Who Are You, Really?

Pressure. Fatigue. Worry. Stress. All of these are issues we all face on a daily basis. Situations come around and makes eveything go haywire. It mounts up more and more until it explodes in our faces. But then the situation tries to tell you how you should respond. Problem is when you do, you end up feeding the situation making it stronger against you and cause it to grow instead of diminish.

But who are you, really? Are you someone who is under the thumb of their circumstances? Are you someone who HAS to do what the circumstances tell you? Are you really powerless against the whims of issues in life and doomed to obey them?

I submit to you that if you are a believer in Jesus belonging to Him, you are most definitely NOT any of the above.

I think about police officers who encounter criminals at large. Let's say it's a hostage situation. The criminal says that he WILL NOT come out without his demands being met. And if his demands aren't satisfied, he will take a life. Now, all the circumstances say, "Give this guy what he wants!". But in reality, the officers hear what the criminal is saying, but they respond according to a higher standard. They respond according to a different set of rules, and these rules supercede the rules of the criminal. They have been given the authority to act within the realm of those rules to the fullest extent. And in the end, the higher rule of authority wins. Why? Because the law is the final authority and the criminal will submit to the higher rule of authority either WILLINGLY or UNWILLINGLY, BREATHING or not BREATHING one way or another.

Now, how does that apply to us, you may ask?

Jesus has given you authority OVER YOUR OWN EMOTIONS which will not necessarily decide the outcome of the situations, but will decide the EFFECT of the situation in YOUR life. Circumstances, like the criminals, DO NOT have the right OR the authority to tell you how to live unless you give it that authority. God has empowered you with a Higher Rule of Law than the rules of situations and issues.

Remember: "WHATEVER YOU FOCUS ON WILL RULE YOU."

There is something greater on the inside of you than the situations around you. The circumstances will come AND go, but the word of the Lord will stand forever. And His word toward you is for your good and for your success. Again, realize that the circumstances may not change right away, but YOU can change. Let the Lord show up on your behalf. Give Him your FULL attention instead of yielding attention to the issue. When you do this on a consistent basis, peace will meet you and lift you up.

Be encouraged!

Greg

Random Thoughts

We're on our way today to Ft Myers and Naples, FL to minister. There is anticipation of what the Lord has in store for us. At this start of a new year there is an even greater sense of being on target and purposeful in what we do.

All of last year we sense that there was a change or shift in what we are doing as a ministry. God seemed to be moving us from just going and ministering wherever to ministering as a result of being on assignment.

There is a difference.

Now, when Paul and I go out to different places to minister, we recognize that we are going somewhere to minister with something the Lord plans to release through us specific to the congregation or city we are in. And so far He has been faithful to meet us at each and every location ministering in power.

We have seen God heal people instantly without anyone laying hands on them and we've watched as countless many have come to give their hearts to him.

I encourage you in this year to really lock in with the Spirit of God to find out your "assignment" and start walking accordingly. You'll find yourself living life more full because you'll be doing what you were created to do. Set your sights on God and strive to see His FACE and His purpose and live out of that place.

2010

We have just stepped over a line drawn in the sand. 2009 has come to an end and 2o10 has just begun. There have been many things that have occurred in 09 that are mind boggling and surprising. I think we can all attest to that in our own individual lives. Changes, surprises, challenges, victories, defeats, successes, failures, all of these are things we can all attest to at one point or another.
However, as I write this, I must say that I tremble inside. I shudder to take the step I am about to take with this writing because it challenges me personally as I trust it will challenge you.

I believe that in 2010:

- There is a line being drawn in the sand by the Spirit of God. The line is the place where the ones who claim to belong to God will have to decide if standing for Him is more important than being liked by everyone else. This is a line of "chose you this day whom you will serve." This is a line drawn where people who are "playing" church, or go to church "just to get their church on," will need to decide if they will continue to live that way or shake off that mindset and truly surrender to God in every area.

- There will be greater opportunity to press deeper into God to know Him. Much of the work of the Lord has been hidden from the eyes of all and has been reserved only for those who will dare to press in to know. This is the time when the "trustworthy" and the "trust-able" will be shown step by step what the activity of the Spirit of God is in this hour. These will be those who will rightly discern the moving of the Lord, but will be faithful stewards of the information they receive and speak them ONLY when instructed to. Many yearn to know, but too few pay the price. The Spirit of God is calling for all who desire to know Him to pay the price for intimacy with Him.

- This WILL be a year of breakthrough, but for MANY it will not be the breakthrough they thought would happen, nor will it be the breakthrough they have heard preached. For some, it will be a breakthrough regarding blessing and favor and provision. For some it will be breakthrough in relationship with others, breakthroughs in jobs, etc. But for MANY, it will be breakthroughs in intimacy with God, for therein lies their breakthrough. They may not see the financial prosperity that they've longed for, no, but instead they will see the breakthrough that is critical for them to have IN ORDER TO RECEIVE the breakthrough they desire. God is raising up a people who will go beyond what is "desired" to what is "needed." It will be different for everyone, but regardless of the difference, it WILL be breakthrough.

- God will begin to bring an end to useless revelations spoken out of the souls of men and will begin to show Himself strong and mighty regarding His word. The end is coming for mockers to have their time. But know this: The mockers are not just those who mock OUTSIDE the church, but INSIDE as well. God is dealing with those who mock Him by living double lives; life one way in the church and another way outside of the church. BE WARNED.

Please understand, I am not attempting to say that all of this will be fully accomplished in the year 2010. Rather, I believe this is the starting point of these things that will be accomplished in time. We MUST be careful to be on the correct side with Him. Never the less, you and I MUST choose. We will either be FOR Him and AGAINST Him, which will be shown in the way we live our lives both publicly AND privately.

So in this year 2010, PLEASE look deeper into the Lord and surrender everything. Let your lives and may my life be lived pleasing God in everything we do. Will we fail? Most likely. But the real question is, "WILL WE GET UP AND RUN TO HIM OR RUN FROM HIM?" I'm running TO Him.










How about you?

G

"Jerusalem"

Here I am in Jerusalem, a place I have visited once before. But that was then and this is now. I'm in a different place in my life this time around. As I sit here in the Aroma Cafe, I find myself reflecting on the fact that I'm here. All I can say is WOW. I'm blessed to be standing on this soil.

But I must say that all the excitement of being here in the land where my Savior walked and lived, it is really short lived to an extent. What I mean is many times people come to this land with ENORMOUS expectation of some spiritual experience, and MANY do indeed have just that. But many have not. Some have come away from the land thinking, "Well, that was a nice trip." It begs the question of why. Why is it that some have this incredible experience in this land while others don't? Honestly, I don't know. I have no explanation for it. But this I do know: The expectation should be an extension of the DAILY expectation we have of meeting with the Lord everyday.

I think back to when Promise Keepers was really in full swing in the early days. So many men would come up to me and say, "Man! I can't wait to get to PK! It will be SUCH in amazing experience! God's all over that and I'm chomping at the bit to get there!!" Then after they went, they were singing a different tune. "Well, it WAS cool, but not all it was cracked up to be." I'm not necessarily saying that about this place, Jerusalem, because it IS an amazing experience being here. I am simply meaning being here is more FOR ME an extension of my desire to daily meet with the Lord right where I am wherever I am, whether it's here or in the US. God's presence can be just as rich at home as it is here. I think it all depends on your heart and your focus.

Please DO NOT misunderstand me. I am TOTALLY reveling in the fact that I'm walking on this soil and I am soaking it all in. But is it really necessary to go to certain special places to experience an even greater sense of God's presence? If so, how would you explain Paul and Silas in prison experiencing the presence of the Lord? What about Paul during a shipwreck? Or how about the apostle John on the island of Patmos in exile? Or the underground church in China? Or what about all the people that have been martyred for their faith and going through great persecution, all the while their praise and experience with God's presence grew all the more?

All I'm saying is that, (FOR ME, OK?), I want to be sure that I'm not coming to a "place" to experience the presence of the Holy One, the God of Abraham, Issac and Israel, the God of Jerusalem. I want to experience Him in the deepest of depths regardless of where I am, but to CELEBRATE Him here in HIS land!! Oh, how I celebrate Him here!!!! Oh, how I adore Him here!!! But that is an extension of how much I want to strive to daily celebrate and adore Him wherever I am.

Praise the Lord for Jerusalem!! Baruch Haba, B' Shem Adonai (Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!). Praise the Lord for this land. But even greater than this, Praise the Lord for who He is.

I love you, Abba!!

Shalom

"Sensitivity"

Lately, there seems to be some kind of heightened awareness in my heart. Something is happening all around me and it's very interesting to me. When Paul and I traveled together in the past, there were incredible times of worship that took us over and the presence of the Lord was really strong. Lately, though, when we travel now, it's different. God seems to be doing more in our midst than we've seen before.

Case in point: In Indiana about a month ago, a woman who was paralyzed in her left leg, had a battle with breast cancer, struggled with bone cancer, and had braces on her upper arms, was carried into a meeting we were ministering in. Miraculously, she got up and jogged on her own right there in the meeting.

Case in point: In Florida, we were ministering in a church and during the worship, 5-6 people who were partially or totally deaf were instantly healed without a hand being laid on them. Also, a man with curvature of the spine was instantly healed.

Case in point: In Texas, a young man who had fallen at a construction site and had badly damaged his back (his back was in the form of an "S") was instantly healed during the praise and worship. His back was straightened and his doctor was with him to verify the event.

Case in point: In Indiana, we were ministering at the same place mentioned above and it was brought to our attention that we were standing in a building that was given to them. The interesting thing is, Paul had prophesied about 1-2 years prior that this would happen, and EVERYTHING he prophesied came to pass, right down to the "salt and pepper shakers on the fellowship tables."

Case in point: In New Jersey, we were ministering at a messianic congregation where a woman invited about 10 Holocaust survivors and in that meeting they ALL received Yeshua (Jesus) as Lord of their lives.

Invitations are coming from high ranking individuals all around the world and the favor of the Lord is growing on this ministry.

What's going on? God is on the move, that's what. It would be a good thing for us to be as sensitive to Him and to His voice and heart as possible, because who knows, maybe YOU will be one of the next people who's shoulder He taps and says, "Hey, I need you to do something for Me. Are you willing?" When you get that nudge, Friend, DON'T shrink back and step away from His beckoning call. Step up and do it!

SOMEONES LIBERTY AND FREEDOM COULD BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF YOUR OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S CALL!

Shalom

G

"THE" Difference

You know, it has always amazed me how everything has a purpose. Everything that has been made was made with a specific use in mind. Eating utensils were created for people to use instead of having to use their hands. Vehicles of all types were made so that we could cover greater distances than we would if we had to travel by foot or by horse, or what have you. I even remember once when one of my kids got something really small stuck in their ear when they was younger. They even had a tiny tool at the hospital to get it out (and it was a couple hundred dollars for that!). Amazing.

It is interesting to me that we can find a purpose for almost each and every tool in a toolbox, but can't seem to decipher our own purpose. What's up with that?

Here we are, some of the most advanced minds in the world and yet many of use spend time trying to fulfill someone else's purpose instead our own. I'm not talking about helping someone fulfill a purpose or make a difference, but rather taking on the purpose of someone else as if it were our own. That's like the analogy I often use. A screwdriver was made to drive screws into things, but you COULD cut a cake with one. A credit card was made so that you could "spend money easily," but, if you know how, you could open a door with one (I've never quite figured out how to do that).

Things work best when they are functioning according to the purpose for which they were made. You were created to make a difference. You were created to make YOUR mark on this world and NOBODY can make that mark but YOU.

There's a not-so-old movie that Dennis Quaid did called "The Rookie" that I strongly suggest you watch about a baseball coach who steps out to fulfill a life-long dream. I won't tell you anymore in case you haven't seen it. There is one scene in it when he asked his father, whom he had grown far apart from over the years, for advice. He basically asked him, "Should I do this?" I thought the father had the most profound response. He said, "Well, it's fine to do what you CAN do, but ONLY until it's time to do what you were BORN to do." DUDE!! DOES THAT NOT JUST ROCK?!

Check it, ya'll. Don't live your life in the shadows longing to step out into the light. You might be waiting on God, but what if GOD is waiting on YOU?

There is a difference between making "A" difference and making "THE" difference you were created to make. Personally, I've had enough of just kinda going with the flow of living. I know I was made for something greater than what I've accomplished in my life and it's time to get after it. Risk is scary and uncomfortable. That's why it's called a "RISK." But when you think about it, what do you REALLY have to lose? You take a risk and it either pays off or it doesn't. My dear friend Liz Cooley said something to me one night while we were in college that really drove my life from that point on. I was telling her how afraid I was to try because I didn't want to fail. She stood up and yelled out, "OH NO, GREG! DON'T DO IT! If you DON'T try, YOU HAVE FAILED ALREADY!" From that moment I have been "trying" every chance I got. The problem is I seemed to have forgotten how to try. Why? Because of the "program." We get into a routine of living where everything just kinda works and we don't have to really even think about it much. It's a machine that runs fine and needs no help. The problem is we STOP living and begin existing.

I don't wanna do that anymore. Do you?

In this time and season, Man, it's time to be done with the mediocre. It's time to find your niche and work it to the bone. And you can't find your niche without connecting with the One who made you. He knows EXACTLY what it is and can guide you to it AND through it. So get with God and find out what you're REALLY supposed to be about, get His wisdom about the process, sever the ties with mediocrity, and DO IT.

There is a world out there (out here) waiting on you to start making "THE" difference you were BORN to make.

Peace,

G

Driven By... ?

I just watched a really cool video about people receiving an anointing to minister to others through signs and wonders. Some guys were up there praying over the whole congregation that healing, deliverance, miracles, etc would be manifested in the lives of everyone there and those watching by TV and Internet. I thought it was cool because to a great degree, that's what Jesus did. He sent out the 70 and told them to heal the sick, cast out devils, and to freely give what they had freely received. As they went preaching the kingdom, all of these things occurred just as Jesus prayed and the 70 came back rejoicing. Way cool.

I have seen some of this happen in my own life as well. Sometimes it happened through my hands, but most of the time it has happened before my eyes through the lives of others. And still other times, it simply happened during worship where no one laid a hand on anyone. Those are the REALLY cool times because that's when you can physically see that it was God and no ones manipulation or emotion or whatever.

But here's the other side of the coin: WHY? Not why did these people experience the hand of God, no. Not that. But instead, why do any of us desire to be used of God to release His power in the earth. Hey, like it or not, Man, that's part of the call. You may not believe it, but it's true. Sometimes it's releasing people from discouragement with a word of encouragement. Sometimes it's releasing someone from worrying about bills by blessing them with finances. Sometimes it's blessing someone with a meal that they otherwise wouldn't have been able to have. All of that is fine and good... and explainable. But what about those things that can't be taken care of by the natural?

TOO MANY TIMES we have backed down and said, "Well, the Lord knows and He will take care of it." Hey, Man, think about this: What do you think Jesus was doing when He sent out the 12 and the 70? What do you think Jesus meant when He said in John 14:12, "He that believes on Me, the WORKS that I do HE WILL DO. AND GREATER WORKS will he do because I go to My Father?" Who was He talking to? If you say He was talking to the disciples, what are YOU? Are YOU His disciple? Is the word of God relevant for today? Is the word of God true? Why do we run and hide and break out in hives when we are faced with someone who is sick and in need of a healing touch, when the Holy Spirit lives inside of us just like He lived inside of the apostles. And by the way, they did EXACTLY what Jesus said they'd do. He said that the one who believes on Him would do the same works He did. Read the book of Acts lately? And yet we say that we can't function like that. THAT is a total lie.

But an even deeper question, and the main point of this blog, is "Why do we really want to move in these things?" Is it so that we can say to the world, "Hey! Look what I can do?" Is it so we can cash in on it with books, Cd's, and DVDs we create for sale? Is it so we can perhaps get some TV program with our name on it? GOD FORBID!! GOD FORBID!! GOD FORBID!!

Listen, this is what I've seen in the book. Jesus was driven by compassion for people. He didn't like seeing them sick, imprisoned, bound up, tormented, or whatever. Therefore, He did something about it. And now, YOU and I are the vessels through which He desire to KEEP doing something about their demise. But you have to be willing to at least let Him do a "little something" through you.

What are YOU driven by? Are you driven by notoriety or by compassion? Are you driven by the opinions of those who see you, or by the opinion of the King who made you. Do you want to see the Kingdom of Heaven released on the earth? If so, guess what? YOU are the conduit through which the Kingdom of Heaven will manifest. Me? I wanna be moved with compassion to see the sick healed, the dead raised, demons cast out, the Holy Spirit freed up to move on and in people, and the gospel to be preached throughout the whole earth so that people can come to know the Lord in His fullness. To know Him and to know His heart. That's what I'm hungry for. If I can somehow latch onto that, I can tap in to His compassionate heart, listen for what He wants to do, and then partner with Him to get it done. How about you?

What have you done for the Kingdom, lately?

G