If we believe a lie we will pass it on to others. That is probably 90% of what is going on in the world around us politically, socially and even religiously.

Years ago, I use to tell people, "If you want to have visions from the Lord, TURN OFF YOUR TELEVISION!." Go on a fast from digital, video and audio input. You may find out (and very uncomfortably so) that you will be entering into an awareness of a battle for your own mind. Like a food fast, you will very likely find yourself craving for digital stimulation.

If I had the influence on church gatherings today in the west, I would encourage (and I do) that you turn off all the electricity at the gathering except necessary lights for safety. Do it for a month! You will quickly find out what is being orchestrated by the Holy Spirit and what is artificial stimulation. (and what is artificially induced "worship" and "annointing"). Unplug the band and all the fancy video presentations and maybe some if not most preachers need to unplug themselves for a while.

The "god of this world" (Satan) is saying "Let it go!. Don't resist." and Jesus is saying, "No! Submit your hearts to God, Resist the devil and Come to ME! I am the way, the Truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me."

I Once Had A Dream

I once had a dream that as I understand it, the outward form of what is known as the church fell into a bottomless chasm leaving us totally reliant on the pure light of Jesus to carry us across that chasm. That day the Lord spoke a confirming sign: That the doors to Russia were going to open... But someday they would close as quickly as they had opened. That was in 1987. In 1991 or 1992 the doors to what was formerly the USSR suddenly opened to everyone's shock. I'm not much of a betting man but the relationship between the USA and Russia has of late relatively soured and that door is being prepared to slam in the face of the USA. 

If my understanding of all this holds true (we see in part and know in part), the non-profit corporation that the "church" has been leaning on is about to pierce our hand. It will either not exist or we will be forced to choose between keeping it and denying God or following Him and letting it go. My sense from another vision is that the decision to hold on or to let it go will not have any in-betweens but comes with serious eternal reprocussions. It will be like a fire that will force us to one side or the other.

I am not by any means saying that we should at this time abandon the outward form and the non-profit status but rather to be very vigilant in the coming times and allow God to teach us how to do without it. We do need to recognize though that it will be God allowing these things to prepare us for the 2nd coming of the Messiah. That is very important so we can keep our discernment sharp. If we are all bent out of shape and blaming governments, political parties, Muslims or even other "churches" we will not see the day of our visitation coming. It is in spirit much like 9/11. A few saw it for the warning to this nation that it was (God's hand lifted for a second) and unfortunately many were found (and still are) blaming scapegoats to avoid the conviction and have totally missed the warning of the LORD at that time..

There is something we need to understand about God's ways. If it comes down to it He WILL sacrifice a nation to accomplish the purity of His Church. If we don't understand that we will stumble. Jesus is not coming back for a Church that looks like it just got chopped up at a butcher shop. He is going to have His way with His Church and our flesh is NOT going to like that one bit.

The Church is going to enter into this time of refinement as a huge ocean pleasure cruise liner with lots of room for passengers but it is going to come out of this time we are entering into as a sleek, much smaller fighting ship and everyone on it will be a functioning part of it's crew.