Steve Gordon's Blog

Big Changes

2011-04-17T16:32:00.004-05:00

Our ministry, Hope for the Hopeless, has really evolved over the last year. We are almost completely focused on prisoner reentry right now. Our main activity is the weekly class "Prisoner Reentry Orientation" that we teach every Monday morning at 10:30 at Penn Avenue Church of the Nazarene (1121 N. Penn in OKC). It has been a BIG hit! And we are very grateful for the lives that are being touch and sometimes, transformed.

My business has evolved. Last fall, I switched from being an independent computer consultant through "Forerunners Technology Group" to "ESE Consulting Services," an El Shaddai Enterprises company. I am a management consultant to non-profit organizations. I specialize in strategic planning, organizational assessments, board development, and fundraising strategy. I have a FREE WEB BOOK available for frustrated ministry executives so be sure to check it out.

I am also looking at starting a couple of more businesses in the near future, so keep in touch!

Red Zone Warning

2010-02-19T11:30:00.003-06:00

The Red Zone: Warning to the Nation (7/6/08)

I was inquiring in my heart to the Lord as to why, in spite of all the wickedness of our nation, He has not dealt with us severely as our sins so justly deserve. Here is what He has shown me:

1. Never has there been a nation on the earth (aside from Israel, which is a different subject) that was founded with such a strong desire for godly righteousness and the Kingdom of God on earth. The U.S.A. was founded with a Christian foundation and heritage which, while certainly not perfect by any means, was so broad and deep that so see it in reality is breath-taking. (E.g., this quote from the famous historian Alexander de Tocqueville, "America is great because America is good. When America ceases to be good, it will cease to be great.")

2. To the current informed mind, America has ceased to be good. But America remains great, at least for the time being.

3. I believe this is because, from Heaven's perspective, there is a "bank account" if you will, of righteousness stored up from our forefathers (Arthur Burk calls them "generational blessings") in Heaven, on behalf of this nation, that we have been able to draw from (or maybe better, that the Lord has been able to credit to us). All of the extreme righteous acts of this nation, from the aid we've given to other nations to the constant sending out of the Gospel by multiplied hundreds of missionary organizations, makes us a nation unlike any other.

4. We are suffering from a severe case of split personality as this point, because we are both a "wicked" nation and a "righteous" nation at the same time.

5. I believe that the "rate" of wickedness has increased and that the "rate" of righteousness (righteous acts) has slowed, thus bringing us to a very dangerous point. I believe that what the Lord has shown me as that we are on the threshold of "The Red Zone" or the danger zone. This is where the rate of wickedness will soon out-strip the righteous "account" and the current level of righteous acts. Once that occurs, we are doomed as a nation.

6. The simple solution is this: Increase the rate of righteousness. Get the account filled back up again. Extreme righteousness is still in our midst, it is still part of who we are. But it is becoming scarcer and "slower" if you will. Let the Church (the only true source of righteousness in our culture) begin the process of corporate repentance and intentional acts of righteousness (which is our true mission, anyway). Let us get back to the basics of the faith, the basic building blocks of the Church of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God. We must let our righteous light so shine before men that they see our good works and then glorify our Father in Heaven.

7. "Where sin abounds, grace much more abounds." I believe that this applies here. Instead of focusing on the sin, let's focus on the grace, the righteousness of the Lord. Charles Finney said, "When the Church stops condemning the wicked and begins to pray for them, then we will see revival." I think that is because the problem is not the wickedness of the "world" or the lost, the outsiders, but the sin in the Church itself. This includes sins of the flesh (immorality, gluttony, sloth, etc.), but also -- and primarily -- sins of the heart (pride, arrogance, bitterness, gossiping, prayerlessness, self-will, independence, etc.).

8. We need to get our eyes off the wicked, repent, clean our own house, and begin to live out the righteous life, corporately, that we see taught in the Scriptures: walking in love, a heart for the poor, the widow, the orphan, and "to keep ourselves unstained from the world." Our job is holiness (refraining from sin) and righteousness (doing good in the land), not correcting the wicked. The problem is not "their" wickedness - it is our lack of righteousness.

"Do good to all, but especially to the household of faith."

If America falls, the sole responsibility will rest with this generation of Christians who failed to truly repent and turn back to the Lord with a pure heart (2 Chron. 7:14).

Blonde Password

2010-01-28T11:58:00.001-06:00

During a recent password audit, it was found that a blonde was using the following password:

"MickeyMinniePlutoHueyLouieDeweyDonaldGoofySacramento"

When asked why such a long password, she said she was told that it had to be at least 8 characters long and include at least one capital.

Great Quote on Prayer

2010-01-14T14:17:00.002-06:00

Portion of a VISION given to JOHN G. LAKE (-1920) :

"...Reaching for the Bible, he (the angel of the Lord) opened to the book of Acts, ran his finger down over the second page, that portion where the Spirit of God came down from heaven. Proceeding through the Book of Acts to its great outstanding revelations and phenomena, he said. . ."This is Pentecost as God gave it through the heart of Jesus. STRIVE for this. CONTEND for this. Teach the people to PRAY FOR THIS. For this, and this alone, will meet the necessity of the human heart, and this alone will have the power to overcome the forces of darkness." When the Angel was departing he said, "Pray. Pray. Pray. Teach the people to pray. Prayer and prayer alone, much prayer, persistent prayer, is the door of entrance into the heart of God."

2009-11-20T10:44:00.002-06:00

Great quotes:

"If you stick your head in the sand, you leave an amazing target!" (Tom Daniels)

"To become the President of the United States would be a diminishment of our call." (Dr. Larry Lea, referring to the role of the priest and intercessor in the Kingdom of God.)

"The better I know Him, the more I will love Him; the more I love Him, the better I will obey Him; the more I obey Him, the more He can release His benefits to me." (Pastor BJ "Bob" Willhite)

Worthy is the Lamb Who Was Slain...

2009-09-14T16:40:00.002-05:00

Watch this music video of "Be Unto Your Name" and be blessed by the graphics and video images!

Word from the Lord: "Time and Heart"

2009-08-10T11:42:00.002-05:00

Word From the Lord
August 6, 2009
"Time & Heart"

"There is a concept called ‘fullness of time’ that few of my people understand. Time is my tool of alignment. I work from the perspective of eternity to orchestrate perfectly the affairs of my kingdom and my people. Your times are in my hands and I am a master craftsman. When you see from the perspective of eternity, you will realize just how perfect and exact my timing is in your life.

"Begin to increase in your faith in my timing. Understand the dynamics of love, grace, and obedience that accelerate things, events, and relationships. And understand how unforgiveness, judgment, and disobedience delay and even lock up things (for a season).

"Your heart attitude is both the goal of my work and the means I use to get there. Above all else, guard your heart, for out of it flow the issues of life. A faith-filled heart releases me to work, but a fear-filled heart is a stagnant swamp. A joy-filled heart is a delight to me, but a sad heart slows me down. A humble heart is the thing I desire, but a proud heart makes me sick.

"Do you know the state of your heart? Or are you self-deceived, blind or ignorant? The fact is that a heart after me is the ‘key of David’, the master key that opens every gate and provides access to my storehouse.

"How long will you loiter outside the gate? The invitation to access all I have was given long ago. Enter in to the joy of your master. All that it will cost you is your life - your inner life of the heart - the seat of your emotions - the throne of your will - the thoughts of your mind. Surrender these to me, let go of the control and the fear, refuse to go the way of the prideful, and enter in to my rest.

"You can trust me with to take care of you, to guard your heart - I made you just for me. Your are my treasure, my crowning achievement, and I will possess you for myself - I will not be denied!"

Extroversion

2009-08-07T13:26:00.002-05:00

Here's is my new revelation about extroverts (guilty!):

The first reason for being an extrovert is that you are a really healthy, outgoing person, who really cares about others.
The second reason is that you are an inherently insecure person and you pretend to be outgoing as a mask of your true personality.
The third reason is that you genuinely believe that you are a really interesting person and others will definitely benefit by getting to know you better!

Can you guess which one I fit in?

:o)

The Time of the Angels

2009-03-17T13:52:00.001-05:00

Word from the Lord, 10/12/08 at 7:15

"This is the time of the angels. This is the time of the supernatural.

"The angels look for one thing - agreement, not resistance. To experience angels, to release the supernatural power of Heaven, you must be in agreement with them. This requires right order in your life, both individually and collectively, with the Kingdom pattern: first honor, then glory, then power.

"Angels are not felt or seen. They are beyond the five human senses. Angels just are. They may be spiritually discerned, but only by those whose spirits are in agreement with the Holy Spirit.

"Now is the time to declare that the power of the angels is released in the earth at a new level to set things in order in the Kingdom of God.

"Once you choose to walk in honor, then the door to the glory opens to you. Once you move into the glory zone, you must declare the season and administration of the mighty warriors of God. Angels are on assignment, but they require the agreement of the sons of God.

"Do you want to see victory and miracles and breakthroughs as never before? Then begin to declare, in one voice and in great harmony, unity, and agreement, that the angels of God are released and affirmed in your midst.

"This is the key that will unlock the gates of the city, and throw open the windows of Heaven, and unlock the doors of opportunity in this hour and in the days to come.

"Do not worship the angels, for they are the servants of Jesus, but yea, rather, partner with them, welcome them, and use your voice to activate them for mighty Kingdom impact, fruit, progress, increase, and harvest.

"The zeal of the of the Lord of Hosts (the Angel Armies) will accomplish it," says the Spirit of YAHWEH.

Prophetic Insights - 08/26/08

2008-08-27T15:57:00.002-05:00

Prayer Notes, 8/26/08, 14:15

1. RE: The Mile – Right now, we are on the outside looking in; by this time next year, we’ll be on the inside looking out.

2. Early Morning Prayer will tip critical mass this coming year – key intercessors will emerge and commit to set aside important things to be there on a regular basis.

3. September 2008 through August 2009 will be a year of Apostolic transformation in Oklahoma City. We will see people selling properties to fund Transformation activities. It will be like Acts Chapter 4, but the focus will not be on the church per se, but on the revelation of the Kingdom of God (the Lordship of Jesus Christ) in the Marketplace. The Church will arise to its place as the example and regulator of society. The demonic world system (Baal’s system of darkness) will take major broadside hits – staggering blows from which it will never recover in OKC.

4. It will be a time of transition. Many spiritual leaders will become confused as they experience the pull of God to the new wineskin, when they have not prepared or positioned themselves to enter into the new season. Most will draw back, afraid to leave their comfort zone, not wanting to take the risk of moving forward in the face of confusion and uncertainty. *

5. Hear the word of the Lord, Oklahoma City: There is a battle raging in the unseen realm – the army of Heaven is sending reinforcements to challenge strongholds in the City that have been allowed to remain unchallenged – yea, even for many decades. ** The invasion of righteousness will spill over into the Church, but primarily the contest will be in the government, political, military, economic, business, and education realms. Strongholds will topple and apostles will emerge in the seven sectors and on the seven “mountains” of the City. ***

6. Now is the time to P.U.S.H., to press in – the strongholds of the enemy are teetering (regardless of what it looks like to the natural eye)! Where are the strong warriors – the intercessors – who will rush in and carry the day?

7. Multitudes, multitudes of intercessors are in the valley of indecision, saying to themselves (and thus, to the Lord), “How can I find time in my busy schedule to serve the Lord more than I’m doing now?” Step out, step out in faith. The bar has been raised – the challenge issued. Do you have the courage to step up and to follow through? (Isa. 6:8)

* (Heb. 10:38, 39)

** (2 Ki. 6:17) At this point, I could see in the Spirit the ring of Heavenly chariots of fire, all around the perimeter of Oklahoma City. The reinforcements are here – the Lord has dispatched His angels to us – praise His name!

*** The “seven mountains” are the seven segments of the Kingdom of God on earth, the full spectrum of society. Various prophets have different versions of this, but a popular one is as follows: Media, Government, Education, Economy, Religion, Celebration/Arts, and Family (from “7 Mountain Prophecy”, a book by Johnny Enlow).

Early Morning Prayer

2008-08-14T11:49:00.002-05:00

We have been meeting every weekday morning for Early Morning Prayer since March, 2007. We meet at 7:00 and end at 8:00. Currently we are meeting in the main conference room at Faith Fellowship Church. This is at 900 N. May Ave. in OKC. If you get there at 7:00 and no one is there, don't fret - we'll be right along. If the door is locked and you see cars out front, call 405-615-6648 and we'll let you in. Blessings!

Praise Report from OKCMPA West Group

2008-01-14T13:32:00.000-06:00

Praise Report
OKCMPA West Group

On December 5, we traveled to Guthrie to pray with Dan and Nancy Ladd at Inline Press Corp. They are a business that is seeking the Kingdom of God in Guthrie. They recently acquired this business, which was formerly called LDJ Machine & Tool Co. They make a large sheet-metal press used in manufacturing of air conditioning units and other similar products.

We had a team of three of us that went, and there were four people there from Inline and another man who was a friend of Dan's and an intercessor. We had a wonderful time of intercession and spiritual warfare. My mother, Carol Gordon, has a special anointing for praying over land and breaking off defilements and curses, so we spent extra time on that. We asked the Father to open up the books in Heaven regarding the history of that place, and to go all the way back and come forward and to blot out anything that was unjust or unrighteous that happened there, based on the power of the Blood of Jesus. We then spoke to the land, from the depth of the soil, all the way up, and then into the atmosphere over the land, and commanded the powers of darkness to relinquish any assignments, and to enthrone Jesus there, to establish His Kingdom.

Two notable things happened. Dan said that a sink hole had opened up in the soil under the building a few months ago and they had had to dig down in the soil a good way to re-establish the foundation. They found all sorts of Native American artifacts and other relics of early settlers. (The building in the old historic downtown area of Guthrie.) It made them keenly aware of issues of "land" so our prayers were viewed as very timely.

Also, during the meeting, one of the men took out a piece of paper and began to sketch a picture on it. As he was doing this, the Holy Spirit led me to pray that a great column of prayer be opened up over that location to break through the first heaven (the physical atmosphere) and the second heaven (the territory of the demonic) to pierce through to the third heaven, to clear the way for the angels to ascend and descend upon Jacob's ladder. The man drawing the picture got excited and showed it to Dan, because it was a picture of the building at the bottom, with a great funnel-shaped column over it, going up into the atmosphere. I had been praying for a column, but the Lord showed him it would be much broader in the shape of a funnel. Very cool.

They then hosted a lunch for us, in the conference room, where the rest of the staff joined us and we had a lovely time. We really believe that we were on a divine mission for the Kingdom. All glory to the Lord!

--Steve Gordon

Blowing the Shofar for the Oklahoma Centennial

2007-11-21T15:47:00.001-06:00

The prayer team of the West Group of the Oklahoma City Ministerial Prayer Alliance conducted our first outing (exploit) on Friday, November 16, 2007, at 2:00 pm, in honor of the 100th Birthday of the State of Oklahoma. While most everyone was gathered at the old capitol in Guthrie, we gathered at the heart of the State (and the heart of the Nation) at the point where I-35 and I-40 cross.

Actually, in our research, we found out that I-35 and I-40 run together for about a mile. And that the exact half-way point in this mile is the Econo Lodge at the intersection of Martin Luther King Blvd. and Reno Ave.

So, it seemed that the Lord was indicating that this would be a great place to pray (thanks, Brother Tom!) And, to top it all off, there was a billboard directly over this parking lot, right next to the Interstate, that said "Israel Diamonds"! This was a direct confirmation for us, that we were on the right track, in the right place, doing the right thing.

The prayer team included Tim, JoLee, and Moriah Bence, Yehudit Gomberg, Carol Gordon, Wayne Davis, and Steve Gordon. Yes, that's seven people -- a good number. We were especially blessed to have Moriah with us, who, at age 12, is well-known for her shofar-blowing ability. And we were honored to have Yehudit with us; she lives in Jerusalem and is here visiting the Bence's. She is a true intercessor and, as Tim likes to put it, the "Queen Mother of Israel." Here is a close-up of her, praying:

Here are various shots from the meeting, including our group praying over the State, blowing the shofars to the north and south, and then to the east and west. Then a close-up of Carol Gordon. Notice the two twin shofars that the Bence's brought - awesome!

A real highlight for us was that the Lord showed forth a sign in the sky right after we blew the shofars. Two twin golden eagles flew directly overhead and then flew off in the distance. They were very large and we all watched them with a since of awe and amazement. Here is a picture of a golden eagle:

We did not get photos of the two twins, but they looked like this picture, with the only difference is that the sun seemed to reflect off of their chests and they were a bright gold color. It was so beautiful!

Here are some observations about this sign:

1) The Lord had spoken to our early morning prayer group that He was going to give us a sign that day (Friday) of His being with us.

2) As we were praying at the parking lot, the Lord kept leading us to pray for the "twins" of Oklahoma City and Jerusalem. Tim Bence prayed about the fact that the Lord had showed him years ago that OKC is the "gentile Jerusalem." And when we saw the eagles, everyone said, "Well, there's the twins!"

3) Wayne had brought with him a walking cane, with the head of an eagle carved into it. It was so awesome, and obvious that the sign of the two eagles was ordained by the Lord as a dramatic confirmation of this prophetic act on behalf of the State of Oklahoma. Here is a picture of the cane's head:

What the Lord led us to declare over the State of Oklahoma is that the gates over the State are open and that the demonic principalities are evicted. We established a new beach-head at the heart of the City, at the heart of the State, and the heart of the Nation. And we were launching a new season in the Spirit for the next 100 years, if the Lord tarries. We were calling for the glory of the Lord to begin to manifest at a new level.

Car Emergency Kit

2007-11-12T16:06:00.000-06:00

As a new car owner, one of the things that I have found to be important is a "car emergency kit".

Autozone and others sell a kit that has most of this stuff in it, but here's the detailed list.

And remember, you really don't need most of this stuff unless you are going on highway trips.

1) Flashlight with good batteries
2) Inflated spare tire and tire jack (you have these already)
3) WD-40 for loosening tire lug nuts
4) Rags
5) Water
6) Blanket
7) Adjustable crescent wrench
8) Emergency flares
9) Jumper cables
10) Local maps
11) Road atlas (you have a small one of these in your console)
12) Heavy-duty lug wrench (for changing tires)
13) Windshield sun screen with "Send Help" on it
14) Tarp
15) Tire gauge
16) First-aid kit
17) Screw driver set
18) Bungee cords
19) Candles & matches
20) Strong rope

People of the Cloud

2007-10-11T18:50:00.004-05:00

“People of the Cloud: The Kingdom Mandate for OKC”
8/23/07

[Author's Note: I apologize for the lack of outlining in this text editor. For a formatted version of this article, click HERE.]

I sense that the cloud of the Lord (Ex. 13:21) is settling over Oklahoma City in a new way, and that we will be seeing a new level of visitation, strategy, and impartation in the days and years to come.

On August 16, 2007, I had a vision as I was waking up. I had sat up in bed and was looking out the door of our bedroom, toward the den. The light was on in the den but not very bright. The north wall of the den was illuminated and the part I could see was shaped exactly like the state of Oklahoma. On the wall, right in the spot where Oklahoma City is, was a brown, splotchy image (I did not have my glasses on yet). It turns out that we have a small plaque hanging there.

I rubbed my eyes but all I could see was Oklahoma with a big, ugly blotch right in its heart. I asked the Holy Spirit what I was seeing and he said, “Just like Cindy Jacobs said, if Oklahoma is okay, the rest of the country will be okay. But Oklahoma is not okay, because the heart of Oklahoma is not okay. And the heart of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, is broken and has been broken almost from the beginning. Until the heart of the city is healed, the heart of the state cannot be healed.”

I immediately thought back to the teachings of Pastor Kerry Freeman, who taught that the foundation of Oklahoma City was based in corruption, scandal, and organized crime. We have been “broken” almost from day one. Obviously, much good has come from this city, but also there is a root of brokenness (bitterness?) that has sprung up to defile many (e.g., county commissioner scandal, nursing home scandal, health department scandal, etc.).

Those of us who pray for the state know of the stronghold of the religious spirit and its cohorts of division, suspicion, and empire-building. We have a desperate need to part with the old ways that have not worked, and move into a new season, a shift from the “church” age to the Kingdom age. We are entering a season where old wineskins will be replaced, and apostate structures will be destroyed.

The new “wineskin” is really much more than that; it is a bold, broad vision of seeing the Kingdom of God manifest in a lasting way in our city. The old mindset of “God, please send revival” is being replaced with “Let your kingdom come and your will be done in [our] earth as it is in heaven.” As people who have rejected the old, program-based church-as-usual mentality and are actively embracing the new, presence-based reality, we must lift up our heads, our eyes, our expectations to see our city in a new way. The cloud has already moved – will we recognize it? (Is. 43:19)

I suppose that there will always be “tribes” in the Kingdom, different flavors and different perspectives, but the Kingdom Christians from the full spectrum of the tribes must begin to define and walk out a common vision with shared values and shared goals. We are not talking about some dumbed-down, ecumenical bastardization of Christianity. We are talking about maturing into a city-wide vision of the Kingdom of God, based on the five-fold ministry defined in Ephesians 4.

Here are seven proposed goals for the Kingdom Christians in Oklahoma City, to practically and visibly establish our city set on a hill:

1) Establish an apostolic round-table to provide leaders with a forum for influencing the city in all sectors
a. Implement this in a way that is not elitist or overly exclusive (true apostles are humble servant leaders)
b. Base it on covenant; include all who agree on the terms of the covenant; exclude all others
c. Study “best practices” from other cities, if necessary, for what works and what doesn’t
d. The roundtable must cross all boundaries, especially ethnic ones, if it ever hopes to become a viable force in the transformation of our city
e. I call it the “Apostolic Coalition for the Transformation of Society” (ACTS)
f. Have this group develop, implement and oversee the “Master Plan for Transfor-mation” for the city
2) Address the gap between the priests and the kings – the church leaders (shepherds) and the marketplace leaders
a. Identificational repentance between these two strategic groups in the city is man-datory
b. Work must be done to build a bridge between the two
c. Much good work has been done in this critical area in other cities – let’s emulate their progress wherever possible
d. Conduct annual conferences to set goals and assess progress
3) Establish city-wide prayer
a. Establish a prayer “hub”
i. Leverage internet-based communications
ii. Prayer requests coming in
iii. Prayer updates and answers flowing out
iv. Combination of email and website
b. 24-hour prayer in our city
i. Intercessory prayer is the engine of the Kingdom (Lk. 10:2, 18:1; 1 Th. 5:17 et al)
ii. Use the Moravian model, which requires a minimum of twelve couples to be in covenant together to cover the 24-hour-a-day period
iii. Expand this to a much broader group over time
c. Conduct a full Prayer Walk of the city
i. Like Houston did, mark off the whole city in square-mile segments
ii. Group the segments into districts, with district coordinators
iii. Have prayer teams prayer-walk every segment in the city
iv. Plant prayer-stakes in the ground at all key points (as led by the Spirit)
d. Establish prayer teams that will pray over the city
i. Train them
ii. Coordinate them
iii. Release them
iv. Assign them by district
v. Pray over businesses, land, problem areas, etc.
4) Establish city-wide praise
a. Establish Praise Technology Centers
i. Use the laser-projection technology from The Call in Nashville
ii. Find strategically located churches or businesses around the city to host a “praise technology center”
iii. Establish CD-players of anointed praise-and-worship music, 24-hours a day
iv. Link the music to the laser-projectors and beam the sound into the first heaven over our city, and beyond
v. This one project alone with shift the entire spiritual climate and atmos-phere of our city
b. Rebuild “the fallen tabernacle of David” (Acts 15:16)
i. Establish a praise “hub” in the center of the city, for regular monthly praise cele-bration gatherings for all of the Kingdom Christians in the city
5) Establish city-wide discipleship
a. As the cloud of the Lord settles and strengthens over our city, many souls will be saved as part of the last great end-time harvest
b. Unless we plan ahead, we will not disciple these new converts effectively
c. Study best practices for true discipleship from around the globe
d. Establish a network of harvesters and disciplers that perform the task of true, bib-lical discipleship
6) Establish a “Jubilee Covenant” ministry to eradicate debt from the people of God
a. Get churches out of debt
b. Get families out of debt
c. Get Baal out of the church in our city
7) Build a Model
a. It is the clear teaching of scripture that the Kingdom Christians, while still here on the earth, are to become a “city set on a hill”
b. We should encourage the development of one or more models of Kingdom com-munity in the context of our city
c. See my separate paper, “The Vision of the Mile”
d. You can’t have a healthy society without healthy families; you can’t have healthy families outside the context of the Kingdom of God

My Current Resume

2007-09-27T11:02:00.000-05:00

You can view my current resume HERE.

From the "church" age to the Kingdom age

2007-09-26T15:01:00.000-05:00

Many people I pray with and others I respect greatly have sensed a shift in the last year or two. Everywhere we go, people are talking about the Kingdom of God. At Heart Menders, we have been developing many resources to help our community understand life in the Kingdom. The best prophetic word that explains this shift is HERE. Joann McFatter really nails it.

The Vision of the Mile

2007-07-19T18:25:00.002-05:00

In approximately August, 1999 I was worshiping the Lord and I prayed a phrase that I periodically use, “Lord, I want to come further up and further in than I’ve ever been before.” The instant I said that, I went into an open vision. I was lifted up from my bed as if on a flying carpet and we (the Holy Spirit and I) began to fly over Oklahoma City about 100-200 feet in the air. We first flew to Faith Fellowship Church, my home church at 900 N. May Ave, and then veered over to 10^th & May, which is the southwest corner of what our church has dubbed “The Mile” (10^th to 23^rd, May to Penn). We traveled east on 10^th until we reached a small strip mall on the north side of the street.

I saw an office and on the front glass window of it were painted the words, “10^th Street Ministerial Alliance.” And I could see that a ministry had been created to link all of the churches that were physically (and spiritually) connected to The Mile. I could see teams from Faith Fellowship and other churches joining together to do visitation to the homes in The Mile. But they weren’t saying, “Come to our church.” They were saying, “We represent a variety of churches in the area and we come in the name of Jesus. How can we help you? What do you need?” As people were ministered to and helped, they were connected with a church body that was appropriate for their situation.

It became clear to me that I was seeing events and situations that were going to unfold over time. In the “early days” of the vision, the Kingdom of God was manifesting in The Mile by way of an alliance of traditional churches. But over time, they melted into one church, a community of disciples connected by the vision of taking the whole Mile for the Kingdom.

Next, I saw crews of workmen remodeling homes in the neighborhoods closest to 10^th Street, which are the most dilapidated homes in The Mile. I was shown that these laborers were men who had come out of the prison system and were being re-integrated into society so that they could work, learn trade skills, and become gainfully employed. There was also a program by which they could “earn” a home as they faithfully labored in this program.

Then we went north to streets where some of the nicer homes are, such as the Miller Neighborhood, an historical area. Here I saw large homes that had been converted into group homes. There was a home for unwed mothers, a home for drug rehabilitation, a home for victims of domestic abuse, a home for the disabled, a home for the elderly, etc. These were all connected by a sense of community and the Church providing for the needs of the people, as opposed to relying on the State to do it.

I also saw an old church building that was converted into a K-12 school for the community. There was a project to tear down one or more old homes in each neighborhood and put in a vegetable garden, for that neighborhood’s citizens.

We flew over the park which is at 19^th and Drexel, just west of The Mile, and there was a big banner up that said “Celebration in the Park.” All of the neighbors were invited to this free event, with drinks and hot dogs and ice cream. A sound stage was set up and there was live praise music being played. Various ministries, such as crisis pregnancy counseling, financial assistance, blood pressure check, etc. had set up various booths for free social services to the community. There was a tremendous amount of joy and life flowing at this celebration.

Finally, I saw the whole Mile populated with believers living together in harmony. And the “church” had become a living organism, manifesting in home-based meetings and monthly corporate celebrations. The impression that I had was that it would take several decades to accomplish the full scope of this vision. And that I was to commit to that vision for the rest of my life.

When we bought our last house, in the Spring of 2006, we tried to move into The Mile, but no doors opened. When I asked the Lord about it, he said that Karen wasn’t ready yet, but that the time would come and to be patient. His instruction to me, from the beginning, has been, “Don’t work to make this happen in your own strength. I will do it.”

I firmly believe that the Lord Jesus will assemble a team of leaders that will flow together as one, with the same heart and vision for the same area, to take “one square mile” for the Kingdom, even if it takes the rest of our lives to do it. Amen.

Awesome Prophetic Word about the Church & the Kingdom

2007-07-19T18:13:00.000-05:00

Click HERE to read a prophetic word from Rick Joyner that sums up my belief about the future of the Church and the Kingdom of God about as good as anything I've read so far. Praise the Lord!

What is a scuppernong?

2007-07-18T10:06:00.000-05:00

The word "scuppernong" is a real word (see Wikipedia entry). It is a wild grape growing in the southeast U.S.A. When the original settlers came there, they were fairly poverty-stricken in most cases. But, just like in the Bible, they found big grapes growing in their Promised Land. These grapes are large and sort of ugly, but they were good for eating and good for making wine.

So, I have co-opted the term to mean "a wild grape in the Promised Land", a term of endearment I apply to myself and others, who, although we love the Lord, just don't seem to fit into the mainstream religious traditions of American Christianity. I am in the wonderful Promised Land of my Father God, but I don't necessarily connect easily with most of my fellow travelers.

Plus, as a true Southerner at heart, I was offered some Scuppernong Jam at a roadside stand in rural Georgia a few years ago, when I stopped to buy some Peach Preserves (yum-yum). The grape sample I tasted was "okay" but sort of tough and fibrous. Yet I could see that they would be a welcome addition to a pioneer's larder.

Depression can be good (sometimes)

2007-07-18T09:54:00.001-05:00

Depression can be good (sometimes). Here's why. We all walk around inside this facade, this protective armor, that says, "I'm fine. I'm okay. I can handle this." When someone in our culture asks us how we are doing, we say, "Fine." But we're not fine. ("Fine means freaked-out, insecure, neurotic, and emotional" -- Charlie in The Italian Job)

All of us have some pain that we have to deal with. The more abuse in our past, the more dysfunctional our upbringing and our family, the more pain, but we all have some measure of it (rejection, failure, insecurity, inadequacy, etc.).

The problem is that if our internal pain was always bouncing up in our face every day, all day, we would not be able to function. So, as a coping mechanism, we push it down, we stuff it down inside, so we can go on with our daily lives, and focus on the tasks at hand.

Then, to keep it down, we stick a cork on top of it. I call these "reasonings." They are excuses to help us explain and rationalize why those things happened and why they are not so bad. "She couldn't help abandoning me, she was from a broken home." "He couldn't help abusing me, he was an alcoholic." And on and on, ad nauseum.

So we cope, within ourselves. But we also have to cope with life "out there". With people, with their issues, relationships, etc. So we erect this false persona of "I've got it together. (Just don't get too close.)" We put up walls around us to keep other people, with all of their junk, at a safe distance.

The problem with this barrier to further pain is that it keeps God at a distance as well. He really wants to come into our hearts, with his love and healing and grace, but he is a gentleman. He is not Rambo, who is going to kick in the door of our heart: "I'm coming in!" No, he is waiting for an invitation. He wants to be invited in. (Rev. 3:20)

Jesus wants to take up residence in your heart and live his life through you. But so many of us think that we must clean house before we let him in. But hear the word of the Lord: "Dear child, only I can make you clean on the inside. That is what I do. Trust me." We have to trust him with our deepest, innermost part of our hearts, where all of the pain, and shame, and hurts of the past hide. We have to trust that he will not embarrass us, or humiliate us, in the process of ridding us of our junk. He is a loving healer, the true Heart Doctor, the true Garbage Collector, the true Relationship Surgeon. Only he can untangle the messes we make for ourselves. Only he can redeem the junk that life has piled on us.

Liberty Savard says that deep down on the inside of us all are three things: unhealed hurts, unmet needs, and unresolved issues. I add to that a fourth: unfulfilled dreams. We have to un-stop the cork and invite the Holy Spirit down into our "sacred place", that deepest part of our hearts, our own private, inner sanctum. Then he can have access to the areas that he needs to meet our needs, heal our hurts, resolve our issues, and fulfill our dreams (that were from him originally, anyway).

So, depression is good. When you are laying on your bed, like this: "Ugh. Life sucks." THAT'S what he's been waiting for! Because all of your defenses are down, the facade is laid aside, the walls are temporarily removed. The depressed you is the REAL YOU (outside of Christ, of course). It's at this precise moment that you can access the healing power of God. Simply pray this little prayer, "Holy Spirit, please come and touch me in the deepest, innermost part of my heart and make me whole." Pray it with all the sincerity you can muster.

He says, "Yes!" Because he has been waiting years in some cases, even decades in others, to gain proper access and jurisdiction to the real you. As long as you were posing to be someone other than you, you were keeping him at a safe distance, along with everyone else. But if you will pray that little prayer, even just two or three times, you will begin to notice changes on the inside of you.

I have distilled the whole Christian walk down to one word: "Cooperate". The Holy Spirit's job is to transform us, from the inside out, into the image of Christ. We simply have to get out of the way and let him work. Don't resist him. Don't drag your feet. Don't shrink back. Simply cooperate. (Jesus called this "denying ourselves".)

And he is kind. He won't show you all of the issues of your heart at one time. It would be overwhelming. But he will bubble them up one at a time. You just have to learn to hear his voice (John 10:4). You have to learn, gently and easily, to flow with him. Find out what he is working on. When you wake up in the morning, say, "Lord, if you don't come and live your life through me today, then not much is going to happen. I'm not going to try to manufacture anything spiritual today. Just show me what we are working on today." Just be real with him.

I use the example of smoking. So many Christians get defeated over their lack of ability to quit smoking. But maybe the Holy Spirit is working on anger! He will get to the smoking later. Learn to flow with his agenda, his timeframe. Trust him to get the job done. Besides, he is much better qualified to manage your life and your heart than you are.

Learn to turn your depression into a gateway to healing -- the real healing on the inside that we are all craving. You won't be disappointed. I guarantee it.

NOTE: One of the best books ever on this is "Shattering Your Strongholds" by Liberty Savard.

For more info, visit our ministry website, Heart Menders International.

Hoaxes Are Real

2005-10-28T17:00:00.000-05:00

Many times, I get forwarded emails alerting me that someone is trying to get something passed in Congress or offering free products simply for forwarding email to 10 people or whatever. These, and a myriad of other topics, are hoaxes. The mecca of hoax busting on the Internet can be found at:

http://hoax-slayer-news.blogspot.com/

Wedded Bliss

2005-10-06T19:06:00.000-05:00

I married Miss Karen Sue Holbert on Saturday, May 28, 2005, after a long (two-year) courtship. We had an awesome wedding, followed by a beautiful, blessed honeymoon in Branson, MO. We just celebrated our four-month anniversary and we are astonished at the level of compatibility and happiness we have found. We are a True Team - we were obviously meant for each other for the rest of our lives. And we fit together so well, just like we were custom-designed for one another. Wow! See us as we exit the church after the reception here.

My First Post - how special (sigh)

2005-10-06T18:39:00.000-05:00

This is my first foray into the blogosphere. I think it might be a good medium for communicating the various parts of my life to all of my many friends. Most of those who know me well are concerned that I have too many interests, too many projects, and too many responsibilities. I tend to agree, although I have a hard time imagining my life any other way. Anyway, I tend to be rather egocentric and I hope that I am growing out of this lifestyle. So, hopefully, I'll be able to redirect visitors to a variety of other interesting topics and not just go on and on about myself. We'll see...