Modern Day Mystics

RAFAEL D. FRANKEL and OREN KLASS, THE JERUSALEM POST Dec. 27, 2005

Iran is but six months away from achieving technological independence in its quest to develop a nuclear bomb, Mossad Chief Meir Dagan told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee during his yearly briefing to the body Tuesday.

Though he refused to lay out a specific time line for when Iran could complete work on a nuclear weapon, Dagan appeared to accelerate the most recent prediction made by Israeli intelligence. On December 13, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz said Iran could begin enriching uranium by March 2006 but would not be able to develop a bomb until 2008.

The Islamic State has made a "strategic decision to reach nuclear independence," Dagan said, and once it reached that goal it would then be only a matter of "a few months" before it was able to finish building a nuclear bomb.

Dagan further warned that Iran would not be content with just one nuclear weapon. "If they continue undisturbed, and they succeed in developing fissile material, they won't be content in the amount needed for just one bomb, they will try to make more," the Mossad chief warned. "You don't need a lot of fissile material, you just need it to be enriched."

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called for Israel to "be wiped off the map."

Iran has already produced 40 tones of UF6, a compound used in the uranium enrichment process that produces fuel for nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons. That amount of UF6 could produce 40 kilograms of fissile material, Dagan said. Iran is also continuing to "build and enhance" centrifuges, which are part of its nuclear program.

Despite the mounting threat Iran's nuclear weapons program posses, Dagan implied there is still time for a peaceful solution to the dispute if the international community is willing to take action soon.

Economic sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council "would be very effective," Dagan said. Since Iran imported 40 percent of its refined fuel, and also relied heavily on imported spare parts for its vehicles, it was highly susceptible to coordinated and targeted sanctions from the international community, he said.

"The chances of this going to the Security Council are higher than they were in the past," he said.

The Mossad chief was careful in his presentation to the Knesset committee not to use the words "point of no return" in describing when, in his estimate, Iran would be able to complete its nuclear ambitions without any outside help. Rather, he used the phrase "technical independence". The difference could imply that even once Iran was able to make a nuclear weapon, it may still be persuaded not to by outside forces or agreements.

Dagan's briefing to the Knesset committee comes on the heels of a Saturday report by German newspaper Der Spiegel that the Mossad had marked six Iranian nuclear facilities the IAF would hit in a pre-emptive strike. Additionally, a Tuesday Ma'ariv report said Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was coordinating intelligence on Iran with the United States.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday that Israel had modified American-made Harpoon cruise missiles in order to launch them from submarines as a means to further dissuade Iran from becoming a nuclear power itself.

Efforts by the United Kingdom, France, and Germany to convince Iran to give up its nuclear program have so far proven fruitless while a
recent offer from Russia to Iran to enrich uranium in Russia for a peaceful Iranian nuclear power program has gone unanswered.

Nevertheless, the United States and other countries have said they will give Iran until March to comply with international demands for it to halt its nuclear program before referring the Islamic State to the Security Council for possible sanctions.

In his briefing to the committee, Dagan also touched on the "global jihad" being waged by Muslim militants, saying that Israelis and Jews remain prime targets around the world.

The goal, he said, of the global jihad is to establish a "pan-Islamic entity" similar to the Caliphate which once spanned huge parts of Asia, Africa, and southern Europe. "They have independent infrastructures all over the world, there is no one central headquarters," Dagan said, describing the command structure of the global jihad.

Despite ideology which sometimes overlapped, Hamas and Islamic Jihad have, for the most part, remained outside the global jihad network due to their more focused goal of establishing a Palestinian state, Dagan said.

With assistance from Egypt and Jordan in the global war on terror, and the threat to Israel from Syria and Lebanon severely diminished,
Israel's main threat following Iran was now veterans of the Iraq War, Dagan said.

Foreign fighters who have undergone training and cut their teeth in Iraq were now returning home and "setting up their own infrastructures there," he said. "The absurd thing is that the more success the United States has in Iraq, the more dangerous it will be for Israel."

Despite reports to the contrary, Dagan also said there are "no signs at all" that there is a discernable movement to overthrow Bashar Assad in Syria. "There is unity around Assad, and he controls the old guard.

He has the last word on all matters," the Mossad chief said.


This article can also be read at http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1135679238181&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

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Copyright 1995-2005 The Jerusalem Post - http://www.jpost.com/

"Guitarist Brian "Head" Welch, a founding member of Korn, has left the band and has rededicated his life to Christianity, according to the group's management.

"Korn has parted ways with guitarist Brian 'Head' Welch, who has chosen Jesus Christ as his savior, and will be dedicating his musical pursuits to that end," a statement from the band reads. "Korn respects Brian's wishes, and hopes he finds the happiness he's searching for."

On Tuesday, Korn's management made a formal announcement that guitarist Brian "Head" Welch was leaving the band to rededicate his life to Christianity. On Thursday night, in an effort to explain his decision to both his fans and his former bandmates,

"I wanted to tell [Jonathan Davis], 'You guys were out partying while I was sitting on the tour bus wanting to die.' " — Brian "Head" Welch

Welch spoke with MTV News.

"I love everybody in the band — I was afraid to leave. It made me sad to think that I would be hurting the band if I left. For the last year and a half, I wanted to leave, but someone would always talk to me and convince me to stay," Welch said. "But I've had a problem with the way things were going since the second record. I mean, we would do things, and I would be like, 'Oh, this is metal! This is the rock and roll life!' But inside, I thought they took it too far. It was a little too crude for me."

Welch said that the statement issued by Korn's management company blew things out of proportion, and that his newfound spirituality was just another step on his path of self-discovery (see "Brian 'Head' Welch Leaves Korn, Citing Moral Objections To Band's Music"). It wasn't the reason he left Korn — the band he helped form in 1993, a band that's sold more than 11 million records in the U.S. He left because he had become sick of "chasing the almighty buck," and felt that being respected by his young daughter was more important than being rich.

"I have a 6-year-old daughter, and I want her to be able to look me in the eye. I'm a single dad, that's what it comes down to," he said. "And the guys were really accommodating when I would tell them that. They'd be like, 'Bring your daughter on tour! We'll work the tour around you.' But that's not the place for a 6-year-old. She would be sitting backstage sometimes, just counting dollars. Because Fieldy would tell her, 'Every time you hear a curse word, you'll get a dollar. It will help us stop cursing.' And at the end of the day, she'd turn to me and be like, 'Look at all my money, Daddy!' "

So after a weekend of soul-searching, coupled with reading from a Bible his friend had leant him, Welch decided it was time to go. And his decision was not a popular one with his bandmates.

"I think it made the guys mad. It confused them. I left at the worst possible time. We got off Sony, and all the money was there, we were going to own all of our songs, but I had to prove to myself that money wasn't my God," he said. "I talked to Jonathan [Davis] and he said, 'I don't get it, man, you're all happy and we're sitting here grieving because our band is breaking up. And I wanted to tell him, 'Well, for years, you guys were out partying while I was sitting on the tour bus wanting to die.' "

Welch also said that for the past month, he's been trying to reach out to the other members of Korn, but has gotten little response. He said he spent his final days in Korn talking with bassist Fieldy, and had even mentioned the songs he'd been recording on his own, which reflected his growing spirituality. Fieldy was less than receptive.

"I just asked Fieldy if he'd be interested in producing some of the stuff I've been working on, but he hasn't called me back in weeks," Welch said. "I mean, I was saying some stuff to him during my final days in Korn, some crazy stuff. But since I've left the band, I've heard nothing from him at all."

Welch's solo material — which will be released under the name "Head" — will not be Christian music. Rather, he said, he wants it to be an "extension of the Korn family."

"I always loved that Korn's music helped kids let out aggression. But with my new music, I want kids to know that there's more out there," he said. "I want to show them there's a light at the end of the pain tunnel. That there's more out there than just aggression. I want to say to them, 'Hey kids, come over here. Let's bounce back and forth and have fun.' "

And yes, Welch does plan on speaking on Sunday at the Valley Bible Fellowship. He's just not certain what he's going to say. He's just going to speak from the heart. And he wants his fans to know that even if they can't make it out to Bakersfield, California, to hear him speak, they can check out his message on his new Web site — www.HeadToChrist.com — which launches Friday (February 25).

"Man, when I get up there onstage, it's going to be me just letting things flow. I have no idea what I'm going to say, it's just going to come out," he said. "I mean, I'm going to be like a kid up there. Because that's really what I am now. I'm a baby Christian."

— James Montgomery

Undrai & Bridget Fizer International
www.fizer.org
undraifizer@sbcglobal.net





Your desires are truly validated when you know how to articulate them. Articulating your desire proves that you have taken the time to become intimate with them to the point of being able to speak about them.

There are many who have multiple desires to the point where they cannot focus correctly. Wherever there is much distraction, there is a lack of Discipline. Wherever there is a lack of Discipline, there is a lack of attention, value, and commitment.

When you are dealing with God and the desires of your heart, you must master the art of hearing strategies when it's silent. God is so incredible that He has the capacity to speak soundly when things are so very quiet. You must learn how to hear the Word of God that's assigned for you, even if it doesn't materialize in a regularly scheduled worship service or gathering. At times, God will speak to your heart without informing you that He is about to speak to your heart (see I Samuel 3:1-10).


Recognize The Seasons That God Will Introduce To You

When you have become intimate with true desire, God at times will not tell you what to do to get it. Your intimacy will instruct you on how to discover the hiding place of your significant desire.

"It is the Glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of king." -Proverbs 25:2

The Shunamite woman desired to be a mother so desperately in her heart. She could just see herself conceiving and delivering a child. She could just feel her identity changing from wife to mother. She could tangibly feel herself taking care of their new child. She felt this, even before she was to conceive. She was already a mother, even before the act of becoming one itself (see II Kings 4:8-17)! Have you become what you so truly desire?

When she saw the man of God walking in the city, she invited him to come and eat. It became a habit to feed him in her house every time he walked into the city. She recognized that he was anointed to the point of awakening her womb of prophetic hope and promise. It is imperative that you recognize the seasons that God will introduce to you in order to awaken your womb of promise. She was intimate with her desire. She knew what she wanted, when she wanted it, and the atmosphere that it was going to take to make it happen!

Have you recognized the type of atmosphere that is necessary to provoke the seed in your womb? When the prophetic seed is divinely provoked, believe me, it will discover a way to Manifest itself!


Expansion

She then prepared a room for the man of God. Her desires instructed her to expand her borders as a result of receiving the Power of God that was resonating through the body of her house guest. When you recognize the atmosphere of change, it is imperative for you to make room for it in your life. When you expand your mentality as a result of receiving the Word of God, your life will also expand.

Receiving, without expansion, is a result of barrenness. If you want to see fruit in a dry place, expand your horizons when you hear the Word of God in faith (see II Peter 1:5-8).

When your Desire is truly from God, no one will have to tell you to become intimate with it. No one will have to tell you what to do with it. The prophet did not tell the woman to do anything. He simply walked into the city. He simply walked out the Word that apprehended his life. He gave her no instruction. She did all the work!

When you have validated your desire, YOU WILL DO ALL THE WORK! You will hear from God yourself. You simply need to recognize the atmospheres of change that will walk amongst you. There are many who possess an atmosphere that will make things awaken in you. It is not the person per se, but it is the Atmosphere that they have become intimate with that will awaken your womb of promise.

When your desires are true, the intimacy that you have towards them will cause your desires to become validated, substantiated, and manifested. It will make you do all the work that is necessary to prepare for manifestation. Your Desires are true when they begin to train you themselves!

This 10-year-old prodigy, who says God shows her what to paint, is using her gift to help the needy.
By Mary Berryhill



Akiane Kramarik is a young prodigy from Sandpoint, Idaho, who has been drawing and painting lifelike artwork since she was 4. Akiane (pronounced ah-KEE-ah-nah) says she first met God when she was 3. And now she's hoping to use her amazing gift to help feed needy children around the world.

When young Akiane's special gift was discovered, not much time passed before the humble 10-year-old was featured on Oprah, CNN, and other national media programs. Akiane began working in pastels when she was 5, and completed her first painting at 7. The self-portrait she painted sold for $10,000.

"It wasn't just art that was happening. Simultaneous with art was a spiritual awakening," says Akiane's mother, Forelli Kramarik. "It all began to happen when she started to share her dreams and visions."Prior to that time, Forelli had been raised as an unbeliever, in an atheistic family from Lithuania."And my husband was a former Catholic and did not share in the family beliefs. We didn't pray together, there was no discussion about God, and we didn't go to church. Then all of a sudden, Akiane was starting to talk about God."

Forelli's young daughter was homeschooled, she had no babysitters, and the family watched no television."We were with the kids all the time, and so these words from Akiane about God didn't come from the outside—we knew that. But there suddenly were intense conversations about God's love, His place [in our lives], and she would describe everything in detail."

In the beginning, Akiane drew pictures of family members and pets, but her interests eventually shifted to the creation of faces. She started "scribbling" more and more faces. She tries to recreate visions that she says God gives her in her dreams.

"I wake up after I have had many dreams. I wake up and I pray, and then I see visions and I explain all those to my mom, and I say, 'This is what I want to paint.' And my mom says, 'I'll give you a canvass so you can paint it.'"From her dreams Akiane began to compose what she calls the "Jesus" paintings, which took her more than 75 hours to complete. She has so far painted two oils of Jesus. She calls the first one "The Prince of Peace," and the second is titled "Forgive Them, Father."

"I always think about Jesus and talk about Him," she says. "I was looking for a [Jesus] model for a long, long time, and when I couldn't find anyone, one day I suggested to my family to pray all day for this model so God would send the right one." The day that they prayed, a very tall carpenter—yes, a carpenter—came to their door looking for work. When he showed up, Akiane nearly fainted. "I told my mother that that was him. I want him to be my model," she recalls.

The carpenter agreed to it at first, but he called a week later to back out.

"He said that he wasn't worthy to represent his Master," Akiane says. "He's a Christian, and he's a humble person. But I prayed that God would change his mind and that he would call back." And the mysterious carpenter, who wished to remain anonymous, did call Akiane back, saying that God wanted him to pose for the painting, although he felt it was unusual.

Akiane took pictures, studied his face, made sketches, used her imagination and photo references, and the result was the "Prince of Peace."

Akiane's day is a little different from other children her age who are homeschooled. When she wakes each morning she has a drink of water, exercises, prays, and then she paints.

"And after I paint, I write poetry," Akiane adds. "And I write Russian, and then I write and read Lithuanian, after which I read the Bible."

When asked how she knows that it's God who is speaking to her, she replies, "Because I can hear His voice. His voice is quiet and beautiful." Although she was 3 at the time, she'll always remember God's first message to her. "He said, 'You have to do this, and I'll help you.' He said, 'Now you can help people.' I said, 'Yes, I will.' But I said it in different words in my mind. I speak through my mind to Him."

Akiane also has another dream that she believes God has given her—only this one is one that she dreams during her waking hours."I really want to help needy people in Africa and other places," she says. "Especially the Lithuanian people—the 'garbage children' is what they are called. They live in the garbage, and 2- and 3-year-olds are being killed for the first place in the food line," she says. "Lithuania has the highest suicide rate in the world. They need help with food and medicine, and a free hospital. I really want to build a free hospital for them."

Akiane hopes to fund such projects with the sale of her paintings and poetry. According to her agent, Akiane soon will embark on a world tour to raise money for the African AIDS crisis.

"We don't have an answer as to why this is happening. We don't have a clue," Forelli Kramarik says about her daughter's unfolding ministry. "We're just thankful to God."

But Akiane does seem to have an answer. When her mother asks her why she thinks she received her gift, the 10-year-old replies: "I have been blessed by God. And if I'm blessed, there is one reason and one reason only, and that is to help others."

Editor's Note: To learn more about Akiane's art, go to www.artakiane.com.

by Paul Keith & Wanda Davis
WhiteDove Ministries
www.WhiteDoveMinistries.org



The end of 2003 provided one of the richest and thoroughly rewarding revelations I have received from the Lord. It was an incredible journey into Heaven's treasury room. I have written about this encounter in detail in Books of Destiny.

The apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Colossians, records an encouragement regarding the great wealth we have as our inheritance in Christ. He hoped, "that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Colossians 2:2-3, NASB)

This wealth, however, is not the riches of this world but priceless treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden in Christ. It is our privilege and prerogative to explore the depths of His heart by the spirit of revelation to ascertain the immense value of these riches.

Greater opportunity exists today than any prior generation to access God's mysteries and secrets hidden in Christ Jesus. The prophet Daniel foresaw this privilege and wrote of it in Daniel 12. He recorded,

"Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase." Daniel 12:3-4, NASB

The end of days will be characterized by great revelation of God's kingdom and tremendous truth restored to the body of Christ. The time of the end will be a period of revealing and re-instating truth as well as exposing the hidden devices of darkness.


How Will These Truths be Communicated?

These truths will be cultivated from God's word and communicated in a variety of ways. The arts and literature will be marked by God's sons and daughters who live in the revelatory realm of Heaven. Painting and poetry will be taken to greater heights by anointed artists accessing the Creator's heart. Engineering blueprints will be diagrammed by Christian architects who access the ingenuity of Heaven.

Tremendous advancement is going to be achieved in the sciences. The cellular and molecular structure of creation will be understood in this generation with greater clarity than any before.

Inspired teachers who have encountered the Teacher will bring to the Church revelatory truth that will separate the precious from the profane according to Ezekiel 44. Great mysteries of the Kingdom are reserved in God's heart to be examined and explored by the end-time Church.

Such is the heritage of God's people in this crucial juncture of Church history. This generation has broached a "fullness of time" moment in God's timeline. This is indeed a kairos season.

Most importantly, the goodness and glory of God will be revealed in the earth in tangible ways. Christ in us is our hope of glory. Who can measure the immense value of a life yielded to God or the spiritual wealth ascertained by possessing the nature of Christ?


An Affirmation

When I shared about the Colossians 2 treasury room during a conference in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, I received a wonderful affirmation from Gene Niederkleine, Executive Director of Elijah House ministries. After hearing my message he wrote and included a newspaper article highlighting the life of a young 10-year-old girl considered by experts as the world's only child binary genius in both painting and poetry.

Her name is Akiane and her testimony began at the age of 4 when she was supernaturally taken to heaven to meet the Lord and receive from Him the gift of art. She is quoted in the article saying, "I met God and He took me to heaven."

Immediately following the experience, the young girl began drawing portraits and sketches that greatly transcended natural abilities. She constructed detailed pictures of angels and transcribed incredible poetry to reflect spiritual truth. This was quite a feat for a toddler raised in an atheistic home without any previous exposure to God.


A Token of Those to Come

In reality, Akiane is a token of those who are being invited into Heaven's treasury room to experience the riches of wisdom and knowledge hidden in Christ. According to her testimony, "God gives me a vision, I just paint it. It comes to me like a dream."

Very often she receives inspiration for her paintings during prayer, which she does every day. Many of her paintings have allegorical meaning, conveying significant truth reflecting the present day spiritual climate.

She reports that God instructed her to paint all the human faces. As a result, two of her most striking portraits have been of a young Asian girl and an African brother and sister. Her story and her art are so phenomenal that she has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey program and CNN. Her goal is to "draw people to God through her art and keep their attention to God through her poetry."

Lou Dobbs of CNN commented on Akiane and her gift saying, "Now what sets Akiane apart from other child prodigies is that her paintings are so realistic and so full of emotion. It is much more common for child prodigies to produce abstract art. Realism of this quality in a child is quite unusual. To see this kind of detail, the flair is just incredible! It is a gift! Amazing gift! What a remarkable young lady!"

A Russian television commentator had this to say of the art, "There are no words to describe how a little 8-year-old girl could portray such wisdom, compassion, and love in the eyes she painted. The technical and emotional details along with the visual strength in her paintings are astounding and stupendous! When I have a difficult day, all I need to do is to look at her paintings. In her striking self-portrait the light literally comes forth from her . . . What a mission on earth she carries! Bravo!"

The quality that Lou Dobbs and others in the world struggle to identify and articulate involving Akiane's art is the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes words like "charisma" or "personal magnetism" are utilized to describe the unseen quality that sets certain individuals apart who know the Lord. It is simply the favor of God and His anointing. This quality should characterize God's awakening army who will revolutionize and reform present understanding of the arts, literature, music, engineering, and even finance.

A gallery of her art can be viewed at www.artakiane.com.


Meeting Akiane

I shared the testimony of this young girl throughout the remainder of 2004 in various conferences across the country. As a result, someone arranged for Wanda and I and two of our friends to meet this young girl and her mother at an art gallery in Charlotte, NC. It was quite a blessing on multiple levels.

We were amazed at the spiritual maturity of this young 10-year-old girl and her devotion to the Lord. Additionally, the art itself carried significant spiritual impartation.

We observed many people weeping as they stood in front of the portraits she has created of the Lord. Her most recent project reflects the Lord Jesus in His missing years.

The portrait is based upon a vision that she saw of the Lord as a young teenager. It portrays the Lord spending considerable hours in prayer receiving from His Father instruction and insight involving His life. It is quite impacting!

Akiane shared with us how the Lord will give her an open vision of an image which she then prepares on canvas. Her sole objective is to draw people's attention to the Lord Jesus.


Rejected By the Church

We discovered something amazing in our visit with Akiane and her mother. Surprisingly, most of the Church world has rejected her art and the testimony of her supernatural encounter with the Lord.

They shared with us how they presently receive over 100 e-mails a day from people claiming to be Christians, most of which are critical of her testimony. On the other hand, the secular media and commercial art galleries have embraced Akiane, although they have no spiritual comprehension of her art. They primarily see a child prodigy and an opportunity for profit.

As a result, we have attempted to make as many people aware of her testimony as possible, hoping that the Church will recognize this incredible gift and cover them through prayer. We cannot afford to allow another tremendous gift of God to slip from our grasp into the clutches of the spirit of this world.

What is needed most is a healthy spiritual environment in which she can grow and develop personally, as well as her gift. Historically, the Church has not effectively stewarded individuals with creative genius. We tend to either ostracize them or overly market the individuals and their gifting.

It is our prayer for Akiane that neither occurs. Instead, we are hoping to mobilize a body of praying saints who will protect her and allow her spiritual maturity to develop in unison with her gift.

We assured Akiane and her mother that there is a receptive audience in the Church who understands her testimony and her gift. We offered as much encouragement as possible.

I told Akiane not to back down but to continue to pursue the revelation of God's heart and her art. She responded by saying, "I cannot stop . . . I must paint what the Lord shows me."

"Hope in Love"
-- Victoria Boyson

Speaking Life Ministries
www.boyson.org





God's passion is seeing you walk in all that He has for you.

"His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love." --Psalm 147:10-11 (NIV)

I know that sometimes it is very difficult to trust in God while waiting for the development of your destiny. But we hope not in hope itself; we put our hope in God's unfailing love for us. And His love for us is strong enough to sink our hope into, because in the vast creation of the whole universe, His delight . . . is in you.


Our Father's Pleasure

I love the way David expresses himself in Psalm 147. He says our Father's pleasure is not in the great strength of a horse or the strength in the legs of a man. Of course, He made these things and is pleased with them, but they are not what He delights in. Yes, God has the stars, the moon, and the sun that He could delight in, but they do not hold any great pleasure for Him. What God is passionate about is not the world He has created. They were only gifts He made for the one He loves to enjoy. What He delights in, my friend, is YOU.

You are the apple of God's eye. You are what He is passionate about. Not the great white whale, the Hawaiian Islands, or the Rocky Mountains--but you. And when you turn your gaze toward Him, His heart skips a beat. You are what He loves--the great passion He delights in. And those who hope in His love for them, He will not deny.


Hoping in His Goodness

Your hope in God is the greatest honor and praise that you could give Him; it delights Him. You could not show your love for God any greater than by hoping in His goodness and trusting in His love. God wants for you to really know that He is good. And when you do, He will stop at nothing to bless you.


Unfailing Love

It is difficult to wait and hope. But let's think about what we are hoping in . . . His unfailing love. God's love is not fickle like man's love. No, Psalm 145:8 says, "The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love." His love is unconditional. We think we understand His love, but really we do not. If we did, we would not treat others the way that we do.

God does not stop loving us when we fail. He does not want us to fail because He knows it will hurt us, but He definitely does not stop loving us. His red-hot love for us does not cool either. He loves us as much today as He will ever love us in our lifetime. He knew exactly what He could expect from us before He first chose us, and He chose us anyway.


Seasons Change

Flowers do not bloom year round, but do we lose faith in them because they stop blooming for a time? No we don't, because we understand the different seasons they go through. And God understands that we go through different seasons and changes. Sometimes we bloom, and sometimes we don't.

God loves us and appreciates us just as much as when we are not in bloom because He knows all and sees all. You may be going through a difficult time right now, but God looks ten years into your future and smiles. He never panics when we make mistakes; He just uses our mistakes for His glory. That is the love we hope in.

There is a time when every pot is a lump of clay, but God looks at that lump of clay and sees a beautiful pot!

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.'" --Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

No matter what you are going through right now, God's plans for you remain the same. When a little child is just learning to walk and happens to fall down, his parents do not become angry with him. They do not get upset with him because he falls. Instead, they rejoice in the fact that he is trying to walk. They do not regard it as a failure, but enjoy watching him learn. And your Father in Heaven sees you exactly the same way.

God never gives up. No matter how many times we fail, His plans for us never change. We may have to endure a time of chastisement or setback, but His plans for us never change. He will never give up on us, either, because He sees the finished product.


The Least of the Least

In Judges 6, the Israelites were crying out to God to save them from the Midianites, Amalekites, and other eastern countries who raided their land and left no living thing for Israel to survive on. They were desperate and prayed to God for help. The help God sent was Gideon. God had great plans for Gideon, but Gideon did not see it in himself. There was greatness in him, but he felt inadequate for the job and even argued with God about choosing him to lead Israel (v 15).

God spoke to Gideon and told him to "go in the strength you have." When Gideon argued and asked, "How can I save Israel?" God's answer was simple. He said, "I will be with you" (Judges 6:16). The answer to all of Gideon's inadequacies was the same, "I will be with you." Gideon was left with only one answer and that was to hope in God's unfailing love for him; that was enough.

Even though Gideon was the least of the least of the tribes of Israel (see Judges 6:15), God used him to change a nation. And He will use you in the same way because He delights in those who put their hope in His unfailing love (see Psalm 147:11). You may feel like nothing special right now, but God sees greatness in you. He sees a mighty warrior!


There is Greatness in You

As with Gideon, God sees greatness in you. For much of your life, that greatness may be kept a secret, but it is still in you. God is faithfully preparing you for your destiny. He is molding you into the person He desires you to be: the kind of person who is bold enough to know that there is greatness inside of himself, but humble enough to know where that greatness comes from.

It can be very troubling for you to believe in your destiny when you feel inadequate, but let me assure you, there is greatness in you. And you will, like Gideon, fulfill your destiny in God. He will have His way with you, if you place your hope in His unfailing love. Put your hope in the fact that you know He loves you and that He desperately wants what is best for you. He wants to make your dreams come true. He wants to bless you more than you want to be blessed.

Hope in God. Hope in love. Let go of fear, for your destiny is in good hands. He is able to do above and beyond all that you could ask or hope or dream (see Ephesians 3:20). He is driven by love. His passion is you and seeing you walk in all that He has for you, and He will do whatever it takes to get you there. After all, it was His idea to call you in the first place, and He will finish what He began in you.

You are on the adventure of your life, so remember to enjoy the process. Enjoy every aspect of your journey with your heavenly Father who loves you. And praise God with your smile. At a time like this, the best thing to do is smile because you are in God's hands.

"The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love O Lord, endures forever--do not abandon the works of your hands." -- Psalm 138:8


Pray this with me:

Dear Father,

Help me to see Your love for me and help me to hold on to Your love. I want to see myself the way that You see me. Help me to trust, believe, and hope.


My prayer for you:

Dear Father,

I ask You to bless this dear saint with everything they will need to see the birth of their destiny come to pass. Anoint them for Your purposes and help them to succeed. Help them to know of Your great love for them and help them to trust in that love. Please send people to them who will represent Your heart toward them.

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Another fantasy world has joined Hollywood's instant-blockbuster club.

Disney's "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" -- adapted from C.S. Lewis' tale of enchantment, epic battles and talking animals -- debuted as the weekend's top movie with $67.1 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Expanding nationwide after two weekends in limited release, the Warner Bros. thriller "Syriana," an oil-industry saga whose ensemble cast includes George Clooney and Matt Damon, ran second with $12 million. Warner Bros. and CNN are owned by Time Warner Inc.

Warner's "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," the No. 1 film the previous two weekends, slipped to third with $10.3 million, raising its domestic total to $244.1 million.

"Chronicles of Narnia" kicked off what is likely to be a strong finish for Hollywood after a box-office slump that has lingered most of the year, leaving attendance down 7 percent compared to 2004.

The top 12 movies took in $117.8 million, up 17 percent from the same weekend last year.

Right behind "Chronicles of Narnia" comes Peter Jackson's remake of "King Kong," expected to open to huge audiences Wednesday.

"We've never needed two films like this more than we do now," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations. "It's the knockout punch that Hollywood needs."

"Chronicles of Narnia" follows the "Harry Potter" and "The Lord of the Rings" films as the latest fantasy franchise making the leap from book to screen courtesy of dazzling computer animation.

The three "Lord of the Rings" movies had respective debuts of $47.2 million, $62 million and $72.6 million. The first three "Harry Potter" flicks each opened in the $90 million range, with the fourth film, "Goblet of Fire," debuting in November with $102 million.

"Chronicles of Narnia" follows four siblings who cross into an alternate world, where they join unicorns, centaurs, a talking lion and other beasts to battle an evil witch.

Though Universal's "King Kong" will compete for much of the same audience, distributor Disney expects business to remain strong for "Chronicles of Narnia."

"I think there's more than enough room for two major hits in a season, and because of the length of the holidays, both films are going to be here for a long, long time," said Chuck Viane, Disney head of distribution.

In limited release, Academy Awards hopefuls "Brokeback Mountain" and "Memoirs of a Geisha" had stellar debuts.

Focus Features' "Brokeback Mountain," starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal as sheepherders who share a summer of love then conceal an ongoing affair from their families, took in $544,549 in just five theaters. On Saturday, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association picked "Brokeback Mountain" as the year's best movie.

Sony's "Memoirs of a Geisha," starring Ziyi Zhang as a woman born into poverty who becomes a queen bee in the last days of Japan's tradition-bound geisha houses, grossed $674,000 in eight theaters.

Both films go into more theaters Friday and continue to expand through awards season.

The Bible warns us to be on our guard against wolves.

"I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number, men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember, I have never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears." -Acts 20:29-31

Years ago, the Lord prophetically warned me of a wolf who was about to enter my life and ministry. "Denny, if you join with this man, he will rob you of your congregation--for his heart and his mind are not joined with yours. He is a deceptive man, and he will cleverly deceive the congregation to undermine you and your ministry, twisting and distorting even the most innocent words and actions to make you appear as the evil one rather than himself. He is a wolf in sheep's clothing."

The Bible uses a wolf to symbolize a false minister or teacher. He is someone who scatters the flock, leads sheep astray, and preys upon the flock instead of feeding them. He is not a true shepherd.

He misleads people by drawing them to himself instead of drawing them to the heart and rule of God--his outward appearance concealing his inward motives. A wolf will talk, teach, preach, sing, or act just like a real sheep but his desire or motivation is entirely different.


A wolf thinks only of himself--selfish and destructive. A true shepherd always puts the sheep first--not last. He lays his life down for the sheep.

A wolf is someone who has not submitted his life to the Lordship of Jesus. He has sought God for the wrong reasons. He serves God for what he can get from Him rather than for who He is. He is an impostor, easily mistaken for a true shepherd until his motives are revealed by his actions.

A wolf takes control no matter what it takes: trickery, deceit, manipulation, false doctrine, intimidation, clandestine meetings, power plays, secrecy, planting seeds of distrust, discord, disloyalty, or even spiritual witchcraft. He will use any means available. It is very difficult to identify a wolf by his outward appearance--by what he says or how he looks; a wolf often looks and sounds like a sheep.


Instead, you identify a wolf by what he does or does not do. You identify a wolf by his actions.

"Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly, they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruit. . . " -Matthew 7:15-16

Fruit speaks of lifestyle, character, teaching, and influence--his personal history--the mark he leaves on people's lives. In addition, a wolf will often lie, steal, gossip, slander, break covenant, be disloyal, violate friendships or trusts, betray or dishonor others, violate confidentialities, ignore biblical guidelines for proper communication between disagreeing Christians, lust, love money, be a poor steward of money, be dishonest, be selfish, be self-important and proud, claim a false ministry or gift, claim an authority in God he doesn't possess, self-promote, be worldly, be carnal, be greedy, show outbursts of anger and rage, have a controlling spirit, have no fruit of the Spirit, and most importantly do nothing out of a pure agape love as his motivation. A wolf only knows how to display cold love because by nature, he is a predator.


According to the Bible, the dog, fox, bear, and wolf all have negative connotations.

"Behold, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Therefore, be wise as serpents..." -Matthew 10:16 (We should be wise concerning wolves.)

"After my departure, savage (grievous) wolves (notice the nature or characteristic of this type of wolf--savage, grievous). . . will come in among you, not sparing the flock (notice where the wolves are located--among you--among us. . . notice their recklessness and the danger they pose to the sheep--"not sparing the sheep").

From among yourselves, men (notice the wolves are men--probably leaders) will rise up speaking (a wolf has an unusually big mouth, jaws, and teeth) perverse (misleading) things to draw away disciples after themselves (a wolf always has a personal agenda--not a godly agenda). Therefore, watch and remember I did not cease to warn you (notice this apostolic warning is to Christians) night and day for three years (notice the seriousness of this warning)." -Acts 20:29-31


Beware of false messengers who come to you in sheep's clothing.

"Beware of false messengers who come to you in sheep's clothing (notice their outward appearance-they look like sheep) but inwardly, they are ravenous wolves. (notice their inward motivation-meat eaters) You will know them by their fruit." -Matthew 7:15-16

Jesus said that their inward motivation will eventually be seen in their actions.


In Review: What Is A Wolf?

According to the Bible, there's nothing good about a wolf--nothing. A wolf is a cunning, hostile, marauding animal--intelligent, clever, calculating, an opportunist in the animal kingdom, and the arch enemy of sheep. Jesus used a wolf (Gk.lukos-- weighty one) metaphorically to describe a false prophet, minister, or teacher--a cruel, greedy, destructive person (usually a person in a leadership position)--someone who would oppress and ruin the church.

The Bible warns us a wolf often looks and sounds just like the other sheep, but he shares similar outward characteristics only and spends most of his time around the sheep (not for fellowship, but to size up his prey). But he will freely sacrifice the sheep should trouble arise. Compare this to a true shepherd who will oppose a wolf at the risk and cost of his own life.


Carnivores and herbivores do not hang out together.

Most alarmingly of all, a wolf is a carnivore--he loves freshly killed sheep! A sheep is an herbivore; carnivores and herbivores do not hang out together. Make no mistake about it, a wolf feeds on sheep. He sees them only as a resource for his selfish purposes--a food source!

A wolf is someone greedy for personal gain, who can never have enough. He is a hireling working primarily for the money--not a true shepherd (John 10:11-13). His only interest is personal advancement at the expense of others.

A wolf is ruthless and loveless--a "taker." He openly violates God's principles of agape love in I Corinthians 13. Most wolves don't know how to love--they're just hunters living for the kill.

A wolf scatters the flock--he's not a true leader. His ministry is often characterized by the number of dead sheep left scattered around him. Any contact with a wolf will lead to destruction and eventual death for the sheep. A wolf only gathers sheep to use them or disqualify them (John 10:12).

A wolf leads sheep astray--twisting and distorting the truth. A wolf is often weak theologically, even heretical, and cares little for the orthodoxy of Scripture. His goal is not healthy, well fed, theologically balanced, sheep but gullible, vulnerable, dependent sheep--mindless, spineless followers.


Self-preservation is the prime motivation of a wolf.

A wolf misleads people by drawing them to his own personality instead of drawing them to the heart and rule of God--his outward appearance concealing his inward motives. He will talk, teach, preach, sing, or act just like a sheep, but his desire or motivation is entirely different. A wolf possesses a self-important spirit--often boasting of a false gift or ministry.

A wolf looks for quick results that require little sacrifice. He is impatient, impulsive, immature, premature in all he does. He's an aggressive animal--a pushy personality, often displaying erratic behavior.

A wolf thinks only of himself--usually an acutely selfish and self-destructive personality. Self-preservation is the prime motivation of a wolf. A wolf is often a betrayer and knows little of relational loyalty.

A wolf is an untrustworthy person--never turn your back on one--never trust a wolf. Jim Jones was a wolf. If a wolf offers you a glass of Kool-Aid, don't accept it!


A wolf is someone who has not submitted his life to the Lordship of Jesus.

A wolf is usually an unbroken vessel--lacking genuine authority in God. He will impugn the character of others, while totally ignoring his own sins.

A wolf seeks God for the wrong reasons--for what he can get from Him rather than for who God is.

A wolf is an impostor, easily mistaken for a true shepherd until his motives are revealed by his actions, his fruit. (life-style, character, teaching, and influence). Never listen to what a wolf says. Listen to what he does; look at his track record.

A wolf takes control no matter what it takes: trickery, deceit, manipulation, intimidation, false doctrine, clandestine meetings, power plays, secrecy, planting seeds of distrust, discord, disloyalty, or spiritual witchcraft. He will use any means available. A wolf thinks nothing of illegal, unethical, or unscriptural behavior. To a wolf, the end always justifies the means. Left to his own devices, a wolf will ultimately destroy any church he leads.

Hope this helps,



Dennis Cramer
Dennis Cramer Ministries
www.denniscramer.org

-Bill Yount

Blowing the Shofar Ministries
www.billyount.com
theshofarhasblown@juno.com






Introduction to this word. . .

For the year 2006, "He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee." -Job 5:19-26

Notice this verse says "in" troubles. God doesn't always steer us away from trouble, but He majors in delivering us "in" our troubles. Trouble is a pretty good sign that God is with you! The three Hebrew children, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, discovered that the king's order to "heat the furnace seven times hotter" was the perfect recipe for their miracle deliverance, and their fiery furnace was transformed into a four-man dance hall! Daniel found his greatest deliverance took place inside of a lions' den, never having to fear lions again!

Are you in any kind of trouble right now? If so, then you qualify for deliverance in the midst of your trouble this coming year--as you set your love upon Him!

If you compare your troubles to yourself, you are in trouble. But if you compare your troubles to God, your troubles are in trouble!


2006--"A YEAR NOT TO FEAR!"

"In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword." -Job 5:20

"I have been young and now am old; yet I have not seen the 'righteous' forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." -Psalm 37:25

God prepares a table (provision) before us in the presence of our enemies. That means our enemies get to watch us eat while they are going hungry. But don't forget in the rough times ahead to feed your enemies and tell them who is feeding you in the time of famine! God delivers us from the power of the sword and protects us from our enemies so we can live long enough to bless them! Imagine a God who fed millions in the wilderness and gave them water out of a rock and caused their clothing and shoes not to wear out for forty years. . . it sounds like their clothing actually grew with them!

Recently on the national television program, "It's a Miracle," there was a small church with 20 members who fixed a Thanksgiving dinner for the needy. As the people kept coming in to eat, they were concerned about running out of food. But as the people kept coming in, to their surprise, they discovered the food was not running out! The 20 members who cooked the food figured they could only feed about four hundred people. But as the day ended, they counted around two thousand people who had eaten and there was still food left over, so they delivered the extra food throughout the neighborhood!

After the members came back to the church, one needy family came late and was hungry and the food was all gone. To their amazement, the church members saw this fresh warm baked loaf of bread on the kitchen counter that no one had brought or baked. They then noticed the cupboards that were emptied out for the dinner had one cupboard door ajar. As they went to close it, they discovered more food in it; there was even a turkey platter! As long as there were hungry people, the Lord kept multiplying the food! We can expect these multiplying miracles to increase as food becomes scarce!

"Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh." -Job 5: 21

If there are those who are speaking evil of you, talk to Jesus about it. If there is some truth in it, repent, and grow from their "constructive" criticism."

"Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities." -Psalm 141:5

There have been times--and probably still will be--when I have been reproved in my ministry. It's humbling, but I have discovered that as I receive it with a right spirit, it's not long afterwards that I experience fresh oil pouring over me, healing my hurt and anointing me with fresh oil. This often happens to us when God wants to refine our gifting and use us in a greater way. More importantly, these reproofs and grindings do wonders in conforming us into His image, which is His ultimate purpose.

Remember that "a soft answer turns away wrath." The tongue has probably brought more destruction to people than anything else. We ourselves are snared (brought into bondage) by the words of our own mouth. When we bless those who speak evil against us, we cancel the assignment of their words.

"At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth." -Job 5:22

What appears to be destruction in the natural is really construction taking place in the earth in the Spiritual realm from God's perspective, and "all things are working together for our good and for God's purposes." Many times, destruction is necessary before construction of something new and wonderful can take place.


An Outbreak of Divine Healing

In this verse, it says that we shall not be afraid of the beasts of the earth. I believe the word "beast" represents anything the enemy can try to use to destroy us, including sickness, disease, and infirmities. We must not give in to fear as certain plagues, such as the bird flu, break out. We must pray against them and believe Psalm 91 for our protection. "Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler. . . " Recently in a large gathering, I sensed fear rising as the threat of the bird flu was being mentioned. I, myself, was wondering fearfully how devastating this bird flu could be.

I then saw the Dove of the Holy Spirit, who is greater than any bird and any flu, flutter into the conference and light upon us. I sensed that as we trust while being under His wings and feathers, we will not only experience protection, but we will experience an outbreak of divine healing invading our spirit, soul, mind, and bodies! Healing that is contagious, spreading to others, as healed people heal people! Healings that will capture the attention of world news will be the cure for cancer, aids, and other incurable diseases that had been discovered through the name of Jesus!

On our Father's side, healing runs through our veins, through our arteries, through our bloodstream, and into our bone marrow! Healing runs in our family! Decree this coming year, "I'm being invaded by healing!"


Dominion Over the Earth

"For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee." -Job 5:23

God is releasing His authority in us to take dominion over the earth and all that is in it. The earth is groaning for the manifestation of the sons of God to come forth to take back the authority that was given to us through Jesus to subdue the kingdoms of this world so that they become the kingdoms of our God! When we sin, we give up our authority to the enemy. Lord, help us to come into full repentance to be filled with You, to have Your authority over all the works of the enemy, and to take dominion over what You have given us.

"And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin." -Job 5:24

The very peace of God shall guard our hearts and minds in these perilous times. Our homes will become the dwelling place of God as we allow Him to cleanse us from all sin and fill us with His presence--healing homes of refuge for the stranger, the lost, and the afflicted, including the prodigals coming home.

"Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth." -Job 5:25

This coming year, expect your seed and your seed's seed to become great in God and grow rapidly in the Spirit as the grass grows upon the earth in the spring time! Your children will be as signs and wonders in the earth, and God will increase you more and more, you and your children. Don't call your lost children a drug addict or an alcoholic; call them a royal priesthood, a chosen generation! Call their destiny forth in God! Even treat them as though they are already saved! (They will think you got saved!) Accept them right where they are and love them, and you will see God take over from there!

"Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in his season" -Job 5:26

What a promise! "With long life will I satisfy you and show you my salvation!" Make plans to live a long life! We shall live and not die and declare the works of the Lord! When we really believe that God promises us a long life, then we know that He will deliver us out of all of our afflictions and troubles! Enjoy and appreciate life like it is your last day on earth, but live like you will never die!


"LET GOD FIX WHAT YOU CANNOT FIX IN 2006! DON'T TRY TO FIX ANYTHING THIS COMING YEAR!"

I sense this coming year will be a year when many frustrated saints will finally let God be God and stop trying to fix things in themselves, to fix people, and to fix their own problems. We are not called to fix anything. You cannot fix yourself. My wife still cannot fix me! Only Jesus can fix anything and everything. And He has been waiting a long time for many of us to let Him do it.

Bob Mumford teaches that "If you get in a fix and you fix the fix before God fixes it, He will fix another fix to fix you. . . until you let Him fix it!" Let God fix the fix you are in this coming year!

AS THE YEAR 2005 COMES TO A CLOSE, I SENSE THE FATHER SAYING, "I WILL TAKE OVER FROM HERE!"