April Update

Does it not seem like we are in the middle of a storm?

  I was not really planning on doing another update, at least not one every month like has happened so far. But there have been a few things happen that have prompted this update.

Substack

  Substack is continuing to upgrade, providing additional resources to content creators. There are a couple of sources on substack that I read and sometimes follow the advice. If you are a content creator on this platform and you have been doing the same thing as I have, then you know of the struggle of paid versus free content. 

  This is something that I have mentally struggled with. So on the advice of a few forums I have read, I decided to try out paid content with the post, “The Power of Evil; Overcoming Witchcraft.” It was a far longer post, with more detail and work put into it. But the results were mixed, and not enough in my mind to justify continuing. Therefore as you read this update, please know that the post on Witchcraft is being opened back up and we are returning back to the way it was. 

  There was another post that was scheduled that I was also going to use to test the waters for paid content, but I have also changed that. What I have generally found is not all the upgrades and suggestions given are working for this substack. Many recommend notes, but I have seen no measurable results with it. I have a slightly higher interaction with people on the chat function. But not enough to warrant a time investment as well.

  Also as I mentioned in the last update, I am still looking for your suggestions for the 100th. Post. Mainly I am hoping to deliver something of value to you, so what would you like?

New Features

  I was in the process of trying to figure out, with all these posts. To find a way for you to search to find information by subject. This was not going to be an easy task, but then Substack rolled out a new search feature. (Thank God) you can now type in almost any word or subject to find more information. Just go to the main page, and then look in the upper right-hand corner for the search area.

  Also on the main page, please scroll down and you will discover things are also broken down by the following subjects. Books & Publishing, Christian Integrity, Deconstruction, History, End Times, Prophetic, The Presence, Spiritual Warfare, Updates and Wisdom.

The Body of Christ

  Recently I wrote the following on a YouTube channel, “We need to be discerning of the times we are living in. It seems to me that God is in the process of shaking his body awake. Unless we become appalled we will not change, we will simply go back to sleep.”

  This comment was about a video where Pastor Mark Driscoll got kicked off a stage before a 30,000-seat men’s conference. He was kicked off after rebuking the church for having a male stripper perform on stage. The pastor of this church, John Lindell jumped on stage to do serious damage control using the same talking points as Mike Bickel has used in the past. After that, John tracked Mark down and got him to come back on stage and repent for his rebuke.

Click on the image to watch. 

  Now if you add this to all the other crazy things happening in the Body of Christ from Bickel turning out to be a major sexual predator to Kevin Prosch blackmailing Misty Edwards all the way to Alan Scott working to steal the Vineyard. Many of these leaders have worked to reinterpret our view and understanding of scripture as well as the very heart of the Father.

  Perhaps one of the best examples I can give is a well-known statement Bill Johnson has made many times that is now a common language in most of the Charismatic, “We must learn to steward revival!” This statement at the basic core is spiritually illogical and misleading.

  To steward means to manage, take control, and direct its path. This is an error in the understanding as to what revival is as well as its purpose. True revival is when the presence of God basically steps into the room. Hearts are changed, lives are healed, demons run and broken hearts start crying out in repentance.  It is a Holy, Sovereign event that happens by the will of God alone. 

  So, please think this over. If the King has just entered into the room, should a leader be so arrogant as to try and manage the King? No, that is crazy and spiritually illogical. The responsibility of leadership at this point is to present the people before the King for His good will. You can not manage revival and you can not schedule revival like so many people have tried.

  When you hear leaders say, “We are going to have a revival at such and such time on this day.” Odds are these are emotionally hyped events not Holy Spirit moments. The reason so many feel that these are Holy Spirit events is because we have been trained to believe that by the evidence of our emotions.

  I have been in places where the Holy Spirit was poured out, these places will never get mentioned by the internet press or Charisma magazine. When my emotions were engaged, it was out of Holy respect or Joy for seeing the hand of God move. I wrote about one of those events in my book if you would like to read about it.

  This in comparison to “planned revivals” is wildly different. I have sat in on a couple of smaller ones that were planned. One was even a Todd Bentley event in Canada (Abbotsford) before he left his home country in a hurry and moved into Rick Joyner’s backyard.

  Planned revivals are well-organized events for the crowd, to appease human minds. Holy Spirit events, reorganize your mind with the realities of heaven on Earth. This was proven recently in Ashbury.

Next steps on Substack

  Expect a little less posting for a while on Substack. It’s springtime and now that winter is over I need to shift more of my time to outside projects like growing food, fixing things, and a little local ministry. Sunday postings will be rare, so look for posts to mostly arrive on Wednesdays for some time to come.