While camping, I saw a picture of a very dark forest. A faint path led through the darkness. At the end of this path, there was bright sun and a clearing, a meadow. We are on this path. The choice we make will either bring us into the clear meadow or keep us in the forest. Our choice can mean entering our destiny as a church or living once again in the dark forest. The Bible says that without a vision, or knowledge of how to grow into the vision, the people perish. Many churches are experiencing a similar situation. Although this instruction is geared to our situation, I hope other churches can take this. It is universal.
 
This is about TRUTH, LOVE AND LIGHT. This is the nature of God, the nature the church must be living in TRUTH, LOVE AND LIGHT; this also is the nature of Christ we are to exhibit to the world. Christ in us is God’s Glory on the earth. John 1:4,5 “In Him (Jesus)was Life, and that was the Light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” We must ask God to show us the new man's heart. Is he more programmatic, or is he walking in the light?
 
Artificial intelligence is the counterfeit taking over the world. Soon we will not be sure of what is real. Robots will be indistinguishable from real people. AI is already replacing actors online and doing an incredible job. AI will become an intimate partner, communicating and performing all human functions better than most humans can. Publishers are alarmed. Do real people write the books with real stories, or does AI? What is true, or what is real love? These boundaries are being blurred beyond imagination. The only truth, real love, and light (understanding) will be God's Word. BUT we are his living word on earth. He calls us Living Epistles. We are to be heaven's address on earth.
 
NEVER HAS THERE BEEN A MORE IMPORTANT TIME THAN NOW FOR THE CHURCH. THE NEW PROSPECTIVE LEADER MUST BELIEVE ISAIAH 60 SPEAKS OF US. “ARISE, SHINE, FOR YOUR LIGHT HAS COME, AND THE GLORY OF GOD RISES UPON YOU. FOR BEHOLD DARKNESS COVERS THE EARTH AND GROSS DARKNESS IS OVER THE PEOPLE, BUT THE LORD RISES UPON YOU, AND HIS GLORY APPEARS OVER YOU. NATIONS WILL COME TO YOUR LIGHT AND KINGS TO THE BRIGHTNESS OF YOUR RISING.” THIS IS THE END-TIME CHURCH. THIS TIME IS NOW. THE WORLD DOES NOT YET SEE THIS BECAUSE IT IS BUILDING IN A PLACE THEY CANNOT SEE. IN THE PREDESTINED TIME, WE WILL EMERGE AS ISAIAH 60 PROPHESIED. WILL THE NEW MAN HAVE THIS VISION? THE MAN TO BE A PART OF OUR FAMILY AS PASTOR WILL DETERMINE WHETHER WE WALK IN GOD'S DESTINY OR A RELIGIOUS FORM. WHAT ARE THE QUALITIES WE MUST BE AWARE OF IN CHOOSING THIS MAN? SOME MEN ARE JUST MAINTENANCE MEN; OTHERS ARE VISIONARIES. PROVERBS 29:18 “WHERE THERE IS NO VISION, THE PEOPLE PERISH.” SOME ARE CONTENT IN THE PREDICTABLE; OTHERS WANT THE ADVENTURE OF BEING TRANSFORMED INTO THE GREATNESS ONLY GOD CAN GIVE.
 
THE NEW LEADER MUST BELIEVE IN THE ABSOLUTE SUPREMACY OF THE WORD OF GOD. WE DO NOT READ THE WORD; THE WORD READS US. THE WORD DEFINES US; WE DO NOT DEFINE IT.
The leader must not live only in the Logos of the Word, but also in the Rhema. Logos is the letters on the page; the Rhema is the spirit of God that brings the word to life. Logos, the Bible without the Spirit, is the most destructive book in the world. Millions of occultists, of whom I was one, used it to prove our beliefs. In church, the Logos alone is often a religious bully. Paul fought these people many times. It says we must clean ourselves up before we enter church, God's house. It ostracizes people who do not believe 100% as they do. They say I know God's word, and no one can tell me more.
 
The Rhema brings the written word to life. When you are reading God's word, the Logos, and suddenly it comes to life, that is the Rhema. The Rhema and the Logos are like a bird with two wings. It is a wise leader who can walk in his personal life and pastor in this balance. These are a few of the requirements of a pastor. It is the culmination of my life experience. It is the summation of what I have observed over 54 years as a Pentecostal Bible college grad. My life has been balanced by working in the church and outside its walls. I have worked in palliative care and operated a home for mentally ill adult women. I have worked in pathology, doing autopsies to determine the cause of death; I have owned and operated a successful business. I have served the church in the office of a prophet officially since 1982. I have learned much about life that Bible college did not fully teach.
 
Wisdom comes from God to all. Proverbs2:6-8: “For the Lord gives wisdom: from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk blamelessly, for He guards the course of the just and protects the way of the faithful ones.” This is not the word for the new pastor but for us who vote him in. We must check our hearts. Have we forgiven other leaders who have offended us? If our hearts are not clean and free from the past, we will lack discernment about who God has chosen. We can vote for the wrong man based on difficult, unresolved past experiences; it will be on us who do not repent of past leadership issues. Simply, leaders have hurt others and even churches. Our hearts and minds must be past this. Some say it is, but in reality, some resentment can still remain. Again, must search our hearts with utmost honesty. Are we free?

1.  The Word of God is an unfolding adventure that we must move within.
The best example is an onion skin, but with no ending. The revelation of God is forever. The book of Daniel ends by saying that some things are to be opened only at the end of time, when information covers the earth. What we learn in the past is the stepping stone to the next thing. The Word of God defines us, and it has no end. We will keep growing and evolving forever. The husband and wife who lead us must be open to the ongoing adventure of the Word's revelation. Growth is constant change, and at times change is a real challenge. I have had some great experiences in the past, and at times, when things are tough, I want to go back there in my mind. It is my wife who says, “I was not there, and I want to experience something with you today.” If we live in the past, no matter how good it was, we spiritually die in the past.

2.  God fed the greatest prophet, Elijah, with meat in the talons of ravens.
Ravens were unclean. This gave him energy to continue in God's plan. God showed Peter animals on a huge, unfolding tarp and said, "Eat.” The animals were unclean. I am sure there were even Ravens. Peter said no three times because the law said not to eat these animals. The Lord said I have made these things clean. Peter's heart was reluctantly changed. Because of this experience, God was able to send him to the Gentiles who, by their interpretation of the law, were unclean. At the council in Jerusalem, he testified that God filled them just as He did us. This was the first step in bringing the Word of grace and mercy outside of Jewish boundaries.
 
The disciples were with Jesus, saw a man casting out demons, and were upset because he was not one of them. Jesus said, “Leave him alone; I have sheep you do not know of.” Your denomination is not God's only work. The leader must see beyond the denomination. Many churches rejected God's move among the Catholics because they could not agree with their doctrine. God filled them with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke in tongues. Spirit-filled Protestants could have given them needed leadership but did not realize God had sheep they did not know of.
 
The Magi from a distant land knew of the baby Jesus before the religious Jews, and the first to be told in Israel were lonely shepherds. Jesus told the woman at the well He was the Messiah. She may have been the first person to be told this. She was a vile person by Hebrew standards, a Samaritan woman who had multiple partners, getting water from the well. She was also the first evangelist, A WOMAN! His own disciples were clueless about what had happened and wondered why Jesus was not hungry. His words were, "I have eaten food you do not know of.” He was filled with the wonder of meeting this woman. Will the new leader see beyond implementing, or will he be a “heart-person”?
 
We must lay down our personal standards and allow God to show something new or confirm something that is not new but still has God's anointing or presence. Can this man see beyond what he may have been taught? Can he hear from God beyond his doctrinal teachings?
 
3.  The house of God is not a physical place.
This truth is found when the Bible teaches us about Jacob's ladder. Jacob was running from Esau, who had ripped off his inheritance, and he rested with his head on a rock as a pillow; in a dream, he saw angels going up and down on a type of ladder. Jacob called this place the house of God, or gateway to God. We are the house of God, not a building. We do not ask people to clean up their lives to enter this place. We love people the way they are, and as they grow with us, we see God changing them not to our image but to His. 

Cultural teachings pertain to the culture we live in. One shoe does not fit all. 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 says women are to be silent in church. You are to ask your husband questions at home, not in the company of others. Women should not cut their hair and must wear a covering to show submission to their husband. Women should have no authority over men. This means no women on church boards or in any form of leadership or authority over men. These scriptures are addressing a highly sexualized culture, a matriarchal society. The temple prostitutes shaved their heads and wore seductive makeup. By using sexual allurements, they made the male population captive. Male temple prostitutes grew long, effeminate hair. Paul said women are to be different; men do not have hair like prostitutes. Paul gave this hard instruction because that culture was different and demanded a need for change, breaking free. In Paul's teaching elsewhere in the Word, women were not treated this way. Historically, in Jesus' time on earth, men had long hair, and some of the holiest and most intimate times Jesus had were ministering to, and being ministered to by women.
 
During the Jesus People movement in the early 1970s, people from the hippie generation were rejected at church doors because they had long hair and wore sandals or went barefoot. One church said We cannot let them in because they will dirty the carpet. This pastor said to his board Then we will remove the carpets. There was Chuck Smith in California. It was a church that did not reject the Jesus people but was changed by them. There is a movie out there starring Kelsey Grammer. I cried through it. It is called The Jesus Revolution. Interestingly, the Jesus people were deemed by churches as unclean, like the Raven. God sent them, and the church rejected them. God WILL do this again and again. Will the new leader reject what God brings to our doors because it does not fit his cultural experience?
 
4.  Stuck on elementary teachings. 
Hebrews5:12 to 6:56. Please read this. Paul is talking about leaving the elementary teaching. He says these teachings are milk. He admonishes that the church cannot absorb anything substantial. What are the elementary teachings Paul is talking about, telling the church to leave these things behind? He says, “Therefore let us leave the elementary teaching about faith in Christ and go on to maturity, not laying the foundations of repentance again from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instructions about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrections of the dead and eternal judgement and God PERMITTING we will do so.” Wow, almost everything I have heard from the many denominations, over and over, is elementary. As a pastor, I did not know there was more than the elementary teachings. If the church moves on from these teachings, then what is this permission gate in verse 6:3 that God talks about? Does our new perspective leader know what is required to pass this gate? Does he know only the elementary teachings, perhaps with a more persuasive style? The author of Hebrews goes on to say that the powers of the ages to come are entrusted to those who meet the requirement to pass. 

5.  Is there rest in his soul?  Hebrews 4:9.
Zeal without wisdom will destroy a fellowship. I was taught that when we work, God rests, sits back, and lets us go till we run out of gas. When we rest in Him, He works. We are to pursue and desire His presence before activity. You were saved for Him first. A man who is “driven” for God will wear himself out through his own efforts and the church's. Then this leader leaves, and the church is left in limbo. The leader cannot see the fellowship as a step to greater things. The Word is adamant: we are to strive to enter His rest and cease from our own works. 
 
6. Paul said there must be fathers among us.
1 Corinthians 4:14 “I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children. Even though you have ten thousand counsellors (pastors and all leaders), you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel; therefore I urge you to imitate me.” This connects with Hebrews and the elementary teachings. Has the man become a spiritual father, and his wife a spiritual mother? Again, is he driven for success, or has he learned to be at rest? In the future, all leaders must at least desire to be spiritual fathers/mothers. Only mothers and fathers can produce maturity in the church. Spiritually, only fathers and mothers can produce children. This is essential in spiritual warfare. A spiritual father has more authority in the church than anyone else. A church without real fathers/mothers is open to being attacked by unseen spiritual forces. A real spiritual father says” If you want to enter this church, you have to come through me!” This is the real power of God recognized by the spiritual forces waging war against the church.
 
7.  Husband and wife.
In Ephesians 5, the marriage between a husband and wife is the closest earthly picture of Christ and His church. This must be a leader's strongest desire, next to wanting to know God. It must be the heart and beauty of the church. In this atmosphere, those without husbands or wives feel safe. As the relationship between husband and wife goes, so goes the church. This is not often taught to the men in leadership. As a man loves his wife, they have a ministry. It is the beauty of unity in God. The church receives the benefit from this. As a man is surrendered to the Lord above ALL else, even his wife, his wife gets the byproduct. As a woman, as the daughter of the King, she is so blessed to be with the Father; the man gets the byproduct of this wonderful encounter. How does the new leader stand on marriage? Again, as I have said about spiritual warfare in fathers, I must bring this into the leader's relationship with his wife. They are the same bird with different wings. If this is unbalanced, the enemy has the right to slip past and hit their own children as well as the church. 

8.  The fivefold ministry of Ephesians 4:11-13.
Sharing the pulpit. Building ministries without Bible school credentials.  At the heart of these ministries is reproducing them within the local church. Is the new leader someone who sees this, or someone who leaves behind what he thinks are the important things only for those with denominational credentials? Will he be committed to raising or allowing Bible teachers in his church to teach on a Sunday morning? Evangelists to grow? Will he train pastors who grow within the church to pastor? Does he realize he is not the center of all things but only one part of the church's ministry? The fivefold ministry should be reproduced within local churches. Good pastors burn out because they feel they are to do everything. They just cannot. Often, true treasures of giftings are hidden in the local church but untapped because one must have recognized credentials. Some churches see this and are growing, and the pastor is not overworked.
 
I Corinthians 14 begins with: “Pursue the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.” The chapter focuses on gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. The greatest gift in the church is encouragement: love in supernatural action. This is what the gift of prophecy is. Will the new leader be willing to teach and implement this? Does this man know how essential the prophetic gift is, as 1 Corinthians tells us?
Does he believe God can raise prophets in the church? Does he believe that the Old Testament is valid today concerning prophets?
 
The office of the prophet. This will be a hard question: if he believes the Old Testament is valid, then where does he stand on the reality of prophets today? Amos3:7 “Surely the sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants ( some translations say His friends, the prophets).” Would he be willing to ask God to help him recognize and confirm that there are prophets in his church?
 
Like all ministries, the gifts have been abused and misinterpreted. To disregard them because of this is a huge mistake. It takes a wise man to father ministries in place. It will at times be messy. It will require great brokenness and surrender to the Lord. To “institutionalize” them is to end the gifts as God intended them. Growing in the midst of the church family, with spiritual fathers and mothers nurturing, is the best place for ministry to develop.
 
There's more to know about a new pastor. These are just a few things that come to mind. The last thing is about the unsaved. The saying is, “It is easier to catch a fish than to clean it.” In other words, it is often much easier to get someone to come to the Lord in salvation than it is to bring them to maturity. This takes the whole church, especially spiritual parents. It is a true heartbreaker when you bring someone new to the church, and then, suddenly out of the blue, the pastor, the supposed father in the church, leaves in an improper way. People leave because of disagreements, with no regard for how this affects new believers. I believe this grieves the Father in heaven deeply. I believe He will judge such behaviour.
 
God longs for us to be a family. From Genesis to Revelation, He is called the HEAVENLY FATHER for a reason.
 
Dan

THE RIVER
 
THE RIVER SOON TO BE A RAGING CURRENT,
IT WILL UPROOT EVERYTHING.
WHO PLANTS A BUILDING IN A RIVER?
A MAN NAMED PAUL IS DEEPLY DISTURBED.
WEAKNESS FOUND AND LITTLE WISDOM
TRUTHS TO BE CARRIED ON BY LIVING WATER
CHURCHES ROOTED IN THE RIVER'S BED.
WHO DOES SUCH A THING? A FOOLISH THING?
 
THE CHURCH
 
FORCED ROOTS IN THE BED OF A FLOWING RIVER.
TRUTH ROOTED IN A RIVER BED BECOMES DISTORTED.
THERE IS NO STANDING WATER IN THE RIVER OF LIFE.
IT IS THE GREAT DECEPTION.
INSECURITY MASKED BY ROOTS OF PRIDE,
THE SOURCE OF CHURCH CONTENTION.
THE CAUSE OF RELIGIOUS WARS,
THE CHURCH OF IDOLS
THE ELEMENTARY BECOME THE END IN THEMSELVES
LEADERS BECOME PILLARS OF SUPPORT,
THEIR DOCTRINES BECOME IDOLS.
EVERYTHING THAT DOES NOT GROW DIES.
THERE IS DEATH IN THE PERCEPTION OF DOCTRINE.
WAR IS WITH OTHERS' BIBLICAL BELIEFS,
LEADERS MAKE THE CROWD FOLLOW.
THERE IS FIRE FROM THE PULPIT,
BUT THE PILLAR OF FIRE HAS MOVED ON.
 
THE ABC’S
 
THE SAME STAGNATION WITH A DIFFERENT STYLE.
ELEMENTARY TEACHINGS LAYING OVER AND OVER.
FOUNDATIONS OF REPENTANCE FROM ACTS THAT
IS PREACHED LIKE IT IS THE SOLE TRUTH.
WHY DID YOU BUILD YOUR CHURCH SO CLOSELY AROUND
THE DOCTRINE OF REPENTANCE BUT NOT TEACHING HOW TO LIVE?
YES, YOU HAVE PUT ROOTS IN THE FLOWING RIVER'S BED
HOW ABOUT FAITH IN GOD, THE ONLY TRUE WORD?
THERE ARE OTHER WORDS, PERHAPS AS LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
YES, ANOTHER DENOMINATION WITH MORE ROOTS IN THE RIVERBED.
YOU ARE CONTEMPORARY NOW.
YOU BELIEVE IN THE LAYING ON OF HANDS IN CHURCH.
EVEN DIFFERENT TYPES, ONE FOR LEADERSHIP, ONE FOR HEALING
WHY DOES PAUL CALL YOU IMMATURE IN ELEMENTARY TEACHINGS?
ANOTHER ROOT CLINGING TO THE RIVERBED AS THE RIVER FLOWS
IT IS THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD AND ETERNAL JUDGMENT.
THE DOCTRINE THAT SEPARATES CHURCHES AND CONGREGATIONS.
ALL ELEMENTARY TRUTHS ARE TRUTHS OF GOD.
ALL DOCTRINE WILL BECOME AN IDOL
WHEN ROOTS ARE PUT IN THE BED OF THE RIVER.
FROM GLORY TO GLORY WE ARE CHANGED
CHURCHES WITH FOUNDATIONS IN THE RIVERBED.
ONE TRUTH IS TO BE BUILT ON ANOTHER.
GOD HAS A DESTINATION FOR THOSE WHO LET GO.
ONE CAN ASK FOR THE KINGDOM,
IT DOES NOT MEAN GOD IS GOING TO GIVE IT.
PAUL SOFTLY SAYS WE MUST HAVE GOD’S PERMISSION
FOR ENTRANCE INTO THE GREATEST OF GOD
THERE IS MORE THAN THE ELEMENTARY TEACHINGS.
TEACHING, WE HAVE BUILT DENOMINATIONS AROUND
CHURCHES WE HAVE ROOTED IN THE BED OF THE RIVER.
IT IS THE LATTER RAIN PROPHESIED IN OUR BIBLE
YES, GREATER THAN THE FIRST CHURCH
RIVERS CAN DESTROY ALMOST ANYTHING.
ALL ROOTS OF ELEMENTARY TEACHINGS IDOLIZED
THOSE WHO CLING TO THE RIVERBED WILL BE LEFT,
LEFT WITHOUT THE SPIRIT OF GOD.
 
LOVE
 
WHEN ELEMENTARY TRUTHS ARE PLANTED IN THE RIVER,
LOVE IS TAKEN OVER BY BELIEF,
DENOMINATION PUT FENCES AROUND
IT IS NOT OUTWARDLY ADMITTED,
ARE BELIEVED TO BE SPIRITUALLY INFERIOR.
YOU DO NOT KNOW LOVE IS LOST
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PERMISSION GATE.
WOW! IT IS THE POWER OF LOVE.
IT IS THE POWERS OF AGES THAT HAVE NOT YET COME TO US.
THIS IS COMING TO US, OR WE ARE IN THE FLOW TOWARDS IT.
IT IS THE CHURCH THAT WOWS THE WORLD.
WHAT DO THEY SEE, WHAT WILL THEY SAY?
“WE KNOW NOW THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST
IS OF GOD BECAUSE YOU ARE LOVING ONE ANOTHER.”
LET'S PULL UP OUR ROOTS. IT IS TIME TO FLOW WITH THE RIVER.
 
THIS IS BASED ON HEBREWS 5 AND 6.
​Dan

HOW DOES A PROPHET FUNCTION IN A CHURCH OR DENOMINATION THAT DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO WALK WITH A PERSON WHOM GOD HAS CALLED TO STEWARD THIS GIFT?

I will start with scripture. Amos 3:7 “Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing it to His servants the prophets.” When human nature is considered, this scripture arouses so many interesting reactions. If we believe the Old Testament is the Word of God, this is surely one of the most important scriptures in the whole Bible, yet it is one of the most glossed over. For most, it is given “ear service,” but never a sense of its vital importance.

Yes, there has been some terrible, catastrophic abuse by some who self-proclaim themselves to be a prophet of God. It seems like most cults have a leader proclaimed by themselves or others as a prophet of god. I left a lowercase letter on god for a reason. They are not from the True One. They are the extreme.

HOW ABOUT THE CHURCH?

I think in most established denominations, you will not hear this scripture included in their constitutions or ministerial platforms. Yet, can there not be a greater scripture that tells us what is to hold up the church? We all know you can have a wonderful house that looks really nice. What happens if the foundation is built on sand or on unstable landfill? It does not matter how wonderfully eclectic the inner design is; your house must be demolished. Someone will have to pay the price as it all comes to a head. A house with a poor foundation has a short lifespan.

A PASTOR IS NOT THE BE-ALL AND END-ALL GIFT TO THE CHURCH.

In bible college, we were taught: "All rests on you, the future leaders of God's church." Burnout among pastors is widespread. The one person responsible for almost everything is failing. It just cannot be done. Wonderful ministering couples are crumbling beneath the tremendous weight of being everything to everybody. An astronomical task done only by supermen, but even there, there is the tendency to control rather than to lead. Yes, a pastor has one role, a very important one, to tend to the needs of the sheep. That alone is an absorbing task, but if you stay in this lane, the Grace of God will equip you, and you will enjoy ministry as well as your private life, which is always being pulled for something you were not equipped to do.

ALL THINGS HELD ARE SUSTAINED BY THE LEADING GIFTS OF THE APOSTLE AND PROPHET.

The establishment of the Master Builder, the Apostle, and the Revelatory Vision of the Prophet is the structure or foundation of the Church. Some pastors mature to be Apostles, some prophets functioning in the local church can grow to be twined with an Apostle. The Apostles and Prophets are to be the highest form of Fatherhood in the church. The title alone does not cut it; it is personal SONSHIP. The church is not run by leaders in name only, but by Fathers and Mothers who, in their personal lives, satisfy our heavenly Father by walking with Him.

Few churches understand this role. When one is ordained by God to function in the prophetic, there is little teaching on how this is to work out; again, it is, for the most part, all left to a pastor. The big question is, how does one who has the prophetic beating in his or her heart function in a church where this is not recognized, or allow the influence of a seer to function? I believe there are prophetic people in most churches who do not know the workings of this gift in their hearts and make mistakes. Few pastors seem to be able to make accommodations or understand how to pastor something they are taught so little about.

THE MATURE CHURCH PROPHET

This is not about the apostolic, prophetic, and foundational gifts, but about the local church. I hate to use this expression, but it can be like "walking on eggs.” It is at times difficult, and a cry out for wisdom is often in the heart. Few pastors, in my experience, have had a handle on the nature and the Holy Spirit's work in a prophet's heart. I have learned a few things. It was in 1981 that I was recognized as having this gift working in me. I suppose in many ways I have learned how not to do more than the how-to things.

1. One, be confident that God wants you in the church you are in. Not every church is for everyone. It is wise to ”shop” around, and there are times it is wise to leave a church.
2. Two, walk with God in the “Cool of the morning.” This is what God did with Adam before he turned from that relationship. God sent Jesus to restore this. Above all things, this must be your priority. Do not go to Him with your gift or plans but solely with your heart, and by this you bless our heavenly Father.
   
3. Three, Desire to be an intercessor. You are in this church for a reason. Pray mostly for the leadership. There are really good people who were never led to understand the workings of God outside of what they perceive as pastoring. You are primarily there to pray.
   
4. Four, there will be times you go along with things but not fully in agreement, just for unity. There are other things you may need to pull back on, as the issue may force you to compromise too deeply. This is the difficult part. It may require periods of Isolation. No one can tell you this walk will not be difficult.
   
5. Five is about respect. We must handle times of disrespect. Sometimes we may do things that do not garner respect. It is different in regard to the prophetic office. This is difficult. The prophet must look at this closely. We are made of a mixture of gold and clay. Is it the office that is offended or the prophet? This has been difficult for me. Is the rejection of the gift or the giver? What does one do who is an old man functioning in his calling, while a young man treats him like a novice? There is a time to swallow this and pull back then. There is a time to call a leader up on this. Churches are run on honour and respect.
   
6. Six is about inner integrity. Do not look for a position that takes you off your purpose. You are to see that which most do not see. To speak to things others will not. Do not get so involved that, as they say, ”You cannot see the forest because of the trees.” You may be called aloof or even not a team player. Your purpose is to see.
   
7. Seven is this: you will be hurt. Your response to hurt will determine your future. Moses was angry at the people. They were an argumentative bunch of stiff-necked people. They needed water. God told Moses to speak to the rock to bring forth water. In anger against the people, he totally lost it and struck the rock twice with a stick. This kept him from entering the promised land. God did not want to show these people anger. When you are hurt, you must be careful that the words given are not tainted with the disturbance, at times, raging in your soul.
   
8. Eight is this. It is for all to enter His rest. We are to ‘strive’ to do this. It is hard. When we enter His rest, we stop our own endeavours; our own stuff gets us nowhere but in trouble. To be at rest in Him is the deepest form of submission. This carries the very greatest of rewards, which is to know him.
   
9. Nine is to desire all about the Love that took Jesus to the cross for us. To be a prophet, you must learn warfare. You are God's voice and direction to the church. You are the church's visionary. You bring the presence of God to a meeting because it is in your heart. The dark forces hate you more than anything. We started this study with Amos 3:7 God does nothing without revealing it to His prophets. Sorry to say this, in many ways, the church stones the prophets and the messengers God sends them. Jesus was done in by God allowing it, yes, but it was the religious leaders and their people who said, "crucify Him." But there was John, Jesus' mother, and other women at the foot of the cross. There was Joseph, a rich man who followed Jesus at great cost to himself, went to Pontius Pilate to ask for Jesus' body and put Him in his own tomb. There was the one hundred and twenty that secretly met in the upper room. There are great, courageous people in Christ's Church. Find them, rest, and relax with them. Have some fun.
   
10. Ten is home life. Prophets can have the worst home life. They see great things. Prophecy is a thing that touches people's hearts with the heart of God, but they miss it at home. By nature, prophets are more passionate than most, but at home they must learn to love their wives without a prophetic message in mind. Thank God He prepares special women to fall in love with a prophet. We are lost without them. How they put up with our ups and downs as we go from immaturity to more maturity is a wonder. Where possible, keep your home a sanctuary. Ask God to bring the gifting in a different way, like, 'How can I wow my wife with good stuff from my heart?' To do this, we get Church out of our system. Now, I am also talking to myself.
    
11. Eleven is to learn to live with imperfection. You will make mistakes. You are not perfect, but the perfect One is growing inside. Remember, being the voice of God to the church brings you to the place where all hell wants to destroy you. Here is the reality: 1 John 1:8 says, ”If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” The world, the flesh and the devil, you and me are in God's hands. The sins of the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, GOD HAS GOT IT ALL COVERED! He is working all these things out. The problem with the prophet is that he brings a wonderful presence of God. Words that lift and enlighten the whole church, but during the week, he had a minor fall and says, “I am the worst of sinners, how would people think of me if they knew my thoughts. I am unclean and want to just disappear.” God has had to rescue me what seems like a million times. But He does rescue us. We have to lighten up. Receive forgiveness and continue to be in Him.
    
12. Twelve is this. It is mainly when God brings us to maturity to walk in Revelation 12:11. “They conquered him (the devil) by the blood of the Lamb, by the Word of their testimony they did not love their own lives so much as to shrink from death.” We must understand and believe in the power of JESUS' BLOOD. We must give ourselves to this. It is central to all things. When a humble but powerful prophet stands and gives a word, it is backed by the BLOOD OF JESUS. This is the only reality the enemy fears. For a prophet whom God has freed from self-identity, knowing it was the BLOOD of JESUS that has given him open standing to God Almighty, the King of Heaven and Earth, the Ruler and Loving Father of all that is created, the dark kingdoms are shackled in fear.

WE ARE IN THE GREATEST TRANSITION THE CHURCH HAS EVER EXPERIENCED. THE INSIGNIFICANT WILL BECOME GREAT, AND THE GREAT WILL BECOME INSIGNIFICANT.

THE WISE WILL BECOME FOOLS, AND THE FOOLS WILL BECOME WISE.

THOSE LISTENING AND LOOKING FOR GOD IN THE THUNDER, THE WIND, AND EARTHQUAKE WILL NOT HEAR HIM AS HE SPEAKS IN THE SMALL, STILL VOICE FROM OBSCURE PLACES AND FORMERLY UNKNOWN PEOPLE.

GOD WILL MAKE HIMSELF KNOWN THROUGH THE LIVES OF CHILDREN. THOSE LOST IN THE THEOLOGICAL DEBATE WILL NOT UNDERSTAND THE MESSAGE IS IN A CHILD.

THOSE WHO SPEND MUCH TIME FINDING FAULT IN OTHERS' LIVES AND MINISTRIES WILL BE LEFT OUTSIDE OF THE GATE AS THE HUMBLE AND BROKEN PASS THROUGH.

JOY AND LAUGHTER WILL BE IN PLACE OF EMPTY THEOLOGICAL DEBATE AND TRADITIONS.

THE EYES OF THE WORLD WILL BE OPENED TO HOW THE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF OUR LORD ARE FAMILY AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER, AND THEY WILL COME, YES THEY WILL COME, AND WE THE CHURCH WILL HEAL THEIR SOULS AND TEACH THEM THE MARVELOUS WAY OF LOVE.

MOST OF ALL, THE FATHER OF HEAVEN, HIS SON, AND THE HOLY ANGELS WILL MAKE THE CHURCH THEIR HOME, REJOICING WITH THE KINGDOM LOVE AND KINDNESS.

JESUS WHO HAS WEPT OVER THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD, THOUGH THE TURBULENT AGES, WILL BE FILLED WITH JOY. HIS SACRIFICE HAS PRODUCED WHAT HIS HEART HAS ALWAYS DESIRED: THERE WOULD BE LOVE AMONG GOD'S CHILDREN.

I HOPE THIS HAS HELPED YOU.

THERE IS MORE.
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VISIT Maverick Prophetic Ministries - Original Page 

THE BEHEMOTH AND LEVIATHAN

I could write a book about how the book of Job has shaped my life. More than any other book in the Bible, it has left its mark. It is the story of one of the greatest of men. A man totally devoted to God more than any man of that time. However, he loved God but did not understand the power of living in Grace. All of society looked to Job as the standard of righteousness. The term “being absolutely sure but absolutely wrong” fit him perfectly. At the end of the book, you see this great man free. Until that time, Job's self-righteousness was a barrier to himself and to the whole culture he led. Job was the greatest example of living in a state of righteousness under his own willpower, not God’s grace. He equated all the good in his life with God blessing him because he lived flawlessly. Only one could do this, Jesus. Job was not Jesus.
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The biggest issue in mankind, and let me say the church, is pride. It is so hidden under many layers of religion. The heart and mind can be deceptive, and we may not realize it until God shows us. The church is in the process of Job's journey from living by willpower to living by grace. Before we go on, let's understand what grace is. It is not human willpower; it is surrender, recognizing that under our own power, we can never enter the rest and peace of God. It is unearned love and favour. We do not deserve the kindness, forgiveness, love, and mercy of God, given to us with no conditions attached. Job's life until the end was void of grace. He lived unknowingly in a counterfeit.
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Fashioned in solitude
Carved by the blades of aloneness
Painful, dark inner caves
Few know how to console
It's the journey to honour
Embracing truth
Nowhere to run
It is hard to face yourself
As light penetrates darkened areas of the soul
One must take ownership
The heart must change
Inner integrity comes at a costly price
 
Waiting, waiting, waiting
Character, character, character
The battle first is inside
There you die
Life and death must lose their focus
Self-identity fades
Old personal wants dissipate
Purged is unconstrained passion
The mind must enter rest
Zeal surrenders to wisdom
Revelation wants to come to the wise
Wisdom is the highest treasure
Great and trusted
Wisdom is the sweet kiss of life
It must be in the heart
It is the intelligence the sword must have

1 John 1:8 in the Bible says, "If we say we have no sin in us, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." Wow, John is talking to Christians.

The true meaning of sin is separation from God. There are things in all of us that still need to align with God's purity. Connecting with the one who gives us the power to be free from sin and its consequences is ongoing; none of us walk this without failure. To say we have no inner struggle to do what is right would mean we are 100% connected to God. Have you ever met someone like this? 

We fail because none of us are entirely connected to the purity of heaven. Some say they have no selfishness in them because they are a good person. I don't think these folk are married.LOL

Doing wrong and unloving things results in suffering with hurtful consequences. This is only because we are separated from His Love. When in darkness, we do dark things. Being a recipient of His love is the power to do good consistently.

We are often taught that we struggle in this life with the hope that we will enter the goodness of heaven when we pass from this world to the next. I have learned that this doctrine is not entirely true. 

I was encouraged to understand that all Jesus did in His life on earth was to bring God's heart without any restriction to us now, in this life, where we really need it. His incredible suffering on the cross, the forgiveness of all our wrongdoings, and taking upon Himself the punishment of our bad thoughts and deeds have united us with the Father who sent Him to do this. These qualities are the reality of heaven our Father wants us to receive and walk in on earth. 

Jesus disciples ask Him to teach them to pray. He gave them the greatest prayer in the world beginning with these words. 

OUR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN HOLY IS YOUR NAME. YOUR KINGDOM COME, YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.

The word kingdom can be interpreted as government. 

Who is the ruler of this government, and what is its essence and purpose? It is the Creater of all. How does He rule? It is in GOODNESS, KINDNESS AND MERCY. 

What is His purpose? It is to free us from all the negative results (sins) caused by being separated from His love and power. His ultimate desire is for us to receive freedom from our inner nature, which is not the same as his incredible goodness, kindness and mercy. We are prone to fail in the light of God's unfailing love. This is Why God wants to give us His heart, which is pure, loving and the only hope for the survival of mankind.

HE HAS NOT COME TO CONDEMN MANKIND BUT TO SAVE IT.

My most incredible experience with the Love of God only happened to me twice in the 53 years He and I have walked this earth together. I was caught up in His Purity. I felt so totally free. There was absolutely no separation between me and Him. His heart and love for me was in this incredible sense of being clean and pure. There was no distinction between this state of absolute purity and His love. I looked at myself in a mirror. I saw a different man. I saw a whole man filled with holiness, peace and total awareness of myself as sinless, with no separation from my heavenly Father. He showed me that this place, beyond words to fully explain, was the destiny he wanted for all mankind and why He sent His most precious Jesus to make it all happen.

This almost inexplicable experience has given me the incentive to resist evil, embrace humility, and receive His correction when I sometimes get lost in my own ambitions.

Yes, we must strive to enter this place of rest in His heart. To live with Him, who is His purity, requires us to not give up. When we DO NOT GIVE UP YOUR HOPE! Having our inner nature change is easier said than done. Father knows this and is with us all the way and in every way. Get up again and again. Some have said the greater sin is not what we have done, but instead, we do not believe He is with us to get going again.

FINALLY REMEMBER THIS!
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IF WE HAVE THE DESIRE OF BEING ONE WITH HIM, HE WILL GIVE US THE ABILITY.

Dan

Though often tempted, I have stayed away from writing about politics as much as possible. For the most part, I left it to others to report the positives and negatives in scrutinizing those we hire through our taxes to lead our nation. 

Yes, we employ our voted-in governmental people. As employers of teachers, several echelons of policing, and civic, provincial and federal governments, our duty is to be involved. Our employees have demanding jobs that require special qualifications and character. But as with any employer, the "boss" must be involved. We, The People of Canada, are that boss. 

It is a complicated and challenging mandate to govern such a diverse nation. We must credit the many public servants who desire equitable fairness in this incredible country. It is easy and unfair to be an "armchair quarterback" as a Christian when we have historically put so little skin in the game. However, I see this changing.

I wrote this poem after watching YouTube about young prostitutes pimping for drugs on Kensington Market in Philadelphia. Once again, my heart was broken. I was reminded of my life a long time ago. I lived a similar life when I left home at 16. At age 20, Jesus Christ reached my heart on the streets of Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. At that time, this city was the murder capital, the methoxetamine capital of Canada, and the main headquarters of one of the world's largest and most well-known motorcycle club Satan's Choice. Oshawa was a hard place. At one point, I lived in a rooming house with several Vietnam deserters and draft dodgers. At a very young age, I did and saw things no kid should see and do. Being also deep in occult practices, I could tell many stories.
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I know who I am and where I come from, and I have always remembered this. I did not know God was in the physical church buildings. We thought He was just on the streets with us. I jumped through all the hoops, Bible College and all. Throughout all this, I have been greatly saddened at the distance the heart of the church was from those neediest. I carry this to this day. At 70 years of age and after caring for my two brothers, father, and mother to the passing of life, I am now freed of many of the privileges of caring for them. The church of Jesus Christ, in several years, will be unrecognizable. It will have tremendous Love and the power to do good that this world has never seen. I am ready for this adventure. I am so tired of the old stuff. Give me the mountain. God says he puts the lonely in a home. For the most part, few churches represent a true family, but we will.

Saviour in a Syringe

I once found a saviour in the push of a syringe
She loved me as a mother carrying me away
We danced together in a long euphoric binge
Little did I know her plan was my soul to decay

Life pushes its marvellous and spectacular drug 
Shaping and forming you to become an image
The dollar has no concern about your grave being dug
no place for peace all is just a constant scrimmage

A parent still an orphan inside, grieved by failure
No good legacy comes from a wounded heart
Tossed by storms in turbulent seas, just a lost sailor
An empty suit, a shadow, does life have a restart

I have good news to save your slavish meaningless life
For I have been all I have said and much more
There is one who lived all the pain, anguish and strife
What He has done will cause your soul to soar

You can test me to see if I am an insecure fabrication
All I can say is that God paid the hefty price
In this crumbling world, there is a trusted foundation
It's God's Love and Truth in the Lord Jesus Christ

​Life is a syringe there are uppers and sad downers
There is always hope for that super-lasting "hit"
A Utopia, Shangri la, that perfect lay the story of mourners
Without Christ, this world for you will never fit.

As I write this, my heart does grieve. It rises from deep areas of my soul. I thought I knew. From out of nowhere a wave of sorrow encompasses me.

I thought I had this grief journey done. As a young man out of high school and before college I worked for 10 years as an orderly at a local large hospital.

God gave me Grace to work seven of those years on the chronic care floors. The longest an orderly could work on these floors at this time was one year without being burned out. These floors were filled with the dying. God had enabled me to bring comfort to those on their final journey of life. I witnessed some of the most horrible, heart wrenching deaths one could imagine as well as the associative grief of the loved ones. For some there were no loved ones only the staff. For six years part time in three hospitals I assisted pathologists with autopsies to define the cause of death. I grieved for the parents when holding a baby. As a believer in God my heart broke when I did suicidal cases.
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At times it was not easy when I saw the person before me was a father, mother ,son or daughter. I knew God had placed me in the hospital morgue to see and understand His heart concerning some of the most crushing things He witnesses all the time. I thought with all this history I had the grief thing under control. I have now realized we are more complex inside than we know.

FOR OUR CHILDREN
 
Adolf Hitler had said," give me a child, and by the age of seven, they will forever be mine." I had a close older friend who was a child in Germany during the reign of the German conquest to conquer the world and exterminate the planet of Jews.
 
He was a brilliant young lad. Because of this, a particular school of Hitler Youth became his place of indoctrination. It was very intriguing to listen to all of his war stories. I would sit on the edge of my chair as he told me the story of rescuing himself, his mother and his sister from the repression of now communist East Germany to free Germany.
 
One of the most significant shocks he experienced was discovering that his adored heroes had performed such atrocities against humanity. He did not know how men they looked to as the epitome of decency fell so low. The other was they thought the Americans were coming to kill them all but instead fed them.