[ Hot News ]

 In one of the most extensive surveys of Japan ever taken, a poll conducted by the Gallup Organization shows Christians comprise 6% of the population -- a much higher population of Christians in Japan than expected. According to a report in WorldNetDaily, researchers were also surprised by high numbers of teens who claimed the Christian faith, while the traditionally dominant religions, Buddhism and Shintoism, though still claimed by many adults, suffered declines among teenagers. (Pictured: a Mennonite Brethren church in Japan)

Calling the numbers "stunning," George Gallup Jr. who assisted with the poll, noted of teenagers: "These projections mean that seven percent of the total teenage population say they are Christians. In my 50 years of polling, there has been no study that I would consider as important as this one, because it provides insight into a fascinating culture," said Gallup.

John Paul Jackson: "OVERCOMING YOUR FEAR OF MISSING GOD'S WILL"

"The LORD will perfect that which concerns me...." Psalms 138:8

Life Is A Story

People often say that life is "like" a story. But that isn't true. Life "is" a story. Unfortunately, you just can't treat it like one--meaning, you can't flip to the end to see how it all turns out. Wouldn't trusting God be easier if He showed you just one more teeny, tiny glimpse of your destiny?

But, just as it is with a well-written story, you never really know what is going to happen next. You wake up in the morning and assume you're going to go to work. But you don't really know what is going to happen. You might lose your job today. Your car might get wrecked. It might hail today; it might rain. You might see a friend you haven't seen for years. Your parents might call you out of the blue.

Life unfolds daily. Curtains fall, and old eras end. But then new eras begin, and the curtains rise again. None of it makes sense unless you can start to understand the story--the purpose behind it all.

Many of you feel like you are 15 minutes too late for the train of life. You have missed where you are supposed to go. You have settled for God's second best. Because of past mistakes, you feel like you can achieve only the "good will" of God, not His "perfect will." And you feel you should be thrilled about that, but deep inside, you aren't. In fact, you are disenchanted. Some of you even feel hopeless.

But--life is a story. What makes a good story great? Depth. Adventure. Excitement. Not knowing. Huge odds. Great darkness defeated by great heroism. And because this is so, in the midst of every evil and dark thing you're feeling, your life story is being played out. Whether you feel like this is true or not, you are living the story God birthed you for. You are here for such a time as this.

This is the Best Time for You to be Born

He put you here on this planet, in this country, in the town you live in, in the home you live in. He placed you here for a specific purpose, and you are fulfilling that purpose even if you don't know it. God is a lot bigger than you expect Him to be; you might even be surprised. I know I am, whenever He reminds me of how deeply involved He is in the miniscule, forgotten-about, never-minded details of my life.

He is not giving up on you because you might have made some mistakes. He is still saying to you, "Follow Me! I created you for this time, for this very situation. I knew exactly what was going to be happening in your family, in your city, in your region, in your world, and I knew the impact you were going to have, and I said, 'This is the best time for you to be born!'"

It is never too late to accomplish the purpose for which God created you. Just because you are alive proves that purpose still exists for you.

Many of you need to defeat the battle of not trying. I believe it is time for many of you to try again.

You won't get there overnight.

Tomorrow morning, you won't wake up with it.

But tomorrow morning, you will be closer than you were today.

I believe it's time for many of you to walk into the purpose for which you were created.

(For more information on this topic, view below to order Regaining What You've Lost by John Paul Jackson.)


John Paul Jackson
Streams Ministries International
www.streamsministries.com

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John Paul Jackson's Upcoming Itinerary:

September 17-20, 2006
Emerging Leaders Conference
Advocate Ministries
Alabama
Contact: www.advocatecenter.com/events.htm

September 28-29, 2006

May 8, 2006

Bill Yount: "Restaurants and Cafes Will Experience Holy Ghost Revival!"

Matthew 9:10-12 says, "And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Jesus eating with publicans and sinners, they said unto His disciples, 'How is it that He eats and drinks with publicans and sinners?' When Jesus heard it, He said unto them, 'They that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.'"

Recently, while eating with my family at a local restaurant, I sensed a major move of God's presence falling upon the place. It took me by surprise, but God spoke to me.... "Get used to this! I am beginning to bring a revival inside of restaurants and cafes through my people! I miss dining with publicans and sinners!"

It Started as We were Saying Grace Over Our Food...

We were saying "grace" over our food, then "MULTIPLIED GRACE" went airborne, blessing the food in the kitchen and every person in the restaurant! As our family was just sharing about the goodness of the Lord, His glory began to increase--filling the atmosphere. His presence was so strong that I knew it would linger long after we were gone!

"God Spoke, "No Longer Tip the Waitress for Serving You...Bless Her with a Love Offering--For She is Actually Serving Me!"

In the Spirit, I not only saw one person giving a tip to the waitresses, for service at their table, but I saw every person blessing the waitresses with a personal love offering! Many waitresses were shocked in unbelief--these love gifts were causing them to come under the power of God. As these love gifts were opening their hearts with thankfulness, many waiters and waitresses gladly were opening up to share their needs. This gave opportunity to ask if they could be prayed for to receive even a greater blessing from the Lord Himself!

Many waiters and waitresses, through serving God's people, would eventually be saved and shine and bring great prosperity to their employers--turning many employers to the Lord. As a result, the Spirit of God in these restaurants and cafes would draw people far and near to 'taste and see that the Lord is good!'"

Some Restaurant and Cafe Menus Offered "Prayer For The Sick"

Many "publicans and sinners" would come just to sit and experience a love and peace that surpassed all their understanding! The lost would come because they heard of healings and miracles taking place. Along with their meal orders, they would often have a request for prayer for their sick bodies!

"It's A Great Time to Invite Your Enemy Out to Lunch"

Through my own experience, when Jesus told me to invite a certain enemy out to lunch, a powerful thing happened to both of us. I had heard that this person liked pizza, and so do I. After we got to the restaurant, I said grace to bless the pizza, and we didn't really talk much at all because we both loved pizza so much. I learned then why Jesus said, "Feed your enemies!" It was as though Jesus Himself pulled up a chair to our table and knocked the Jericho walls down between us as we simply ate together! We both realized later that we were actually having communion over that pizza!

Eating together is a powerful weapon that brings a bonding between people! Esther knew the way to a king's heart was through his stomach. And this is one of the many methods she used to soften the king's heart toward her, and thereby her plea for the Jewish nation. It is also interesting that of all the things that Jesus could have chosen to do in His final moments with His disciples, He chose..."the last supper."

Revelation 3:20 says, "Here I stand knocking at the door; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and sit down to supper with him and he with Me."

He is still knocking on the door of our hearts to come and sup with us and reveal Himself more fully!

The "unseen" guest at every meal is about to be seen!

Bill Yount
www.billyount.com
theshofarhasblown@juno.com

Rick Joyner: "THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS RIGHT NOW INVADING THE EARTH"

Recovery of Truth

From the very beginning of the church in the first century, there have been those prone to compromising the gospel in order to appease people; trying to make it easier for them to accept. This tendency has always caused far more problems for the church and the faithful than it alleviated--making the faith seem more acceptable or less offensive. This has made more hypocrites than true converts and ultimately, it led to the darkest period of church history. Since then, there has been a gradual climbing out of the darkness and a recovery of light and truth.

The light and truth that has been recovered is the result of true disciples who became leaders, because they resolved to please God more than men. They cast off the temptation to compromise the gospel, and resolved to see and live by the truth before God, regardless of what others have thought about it. For this reason, those who are recovering more truth are inevitably surrounded by controversy and conflict, but that is a small price to pay for the peace within--when we know that we are pleasing God.

Glory and Light Being Released

Glory and light is being released into those who are in pursuit of truth. And as this recovery of truth is taking place, there is also increasing darkness and confusion growing in those who live seeking to please men rather than God. As Paul wrote in Galatians 1:10, "If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ." To the degree that we live trying to please men, we will depart from the true service of the Lord.

If we are going to be a part of His purposes and help prepare the way for His Kingdom, we must be free from the fear of man and live by the fear of God alone, as the Lord Jesus Himself made clear in John 5:44:

"How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another, and you do not seek the glory that is from the One and only God?"

The Greek word that is translated "glory" in this statement is doxa, which could also be translated "recognition" or "honor." As the Lord was stating with this question, this is not possible to have if we are living in order to receive glory or recognition from men instead of from God. The fear of man is the most basic destroyer of true faith.

True Disciples Live Free from the Fear of Man

As we proceed toward the end of this age, there will be true disciples and true leadership raised up who are free from the fear of man, and live only to please and serve the Lord. These will be considered the most dangerous people on the face of the earth. They will be dangerous to all who live by compromise and all that has been built for man rather than God.

The kingdoms of this world, the kingdoms of men, and the Kingdom of God, are on a collision course, and the conflict between them will steadily increase. However, if we know that we are obeying God and pleasing Him, we can have the whole world against us and be in perfect peace.

Though true leaders and disciples may still be rare, they are among us even now--those who are motivated to live only by the will of God. They are the leaven of the Kingdom, which will leaven the whole lump, the whole church. As we read in Daniel 2:44-45, Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the statue, which represented the kingdoms of this earth throughout history:

"And in the days of these kings the God of Heaven will set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever."

"Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold--the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure."

The Kingdom of Heaven is Right Now Invading the Earth

As was explained in Daniel 2:35, "And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth." There is a Kingdom in the midst of the kingdoms of this earth, which will grow from a stone until it is a mountain or a government, and then it will keep growing until it covers the whole earth. This Kingdom is composed of those whose lives are devoted to following the King. You can expect such to arise in every congregation.

There are those who will challenge compromise just as the King Himself did, and as the messenger who prepared His way the first time He came. They will be an increasing challenge to those who try to live lives of political and social correctness.

We tend to think of governments just in their political form, but spiritual governments are realms of power and influence. This includes entities such as the media, industries, economic institutions, educational institutions, etc.

A Stone is coming to strike the systems of this world, and those who do not bow the knee to the King will be like chaff before the wind. It is now being determined who will be a part of the Stone, and who will be a part of the chaff. As the Lord made clear in Matthew 16:24-26:

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."

"For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it."

"For what will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul?"

Paul the Apostle said that he died daily (I Corinthians 15:31). He was a true disciple. The same is true of all true disciples--they lay down their own lives every day to do the will of the Lord. They do not live for themselves, but they live for Him.

Choose This Day Who You Will Serve

Every day we are given the choice of whom we live for--ourselves or Him. Every day we can count on at least one opportunity to take up our own cross, to die to our own will or ambitions, to stand for His truth, and to serve Him instead of seeking to please men. How are we choosing? This is a primary factor that will determine which Kingdom we are a part of, and which Kingdom we will be standing with at the end.

Those who think they would certainly lay down their lives rather than compromise their faith in Jesus and His truth, are only fooling themselves if they are not doing this daily. Compromising the truth that we know is compromising our basic integrity, and this is a cancer which will spread until it takes over the whole body.

If we are not obedient in the little things, we will not be obedient in the big ones. The Greek word that is often translated "witness" in the New Testament, could literally be translated as "martyr." We are called to be a martyr every day. It is by this laying down of our own lives, our self-will, that we really witness to the truth of the gospel.

We can be sure there will be an increasing separation between the Kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world. Those who are servants of the King will stand out in increasing contrast. Jesus Christ is the answer to every human problem. And the failure to submit to God, to obey Him, is the ultimate cause of every human problem. This will be increasingly clear as we proceed toward the end of this age. How we choose today can help determine whether we will be a part of the Stone that will strike the feet of all of man's kingdoms, or the chaff.

We must resolve now that we are going to choose wisely and never, ever, compromise our convictions for the sake of appeasing or seeking the recognition of people, even other Christians.

If we are going to be a part of the Kingdom of God, then it must be the Lord God who we serve with our lives, not men.


Rick Joyner
MorningStar Ministries
www.morningstarministries.org

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[Hot News]

(Jul 26, 2006)

As the death toll, in the latest tsunami to hit Indonesia, rose to over 650 on Saturday, Christian relief groups have stepped-up, and joined together to help.

Providing food in a field kitchen for disaster victims was Church World Service-Indonesia's emergency response team, which includes a water and sanitation specialist from Norwegian Church Aid.

Operation Blessing is focusing on meeting medical needs in Southern Java, while the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) sent financial assistance to its ministry partners in the area, as well as helping to distribute tents, food and medicine.

Bill Horan, President of Operation Blessing, said, "The people of Indonesia are suffering from [the] disaster and terrorized over what might happen next."