Disciples of King Jesus understand that the temptation to territorial power is greatest when we are weakest and that the Devil has been handed the Realm of the Middle Eastern Authority (and more) to give to anyone who will worship him! (See Mark 4.6)
We are watching the collapse of Empires right now as the Devil is being handed the Realms of the UK. more and more of Africa, and footholds in the USA.
Make no mistake. Lucifer declared himself and his intentions to our King a long time ago: “I will give you their splendor and all this authority, because it has been given over to me, and I can give it to anyone I want. If you, then, WILL WORSHIP ME, all will be yours.”” (Luke 4:6–7, CSB)
Satan is the Great Liar and the Mask He uses these days is Isalm. “Allah is Jehovah,” is his great deception. It sounds just like his plan: “I will make myself like the Most High.”” (Isaiah 14:14, CSB)
THE ONLY WAY to overcome is through prayer and fasting. “And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.”” (Mark 9:28–29, NKJV)
Check out Isaiah 58. This chapter describes the kind of fasting God desires—not merely a ritual of self-affliction or outward display, but a fast that leads to JUSTICE and compassion. It emphasizes actions such as LOOSENING THE CHAINS OF INJUSTICE, SETTING THE OPPRESSED FREE, sharing food with the hungry, welcoming the homeless, and clothing the naked.
Spiritual warfare is fought like this: “For although we live in the flesh, we DO NOT wage war according to the flesh, since the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments and every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:3–5, CSB)
IT’S TIME TO FALL ON OUR KNEES AFRESH AND STOP PLAYING CHURCH! Before it’s too late!
What an amazing gift! Have you surrendered to King Jesus, aligned yourself to Him and His cause, thanked Him for forgiving your sins when you didn’t even deserve it, and started following Him on The Path of Peace and Serenity? DM me if you have a desire to do so!
Listen as Rabbi Sha’ul (The Apostle Paul) explains to the splintered Corinthians …
“Nevertheless, brothers, I call on you in the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah to agree, all of you, in what you say, and not to let yourselves remain split into factions but be restored to having a common mind and a common purpose. For some of Chloe’s people have made it known to me, my brothers, that there are quarrels among you.” (1 Corinthians 1:10–11, CJB)
Unfortunately, too many relationships – too many Churches – are splintered into factions. And we have to admit that one of the core reasons is the old American saying, “It has to be MY way or the highway!” meaning if I can’t be the boss I’m leaving! Such an attitude is sin!
So today, let’s work in our own hearts to restore ourselves to …
Agreement for King Jesus (10)
Wholeness with the others (10)
Having a common mind (King Jesus’) (10)
Having a common purpose (The Holy Spirit’s) (10)
Harmony (11)
Let’s make 2025 a year when we look more and more like our King and less and less like our old self!
As we restart our website today, we want to thank you for your love and support. Due to technical issues with our computer and database, we have lost connection to many. We are working to remedy those, and we thank God to be back!
Our theme verse for the year is above. Let us encourage you to download the meme, memorize it, and internalize the verse. It is the Promise of King Jesus that brought Kate into my life and so much more. (More about that as the year unfolds.)
For now, we say: PRAY BELIEVING, and watch God work in 2025!
If we want things to change for the better, then WE will have to change for the better!
This is what the Lord has been telling us through His Vision for 1stSBC Gardena, CA, USA given to our Lead Pastor John Ward. Please read it here …
“By the Lord’s leading, five years from now First Church will be a Spirit-filled church led by an active, dedicated leadership team.
The entire body will be active in sharing the Gospel, winning people to Christ, and making new Christians welcome in a growing, maturing church.”
The 5-Year Vision God Gave to Pastor John Ward
Revealed to leaders on June 11, 2023 1st Southern Baptist Church, Gardena, CA, USA
Because of the vision God gave to Pastor John, we will focus on our individual and personal leadership at 1stSBC Gardena, CA USA in the coming years even more BECAUSE everything rises and falls on our personal leadership!
What areas do you need to change in order to accomplish the vision God has given you and your team?
We are the way we are because WE are the way we are!
What Does That Mean?
As I was reading through our reading schedule last month, I ran across a chapter in Isaiah that the Holy Spirit wouldn’t let me leave. Kate will tell you I hovered over it for hours over several days while we were home in Tororo, Uganda.
The more I poured over it the clearer God was about continuing the transformation of my life for Him as a Global servant of the Great Commission with King Jesus!
As this passage moved through me repeatedly, I reflected on the reality we studied for 6 months in the Warriors’ Study at 1stSBC Gardena, CA USA. For 6 months, we walked through Genesis and dealt with so many issues necessary to fulfilling the Dominion Command of Genesis 1.28. The lesson was clear: God wants all of His children to “take dominion” of their sphere of life and beyond!”
As we then moved into June we saw the reason for the Dominion Command: Jesus calls us to make disciples of all peoples starting where we are and stopping once we’ve reached the whole planet! We are in month 4 of that study in the book of Acts!These 10 months have been life-changing for me!
And as I read through Isaiah 32, it was like the Holy Spirit said to me: Listen, adapt, align your attitudes and choices to model what I share with you here so that you can fulfill both the Dominion Command and the Great Commission.
THE POINT: Once we listen, adapt, and align our attitudes and choices to model this kind of leadership, we can lead others to fulfill both the Dominion Command and the Great Commission.
So, will you join me in changing, improving, and becoming what we need to be in order to fulfill both the Dominion Command and the Great Commission? Great! Let’s dive in! with our next post!
Please make sure you are getting all notifications by SUBSCRIBING on the Home Page. Click here so you don’t miss a single one of these leadership-enhancing posts!
Disclaimer: This series is about ALL and ONLY about our personal leadership.If we CANNOT lead ourselves, we will never make an impact in our homes, our marriages, our families, our neighborhoods, our communities, our county, our state, our country, or our world!
THINK ABOUT where you have fallen from, and then TURN BACK and DO AS YOU DID at first. If you don’t turn back, I will come and take away your Church. Revelation 2:5 CEV
HOW DO YOU TURN BACK?
The Lord said: Israel, if you really want to come back to me,
1. GET RID OF those disgusting idols (horoscopes, ouija boards, fortune tellers, psychics, etc).
2. Make promises ONLY in my name, and
3. DO what you promise!
THEN all nations will praise me, and I will bless them.Jeremiah 4:1-2 CEV
“I’ve commanded you to be strong and brave.Do not ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the Lord your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)
We live in dark times and YOU are the light of the world.
A darkness has come upon the world.
It is an ancient darkness and yet new in its manifesting. It is permeating our media, our entertainments, our marketplaces, our schools, our corporations, our public squares, our governments, our culture, and our lives. It is setting in motion the transformation of our society, the overturning of ancient foundations, and the destruction of age-old standards of morality, values, perception, and faith.
It is an unrelenting darkness, one that seeks not only to exist and grow but to exercise total dominion, to force all it touches into submission, to subjugate language, to alter perception, and to bend reality into its image.
It is a darkness that requires every tongue to confess its name and every knee to bow down in its honor. As for those who would defy or resist its conquest, it seeks to assimilate and transform them or else destroy them, even to destroy their will to resist. It is a totalitarian darkness. It cannot rest until all lights are extinguished! –Jonathan Cahn, Josiah Manifesto,
How the Darkness Works on People Of Faith
“Make your light shine, so that others will see the good that you do and will praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
There it is: Our responsibility … “Make your light shine!”
But the devil is on a rampage right now and the only thing that holds him back is … YOU!
The devil is subtle; He deceives us. He always has, but now its like He is on steroids!
But God Counters What the Devil Sells Us
“Later the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision, “Abram, DO NOT BE AFRAID! I will protect you and reward you greatly.” (Genesis 15:1)
You see, the Devil whispers the following into the ears of the faithful …
Things look bleak in so many ways!
You are getting older! (Abe is 75 here)
God hasn’t answered you! (sons)
You’ll die without God’s promises answered! (Genesis 12.1-3)
But God Is Speaking to You Today!
“Later the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision, “Abram, DO NOT BE AFRAID! I will protect you and reward you greatly.” (Genesis 15:1)
Fear’s Grip Holds Us Tight When
We feel fragile and weak!
To the olders: Do you ever feel like, “Was it all worth it?” Abram did! He’d moved away from all He had know, trusted God when all Abram had was faith, and true – he’d gained much wealth and honor. BUT, as he aged, he hadn’t gotten the promises God had given him decades before!
We feel God has forgotten us!
To all of us: You know what it’s like to go to bed again and realize you’re still single; you don’t have the income you need; another loved one has passed,; life is getting harder!
What Did God Tell Abraham?
“Later the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision, “Abram, DO NOT BE AFRAID!” (Genesis 15:1)
It’s a COMMAND! We have to choose our emotions. And what is God’s command when all of life is falling apart all around us and we wonder if God has forgotten us?
Do Not Be afraid!
Why? How?
What Did God Promise
“Later the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision, “Abram, DO NOT BE AFRAID!
(1) I will protect you and (2) reward you greatly.” (Genesis 15:1)
I will protect you!
Satan’s greatest lie today is the devil can’t protect us … as the darkness seeks to exercise total dominion, to force all it touches into submission, to subjugate language, to alter perception, and to bend reality into its image … The devil declares God is unable or unwilling to protect you!
But the reality is, God is ABLE! God is WILLING!He is unfolding the plan we have written down in His OWN Words … the Last Days have become THESE DAYS! He is on His Schedule!
But God is still God! He is Almighty! He is the Creator! He is All Powerful! And what is His promise to those of us who are Abraham’s children by faith in King Jesus?
I will reward you greatly!
For Abram, it was a child! For you, it is the promised answer!
Now hear me: Abram didn’t get his answer for ANOTHER 14 years after this reassurance! Why?
God is on His own calendar!
And the best time for your answer is when it will arrive!
What Did Abraham Have To Do?
He had to keep trusting!
Trusting involves relationship! Do you have a close relationship with God?
Whether you made a commitment to Jesus in the past or not, 2024 is a great time to cement and secure a close relationship with God … especially as things grow darker and as the world grows scarier!
How’s Your Trust of God Right Now?
I trust Kate with everything! Why? Because we know each other – deeply, intimately, personally. And I know she is my partner who always has my best in mind with her every word and action!
That is how we trust God! We get to know each other – deeply, intimately, personally.
Do you know God like that?
Is it time to come nearer to God?If so, perhaps you are ready to make that life change?
“Come near to God, and he will come near to you.” (James 4:8, CEV)
Make the first step … come near to God today!
Whether you made a commitment to Jesus in the past or not, you could tell to God your commitment today.
I often tell Kate of my commitment to her. It’s not because I am unsure of it – or think she is unsure of my commitment to her. I simply tell her again because it is TRUE! In fact, it’s MORE true now that when I married her!
For all of us whether we have made a commitment to follow Jesus as the King of our lives, or we who would like to make that commitment today for the first time – at the beginning of 2024 – let’s just say this OUT LOUD to Jesus right now >>
Dear God,
I know that I am not worthy to be accepted by You.
I don’t deserve Your gift of eternal life.
I am guilty of rebelling against You and ignoring You.
I’m sorry, and
I need Your forgiveness.
Thank you for sending Your Son to die for me so that I may be forgiven.
Thank you that He rose from the dead to give me new life.
Please forgive me and
Change me,
so that I may live with Jesus as my Ruler. Amen
If you just said that to Jesus, congratulations! Welcome to the Family of God!
Over the next 21 days we will focus our prayers on being fearless in 2024! Our family, friends, and even our foes are in danger of an eternity in the Lake of Fire, all because they choose to live for themselves instead of Him who loves them and died for them (2 Corinthians 5.15).
As we pray, we want to focus on the theme of the day all day long. Maybe take this sheet with you everywhere you go and use it each day to remind yourself of your prayer target. Also, pray for that area of breakthrough that God needs to do for you in order to take you to the next level of spiritual success in accomplishing all God has intended.
Week One: Fearless Enough to Share Jesus’ Forgiveness With My Family
This week we want to target our family, our loved ones! All day long simply ask God to make your prayer a reality in 2024 among your family members.
January 2 – That I will be Fearless Enough to realize my lost family will spend eternity in the Lake of Fire if they don’t Surrender to Jesus as King of their lives.
January 3 – That I will be Fearless Enough to pray that my lost family will Surrender to Jesus as King of their lives so that they will NOT spend eternity in the Lake of Fire.
January 4 – That I will be Fearless Enough to talk about the benefits of my surrender to Jesus as King of my life with them and the peace of mind I have knowing I will live forever in Paradise with Jesus.
January 5 – That I will be Fearless Enough to talk about my love for them and how it has grown since my surrender to Jesus as King of my life.
January 6 – That I will be Fearless Enough to be positive and encouraging about the love Jesus has for us all and share with them how He has recently shown me that love.
January 7 – That I will be Fearless Enough to ask them where they are in relationship with Jesus and how I can pray for that relationship to increase since He will declare us forgiven, give a purpose for living and a home in Heaven – which I want them to enjoy also.
January 8 – That I will be Fearless Enough to ask them to surrender to Jesus as King so they can be forgiven also, begiven a purpose for living and a home in Heaven.
* Of course, we will pray for these throughout the year as well as just this week.
Over the next 21 days we will focus our prayers on being fearless in 2024! Our family, friends, and even our foes are in danger of an eternity in the Lake of Fire, all because they choose to live for themselves instead of Him who loves them and died for them (2 Corinthians 5.15).
As we pray, we want to focus on the theme of the day all day long. Maybe take this sheet with you everywhere you go and use it each day to remind yourself of your prayer target. Also, pray for that area of breakthrough that God needs to do for you in order to take you to the next level of spiritual success in accomplishing all God has intended.
Week One: Fearless Enough to Share Jesus’ Forgiveness With My Family
This week we want to target our family, our loved ones! All day long simply ask God to make your prayer a reality in 2024 among your family members.
January 2 – That I will be Fearless Enough to realize my lost family will spend eternity in the Lake of Fire if they don’t Surrender to Jesus as King of their lives.
January 3 – That I will be Fearless Enough to pray that my lost family will Surrender to Jesus as King of their lives so that they will NOT spend eternity in the Lake of Fire.
January 4 – That I will be Fearless Enough to talk about the benefits of my surrender to Jesus as King of my life with them and the peace of mind I have knowing I will live forever in Paradise with Jesus.
January 5 – That I will be Fearless Enough to talk about my love for them and how it has grown since my surrender to Jesus as King of my life.
January 6 – That I will be Fearless Enough to be positive and encouraging about the love Jesus has for us all and share with them how He has recently shown me that love.
January 7 – That I will be Fearless Enough to ask them where they are in relationship with Jesus and how I can pray for that relationship to increase since He will declare us forgiven, give a purpose for living and a home in Heaven – which I want them to enjoy also.
January 8 – That I will be Fearless Enough to ask them to surrender to Jesus as King so they can be forgiven also, begiven a purpose for living and a home in Heaven.
* Of course, we will pray for these throughout the year as well as just this week.
Week Two: Fearless Enough to Share Jesus’ Forgiveness With My Friends
This week we want to target our friends who are dear to us! All day long simply ask God to make your prayer a reality in 2024 among your friends.
January 9 – That I will be Fearless Enough to accept the fact that King Jesus has placed me in the midst of my friends as His messenger to bring about their surrender and forgiveness for all eternity.
January 10 – That I will be Fearless Enough to pray for each friend by name and ask God to soften their hearts to accept the message of surrender and forgiveness I have to share when the time is right to tell it.
January 11 – That I will be Fearless Enough to sprinkle my conversations with them with short stories of how my walk with King Jesus brought help and hope to me recently.
January 12 – That I will be Fearless Enough to listen carefully and attentively for openings where my friends are being transparent and wanting some help in the midst of their messes.
January 13 – That I will be Fearless Enough to realize I need to be short and specific as I share my story of God’s work with me that brought forgiveness and the removal of shame when I chose to surrender to Jesus as King.
January 14 – That I will be Fearless Enough to live in such a way that shows I truly care about my friend and that I’m not trying to convert them, but that I’m sharing how He benefits me and, I think, He can benefit them as well.
January 15 – That I will be Fearless Enough to ask them to consider seriously surrendering their lives to Jesus as their King, knowing I am here to answer any questions and provide any help they might need at any time.
* Of course, we will pray for these throughout the year as well as just this week.
Week Three: Fearless Enough to Share Jesus’ Forgiveness With My Foes
This week we want to target our foes, whose angry with us or simply don’t like us! All day long simply ask God to make your prayer a reality in 2024 among those who don’t like you.
January 16 – That I will be Fearless Enough to realize that people won’t like me because of my wrong attitudes and actions and I may be the cause of that so I will repent of any and all wrong attitudes and actions the Holy Spirit brings to my remembrance as I pray today.
January 17 – That I will be Fearless Enough to understand that some people won’t like me because of the Spirit in me, that He is Holy and they are not and the Holy Spirit in me is convicting them of the sin in them, what is right in God’s
eyes, and the judgment if they don’t repent … but they are being stubborn and unwilling to repent right now. So I will pray for a softening of their heart today.
January 18 – That I will be Fearless Enough to do the hard work of being friendly to those who are unfriendly to me, thus I will pray today for strength for me so I can love them with the same love Jesus had for loved those who crucified Him.
January 19 – That I will be Fearless Enough to ask God to show me ways to express my love in tangible ways (other than words) for those who do not like me and then that I will go and do those things for them starting today.
January 20 – That I will be Fearless Enough to realize our Adversary is poisoning the minds of those who don’’t like us with false ideas, so I will choose to BE the difference, to reveal the love of Jesus to the ungodly, and to care for those who are lost and far from God despite their feelings for me starting today.
January 21 – That I will be Fearless Enough to simply and clearly tell whose who don’t like me that I love them and care for them and want to be their friend, just as Jesus was “a friend of sinners.” I will pray their hearts, while antagonistic or aggressive, will melt by my repeated prayers and king attitudes and behaviors towards them this year.
January 22 – That I will be Fearless Enough to ask them to surrender to Jesus as King of their lives, knowing how Hehas forgiven me, given me a purpose for living, and the promise of a home in heaven since He has forgiven all of my sin and rebellion as well.
* Of course, we will pray for these throughout the year as well as just this week
Entering Into Death’s Shadow Valley is Dr. Matthew Lee Smith’s journey through the horrific process of losing his life-partner, Melodee Joy. It is meant to help others who enter this treacherous and often perilous path.
These books will help guide your daily Bible reading with insights into each passage you read.
This series is a practical, passionate, Biblical mentoring journey for individuals, small groups, leadership teams and congregations who desire to win their world for Christ.
These journals will help you keep track of your daily reading and prayer requests.
Hope Enabler is the real-life story of one Christian parent’s struggle with a runaway child and the hope that God enabled her to have during the darkest moments of that struggle.
