Jesus Goes to Church (Ch.5 of “Jesus, Unleashed”)

She was sitting on the floor in her room, spending time with the Lord, crying. Of course, I didn’t understand why – I was four years old. So I asked her if she was sad. She said she was crying because she loved Jesus which raised my curiosity even more. I saw something in her that I wanted. I had to know him. So mom introduced me to her friend, the one who knew her best and loved her most. That was the beginning of a journey that has conditioned my whole life with him to such a degree that I’ve remained, for the most part, unsatisfied with anything less than the pure love he gave me the day we met.

And yet, throughout my life, there have been times when “religion” has tried to creep into my mind and heart to make me somehow think I needed something else. And there were times when I bought the lie and, without knowing it, headed away from the Lord down a path that was fun, on the surface, laden with “good” things, such as church activities, programs, events, etc. Then, in addition to all that, I read all the right books, attended all the cutting-edge, deeper-life conventions and conferences, listened to all the teaching tapes I could get my hands on, and went to church faithfully, every time the doors were open, like a good Christian. But still, something was wrong. Something was missing…

To read on, CLICK HERE.

* * * To purchase a copy of Jesus, Unleashed, go to Amazon.com.

Technology & the Fundamentals of Learning

“What if a good education doesn’t require everything we’ve made it today? Could the bells-and-whistles we’ve attached to learning be a part of why real learning is so rare? For instance, our electronic and digital age has changed education in a big way through computers, the internet, television, video games, etc. Yet, the overuse of technology in education is stifling the flow and freedom of learning through group dialogue and public debate, as well as modeling and mentoring, which have been essential to true education for hundreds of years…”

To read on, CLICK HERE.

The Fraud of Climate Change

What if we aren’t responsible for climate change? What if all our efforts to curb our carbon footprints are for nothing? There has been great concern on the part of the media, politicians, and the public over man-made climate change. And the environmental movement believes it is the responsibility of governments to dictate corrective, legislative action upon their citizens on Mother Nature’s behalf. However, I believe we all have a duty and responsibility to study the science of the environmental movement against the true causes of climate change so that we will have the tools we need to make an informed decision regarding the validity of this ideology…

To read more, CLICK HERE.

The Progressive Paradigm & American Politics – An Essay

“We cannot know history without understanding some of the extensive, underlying threads that weave in and out of its broad tapestry. One thread that has been a constant throughout history is Progressivism, which has manifested in various forms such as conservation, the redistribution of wealth (a.k.a. “Social Justice” or collective salvation), equality (a.k.a. fairness) liberalism, Statism, organized labor, economic interventionism, etc. What is more, the Progressive paradigm has influenced practically every facet of society, including literature, religion, architecture, history, and education. However, the purpose of this essay is to show how Progressivism has transformed American politics…”

To read on, CLICK HERE.

Rick Warren’s “Purpose” Theology is Incomplete

I received an email recently with the following:

Rick Warren

“In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, Rick said:  People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were not made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.”

First, of all, Rick isn’t wrong…his beliefs are simply incomplete…seriously incomplete. Let me explain…

1. Eternity has no beginning and no end; it’s always been and always will be; therefore, it cannot be prepared for because it already exists and is where we already are. Besides, as Solomon said, God has placed eternity in the hearts of men. So, how can we prepare for what is already in us?
2. The purpose of life is to live out of the overflow of our intimacy with the Lord Who lives IN US NOW. And not only does He live IN US, NOW, but in Colossians Paul said that the fullness of the Godhead dwells in us; not just Jesus or the Spirit BUT God the Father, God the Son, AND God the Holy Ghost. Then, also, let us not forget that Jesus said the Kingdom of Heaven is IN US as well. So, with that said, why would God want us to be with Him in Heaven when He is ALREADY with us AND in us NOW?
3. There is nothing in the Scripture that says “God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.” Adam and Eve walked with God in the cool (lit. the spirit) of the evening where they lived and interacted “with Him” as dear, intimate FRIENDS. And when they sinned, they were cut off from that relationship. However, Jesus reversed the curse. As one theologian has said, “Adam turn the Garden into a graveyard but Jesus turned the graveyard back into a Garden.” And NOW we can “be with Him”, walking in the cool of the day, in the Garden He has put us in within the context of our daily lives, intimately united to Him in every way; and we know this is true because, as the Scriptures say, our relationship to Him is like that shared by a child and their parent, by a wife and her husband, by a servant and their master, by a person and their best friend, by a plant and its caretaker, etc. And according to Hebrews, we can experience a level of union and communion with the Lord in this New Covenant day that FAR surpasses anything Adam and Eve ever could have experienced; in fact, Paul said that the reality of the New Testament, purchased by the shedding of Jesus’ blood, is far more glorious than anything mentioned in the Old Testament.

I am truly saddened by what people like Rick Warren have turned the Gospel into. They have reformed it into “pabulum” that tastes good – to the spiritually inept – but has no substance. Sure, what they are saying has a lot of Truth in it, but it is so incomplete that it has neutered the miracle of the New Covenant till it has become a mere sentimental ornament in our American devotionals rather than the source of unspeakable, resurrection power that transforms us, through and through, in our spirit, soul, and body. The American Gospel is easier to sell, easier to market, than what Jesus lived, died and was resurrected for, and now there are millions of Christians whose spiritual taste-buds and bellies have been so conditioned by this pseudo Gospel that they have developed an aversion, unknowingly, for the real the thing. And, unfortunately, people like Rick Warren have far more influence on the “christian” masses than the Word of God which is absorbed FAR less than Warren’s nuggets of incredible, untouchable, unquestionable insights.

It just reminds me that while the MAJORITY of “christians” are like this, there is a remnant that has been ruined for anything less than “the real thing”, as modeled by Jesus Himself, and they will not settle for less than all that He purchased on our behalf.

Stop Your Complaining!

Who would’ve thought that this little, seemingly insignificant county had such a rich, admirable heritage? Few things open our eyes to our latent potential more than a candid look at our history; and now, after touring the Round House, I am certain of the true, innate, God-given greatness in every one of us when I see the lives of people like Oliver Nestus Freeman who persevered and excelled, with incredible strength, courage, and ingenuity, against all odds, in the days of segregation and racial oppression. How much longer will we continue to complain and hide behind our excuses when men and women of this caliber have overcome giants larger than anything we can imagine today?

To continue reading, CLICK HERE.

A Glimpse of Religious Mayhem in Early NC

I’m reading North Carolina: Through Four Centuries by William S. Powell, published by the University of North Carolina Press. It’s required reading for my North Carolina History class, which I’m taking this semester. (I’m sure you’re yawning at the idea of reading any textbook, especially a history textbook, but for me, this is heaven.)

Anyway, I’ve come across an interesting section in chapter three called “Religion in the Colony” and has to do with establishing religious freedom and the installation of the tax-supported Church of England in early North Carolina, along with all kinds of convoluted politics. As I read through, I came across this…

“An Anglican missionary in Albermarle in 1701 found that the colonists fell into four distinct categories with regard to their religious leanings. First and most numerous were the Quakers whom he regarded as enemies of ‘the Church.’ (Church, spelled with a capital letter, meant the established church.)…The next largest group, he observed, were those who seemed to have no religion but who would have been Quakers if they had been willing to behave themselves. The third category consisted of people ‘somewhat like Presbyterians, which sort is upheld by some idle fellows who have left their lawful employment, and preach and baptize through the country, without any manner of order from any sect or pretended Church.’ These people, it has been suggested, may have been Baptists. Finally, the fourth and smallest group was composed of ‘the better sort of people, and would do very much for the settlement of the Church government there. The hopes of these Anglicans were stymied, however, by the three other groups…”

It goes on to say later…

“Another Anglican missionary, surely not the most unbiased of observers, referred to the Quakers in Perquimans Precinct as ‘very numerous, extremely ignorant, insufferably proud, and consequently ungovernable.’ Those in Pasquotank he found to be ‘factious, mutinous, and domineering.’“

Earlier in this section of the book, it was stated that anyone who was not a part of the Church of England, but was a Protestant who could worship as they pleased, were called “Dissenters” because they dissented from the creed, beliefs, and rituals of the Anglican church.

When I read all this information, I thought about what it all meant in a contemporary sense. I thought about the growing movement in America, which is already strong throughout the rest of the world, where people are being drawn out of “the established church,” with all its traditions and liturgy, and how they are considered by many to be “dissenters” who have “dissented from “the creed, beliefs, and rituals” of the American/Western Church.

Anyone who has studied the Quakers, along with the Moravians and the rest of those who were considered Puritans, knows that they had the real thing for the most part and yet they were considered “enemies of ‘the Church’,” who were considered by “the better sort of people” as ignorant, arrogant, factious, mutinous and domineering. Incredible!

Near the end of the “Religion in the Colony” section, it says that there was a man by the name of “Henderson Walker, an able and zealous Anglican churchman,” who became governor in 1699. “He expressed concern that the colony had gone forty years ‘without priest or alter.’” In 1701, this man secured the passage of the FIRST church law in Carolina, called the Vestry Act which basically provided for a massive building up of the Anglican church, on the government dole. He also got another bill through in 1703; it demanded that all members of the government Assembly had to devote themselves to the Church of England and also had to take an oath of allegiance to Queen Anne, who was Queen of Britain at that time.

All of this smacks of the same political and religious control which runs so rampant in the overall church system today. It’s all the same spirit which has energized this kind of stuff throughout the ages on so many stages, in so many ways, with so many varying church sects.

Personally, I consider myself to be a modern Puritan of sorts – a Moravian specifically.

How about you?

[Note: While I'm on the subject, you may want to reference chapter five of my book Jesus, Unleashed, entitled "Jesus Goes to Church," where I dissect the life and ministry of Jesus as he related to the religious system of His day and how it relates to us. To purchase a copy of Jesus, Unleashed, go to www.lulu.com/spotlight/JoelKillion. Thank you.]

‘Emerging Church’: Should You Really Worship Jesus in a Bar?

TWO HARBORS, Minn. (AP) — It was a Sunday during Advent, and inside a small pub a few blocks up from the north shore of Lake Superior, 17 people gathered around four bar-top tables shoved into a ring…

…“I’m a reality person, and I’m finding a little too much established religion here to be honest,” Shank said. “I believe, I pray — but I don’t like structured religion.”…

To read on, CLICK HERE.

What do you think?

Be Yourself

It was a normal day at school when all of a sudden our parents came in, took us by the hand, and lead us out of the public elementary school, starting us on an amazing journey that would change our lives forever…

To read on, CLICK HERE.

Bigotry, Balderdash, and Butterfield

On October 16 2010, Congressman G. K. Butterfield gave an interesting and bothersome speech at his Appreciation Rally. Gathered at the intersection of Nash Street and Pender Street, in front of a crowd of his adoring supporters most of whom were Black, Congressman Butterfield said…

To read on, CLICK HERE.

Is Home Schooling More Beneficial Than Traditional School?

I lost my job this past July and have since gone back to school to get my degree (I also work with Sylvan as a tutor). My intention was originally to become a teacher but that is now up in the air since the public education system is now being destroyed from the inside out by our Liberal/Progressive leaders in Raleigh and Washington. So, I am now leaning toward Political Science, but we’ll see.

Anyway, one of my projects this semester was to write an Argumentative Essay on a topic of my choice from a list that was provided by my professor. Coincidentally, the 5th item on that list of possible topic was “Is Home Schooling (teaching children at home) more beneficial than traditional schooling?“

Here is the complete topic list – thought you’d be intrigued by it:

• Corporal Punishment–Should parents smack, slap or hit their children to correct misbehavior?
• Is the lack of parental discipline the cause of troubled and violent children and teenagers?
• Should smoking be banned?
• Are security cameras taking away our privacy?
• Is Home Schooling (teaching children at home) more beneficial than traditional schooling?
• Is End-of-Grades Testing too stressful for young children?
• Should people be forced to retire at age 65?
• Should we use animal testing for medicine, cosmetics, chemicals, and food products?
• Is hunting animals morally acceptable?
• Should gun laws be stricter?
• Should men be allowed to have more than one wife?
• Plastic surgeries: a way to become more beautiful, or someone’s unhealthy idea?
• Should laws be stricter for teenage drinking and driving?
• What can be done to prevent teenage suicides?
• What can be done to address the rising rates of teenage pregnancies?
• Should juveniles (children under 18) be tried as adults for the crimes they commit?
• Are cell phones dangerous?
• Should alcohol be made illegal?
• Should marijuana be made legal?
• Should physician-assisted suicide be legalized?
• Should college athletic programs be reformed?
• Has athletes’ greed marred professional sports?
• Should steroids be banned from sports?
• Should schools distribute condoms?
• Should sex education classes be taught at schools?
• Will stricter dress codes improve the educational environment?
• Are curfews effective and constitutional?
• What should be done about school violence?
• Is juvenile crime a serious problem in the schools?
• Should employees be tested for drug use?
• Should pregnant addicts be prosecuted?
• Is Same-sex adoption beneficial?
• Is Mixed-race adoption beneficial?
• Can date rape be proven?
• Is domestic violence against men a problem?
• Should plea bargaining be abolished?
• Should casino gambling be prohibited?
• Should lotteries be prohibited?
• Should the insanity defense be abolished?
• Does media violence contribute to society’s violence?
• Do violent video games contribute to teenage violence?
• Does violent music contribute to teenage violence?
• Is television harmful for children?
• Does pornography harm society?
• Should Internet pornography be censored?
• Should the welfare program be reformed?
• Does “tough love” really work?
• Do school uniforms work?
• What can be done about gangs and gang violence?
• What can be done about the growing drug abuse crisis?
• What can be done about child molestation?
• What can be done about elderly abuse?

I wish I had had the chance to write on some of the other topics since I would love to shed some light on some things. However, as someone who was home schooled for 10 years I knew what my topic was going to be, so I got to work. Needless to say, I’ve already earned my grade for the final draft of my essay, but I am doing some more work on it so I can add and amend a few things. In the meantime, here’s a copy of what I have done so far – CLICK HERE. I hope you enjoy it.

Ten Prejudices, One Root, One Solution

A few years ago I wrote a short piece called “The Fall of Prejudice“, which I meant to publish in our local newspaper but never did (Maybe I still will, sometime soon). To tell you the truth, the topic I addressed required more attention than the 400 word limit the newspaper puts on letters to the Editor, yet I did the best I could to cram the crème de la crème of my message into the fewest words possible; as Shakespeare once said, in Hamlet, “Brevity is the soul of wit”.

Be that as it may, this particular article has been on my heart a lot recently since I was asked to be a part of the Race4Unity Race Relations Discussion Panel which took place a few weeks ago. The issue of race is a big deal for some people who haven’t grown beyond it, and as I said while on the discussion panel, “Racism is only an issue for those who have nothing else to stand on or who have their identity in playing the victim card.” I pity the very few in this country and world who are stuck in the thick of thin things. It’s really sad, but it is not a broad issue and should not be treated as such because the vast majority of people have matured beyond such trifle mess (of course, the mainstream media has pumped this issue with so much hot air that those who rely on the media have been conditioned with a disturbing sense of reality). In fact, I would argue that everyone is prejudiced but in very different ways, which brings me back to my article.

Here’s the premise: Prejudice manifests in ten general forms – Racial, Sexual, Chronological, Geographical, Educational, Financial, Physical, Denominational, Ministerial, and Doctrinal – and they all have one common root which can be deadened by one kryptonite-like anti-dote (Note: The ten prejudices come from chapter three of Dr. Kelley Varner’s book, The More Excellent Ministry).

Curious? CLICK HERE

Insights for America

In December of last year, at the MorningStar New Year’s Eve Conference, numerous revelations were shared regarding America’s past, present, and future. Of course, being someone who loves to make these kinds of things available to those who are hungry for true substance and life, I took some time to transcribe the “meat-n-taters” of what was shared. And now I would like to share them with you again since it remains a fresh and relevant word for now. CLICK HERE

Race4Unity 2010: A Discussion Forum on Race Relations in the 21st Century

“Race4Unity 2010 is a discussion forum on the state of race relations in the 21st century. This powerful event will be moderated by Jammin99 FM Radio Personality and Operations Manager David Perkins.”

The list of panelists can be viewed at http://race4unity2010.eventbrite.com.

View the Race4unity flyer.pdf (Please print off as many copies as you can and post them at your workplace, church, grocery store, community event boards, etc.).

REGISTER at http://race4unity2010.eventbrite.com.

For more information call Contending for the Faith Church Ministries at 252-237-9054 or contact S. Denice Newton at 252-315-1663 or by email at sdenicenewton@gmail.com.

NEW RELEASE: Jesus Unleashed (Order Your Copy Today!!!)

After about 7 years of studying the Gospels, writing about Jesus, praying over His life, re-writing everything over and over again, and making correction after correction as directed by my beloved “brutal editors” (ha ha), it is finally done.

My prayer and intention in writing this 6 chapter, 124-pg book is to present a balanced view of Jesus that many may not have considered. Of course, there are nearly 45 other articles on various aspects of Jesus’ life and ministry still on my hard drive that will, only day, perhaps, be chapters in other books, but this book contains 6 chapters that address 6 issues I’ve noticed in the church that Jesus’ words and deeds alone can remedy.

To purchase your copy, click here. Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and support.

Our Home Schooling Story – Sharon Killion

My mom recently wrote this to share our homeschooling testimony with some friends, and I thought I would share it with all of you as well. When I read her first draft, it brought tears to my eyes – so many wonderful memories – and it got better with each revision. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. To read it, click here.

9/12 March on Washington Debrief

During the 3 day battle at Gettysburg, there was a regiment called the 14th Brooklyn Red Legged Devils, who carried a flag with the motto, “The price of liberty is eternal vigilance.” This quote sums up for me our greatest need as a nation that must NEVER be dropped…NEVER, NEVER, NEVER.

This is why the Killion family has been to every possible local Tea Party and Town Hall meeting since April 14th, when 700+ Tea Parties were held all over America; 2000+ patriots rallied at the Capitol Building in Raleigh and we had a ball as we’ve peacefully protested bloated govt, out-of-control spending and taxation without representation, cap-n-trade (aka cap-n-tax), govt-run Health Care, etc. We even went to an Americans for Prosperity “Hands Off My Health-Care” event in Bill’s BBQ parking lot, here in Wilson, NC.

And we are proud to be a part of history that was made this past Saturday, on September 12, 2009 at the March on Washington (Visit The Official Website). My mom and dad, James Miller (a long-time friend of ours) and I drove up to DC on Friday night, spent the night in Maryland with one of my wife’s relative’s, woke up early to catch a ride on the subway from Carrollton Station to Federal Triangle and arrived at Freedom Plaza where 1000s upon 1000s were already gathered. We soon learned that each state was meeting in different places at Freedom Plaza, designated by state-specific flags, banners or standards. So we found NC and joined in. As we stood there (I found a high concrete wall to stand on so I could see everything), we saw the size of the crowd that just kept on growing and growing. It looked like people were flowing in on every side street like dozens of rivers flowing into an ocean and as Freedom Plaza filled up, the streets started backing up, including Pennsylvania Avenue, all the way back to the White House. The whole area was shut down for this sea of peaceful humanity and, guess what…there was not even one arrest the whole time.

Then, the march started. The crowd was so big that it took a lot to get it moving and when it started moving, it flowed very slowly, with the people almost on top of each other (To see an aerial shot, click here). When we finally got to The Mall, we all were amazed to see that thousands upon thousand were already flooding the front and sides of Capitol Hill. As we made our way around the pool in front of the Capitol, we found a place to sit and sat amazed at how many were there and STILL flooding in from Penn Ave and even every direction.

I eventually got a text message from my brother, Tyler, at 11:33am which read, “Having fun? I wish I could have gone. Take pictures. Be careful and I love u all. Tyler.” I then responded to him, at 11:52am, while we were sitting in front of the pool in front of the Capitol Building, “It’s amazing. 100s of 1000s and they r still POURING in. We heard 800 to 900 thousand and also heard over a million. Every1 is SO polite. The Mall is filling up QUICK! We r safe. Wish u were here 2.”

According to what I heard from Metro police and others who heard the same thing, 1.2 million people were present. Parks and recreation said 1.5 million. The UK Media reported 1 million. Mail Online and others have heard 2 million. Many in the mainstream media are saying this was “the largest rally against President Barack Obama since he took office” but, obviously, this is an incredible understatement. The New York Times said, “Many came on their own and were not part of an organization or group. But the magnitude of the rally took the authorities by surprise, with throngs of people streaming from the White House to Capitol Hill for more than three hours.” Michelle Malkin wrote that this march “rivaled the ‘Million Man March’ and the ‘Million Mom March’ for sure.” [By the way, I just heard that a 500,000+ anti-Obamacare petition is headed to D.C. Also, last week, 10,000 doctors signed and submitted a petition directly to Congress, opposing their Health Care Reform proposals; they also provided their own Health Care Reform ideas (i.e. TORT Reform, Intra-state Health Insurance marketing, etc)]

Soon after we sat down behind the pool in front of the Capitol building, I got antsy and had to get up so I could investigate the size of the crowd. I also had to pee. So I got up and headed down toward the Washington Monument, away from the Capitol building. As I walked I saw “Don’t Tread On Me” flags, American flags, tea-party/protesting signs, shirts and hats everywhere and I do mean everywhere. As I walked down The Mall and looked down every side street, I saw protesters down every one of them. We truly took over the entire area. I wondered if all these scattered folks were counted in the numbers the police and the parks and recreation personel had calculated. When I finally got to an art museum to pee, protesters were in there too, all over the place, resting and waiting to use the bathrooms. The spirit of freedom and life and liberty was everywhere, in everyone’s eyes. The elderly and youth and everyone in between were present, standing for the greatness of America. It was inspiring. I didn’t see one racist sign or hear one racist remark because, for us, it wasn’t about race and never has been. It’s about “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” It’s about the maintenance of all our founders fought and died for.

And yet David Axelrod says this protest does not represent the views of the broader public when it comes to health care reform. And the funny thing is that there wasn’t one ACORN, SEIU, AARP, union thug around, as far as we could see and hear. I guess George Soros and the rest of Obama’s funders could afford to pay anyone to face us.

At around 2pm, we decided to leave so we wouldn’t get caught in heavy traffic once the March disbanded. As we started back, we kept seeing and meeting tea partiers all the way from The Mall, at the subway stations, on the subway and at the parking lot where we parked at Carrollton Station. It was a great experience, another of many more to come because, “The price of liberty is eternal vigilance.”

Oh ya, I took pics – Click Here. Enjoy!

7 Writing Lessons from Mark Batterson @ Evotional.com

My head has been buried in my next book, but I thought I’d leave the writing forest for awhile and blog about the process. Hope this helps some other writers.

Here are a few 30,000 foot observations:

1) Writing is praying with a keyboard. That is my biggest revelation this time around. My books are 200-page prayers.

2) I used to hate editing because my ego was too fragile. I don’t know how, but somewhere between the last book and this book I’ve fallen in love with the editing process. Why? Because my ultimate goal is to make this the best book possible. My editors give me an outside perspective that gives me so much more perspective on my writing.

3) I’m more of a right-brain writer, but that can be frustrating for left-brain readers. My editor has helped me write with a little more linear logic without losing the right-brain creativity. And a big part of that is simply helping the reader identify the problem you want to help them with.

4) I want to write prophetic words. That’s been my prayer this week as I finish final edits. I want people to be able to pinpoint one paragraph or one page that changed their life.

5) Writing is like letting someone into your brain. For better or for worse, welcome to my brain. It’s an act of transparency.

6) You’ve got to have tremendous tenacity. That’s what it comes down to. I’ve been gutting it out this week. My short-term memory is shot. I’m seeing spots. But I’m going to get this book done.

7) I have a love/hate relationship with deadlines. They stress me out, but because of my perfectionism, I need deadlines. Without a deadline I’d never get done.

March on Washington DC on 9.12.2009

Today is the day. We roll out tonight to Washington DC to protest Big Govt, Big Taxes, Big Spending, Big Brother, Big Health Care and so much more. My mom, dad, a family friend of ours and I are leaving tonight (today is Friday), spending the night in MD, Marching on Washington in front of Capital Hill tomorrow and will drive back tomorrow night. We are super excited to be a part of this historic event to exercise our 1^st Amendment Rights for “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” Rasmussen polling numbers say 53% are opposed to Obamacare (And Obama’s approval rating is plummeting across the board, across party lines) and as far as what I have heard, over a million grassroots patriots will gather on The Mall to oppose the direction our current leadership is taking us in.

It’s going to take everything in me to pull myself away from my wife and our 4 daughters for 24 hours but I am doing this for them and for our kid’s kids and every future generation.

Interview w/ Author and Speaker, Wayne Jacobsen

A very sweet, sincere couple, Steve and Sheryl Eastman, who are dear friends of the Killion family, interviewed Wayne Jacobsen for Open Heaven.com. Wayne is the author of So You Don’t Want To Go To Church Anymore and He Loves Me! and co-author (w/ Brad Cummings) of The Shack, with William P. Young – all great reads.

To read the interview, click here.

To go to Wayne’s official website, see his name on my links.

Dream: The Shack, Snakes & Retreaters

The following is a dream that a good friend of mine had a few days ago. Her first name is Robin. She sent the dream to me, asking me and others to pray for the interpretation. After praying and getting what I felt was my part, I found that the dream offered wisdom and understanding for our times that needs to be shared with a wider audience. So, here’s the e-mail I sent her, with the dream and interpretation; her dream is in blue while my comments are in read, with brackets. If you get anything on this dream, feel free to share it in the comments section. Thanks!:

 

Robin – This dream is very significant. I believe it has been given to you for intercession. Here is my part. Pray over it and see if this confirms anything for you or with anything you get from anyone else.

 

“It started out with my sister-in-law (who passed away suddenly from a heart attack about a year and a half ago) and I were at some sort of retreat, very lush and a little tropical,  tall trees with limbs cut up very high and lush green grass underneath.” [Robin, in this dream, you represent a part of the Body of Christ that has a “retreat” mentality (This is not to say that you personally have a “retreat” mindset; rather, the Lord is allowing you (and others in these times) to identify and thus sympathize with this part of His Body in order to equip you with compassion for them which will give you authority to bring them to a place of courage as overcomers. Your deceased sister-in-law speaks of the part of the Bride which “lost heart” and is also on a “retreat.”]

 

“She (Terri) walked a little ahead to see the water (this place was on a jutted out piece of land, where water was on nearly every side.) I was looking around at the beauty and the trees and the breeze started blowing…” [The water speaks of the Word and the Spirit. The Word and the Spirit was nearly surrounding you all and as you were looking around at nature which reveals the handiwork of God, the Wind, the Spirit began to blow; as you began to focus on Him, He began to respond.]

 

“…I saw a VERY large blue snake with designs sort of like a moccasin. He was very large at some points, about as big as your upper arm, tapering off to real slender with a very small head. I wondered if it was some sort of python or something. Then I saw that there were many more just like it hanging all in the trees everywhere and they seemed to be multiplying very quickly.” [This “VERY large blue snake” speaks of a very influential counterfeit prophetic ministry (“blue” often speaks of open-heavens, thus revelation). The “small head” speaks of that entities’ inadequate submission to Jesus, the Head (the same error committed by the Colossian church; they stopped holding Christ the Head), which explains why the (corporate) body of that snake was bloated (“very large”) in certain parts of its body (this also speaks of a loss of proper circulation in that body; that body of “prophetic believers” lacks an ebb-n-flow among it’s different parts). The other blue snakes that were hanging in trees speaks of a collective counterfeit prophetic movement that is in league with the VERY large blue snake; and they are hanging in trees which speaks of dwelling in “high places” (This points to them being “leaders.”)]

 

“I called to Terri and said we’d better go to the cabin. She said, not to be so worried about them. When we got to the cabin, we shut the back door, and I looked around to see how the place was put together – if there were any cracks around the floor or ceiling, and said ‘it will be easier to keep the snakes out, than to get them out, if they get in.’” [You show more discernment than Terri (Again, you and Terri represent the parts of the body that are “retreaters” rather than “overcomers”; the only difference between you two is that she has “lost heart” and you haven’t which is why you are able to “see” – discern – better than she can, below the surface.) She did not have a sense of urgency like you did (This is very encouraging as it shows that there are some “retreaters” who have the gift of perception from the Lord which can help them stay on the path to the degree they can “see.”). And yet, with that said, there was no reason to run from those snakes since their heads, the authority, was small and their bodies, their strength, was bloated and therefore retarded. If the “retreaters” knew who they were in Christ, they would overcome the snake-hoard (This reminds me now of the snakes of shame in Rick Joyner’s The Final Quest; there may be a correlation there.).]

 

“Then a very distinguished, blue-blood looking older woman came up on the front porch and we all 3 stood there looking over the cliff at the water, and the wind began to blow very hard,  and she said  ”there’s a storm coming,  a big storm. many have died in the 4-way seas”,  and very distinctly you could see the waves coming up and coming together from 4 different directions. Many people in the lower areas, near the beach were still lying in the sun, playing in the surf and continued to, even after the sun went away and the clouds billowed up.” [The “very distinguished, blue-blood looking older woman” was a seasoned seer-company in the Bride of Christ. She brought you OUT of the retreat cabin, the place of “retreat”, onto the front porch (the front lines) and near the cliff (the cutting edge) where you could get “the big picture” of what was going on at that moment and what was soon to come. She informed you of the magnitude of what was coming and what it had already done. Your eyes were opened. The waves that came from “4 different directions” parallels with the four winds of the earth in the Book of Revelation – each wind has its own purpose and, together, provide a balanced operation of God in the earth to bring judgment and restoration. Those who were on “the lower areas” speaks of those who are on the lower levels of “the Faith” – less mature – who are less aware of what is on the horizon; they were “laying in the sun” which shows they are receiving from the Son but they were “playing in the surf” which means they aren’t paying attention and were thus completely oblivious to the coming danger. Then when the sun (Son) set and the clouds billowed up, they stuck to “business as usual” even though the Presence (warmth) of the Son (sun) was gone.]

 

“Then I saw the mayor/man who was in charge of the resort, and wanted to get his opinion on the storm, he seemed  frustrated and in a hurry. I asked him, ”where are we exactly, are we in Africa ? ” He responded ” Yes,  you are”, then I asked him where were people going to go to wait out the storm, he pointed to some small campers, travel trailers, and then a tall beach fraternity looking house – I then asked him about the cabin we were in, if it was built pretty sturdily, and he said, “well, it’s been here a long time, it has real mortar between the logs, you are in Winston Churchill’s place.” [It’s interesting that you used the word “resort” when speaking of the “retreat” area; people go to resorts when they go on vacations, when they want to vacate or retreat from something. The “man/mayor” who was in charge of the resort speaks of those religious leaders who are in charge (authority) of keeping the “retreat” area up and running (“Resorts” are business; they make money; the “man/mayor” kept the resort running so he could benefit financially). You asked him for counsel which shows that the “retreaters” (the fearful) are unable to discern the difference between wise counsel and wicked counsel; this reminds me of Psalm 1 (Again, this is not about you Robin, but cowardly “Christians.”). Africa is called “The Dark Continent”; darkness speaks of confusion (light speaks of understanding or revelation). Therefore, “retreaters”, blue snakes and those who are in charge of the “retreat” area dwell in darkness or confusion. And it showed when the “mayor/man”  told you guys to do the few things one should never do in a terrible storm – take refuge in a “small camper” or “travel trailer” (there is nothing safe about these forms of shelter in storms). And when he referred you to the “tall beach fraternity looking house,” I looked up the word “fraternity” and it deals with a close-knit, exclusive brotherhood; this speaks to me of a “secret society”, something that is closed and secretive which speaks of that which is in darkness (this is a confirmation of the principle of confusion that is a part of these kinds of “Christians”); anything that is in darkness is not of God since He is Light and there is no darkness in Him. The tallness of the frat house speaks of its “appearance” as being something that “seems” substantive or significant – the key word is “appearance.” Apparently, Robin, you didn’t feel comfortable with the small campers, travel trailers or the tall beach frat looking house so you asked about the cabin. The “man in charge” told you the cabin was old and that mortar was between the logs but he never answered your question as to its strength. Finally, as for it being Winston Churchill’s place (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winston_Churchhill), I feel this was the “mayor/mans” attempt to further define the strength of the old house by attaching a strong name to it. Also, since the Lord IS raising up an army of prophetic statesman, that in many ways carries the spirit and nobility of Churchill, this reference to the cabin belonging to Churchill reveals a counterfeit army; this army wants so badly to be recognized and known as being legitimate that they are willing to associate themselves with those who actually are; therefore, they “seem” to be what they are not. They are pretenders.]

 

Robin, this dream was given to give you insight into a large segment of the Body of Christ for prayer. Pray also about sharing this with the Body of Christ when you are led, especially with other prophetic intercessors who can pray into this thing. The Lord is trying to warn His Body about dark days ahead. Much of the Body of Christ will not survive what is coming while in their present condition. The issue regarding discernment is VITAL and deals with spiritual hearing and intuition; those who are unable to discern the times and who are unable to clearly hearing and obey the Lord’s voice will be taken by surprise and overcome by the wind and waves of crisis. This is a warning dream. In His mercy, He is trying to break through to us to prepare all of us. He is calling all of us to another level of relationship and prophetic sensitivity to Him. He is calling His Body to Truth and honor and away from pretending. He is also exposing the counterfeits of the Kingdom. Ezekiel 44 reveals a Zadok priesthood that knows “the difference between the holy and the common” and shows God’s people “how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean.” The Lord is raising up overcomers, who have ears to hear, who are strong in the Word, who have a backbone and walk in Psalm 1.

 

And remember, since the Lord allowed you to IDENTIFY with the “retreat-er believers”, He has given you the ability to sympathize with them, to meet them where they are and bring them out of their darkness and defeat, into the Light.

 

Well, I hope you enjoyed this. Comment, if you have anything you’d like to add. We would love to hear what you think or feel about this. Peace.

He “Hath” Done Great Things

There are few things in life that have the power to encourage and inspire true believers like learning and remembering all Jesus did in His Finished Work on the Cross. That final act as a human being was His greatest victory of all time. He finished and complete all things. He reversed the curse, restored the way to fellowship with God, provided every blessing of Eden and beyond and went even further by giving us the grace to experience the beauty and reality of Heaven on earth.

The old saying, “Ignorance is bless” is a farse. Ignorance leads to death. Many are perishing for a lack of knowledge and vision. The following link will give you a springboard from which you can discover all that Jesus “HATH” done for you and all who are His – He “Hath” Done Great Things. As you read over this short message, I dare you to try and think of one thing Jesus DIDN’T provide for you and me through His Finished Work. And then, when you revert to living like Jesus still has to do something for you, hear Him ask you what He asked me: “What part of ‘It is finished’ did you not understand“?

Then, I would encourage you to pull out your Strong’s Concordance and look up ”now” and ”in him“. This will rocket you into orbit, trust me. It changed my life forever.  ;)

Kickoff

Well, this had to happen at some point. I’m really doing this in preparation for the publication of my first book which does not yet have a set title (there are over a dozen in the can to pick from but none of them grip me). Every author has a blog, right? Well, I sure hope so cause here it tiz.

Anyway, this blog is going to have a Heinz 57 variety of topics over the months and years to come: Political, spiritual, historical, socialogical etcetera. I really hope though to treat this as an authentic journal of sort. I will also throw in updates from time to time on my beautiful wife, Lauren, and our three gorgeous girls, Moriah (Born 4/7/04) and Kathryn and Olivia, our twins (Born 11/23/2006). Oh and we also have a another girl on the way who we think will be named Laylah Grace but we aren’t set on that yet – at least Lauren isn’t (I love that name personally).

So, ok, more is to come. It’s late so I’m heading to bed. I don’t know why I do this to myself. It’s 12/07 pm and Daylight Savings Time is actually taking an hour away from me tonight – it’s not “saving” me anything so I say we call it Daylight Losing Time at this time of year. But is that going to happen? Nooooooooo.

night night