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But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation. James 5:12


Revival, I am persuaded, is not only on the way, but is in the now…right before our very eyes: a time of genuine spiritual renewal. Every decade in our country since the Azusa Street Revival has been marked by a national sweep or move of God. The early 1910’s – 30’s brought with them the inception and establishment of the Pentecostal/Holiness movement as we know it. The 1940’s were marked with signature miracles and healing crusades. Then came the 50’s and 60’s with its waves and waves of people becoming “born again”; the decade of Salvation… The 70’s generation experienced Deliverance it brought about the television evangelist and the church becoming more sophisticated, organized, fashionable and “refined”. The 80’s ushered in the WORD Church and marched out with Praise and Worship… the 90’s family and life. Here we are wrapping up the 00’s which have been most noted for the mega-church sensation and “true/pure” Worship.

*Note: Look at the names of ministries birthed during these decades. Most of the names are synonymous with what God was doing during the time ex: Pentecostal Temple, Redemption Family/Life Center, Deliverance Temple, Love Worship Center, Healing Tabernacle… etc.

Since there is nothing new under the sun and “That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been…” (Ecclesiastes 3:15) looks like we’re about to start all over again. What am I saying? The first mega-church didn’t start in the good ol’ US of A; but rather at Jerusalem in the book of the Acts of the Apostles and when God was tired of them doing everything but what he commissioned the church to do He allowed persecution to come. Stephen becomes the first martyr. At his death the church is found doing what its intended purpose was, to go into the highways and hedges and compel men to come!

Though the book of Revelation foretells of the days when the church will again be persecuted… I don’t believe we are quite there yet. Why? Before God moves like that He always, always, always gives man the opportunity to redirect his attention. Even before that 50,000 plus body at Jerusalem was busted up they were given the chance to GO. Understand that God never sends anyone without equipping them first. Too many “Christians” today are not true disciples…therefore, I believe we are entering into the time of preparation…times of refreshing. To some of us who have been around for a while it’s inconceivable some times what new saints just do NOT know. It’s only because they have not been taught. I am very much looking forward to the resurgence of authentic Holy Ghost filled teachers/preachers declaring the unadulterated Word of God. Time is too short for the church to continue sleeping. Times are too critical to continue to allow compromise in exchange for popularity.

As for me and my house…restoration has already begun. We’re on our way back to the Old Landmark! It’s holiness or hell and we believe the Bible to be the only infallible written Word of God. It is our all-sufficient rule…. AMEN

Be Blessed!
Samu-el

Let Restoration Begin...

There are so many things that the church of today seems to take very lightly. So many have taken on the attitude that tradition is bad or unnecessary. Even greater than that is the swelling misconceptualization of what "tradition" is. Some things I've been hearing called "tradition" or "traditionalism" are in all actuality the real tenets of our faith.

If the foundations be destroyed wherein shall the righteous stand? Funny, how the same Bible tells us there is nothing new under the sun nor the heavens and "That which hath been is now: and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past." (Ecc 3:15). Hmmm... how can we say something is old or outdated as it relates to a God who calls himself the Ancient of Days? No matter HOW old it seems to us it really can't be too old seeing that man has not lived a day yet in the eyes of God... Our lives the Apostle James say is but a vapour... here today, gone today.

History has a tendency of repeating itself... I believe it was the era of the "Romantics" who adopted the theory of not needing history, and living for the moment...in the here and now, so to speak. What's the travesty in that? Just look at how long that society they lasted...(I promise I didn't make it up!)

Please do not misunderstand, I am a catalyst for progress at the same time forgetting where we came from only sends us off-track from that destined place in God.

The laws of Physics teach us that to every action there is an opposite and direct reaction... So we, in the age of enlightenment, discovered that dress codes in the church must be relaxed because after all it's not in what we wear...OH! the classic phrase: "The Bible says come as you are" - I'm still searching for that verse myself. What happened? Somebody ALWAYS takes "dress-down" to another level... some stuff, I don't care what you say, is inappropriate for worship!

Consequently, the reverence of a sovereign God is diminished. We start "getting crunk" for Him then we cannot understand the spirit of rebellion and blatant disrespect to leadership being so prevalent in our churches... Who taught them decency in the house of God? 'Cmon, even secular Psychologist will say that your mentality is different depending on what you have on... interesting, to say the least. Of course, that does not get the numbers to add to the church stats.

What am I really trying get across here? Saints, let's not major on the minors and miss our purpose. We are the salt of the earth, and if the salt has lost its saltiness wherefore is it good for nothing but to be trodden under the foot of men? Being effective in the world is what the burgeoning church was! Souls were added to the church daily such as should be saved. I highly doubt that they were advertising being non-traditional! I agree some stuff is non-Biblical and may even be downright stupid... but the message of holiness? That MUST NEVER be compromised. Howbeit, wisdom is the principle thing...therefore get wisdom, but in thy getting get an understanding...

Understand that opposites attract. The world is not coming to church to do what they were doing out there in the world. Why come if not for the better? In understanding I know that outward appearance has nothing at all to do with the heart that only God sees. Having said that, the only argument I hear about what's traditional has been centered around dress and music.

Real tradition taught us that charity begins at home and spreads abroad... cleanliness is next to godliness...and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. And playing church is a sure-fire ticket to hell.

I'll be back on this next time...would love to hear some feedback from my audience. Somebody help me out...I may be thinking too narrowly.

Godspeed!
Samu-el

Right Where HE Wants Me!

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed…” I Corinthians 4:7-9

No matter how strong our faith is…every once in a while something comes along that will “knock the wind out of us” so to speak. What’s most interesting about that is this: I have learned, so far, that the times in my life when moving to the next dimension in God has become most urgent, consequently, the heat of the fires of life are intensified. In like manner I have learned that each realm is greater than the one before it; thus, the balance that makes it all worthwhile!

The summation of man is that we bring/give glory to God. It’s what we were created for. As an earthen vessel, or “made from dirt” we must never forget who we really are. It’s when we forget that praise is misplaced and worship is missing! The treasure/gift HE placed in you is not to bring recognition to you…you are the carrier…the distributor…not the manufacturer. Listen, we honor those to whom honor is due. We appreciate the gifts to the body of Christ, at the same time let’s not forget that this treasure (understanding of light) was ONLY given in the first place that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

So, “think it not strange concerning these fiery trials which are to try you as though some strange thing has happened unto you”…it’s all a part of God getting glory. It’s a set up!


I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Ps 27:13

Be Blessed!
Samu-el

Even Egypt...

"And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction." Genesis 41:52

Just when you thought Manasseh (making to forget) was satisfaction enough the Father says: Dear Dreamer, I am not through blessing you!Seconds have their place...For it is in the second chance that we learn the benefit of grace. The second time around with experience having been your teacher you find that better calculated moves and more conscientious decisions are easier made.In addition to the benefit of the commandment of birthright blessings is"God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction". As a memorial call him Ephraim or in plain English - "doubly fruitful". In other words blessed to bless.

Joseph, we love to say, went from "From the pit, through the Prison, to the Palace". But God knows everything palatial thing ain’t peaceful. So, when he finally got a wife of his own and they began to rear children the request for favor had to be better than what was previously experienced….Because though, at this point, he was in the palace did not mean the famine was not going to come. It did not mean the drought was not coming. God’s word is his word and his word was famine. His word was drought.

Listen, just because it comes does that mean everybody is effected by it? No. Behold! The favor factor!!!! David says this: I was young but now am old. I’ve never seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging for bread…

*Just a thought.."Yea they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it." (Psalm 35:21). Oh, they laughed; but who gets the last laugh? God wants to bless you in the land of your affliction!In the face of the naysayers - He wants to bless you. In the midst of the odds being against us is where he gets the greatest glory.

So, my friend stay in Egypt long enough to make the impact you were sent there for!!!Quitters never win and winners never quit. Incomplete assignments don’t help anybody…

Be Blessed!
Samu-el

*The me inside of me is the me you cannot see. For it is the me that I really am and the me I am going to be.

Eat Yourself to LIFE!

"This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." John 6:58,63

It’s so hard for me to read, quote, and even write down ANYTHING from the Word of God without getting excited. Anybody who knows me knows that it does not take much to get me rialed up.

Today, as I prepared for my devotion I heard vividly a simple reminder of what the Lord spoke to me just a few days ago… “The assignment is yours. The battle is mine.” Understand that the assignment God gives is only activated when we engage ourselves to doing it. There is no need for Him to fight for us when we are not facing opposition. And trust me, it’s very easy to stay out of harm’s way…

Jesus in explaining to a group of would-be believers shares the essence of His being. He tells them in no uncertain terms He was the Word that they had been waiting to hear… the Word that was spoken that caused the worlds to be framed… the Word they could eat to LIVE!

The manna that rained from heaven was to sustain Wilderness Wonderers… Oh, but the Manna that came from heaven is to feed Kingdom Citizens. Jesus says: the bread that the wonderers ate only satisfied for a moment and was not. The Wonderers ate it and died because no preservation (quickening) was in it; but “the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

Well, what exactly did he say? Simple. Verse 56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. The safest place in the whole wide world…

If I am in Him the world should not see me, they should only see Him. If he lives in me, my thoughts are inhabited by Him… my actions are controlled by Him…Ah, the words that I speak are His and not mine. Sooooo, if we DON’T see this…experience this? What? Is there a problem? Am I not His? What did I miss? Nothing. Nothing? Exactly, you’re NOT Him…. We are like Him… But I dare you to keep on eating. Afterall, we are what we eat!

Listen, I don’t know about you…and I don’t care what others say I look like; I cannot afford to miss any meals!

The prophet Ezekiel teaches us a very powerful lesson from his personal experience… the word that came to him was “eat the whole roll”. Eat to LIVE!! Eat that WORD… Eat that WORD…Eat that WORD!!! It’s the only way we’ll ever know what LIFE is.

Until next time…

Godspeed!
Samu-el

From the Place of Obscurity

And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come see. John 1:46

Can anything good come from Nazareth? WELL…We have certainly found out, haven’t we? Oh my! Philip answers Nathanael’s question like this: I can show you better than I can tell you...come see for yourself!

More miracles occur in incubator stages than we know… Greatness has not only height and visibility it has weight and depth. Greatness does not happen, it is birthed. Is there a difference? Yes! When something happens that means it occurred by chance, but birthing denotes the process of bringing forth… the deliberate process of bringing forth! There's pain, effort, responsibility and strain involved in birthing.

The cost of achieving greatness is quite high. The true beauty of the birthing process is that from conception to delivery when successfully completed health and longevity is expected; faithless reservation of the unknown in such case is unwarranted. Oh but in the instance of premature birth or abortion risks and severity of risks are inevitable…

There are countless representatives to the truth of the fact that going through the process of "becoming" is much more lasting than an express ride to the top. It’s in obscurity that the planted seed breaks free of its shell and takes root. It's behind the scenes that God works on us. It's in the place of obscurity that He can work out of us what's necessary to be worked out of us, so that when it is time for public display we are presentable.

Oh in the manifestation … When the time comes only He can get the Glory because YOU know what He did not allow to kill you... YOU know what He did not allow to embarrass you... YOU know how much better you are NOW than you used to be...

Godspeed!
Samu-el

Get THERE!

Mary Mary has a song that says—I’ve got to get myself together, because I have some place to go…” Well, I’m here to tell you that you have some place to go! Time won’t be long, so pack your bags, and get you stuff, because it’s time to go!

You’ve been praying about it, you’ve been fasting about it, and you have been laying on your face about it. Did your faith waver after the first prayer, and you didn’t see a change? Did you think that the mountain was never going to be moved after that 3 day fast? Did you think that you would always be stuck in that SAME place after you got off of your face and didn’t see that immediate difference? Well I’m here to tell you that it’s time for that suddenly shift. Time for YOUR suddenly Shift! God is saying you have GOT to get there. I have need for you THERE! You have hung out in Lodebar long enough.

Because of your past hurt and past pain, because of the words of people, you have hung out in that LOW place. But listen to this; God is saying those are not my Words, and whose Words hold more power! And I’m speaking to you and telling you to come out today! Luke 15 speaks about the parable of the prodigal son. Yes, he left, and yes he wallowed with the pigs but or a while. But do you know what I like? One day, he woke up and said, wait a minute? My father is a King? I’m a Kings Kid! Why am I here hanging out in this low place when my father is telling me to get there? See when he clicked, when he realized that the past didn’t matter, the words of those people on him didn’t matter, but what mattered was his father telling him to come back to destiny! And we know the outcome of this--When (does not say if) but WHEN he returns home, his father greets him with open arms and hardly gives him a chance to express his repentance. He kills a fatted calf to celebrate his return. Get there! I’m telling you, you will like what you see when you do!

For His Glory!
JEverett