Why It is Imperative to Pray and Take a Stand for Israel
Nations are being weighed in the balance. These are tumultuous times. Much is at stake right now, and society is rapidly changing right before our eyes. It is extremely important to have God’s perspective and to land on God’s side in these critical times. I believe it is imperative that once again we take a good hard look at what God’s Word says about the Land of Israel and His covenant promises. So let’s set our gaze clearly and surely concerning the Apple of God’s Eye. Let’s be grounded in the foundational understandings of “Why I Pray and Take a Stand for [...]
Can You Accelerate the Return of Jesus?
The Day of His Appearing In the midst of all that is happening around the world today, are you and I able to accelerate the return of Jesus? Some would say we absolutely cannot hasten the return of the Lord, because in their theological take on the providence of God, everything is preordained. I believe very much in the sovereignty of God. I also believe that He gave us free will, and that He invites us into the mystery and destiny of being a co-laborer with Christ. As we consider whether we can hasten His appearing, let’s ask another question: Is it possible that [...]
5 Keys to a Life of God Encounters
By the grace of God, my life has been filled with “God encounters”—God taking me to mountain tops, leading me through the valleys, and walking with me in the small moments, every step of every day. Really? Yes, and you can live a life filled with God encounters too. Guiding people into encounters with God has been my passionate pursuit for many decades. During all this time I have seen proof repeatedly: “God Encounters Are for Everyone!” 5 Keys to a Life of God Encounters Initially, I thought I would simply highlight some of the things I am known for which all [...]
Identifying and Praying into Our Core Values
The Lord spoke to me about my core values more than forty years ago when I was a young pastor, and what I learned then has stuck with me. At the time, I was not thinking forty or fifty or even a hundred years into the future; I was just thinking about the week ahead and my next Sunday sermon. Yet out of the blue, this sentence occurred to me, and I knew it was from God: “Your end-time worldview will determine your lifestyle.” The Lord wasn’t delineating to me what my end-time worldview should be. He was simply pointing out that [...]
Revelation’s Ultimate Purpose: Presenting Jesus to the World
The ultimate purpose of discerning revelation is actually presenting Jesus to the world. In other words, we let God’s word become flesh in us so that others can experience Him. One of joys in my life is the people I have the honor of working with. One of them is Jeffrey Thompson, the project manager for my ministry, God Encounters Ministries. Here, he tells about a revelatory experience he had with the Lord that expresses revelation’s ultimate purpose: One day not long ago, I was given the opportunity to preach at the church where I serve part-time on the pastoral staff. After [...]
Learning to Listen with Discernment
Learning to listen with discernment means that you begin to recognize the voice of God so well that other voices sound unfamiliar. In John 10:5, Jesus told his followers, “And a stranger they simply will not follow.” This statement needs to become a reality in your life. It takes practice and requires that you learn well the listening with discernment lessons freely offered to all of us by Holy Spirit. Don't be so overly zealous, that instead of making the time to take driver’s training classes, you quickly get into the fastest car you can find and go off to the races. Some, sad to say, end [...]
The Significance of the Prayer of Jabez
Greetings in the Lovely Name of Jesus! For the month of June, the Board, Staff and Team of God Encounters Ministries have been daily praying through the Prayer of Jabez as recorded in 1 Chronicles 4:10. This is a clear, precise, and powerful prayer for more of God the Father’s blessings and power in each of our lives. In asking for the Holy Spirit’s direction for our GEM’s Targeted Prayer theme for the fourth Thursday in June, I felt directed to extend an invitation for you to join us in this insightful petition to the Most High God! Dreaming with Others My [...]
Walking in the Father’s Blessing – A Core Value from James W. Goll
One of the primary tasks of the Lord Jesus Christ is to lead us to a right relationship with His Father. In fact, Jesus is the exact representation of His Father, even though that is not how our Father has often been presented by the church world. Our Father God is approachable and accessible. I have loved Jesus from day one. But like many of you, it has taken me some time to learn that our Abba Daddy God is a good, good Father. I have grown and changed a lot over the years. The singular most outstanding change, that continues to [...]