Paul's letter to the Ephesian church speaks loudly to the church today. In this letter, Paul is not directly addressing a problem or conflict as in other letters. This letter is prayers and provoking them, and us, to reach for more of God, and what he writes we need to reach for first is the Spirit of wisdom and Revelation. This comes after he writes in Ephesians 1:10 that God's unfailing, detailed plan will reign supreme through every period of time. Even this period of time we find ourselves in, God's plan will reign supreme. 

I have full confidence that regardless of election outcome, God will have the final amen! As Psalms 2 says, let the Nations rage and make their plans, God laughs at their futile efforts.

Paul writes in Ephesians 5:15-16 (tpt)-

Notice that "true wisdom" line, so if there is a true wisdom, there must be a false wisdom, a worldly wisdom. Yes, it is on full display, everyday, in news, social media, and in conversations among non-believers and sadly, believers.

Brothers and sisters, we need the spirit of wisdom and revelation in these days as never before. May you pray the Ephesian prayers daily over your life. Reach for more of God and His kingdom perspective. Re-loose your grasp on worldly news and tune in to the Kingdom channel. It is always available.

Having flown over 500,000 miles, you would think by now when the pilot says, "fasten your seatbelts and prepare for turbulence," it would be of little concern. Unfortunately, those announcements are still followed with a wave of apprehension. Can you ever get totally at peace bouncing around in a metal tube at 37,000 ft with 400 other anxious humans? This is where we as Americans find ourselves this November 2nd, 2020 less than 24 hours away from a day of turbulence.

The secular prophets and spiritual prophets have been on the intercom for weeks with the announcement "fasten your seatbelts and prepare for turbulence." Little wonder we have a nation full of stressed, anxiety ridden, and offended people. The pressure of transitional times will cause even the "best of men" to crack under the pressure. The disciples of Jesus are a good illustration. Jesus, the pilot, for three years, prepared these men for the turbulence they would face.

As the most turbulent moment was approaching, the crucifixion, Jesus laid it all out for them to prepare and understand what was coming. In Matthew 23, 24, 25, Jesus gives an overview of the turbulence coming their way. Things like religiosity, deception, wars, plagues, famine, offended people, lawlessness, unprepared people, misused talents, and many other things that will cause their journey to be bumpy. Yet when the most turbulent moment hits the disciples, flesh and fear wins the battle. Peter suddenly has hearing problems as Jesus assures Peter that under pressure he will deny Jesus three times. Peter is deaf to that word and proclaims his allegiance, even to death. Then we see about 48 hours later, Peter takes an oath that proclaims his allegiance not to Jesus, but to the world. 

Not to be left out, Jesus says in Matthew 26:31, "All of you will be made to stumble because of me this night." So, lest we pull out our swords and start cutting off ears, remember, turbulence can change the stability of anyone.

In Peter's story there is a "wait, there is more!" moment. In John 21, we see the beautiful moment that Jesus waits for Peter to get to the shore. Peter, now the fishermen again, staggers to the shore wet, ashamed, and broken. Jesus tenderly reassures him to his place of discipleship, and once again says "follow me!"

When the whole scene of Jesus' three years of ministry is looked at, it points to an event that made all the turbulence they faced even more understandable. Those three years, walking with Jesus, were beyond human comprehension, yet more was needed, according to Jesus, to truly withstand all the turbulence they, and us, will face.

That "more" was given, when suddenly, a mighty rushing wind blew into that upper room on the day of Pentecost. Those gathered in that room were forever changed and transformed. Peter, and the eleven, stood that day, 55 days after Jesus said you will all stumble, and faced the crowd in boldness and courage, never to stumble again!

May we all realize the only seatbelt that will truly give us the security in turbulent times, is the "wrap around presence of the Holy Spirit." May we, the church, stand with courage and boldness in these "times of turbulence."
I will build my church, says Jesus, and times of turbulence will not prevail against it.

​-Pastor David.

As we journey through this pilgrimage here on earth, we are faced with a continual procession of "moments" that mark our lives, our church culture, and our society as a whole. At no time in history have these "moments" come with such intensity and future implications now. Today, as every individual on the earth faces this polarizing and paralyzing pandemic, it is a "moment" in time we all wish would disappear. People are stressed, stretched, and confused.

Throw in a tumultuous election, that will forever shape the history of our nation, and we have a "moment" that will mark all of us forever. A valuable biblical truth we must all keep in mind, is that we must put "movement" to these "moments". The prevailing thought is shutdown, separate, and push the pause button. The Kingdom of God does not have a pause button. The marching orders are clear; go, push, prevail, and conquer.

It is an exhilarating time to be serving the Kingdom of God. I am seeing "movement" like never before. The mall in Washington, DC has been saturated in worship and prayer unlike any time in it's history. Remnant churches are coming alive in a desire to see a sustaining revival culture that is a lifestyle, not a weekend meeting. Rhonda and I had the opportunity to attend one of these places three weeks ago. Fresh Start Church , in Peoria, Arizona, has been living in revival culture for five years. It was a "moment" that marked both of us.

We saw that it is possible to get people moving in these "moments". I sense this urgency in my spirit. It is a "moving moment", which is counter culture, but haven't Christians always been just that?

This came up in my spirit in a message two weeks ago and is a warning to the church. We must be involved in the "movement" this "moment" has offered us. the Bible is full of heroes of faith, who in difficult, life threatening moments, kept moving and heaven opened up!

The Apostle John, in Revelation 1:9-10, was a prisoner on an island. It was nothing more than a desolate rock, yet he kept moving. He moved over into the spirit and heaven opened up. Johnathan and his armor bearer moved towards the Philistine army, David moved towards Goliath, Esther moved against protocol, and on and on the theme is played out through history.

When, against all odds, God's people moved in the "moment", He responded in ways only God could do. Armies were routed, giants fell, King's bowed, and God's Kingdom triumphed. Always! I am reminded of one of the simple songs from days gone by;

Don't get stuck in the "moment". It is a day of moving!
​-Pastor David

Saturday, September 26, could very well go down in Christian history as one of the most important days in recent times. On the mall in Washington, DC, a convergence of "The Return", and Franklin Graham hosting a rally at Lincoln Memorial, filled the site with the sound of Hope! 2 Chronicles 7:14 was on full display, and believers from across numerous denominations stood side by side and released a sound that has shaken this Nation. World wide, there are estimations that close to a billion people were involved in this historic day. In Zechariah 3 & 9, the Lord of Hosts says, "And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day."

The spirit of repentance has cleansed our spiritual land and has set the church up to move forward in power and authority to rule and reign as God has intended. The question remains, will the church take the baton and run? If we turn our attention, our effort, our finances to the now white harvest before us, we will see the greatest harvest of souls ever recorded. Many Evangelical leaders have been expecting this to happen, and this could be the catalyst needed for this to gain momentum. 

The open door of liberty is still at stake. The election looms larger and larger with each passing day, the stakes are beyond what we can imagine. The anti-christ spirit is raging with all its fury. Every tactic is being used, and nothing seems to be off limits. Politics are messy, in any time, but when the spiritual atmosphere is super charged and involved, we have an election for the ages. I heard that on typical elections, only one in four, Christians vote. That must change in this election. I think it will by what I witnessed Saturday. The church is waking up out of it's slumber. 

"Return to Me, and I will return to you," says the Lord of Hosts," Malachi 3:7. Today is Yom Kippur, the day of Atonement, the culmination of of a season of repentance. Are you prepared and ready to take back what the enemy has stolen? Are we, as the church, ready to repent and take back what we allowed to take place on our watch? With great hope, and expectation, I see that we are!

Selah,
​Pastor David.

The activity around us is at an all time intensity. I am sure we can all agree never in our lives have we lived such times. It is taking place in parallel realms. The natural realm, that our physical senses are in contact with, seems to have a new crisis daily. To try to process on any given day, the amount of information given to all these events, leaves little time for anything else. The human desire to be in the "know" can leave us, at the end of the day, exhausted and weary. This is one of the unfortunate by-products of this Information Age. We have the ability to just know too much. 

In unison, with the storms raging in this seen realm, the unseen realm is just as busy. The rising up of thousands and thousands of earnest, desperate, sincere prayer warriors has intensified the angelic encounters with the demonic realm. Any believers who do not feel the intensity of the spiritual battles taking place, needs to check their pulse! It is real, it is intense, and it will only intensify in the days and weeks ahead. Not the news a lot of people want to hear. Many just want to get back to normal but these times will not allow that to happen anytime soon. To many, that is a thought that brings on a spirit of weariness.

This is not the time for weariness to overtake us. When we grow weary, we lose our edge, our focus and our discernment. This is why Peter writes in 1 Peter 5:8 to "Be alert and of a sober mind." Why do we need to be in this posture? Peter says we have an enemy, an adversary, who is prowling around seeking to devour.

I have a small herd of deer that live around our house. Years of watching deer interact in their surroundings, I have never seen a weary deer. They are always alert, ears attentive, eyes catching every movement, and their noses testing every scent. Their life demands they stay alert, weary deer end up dead!

We serve a God who, Isaiah says in 40:28, 'never faints or is weary'. That is comforting to know in days like these. But wait, there is more! Isaiah goes on to say that God will share that ability to never faint or grow weary. Verse 29, "He gives power to the weak, and to those who have nothing left in them, He increases strength." Then Isaiah clarifies it is not an age issue. He says young, strong people will faint and grow weary and young men shall fall. He gives us the prescription we all need today. It is in verse 31, "But those who wait {hope in, put their trust} upon the Lord will renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles, {rise above any storm, event, crisis, etc}. They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."

And as the song goes on to say:
Teach me Lord
Teach me Lord
To wait.

Let's not grow weary and faint. The stakes are too important for that!
Selah
​Pastor David.

In these days we find ourselves in, most of our Christian attributes are being tested like never before. Trust is one that seems to be taking hits from every direction. The proliferation of social media, and all its weaknesses and flaws, have caused a lack of trust in words and stories. The national news syndications are being exposed as less than trustworthy. The vitality of weather patterns made weather forecasting a challenge and weather forecasts we find are less than trustworthy. And then we have politics! American people are bombarded with the message of mistrust. In an ever unstable world, finding something to place our trust in is difficult. 

For us who have placed our hope and faith in an unshakable Kingdom of God, this should be no surprise. Yet we hear and witness many christians struggling these days. Their trust has been shaken. Trust is a necessary ingredient for a healthy soul, but a misplaced trust leads to fear, confusion, and loss of hope.

It is important to be aware that faith, which is our belief system, and trust are not the same. Trust, in a simplistic definition, is our action relating to our faith. We have to put action, which is trust, to our faith. James 2:20 says as much, "Faith without works (action activated by trust) is dead." Our faith is being tested in these days, but the result will be strength coming to the body of Christ like never before. The body of Christ is rising up to the challenges of the day with passion and zeal. I see the two-edged sword of faith and trust going forth and making a path in the wilderness of fear and confusion.

Friends, it is not over! The greatest days of the church are still ahead. Rise up in action activated by trust, and rid your life of the demonic forces working against you. You have already been commissioned as the head and not the tail, now act like you trust His word! 

Selah,
​Pastor David

As a young boy, King David was familiar with pathways. Leading the sheep over the hills to green pastures, taking a path to still cool waters, and finally, to a safe haven for the night; David knew the importance of staying on the path. His Psalms have many references to his boyhood upbringing and the lessons he learned. All of us can relate to childhood experiences that shape who we are today, and how we understand the world around us through the lenses of those ancient days.

In my story, staying on the path was vital as the many days and nights spent in the woods of NW Arkansas clearing out a family retreat that had it's challenges. A poisonous snake, called a copperhead, lived in the woods, and in a patch of leaves it is hard to see. So my father always kept pathways clear of leaves and debris so seeing this snake was possible, but only if you stayed on the path. Years later, that same message was replayed in my ears as we prepared to trek up the Himalayan mountains in Nepal for the first time. In the lower elevations, where it was hot and steamy, a disgusting creature called a leech, waited on stems of grass and bushes, ready to attach to any unsuspecting human or animal. When a host is found, they will proceed to burrow their head into the skin or hide and fill up on blood. So, we were told to "stay on the path". Copperheads inject poison into your body, and leeches suck out blood. Our spiritual journey is much like these illustrations. When we leave the path, danger is lurking.

In these darkened days, the path can be hard to find without the Word of God, which David says in Psalm 119:105 is a "light to my path." Jesus Christ came and cleared the path of debris blown in by sin. If we stay on the path, a glorious destination awaits us. Human nature has tried to make new paths, shortcuts, or make the path easier to navigate. All this has brought compromise and weakened faith that has harmed the body as "poison" has been injected by false doctrines, ease and comfort, or life that has been sucked out by messages that 'tickle the ears'.

I have tried to live by this mandate my whole life. Some seasons of life the path was confusing, did not take the course I expected, and had many hills and valleys, but I did my best to stay on the path. When Rhonda and I stepped in to pastoring Grove Christian Center after her father, Leon Vernon, passed on to heaven, a path had been established for us to follow. GCC had been designated as a church where the gifts of God, and His calling, must never be replaced. The power of God to touch people through the Holy Spirit has been, and will always be, given the highest priority. The Lord tells Jeremiah to say to the people:

In these days of confusion, fear, chaos, and immorality, it is imperative that we Stay On The Path! Selah
​-Pastor David

November 3rd looms larger every day it seems, as many people are saying "never has there been a more important election." Of course we remember that was spoken often in 2016, and most likely will be the same message in 2024. This is the reality of the days we live in. The book os Isaiah 60:1-2 is before us on every media outlet available. Darkness has descended upon this earth, but in the same manner, the glory of God is rising upon a remnant church like never before. Praise God for the promises the Bible has in place for these days. We are not caught unaware and should not be surprised. This was all spoken about by the prophets of old, Jesus Christ himself, New Testament prophets, and modern day seers who, like the sons of Issachar, understand the times. These are truly the best of times, and the worst.

This could be how the Israelites felt staring at the fortified city of Jericho and the promised land before them. As the men recovered from their painful desert circumcision, the rest stared at Jericho wondering how this was going to turn out. It seemed impossible that desert wanderers could defeat such a city and its mighty warriors. Then God intervened! He sent His commander of the army to instruct Joshua in Godly warfare. As the story plays out we see without a doubt, His ways are not how we would operate. I believe in the times we are in today, the same theme will play out. God will once again bring about a deliverance we did not see coming. It is conditional, as always! Will we follow instructions?

Joshua encountered the Angel and his first thought was to find out whose side he was on. A good question to ask a man with a drawn sword! The angel's reply was one many today would not like to hear. We want sides, the media wants sides, it is all about whose side you are on. Let's not be deceived into this carnal game, we must choose God! He is not a side!

Here are the rules of engagement from the Angel- first, acknowledge the Presence of the Lord! Very dangerous to not spend time in His presence before going into battle. In our zeal to conquer we miss step one many times. We must take off our shoes and humble ourselves before the almighty God. Joshua did so, and we should also. The presence of the Lord is near, He is ready to have face to face encounters with His people, let's not forget this is rule number one!

Then the Lord instructed Joshua to see! This seems to be such an emphatic order as if to say "wake up! I have no doubt given you this city." There is no doubt the church is being awakened this hour. We have to See the victory that is ours as believers. Then the Lord gave specific instructions on what to do next. Here it is- everybody get involved! Yes, nobody gets a free pass, they all have to walk around the city, they all have to shout, but they all get credit for the victory!

If the church will get involved today, seeking His Presence, praying for the eyes of our understanding to be opened, and everyone find their place, we will see His kingdom come to earth like never before. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

On September 26th, a nationwide gathering will take place to cry out to God for an awakening. The main event will take place at the National Mall in Washington, DC. Hundreds of host sites are registered to broadcast the event from their facilities. There has been numerous such events like this over the years. I attended "The Call" prayer event in 2008 and in 2018 the "Awaken the Dawn" tent meeting, both in Washington DC. What a setting these events take place in. On one end, our nations capital, the other the Washington monument and Lincoln memorial frame the mall grounds. It is truly awe-inspiring and brings one to tears to think of the history this sacred ground represents. I will not be at this event but we are a host site at Grove Christian Center and we will join with what looks to be millions of Christians worldwide. What the main emphasis of this prayer gathering is that God's people will humble themselves and repent.
2 Chronicles 7:17.

​It's my prayer that this is the event that shakes this nation unlike any other. The one thing that should unite ALL believers is the fact we need to turn to God and Him alone. It is so unbelievable to see the disunity in the body of Christ these days. The lines of good and evil have never been so distinct. Many believers keep pointing to the political process as a source of relief, but that is not where it will happen. This present darkness will only dissipate when the church wakes up, repents, and longs for the Living God.

I ministered a message from Psalms 84 yesterday, this psalms is a cry for revival. When souls long for the presence of God more than an easy life, we will have revival. When our heart and flesh cry out for the living God more than material gain, we will have revival. When we keep walking by faith day in and day out we will gain new strength and be revived. When we declare a day in the presence of God is better than anything the world has to offer, we will see revival. When we trust fully in God, blessings will overtake us and a revived lifestyle will be the norm, not the exception. I pray that we all, across this great nation, long for His presence and cry out for an encounter with the Living God!

​

We received our weekly update from our friends in Nepal, Pastor KB & Suchila Basel, this morning. As I was reading the report, this statement by Pastor KB caught my attention. Pastor KB was sharing about a team that went to a ministry location to encourage the leaders. Many great stories of much fruit being added to the Kingdom were shared by many of the local Pastors. What they testified of was this; "the hearts of the people are softening more"

This spiritual shifting was bringing many to seek, as the apostle Paul declared in Acts 17:3 "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah." The scripture goes on to say many were persuaded or 'their hearts were softened' to believe. Reports from Paraguay have a similar ring, community leaders, long resistant to the Gospel message, have had their hearts softened, and now with arms open are inviting Jesus into their hearts and to the communities they oversee.

Depending on what you are seeing and your spiritual discernment, these are the best of times and some of the most difficult.One cannot ignore the fact that death has and is taking place by a virus, death is also taking place by many other forms of sickness and disease. The recent monsoon season in Nepal has taken more lives than any virus. Christian persecution takes lives on a regular basis. Governments are shaken and crumbling before our very eyes. These are as scripture foretold, perilous times.

Throughout history there is usually one of two factions to these events in human activity. One is the pride and arrogance of the rebellious nature, causing a hardened heart and man says 'I can fix this'. We see this in Isaiah 9:9b-10.

Pride is a dangerous emotion. It causes powerful leaders to crawl on their hands and knees and graze with the cattle. (Daniel 4:33). The seed of rebellion, satan has planted in humanity is truly on display before our very eyes. God is being challenged for supremacy. That is a challenge man will lose, as he has over and over throughout history. The cry going up from a vast majority of our evangelical leaders is the need for repentance. In simple terms, this is nothing more than a "softening of hearts" to lift our eyes up to God once again. 

We see in Daniel 4:34, Nebuchadnezzar did just that. A diet of grass would do that I would think? Scripture says he lifted his eyes to heaven and understanding returned to him. In humility he writes, "no one can restrain His hand." This is a prophetic word to the church today. The hand of the Lord is upon His church. His church, established through His son, Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Jesus had already stated that this church, his legislative assembly will not be overcome by the power of death, and just so you know Jesus says "I give you the keys to Heaven's Kingdom." (Matt 16:18-19)

May the hardened hearts of men and women be softened so they will lift their eyes to heaven and seek God. May God's people humble themselves and repent, turning from their wicked and evil ways, so our great land can be healed. America lift your eyes to Heaven! This is where our help is!