It’s a Season of Change

 

We often forget that God allows us to go through the winter for a season of rest.  We may struggle in our minds and hearts misinterpreting the season- not as rest, but as a wilderness.  When we wrestle with those thoughts of discouragement and doubt, we must discern what God is doing within us.  We must be sure to enjoy the rest, and not attempt to continue working and plowing in the wrong season.  Perhaps this is the most difficult lesson of spiritual maturity to gain.  When we allow God to do within us, all that He is declaring over us, He will simply give a nod of His head, and we will joyfully enter into the next season of our lives and ministries.

 

Michele and I are excited to share with you a new season that God is bringing us into. We have had a wonderful two year stay in Virginia Beach, but we feel the winds of change blowing and we see the clouds moving, and in obedience to God, we want to follow HIS call.

 

IT’S A SEASON OF CHANGE!

 

His Call Ministries has just celebrated our 10^th year of hosting the Throne Zone Conference in Virginia Beach.  We have watched countless lives impacted by the presence of God as we created a safe place for people to discover and explore the Throne Zone dimension of God’s presence.  Prior to the last Throne Zone, we heard the voice of the Lord telling us that we are entering into a new season.  God has called us to take the Throne Zone to the countless people who are crying out for an encounter with the presence of God.  He has shown us that it is time to take the Throne Zone out to new territories. 

 

In August of last year, we had the opportunity to be a special guest on Sid Roth’s television program, “It’s Supernatural.”  That opportunity reinforced the fact that people are looking for that safe place.  They want to discover and explore the Throne Zone dimension of God’s presence. This new season will take us to new territories, form new partnerships, and take the Throne Zones to many areas where people are dry and thirsty.

 

Michele and I will be flying to Boston, MA on the 17^th of this month to meet with a group of key leaders to cast the vision and begin plans for Throne Zone Boston in the fall of 2013. We continue prayerfully moving forward with Throne Zone Florida, Texas, Louisiana, and Tennessee. 

For a number of years, you have heard us share about “The Worship Center” that God laid upon our hearts in 2003- as we launched this ministry.  God spoke a very clear word that we documented in our Prophetic Journal in March of 2005.  His instructions were very clear to “Build for Him A Place”- A place of habitation, and not simply visitation.  It would not be a church, but rather it would be a center for training and mentoring- a place where people could discover and explore God’s presence…..a safe place.  It would be a place where people will come not because of the platform personalities, but simply come because they want to sit and soak in God’s presence.   Today, I am excited to share with you that this place has been built in the Raleigh/Durham area.  It is called, “The Worship Center”.

 

To give you an update and a little history, In November of 2012, God connected us with Joe and Sara Call, Founders of The Worship Center in Raleigh/Durham.  As we began to share what the Lord spoke to our heart about this place, Joe began to share what God had spoken to him.  Joe and Sara are seasoned ministers and have been mentored by great men and women of faith.  As we shared with each other what we had heard from the Lord, we realized we had heard the exact same word, in the same month, of the exact same year!!  That’s right…..we heard the same word from the Lord in March of 2005.  AMAZING!!!!

 

In 2009, this 31,000 sq foot facility was opened and dedicated as a “Safe Place”….a place to “House God’s Presence”….a place for people to come and soak in God’s presence.

 

 Knowing what God has spoken to our hearts about these Worship Centers being established in various regions, we believe that we are to connect with Joe and Sara and The Worship Center in Raleigh/Durham.  We see that God has connected us to learn from them, and begin to implement some of the programs that we have held within our hearts; God given programs to build the body of Christ!!

 

To that end, we believe part of this New Season for His Call Ministries is requiring us to relocate to the Raleigh/Durham area.  This will strengthen our working relationship with The Worship Center and provide an opportunity to further God’s work thru HIS Call Ministries. We also realized we will be within a 3 hour radius from key churches and pastors that we are connected with!  How awesome is that!!

 

Remember, when God causes the season to change, EVERYONE RECEIVES A BLESSING!  Such is the case with our son Judah.

 

When we moved to the Virginia Beach area two years ago, we came to be closer to many of our partners and covering pastors, but also because we felt it was time to transition Judah from homeschool back to private school.  This has proven to be a very positive move in that regard.  As Judah is transitioning into High School next year, we have found a wonderful school that will undergird our Biblical values and academically prepare him for any university that God leads him to.  Of course he will miss his friends here in Virginia Beach, but he is excited because some of those families are prayerfully considering relocating to the Raleigh area to help us implement the programs that God has placed within our heart.

 

There are so many details that we could share with you, but we simply do not have the time in this letter.  I would ask that you prayerfully consider giving a special gift, above and beyond your pledge, to help get us in place and ready to move forward with digging this new well of worship. This is your ministry, and we ask that you consider joining with us as we step into this new season that God has prepared for us.

 

Mark your calendars now to join us at “The Worship Center” July 25-27th for Throne Zone Carolina.  You will be excited to see for yourself the facility that God spoke to us about almost 10 years ago!  For those of you who have been partnering with us for some time and heard us speak and teach about it; you will simply be amazed!  It is truly surreal to walk through the facility and see the place He said to build!  We continue to pray that you will be a part of this next season for His Call!  Be sure make plans to join us, July 25-27, 2013! Who knows, perhaps God is saying that your next season is in the Raleigh/Durham area!  You can join with us and together, we can “Build for Him this place.”

 

 

 Our mission is sure, our vision is great.  We can only move forward with your help.  
Please consider making a donation.  Your donations are tax deductible.
Thank you and God bless you!

 

Spring, Where Art Thou?

It is that time of year!  Anticipation begins to mount once we hear the forecast from the groundhog.  We listen a bit closer to the weather report, we download The Weather Channel app to our Smartphone or iPad as we await confirmation of the arrival of warmer temperatures. 

Spring just makes people a little happier as we say goodbye to Old Man Winter.  Flowers begin to bud, grass turns lush green and life seems to return to the landscape surrounding us.

This concept is very true in our individual lives.  We all experience these various seasons in our individual lives.  It is impossible to think that we can only exist in one particular season year round.  Yet, the most abundant season of harvest remains dependent upon fall and winter.  It is during this season of rest where the vegetation has the ability to regain vital nutrients which will produce its harvest when the season changes.

When we don’t allow the season to run its natural course, and we rush the season, we create or experience greater problems when the season does finally change.  For example, Virginia had a very mild winter in 2011.  When spring of 2012 finally came, we had an overabundant population of mosquitoes.  We all enjoyed the mild winter as we didn’t have to bundle up as much as normal, and we were able to wear our shorts and flip-flops early on; however, it became impossible to enjoy the outdoors without insect repellant, fans and Tiki torches blazing- not for summer entertainment- but out of necessity.

You and I are often this way when it comes to the seasons we walk through in our lives or ministry.  We enjoy the summer season when everything in our life and ministry is operating at full capacity.  We are able to see the fruit of our labors.  But if we rush the season, our harvest can be diminished and our full potential never realized.

Perhaps the weather we are currently experiencing represents your life.  It seems as if Old Man Winter wants to stay around and not allow spring to come forth.  No matter how much you anticipate and look forward to your new season of life, it seems that the cold, dark and barren winter simply will never leave you or your ministry.  God has made several promises to you, but you have not yet seen them fulfilled.  You see how God could be working, but you remain unable to make those things happen.  You are dependent upon others moving, and it seems they simply will not budge.  It seems as if nothing in your life is changing and everything you once were productive at has either died from winter or got frostbitten in the process. 

So what do we do when our Springtime Delays?

First, we must remember that GOD LIKES SEASONS.  He created four of them:  Spring, summer, fall and winter.  He has orchestrated when these seasons come and when they go.  He knows how much time is needed for each season to rest, and how much time is needed for that season to produce.  Ultimately, HE KNOWS WHAT IS BEST and HE REMAINS IN CONTROL OF THE SEASONS.

We must also remember that DELAY IS NOT DENIAL.  Just because you are not walking into your Summer Season, it does not mean that you have missed it.  It simply means that it is on the way.  I am reminded that when Daniel prayed, God sent the response immediately.  Michael had to fight through the demonic forces of evil to hand deliver the answer to Daniel’s prayer.  Right now, I believe that the angels of heaven are fighting their way through the demonic forces and strongholds that standing between you and your breakthrough.  You must realize that God retains ultimate power to overcome the enemy and break through the lines and your answer is night at hand.  HE has not said “NO”, HE has simply said “NOT YET”.  So, you must keep pressing on.

It is important to encourage ourselves with scripture and be reminded that although our weeping may endure for the night, Joy is coming in the morning.  The SON will arise with healing in His wings as HE breaks forth and begins to pierce the darkness with his radiant beams of glory.  We must wipe the tears from our eyes and anticipate HIS glory breaking in upon our situation and anticipate the morning.  For with the morning comes great JOY!  The greater the battle, the sweeter the victory!

Encourage not only yourself, but others going through a similar situation.  The word of God says, “Be not weary in well doing, for in due season you SHALL REAP if you do not faint.”  Now more than ever, we must be encouragers one to another.  We must speak words of faith over our situation and others.  We want to not only run the race, but we want to finish well.  Do not focus on simply running.  Let your focus be upon finishing.

As you know, I am a very large proponent of seeding your atmosphere with worship that builds your faith and assists you on your journey.  Perhaps one of my most favorite lyrics is found in “Dance With Me” on the second verse.  The line says, “Your winter has past and your springtime has come.”  I love to shift the vocals so high because to me, shifting the vocal line exemplifies the shift that takes place when we leave our winter and enter into our springtime and harvest.  It is very important to seed your atmosphere with worship that will speak to your situation.  Not in a negative way much like country music does.  With many country tunes you lose your job, your wife, your car and your dog so why not go get drunk.  If you seed your atmosphere with songs that merely describe your situation, you have no authority to change your situation.  Somebody once said when you play country music backwards, you get your car back, your wife back and your job back.  What lyrics are you sowing into your atmosphere?

I don’t know about you, but I am ready for my springtime to come!  I am tired of the fruitful season of my life seemingly die as winter rolls into the picture.  David Horton -one of my mentors in worship now gone on to be with the Lord- used to fuss at me and tell me, “You can’t expect harvest year round…..God just doesn’t work like that.” 

Just like spring and summer will be arriving shortly, so too the season you are walking through is about to shift.  I encourage you to prepare yourself now for that shift whether that be positioning yourself, or repositioning yourself to be ready to spring forth when He sheds His glorious light upon you.

“CHILD YOUR WINTER IS PAST, AND YOUR SPRINGTIME HAS NOW COME!”

 

 

What A Celebration!

Michele and I are so very thankful that you have chosen to partner with us for 2013.  I believe that during this year, we will see the impact from this ministry expand into new territories resulting in many hundreds of people having God encounters in the midst of their time of worship.  As a result, I believe that these people will discover their purpose in life while in that Throne Zone dimension of worship with the Father.  All of this will be a direct result of you standing with us faithfully each month throughout this New Year. 

I have learned that as we enter into covenant relationship, God will allow that same Favor and Kingdom Connections to flow into your life and ministry.  Even as we shared at the conference, 2013 will be a year of “partnerships” for this ministry.  I believe God will cause partnerships to be realized for you and your business or ministry.  Our visions will become reality as God brings different partnerships into our lives.  We must analyze each new possibility and not discount or disregard these relationships God presents us with.  Remain steady, steadfast, unshakable and true to the vision.  Methods may change, but the DNA of your vision must not be altered.  Faithful is He who calleth, whom He also equips.  That is the word of God for you today….Hallelujah!

Well, we had a wonderful 10^th Year Anniversary Throne Zone.  Testimonies are pouring into our office through email and snail mail.  Michele and I would love to hear what God did this year in your life as a result of The Throne Zone.  We were able to provide many scholarships this year- more than ever before.  Just yesterday, I received an email from one of the ladies we gifted with a scholarship and I wanted to share her testimony with you:

I asked for Prayer at the conference.  I wanted your intercesssors to know that the Chest Xray that was taken a month ago showed a lesión in my left hilar región….I had a CT scan taken on last Saturday…The Report says normal examination….no evidence of mass or lesión seen…..I know Jesus is  my healer!!!                                     -Lauretta Melendez

HALLELUJAH!!!!!!

Within the next couple of weeks, we will be posting pictures and video clips from this past Throne Zone.  So, please be sure to check the website when those are posted.

As we look ahead, we are pleased to announce our Inaugural Throne Zone Golf Tournament.  In addition to being a great day of golf and fellowship, this is a fund raiser to help us expand the Throne Zone into the various regions set before us.  This event will allow us to play together for the day, while helping to propel us forward into these new regions.  Our office is flooded with phone calls and emails asking us to bring a Throne Zone to these various areas.  Our staff stands ready to move ahead, but the Golf Tournament and your faithful monthly support will help us answer His Call and establish a Well of Worship where these people can drink, find refreshment, but ultimately become refueled for their assignment.  So please help us with this golf tournament by sharing it with your friends or family who are interested in golf, or sign up to play.  There is no way that you can be any worse of a golfer than me, so come out and have a great time and help us dig these new wells of worship.

On a final note, we have upgraded our accounting software which provides us with several new features.  One such feature that we will be utilizing is regarding your monthly donations.  When we receive your donation (either in the mail, online or auto-deduct), you will receive an email from our office simply letting you know that we have received your donation for the month.  We will still send you an end-of-the-year contribution statement for tax purposes, but this new feature will remind you that you have submitted funds to this ministry and they have been received….not lost in the mail. 

Below, you will find your Kingdom Covenant Partner Code for 2013 as well as the amount you have pledged- either monthly or a one-time gift.  Again, we thank you for standing with us faithfully each month.  Because of your faithfulness, we can answer His Call and avail ourselves of every opportunity the Lord sets before us.  We have great vision, and your faithful support will enable us to release all of this upon the earth.  

Please know how much Michele and I love you and believe in the destiny God has placed within your heart.  It is our prayer that we will provide encouragement and faith to your vision as you offer your support to this ministry.  Remember, greatness is within you.  You have an assignment that no one else on the planet can fulfill, unless you choose to forfeit that assignment.  Be not weary in well doing, for in due season you shall reap if you faint not.  Keep moving forward.

Worship F.I.T. for the King- The Conclusion

Happy New Year and Welcome to 2013!  I believe that this year will be one that causes us to reflect, yet propels us into new dimensions of God’s presence.  The BEST is yet to come!

For the past two months, I have been sharing on the subject, “Worship that is F.I.T. for the King.”  I have shared that the “F” deals with Frequency- how often we worship, but also asking if we are tuned in to the frequency of Heaven.  Are we focused and tuned into the worship that transpires around the Throne of God in Heaven as described in Revelation Chapters 4 & 5.  If not, I challenged us to tune into the sound of Heaven and release that sound upon the earth.

In December, I shared that “I” must not deal with “ME” focused worship, but on the Great I AM.  More specifically, when we realize the access that God has given us to the very Throne Zone Dimension of His presence, we must be “INTENTIONAL” in our worship services to press past the praise zone, continue through the worship zone, and enter into The Throne Zone.  As worship leaders and worshipers, we must not settle for anything less than The Throne Zone and God’s Glory.

Now as we enter into this New Year, I want to share that the “T” must deal with “TRANSFORMATION”.

The theme of our upcoming 10yr Anniversary Celebration of Throne Zone is “Honoring the past…..Embracing the future…….Anticipating His Glory.”  I believe this is our theme not only for the conference, but what God desires for this coming year.

As I share with many congregations, and will share in a unique way on Thursday Night of Throne Zone (which you do NOT want to miss), as we enter into the worship zone- our worship shifts from being horizontal in its expression and begins to shift vertical.  It is during this worship zone where we are being drawn by the Holy Spirit closer to the Throne of God.  It is also in this place where we begin to see ourselves as God sees us.  He sees our sincere hearts, He sees our hunger for more of Him, He sees our insecurities and shortcomings and every other component within our lives.  Knowing what transpires in this “Worship Zone”; many people choose to conclude their journey because they grow uncomfortable and desire their worship experience to be more celebrative than confrontational.  Yet, this is a very strategic step in our journey to The Throne Zone.  It is a step that cannot be circumvented.  You cannot enter to The Throne Zone through a shortcut somewhere…..there is no other way.  Amid all the clatter being broadcast on TV, radio and the internet, there still remains only one way by which man can be saved, and that is through the blood that Jesus shed on Calvary.  Of course you and I know this very well, but the world is sending mixed signals and many believe the lies being propagated by the world today.  Therefore, it is imperative for us to honor the past.

When we honor the past, we remember the past victories that we won, and we remember how they were won.  We remember what God did for us and how He rescued us from some of the worst moments of our lives- whether that be in sin, or a life-threatening moment- but something happens when we stop and are intentional in remembering.

When we remember and acknowledge the work that Jesus Christ did in our lives, we can then look ahead and know that if He was faithful to bring us through our past victories, then His is MORE THAN ABLE to preserve us and help us overcome the challenges and temptations that lie ahead.  And because we remember His past provision & protection, my faith becomes strengthened and I can begin to move forward and Embrace the Future.

But, if we choose to stop in that Worship Zone and not allow the Holy Spirit to do within us what He needs to do, we prevent the Holy Spirit from bringing TRANSFORMATION into our lives.  This prohibits us from moving forward and therefore will inhibit us from entering into the Glory God is releasing in the Earth. 

This TRANSFORMATION will transform us spirit, soul and body.  It will cause us to change the course and actions of life we are pursuing when He challenges us.  I do believe in GRACE, but I do know that when we say YES to God, there are things we must turn loose of that will hold us back and prevent our access to the FULNESS of HIS PRESENCE, and prohibit us from entering into The Throne Zone.

When we truly have an encounter with God, we will not act the same.  Moses didn’t even look the same.  He had to wear a veil over his face because it shined so brightly.  The woman who pressed through the crowd stopped bleeding immediately and resumed life healed and made well as a testimony.  The man who lay by the pool at Bethesda changed the location of where he stayed once Jesus came and healed him.  No longer did he need to hang out at the pool waiting for his healing. 

Too many of us have established relationships from hanging out at the pool that we want to stay after we have been healed because these are the only friends we have made.  But transformation causes us to pick up our bed, walk into the unknown future, and forge new relationships sharing what God has done for us.  This is TRUE TRANSFORMATION.

When we experience TRANSFORMATION in worship, it will give us a new focus & clarity on this next season of our lives.  We can embrace the future and ultimately anticipate His Glory.  He desires to position you and me in our correct places of authority so we can be ready to be “RELEASERS OF HIS GLORY” in our lives and ministry.

This Transformation is not always changing sinful behavior.  Transformation may deal with strategies and business plans.  God is having me speak to many marketplace ministries and entrepreneurs regarding these downloads that God wants to give them in The Throne Zone of worship.  I believe He is giving business plans, marketing strategies and clear revelation how to move into this next season.  I believe He is doing that in your life, your business and your ministry.  That is why I am passionate about getting people into that Throne Zone dimension.  If they can tap into that dimension, people will discover their place, get in their place, operate in their God-orchestrated place, and therefore walk in favor, blessing and exponential results.

I am asking you to prayerfully consider partnering with us for another year.  As we share this vision, it will take financial resources to accomplish this vision, and I would like to be able to count on your monthly support as we move ahead.  Therefore, I have enclosed another partner card for you to pray over.  I will collect your cards at our reception.  We are also asking God for 100 additional $25/month partners to join us at this year’s conference.  We will be asking new partners to join us during the Friday night service, and then provide a reception for new partners following the service.  Please help us pray.

Our mission is sure, our vision is great.  We can only move forward with your help.  Remember, what you do for others, God will cause to be done to you.  As you bless this ministry, God will raise up others who see your vision and support your vision.

2013:  Honoring the Past……Embracing the Future……Anticipating His Glory!

Worship F.I.T. for the King (continued)

Merry Christmas!

I wanted to continue my thoughts from last month on “Worship F.I.T. for the King”.  As we discussed last month, the “F” dealt with Frequency.  Both the how frequent we gather to worship (individually or corporately) as well as the Frequency in the sound waves of the heavens.  This month, I want to deal with the “I”.

We all know the songs that touch our individual hearts.  We love it when we hear the intro to that tune because we know what follows.  And with that audible cue, a certain level of anticipation begins to rise up within us.  That is something God placed within us, and that best describes the power of song.  But if we are not careful, we can easily become offended when the worship leader quits singing “Our Song”.  This is the common fallacy when the “I” in worship is about you and me.

As I continued my prayerful contemplation on the “I” in worship, my thoughts then shifted to the word Interactive.  Interactive, by definition, references a two-way system of communication.  It is mutually or reciprocally active.  If we think in terms of electronic communication, it is a method of communication in which the program’s outputs depend on the user’s inputs, and the user’s inputs in turn affect the program outputs.  Many years ago, I learned this acronym G.I.G.O.  It simply stood for Garbage In, Garbage Out.  Of course, the Bible is filled with this understanding.  Be not deceived, God is not mocked.  For whatsoever a man sows, that also shall he reap.  If he sows to the things of the flesh, He shall of the flesh reap corruption.  If he sows to the things of God, he shall reap life everlasting.  Of course, the same is true with our worship.  If we never engage in worship, we can never expect to receive anything through worship.  In order to receive the fullness of what God has provided for us in our worship experience, we must ascend the hill of the Lord with clean hands and a pure heart.  We have been granted access to that Throne Zone dimension of God’s worship, but we must actively pursue His presence and avail ourselves of every opportunity to come into that Throne Zone dimension.

I realized that Interactive still stemmed from the “What’s in it for me” syndrome.  If I do this, then God will do this for me.  And although both of the above thoughts are true and occur in our worship experience, there is one more “I” in worship that holds the key to Worship F.I.T. for the King.  That word is Intentional.

We must begin with the understanding that when Christ died on the cross, the Veil that safeguarded the Holy of Holies was torn in two.  We know that because the shed blood of Jesus Christ, he became the mediator for us and through His blood, we can boldly approach God’s Throne.  That means that Christ’s blood was shed for all mankind, not exclusively you and me or the denomination or fellowship that we are connected to.  His blood was shed for whosoever that believeth on Him.

We must also realize that every time Jesus showed up in a situation, the status quo changed.  When He walked into a room, blind eyes were opened, deaf ears began to hear, the lame walked, the dumb talked and those tormented by evil spirits were set free.  Everything happens when Jesus walks into the room.  So the problems in our church will not be solved by our great musical skills, nor our great pulpit oratory, and not even by our cutting edge ministries that we proudly exhibit to attract all newcomers.  The problems represented within our congregations will be transformed when He shows up in our sanctuary.

To that end, we must be intentional in our worship experience not to showcase our talent, but rather be intent on invoking the presence of the Lord to enter the house!  We must do whatever necessary to make sure that He shows up in our services.

How do we do that?

First, we must remind ourselves the instructions of King David.  If we are to enter into the Hill of the Lord (aka The Throne Zone)- we must have clean hands and a pure heart.  That requires a lifestyle of holiness and sanctification.  We really don’t hear a lot of that being taught these days.  We hear more of grace.  And please do not misunderstand me it was the shed blood of Jesus that provided grace to us while we were yet sinners.  Because of that grace, I can come to Jesus just as I am.  However, that doesn’t give me a free pass to live my life contrary to the will of God and still have access to the Holy of Holies.

God is not looking for perfect Christians, just Christians who are being perfected
in His Presence.

Secondly, we must realize scripture says that we enter His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise.  Scripture throughout Revelation tells us the song of Heaven.  We know that there is worship being sung around His Throne 24/7 as the angels cry “Worthy, Holy, Who is and was and is to come”.  Therefore, we must acknowledge the fact that our praise and worship is the access portal to that Throne Zone dimension.

CLEAN HANDS, PURE HEART, THANKSGIVING & PRAISE

I believe that as we approach His throne in this manner, we in fact join the host of Heaven in jubilant praise.  As we join with the song of Heaven, there comes a moment when Heaven and Earth connect as we are singing on earth the song being sung in Heaven.  Think about it this way.  Jesus prayed, Father let Your Kingdom Come on Earth as it is in Heaven.  Following that train of thought, it only makes sense that Jesus could easily say, Father let Your Song be Sung on Earth, even as it is being Sung around your Throne in Heaven.  After all, singing is merely sustained speaking or prayer.

It is at this point in worship that there is a shift in our atmosphere.  I believe it is this point where Heaven invades Earth through our simple portal of worship.  And when that takes places, God’s glory begins breaking out in the area where our worship is being released.

Think about it.  When we effectively engage the congregation in worship, all hearts are in one accord.  All thoughts & words expressed are the same lyrics.  That means the conversation is corporately expressed as one voice.  Isn’t this what happened in the Upper Room as recorded in the book of Acts?  They were in one place, in one accord when Suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as a Mighty Rushing Wind and it filled all who were sitting in that room.  Hallelujah!

This must be the focus of our worship:  Heaven must invade the Earth releasing His Glory!  We must be Intentional with our worship, no longer to sing to men, or settle for singing about God.  We must begin to sing directly to God, engaging the entire congregation so that God’s glory be released because He has showed up in the midst of our worship.

For me, as a worship

leader, my goal is not to sing the latest, greatest, hottest worship number being played on the radio.  I realize (and am intentional) on creating an atmosphere conducive to allowing people the freedom to join me in a song familiar being sung directly to God, and having that song sung in the fullness of all harmonic beauty sung with great passion to the presence of God, knowing that Heaven will meet earth and God’s glory will be released as He enters the room.  I choose to be Intentional in my worship experience.

By partnering with this ministry with your prayers and financial support, you are helping us to help people experience the Glory of the Lord- many for the first time in their lives.  As a result, we are witnessing individual lives being changed as they discover the manifest presence of God in their lives.  Additionally, as this Glory Spout continues to pour in many of these congregations, we watch the Glory transform many congregations.  You are making the difference in many people’s lives.  The seeds you are faithfully sowing into this ministry each month are affecting change and releasing the Glory.

Please don’t stop praying.  Don’t stop giving.  You must know you are impacting lives of many and helping their lives to be transformed because God is showing up in their homes, their offices, their churches and even their regions.

We will continue to Dig the Wells of Worship, allowing the worshipers opportunity to come drink, find refreshing, and watch as God sends them back to their congregations to infect them with a fresh passion for His Presence.

Let us be INTENTIONAL in our worship!

Merry Christmas!

Worship F.I.T. for the King

On November 6^th, you and I will have a wonderful opportunity to go to the polls and cast our vote for our next President of the United States and other elected officials.  I would highly encourage you to make time in your schedule to go to the polls and vote.  Whether it be cold, rainy, or somewhat inconvenient, it is important that we as Christians elect officials and leadership who will embrace the Godly values we embrace to ensure that we remain “One Nation Under GOD”.  We must remember that it is not a political party that guarantees success of a nation.  Proverbs 14:34 states that “Righteousness exalteth a nation:  but sin is a reproach to any people.”

 

Of course, we in America can often be confused in our approach to God because America is a Democracy.  Our President and other officials are elected by the people, for the representation of the people, to ensure that people’s rights and liberties are protected.  However, this is not the paradigm in which the Kingdom of Heaven operates.

 

The Kingdom of Heaven is a Kingdom, not a Democracy.  It is imperative that we realize there are key components in a Kingdom which are opposite to a Democracy.  This is perhaps the fundamental concept we must understand as we concentrate our focus on worship…more specifically worshiping F.I.T. for our King of Kings.

 

To begin with, let’s recap some important Kingdom Principles we must always keep before us to ensure we maintain proper balance and focus in our worship. (Kingdom Principles- Myles Munroe ©2006 Destiny Image)

• The Central component of a Kingdom is the King
• The King is Never Voted into nor out of Power
• A King’s authority is by birthright
• A King personally owns everything in His Domain
• The Constitution of the Kingdom is the documented will, intent, desires, and purposes of the King for the citizens of His Kingdom.
• Citizenship in a Kingdom is not a right but a privilege, and it is at the pleasure of the King himself.  Citizens are chosen by the King and are beneficiaries of the King’s pleasure and promises.
• Royal Privileges of the Kingdom are the benefits the King affords his citizens.  They serve as a security for being in good standing with the King.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matthew 6:33-34a says, “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow.”

 

Philippians 4:19 says, “And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

 

If we, being citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, expect to live under the blessings & provisions of the King, we must begin with the assumption that we are to ascribe to our King the worship that is rightfully due Him.  We must understand what our King likes, and what He doesn’t like, ensuring that we live in the favor and good pleasure of the King.

 

Frequency is defined as the number of times an event occurs within a given period.  For example, “What is the frequency of Full Moons which occur within one year’s time?” And to that end, I would pose the question, what is the frequency of your worship?  How many times do you stop in any given week to worship?  Do you worship only on Sunday morning, or perhaps at home fellowship?  Sadly, many professing Christians turn their thoughts to worshiping God only on Sunday.

 

According to The Barna Research Group, “Many adults find that having a truly worshipful experience is not something they can turn on and turn off at will.  Without giving themselves time to clear their minds and hearts of their daily distractions and other problems, many people attend a worship event but never enter a worshipful frame of mind.  A large share of churchgoers do not pray, meditate, confess or focus on God prior to the start of a church worship event.  One consequence is that they find it difficult to connect with Him spiritually.  Having never been taught much about worship, they find the inability to interact with God on a deeper level frustrating, but don’t know what to do about it.” (www.Barna.org- “Worship Tops the List of Important Church-Based Experiences”)

 

Let me pose a second theory:

 

Radio Stations operate on various radio frequencies.  You have AM and FM stations, each with a varying frequency which sets them apart.  To find different music styles or radio formats, one simply needs to dial into a new frequency by scanning the available frequencies being broadcast.  The fact remains that thousands of stations are broadcasting, but you must tune your radio into their frequency setting to receive their broadcast.

 

The same is true when it comes to worship that the King likes.  The sound is being broadcasted 24/7/365 from the Throne Zone.  The task lies with us to dial into that frequency so we can hear the sound of Heaven and then release it upon the earth or into our environment.  Let me explain.

 

During the summer, a bunch of youth gather at the river, get on their friend’s boat and go out for a fun day on the water.  While on the water, they turn their radio into a station that broadcasts “fun-time” music and what do they do?  They crank up the volume.  Why?  Because they know the louder the music, the more infectious the fun they will seemingly have.  The same is true if you go to a dance or a party.  The music there is broadcasting “fun-time” music that helps to create the atmosphere of “Fun”.

 

As Christians, and Citizens in the Kingdom of Heaven, there is a frequency that is operating in the heavens broadcasting worship FIT for the King.  The lyric base has nothing to do with me or my perceived entitlements.  It is all about HIM, the King.

 

The lyric base was penned from John the beloved who was caught into the 3^rd Heaven where he stood before the Throne of God.  He entered into the Throne Zone and penned the lyrics that transpired in that dimension.

 

• Revelation 4:8-  “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”
• Revelation 4:11- “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.”
• Revelation 5:9- “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God:  And we shall reign on the earth.”
• Revelation 5:11- “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
• Revelation 5:13- “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
• Revelation 7:12- “Amen!  Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever, Amen.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a worship leader, I realize that I must use current songs to help gather the people.  However, it is my responsibility to realize the lyric base of heaven, and then engage the congregation into joining with the heavenly host singing worship around the throne.

 

Well, it looks as if I will have to finish the “I” and the “T” portion of this partner letter next month.  I have so much to share with you on this thought, and I can’t pack it all into this one letter.

 

So, I leave you with this thought in closing:  Let us worship frequently throughout the week (in our home, car, office, bedroom, prayer closet, etc) and not use a lyric base of entitlement, but rather readjusting our sound waves to the frequency of Heaven- releasing the song of Heaven upon the Earth- declaring His majesty, His glory and His “worth-ship.”

 

Worship F.I.T. for the King!

 

The Power of Worship

2008 not only marked the beginning of the Economic collapse in America, but it also marked a time of great division within the church as we faced a new election.  Countless churches split as pastors endeavored to safeguard the Christian values that America was founded upon 400 years earlier.  Unfortunately, some Pastors took the opportunity to turn their pulpit into a Political polling station on both sides of the political divide producing results which surprised many.  Many pastors were simply trying to remind their people to vote to safeguard the religious freedoms and principles which America was founded upon.  Yet, many of those pastors experienced hardship as some of their congregations misinterpreted their comments.

Yes, 2008 marked the beginning of a downward spiral for the unity of the church, and spawned Anti-Semitism no longer geared toward the Jews alone, but expanded its focus against the Christian Church.  As the world and liberal news media scrutinized the church, it exposed leaders living a double lifestyle and seized every opportunity possible to chip away another layer of Godly values and principles that we the church have both embraced and taught.  And with every passing month, it seemed as if another moral failure or financial scheme was exposed, thus devaluing the influence of the church on modern society.

I am not endeavoring to throw my voice into the political arena, nor persuade you to vote one way or another.  I am not a politician.  However, I AM A WORSHIPER and would like to share a few comments on the power of Worship, and why it is a priority for today!

Worship UNIFIES US
I recently watched a movie with Judah called, “The Avengers”.  It is a movie about super heroes coming together to overthrow the plan of Loki (the enemy) to rule the earth.

In the movie, Loki comes to the headquarters of the Avenger super hero group and causes division.  He knows that if he can get these super heroes fighting against each other, he can execute his plans to take over the earth.  Fortunately, the super heroes realize this plan, and they lay aside their differences and begin to work together as a team.  When they do this, they overthrow their enemy and realize each other’s strengths and no longer their weaknesses.

This is what worship helps us to accomplish.  It gets the focus off of us and our problems or wrong-doings, and helps us focus on God.  When we truly enter into worship, there is nothing else that gets attention.  Rather, the focus is exclusively upon God.

Worship is perhaps the greatest example of unity.  It is when an entire congregation joins as one voice in song, releasing the same words, at the same time, all directed toward the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  That is extreme unity.  This is why Satan fights worship so hard.  He does not want one person praising and glorifying God.  He for certain does not want an entire congregation singing praise to their God and King Jehovah!  Scripture tells us what happens when we join as one voice singing the same song at the same time:

• The Cloud fills the tabernacle and no one can stand to minister
• Walls crumble to the ground
• The camp of the enemy turns upon themselves and kill each other
• It fills a house where 120 believers are gathered and fills them with the Holy Ghost and Fire

If you want or need unity, then encourage worship!

Worship HEALS US
I would like to share this testimony that I just received about a healing in a marriage.  This is from someone who watched me on Sid Roth’s “It’s Supernatural” program in Ft. Worth, TX.

When listening to Keith Duncan music I can enter into the throne room supernaturally. Or just humming the words of his songs from the CD’s the angles and the spirit of God are all around you.

I was humming the words from one of his CD’s and a sweet fragrance filled the room as the presents of the Lord covered me.

I got so excited, I played his music to a couple that had been having trouble for 10 years in their marriage.  Within minutes, the husband fell on his knees and began crying out to God to forgive him for all he had done to his wife and asking God to forgive him for all his sins. He was transformed by God instantly!          -Lynda R.

 

Worship REMINDS US

It reminds us what God has done for us in the past.  It reminds us that even though we had to walk through some bad times, God was with us and brought us through it.  Even though we may have lost our job, our loved one, we went through bankruptcy or even had our home foreclosed upon, God was faithful to bring us through that season, and by His grace is helping us to build again, or love again, or helping us find a better job than we had before.

As we sing about what God did for us in the past, it automatically begins to build our faith for the future.  If He was able to do it then, He can do it again!

 

Worship DISCIPLES US

When we remember who God is and what He has done for us, we want to make sure that we continue to live a lifestyle that will bring glory and honor to Him.  If our focus is the world, we want to live our lives to please the system of the world.  But, when we focus upon God and His Glory, it reminds us “What Would Jesus Do”, before we actually do something or say something we shouldn’t.

One of the former pastors I worked for used to say, “Our Focus Will Determine Our Flow”.  If we are focused upon the world, our lives will revolve around the things of this world.  Where the head turns, the body goes.

But when our eyes are steadfastly upon the one who gave His life for us, the things of this world begin to grow strangely dim.  We become more concerned about Him and His Kingdom rather than my kingdom.

Worship FOCUSES US

When our eyes get out of focus, everything becomes blurry.  When Judah’s soccer team is not focused, they make many mistakes and usually lose the game.  But when the team gets refocused, they begin to play like some great players and win the game.

Worship helps us to remain focused upon the “Why” of our existence.  Worship helps us to get into the Throne Zone where we discover our purpose and our passion is reignited.  It helps us to realize the lyrics to the old hymn, “This world is not my home, I’m only passing through.”

Joseph Garlington says it this way, “We are not human beings having a temporary spiritual experience.  We are Spiritual beings having a temporary human experience.”

I still reference Matthew 6:33

“But seek FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Worship helps us to keep the main thing the main thing.  Worship must be focused on seeking God and His righteousness.  As long as that remains our focus, then all the other things in our life will fall into proper order.  It is when our focus is on this temporary earthly experience that things begin to go wrong.

I am reminded of the song, “In the Presence of Jehovah”.

“In the presence of Jehovah

God Almighty, Prince of Peace.

Troubles vanish, hearts are mended

when we’re in the presence of the King.”

 

The answer remains not with a political party, but with the presence of God.  Do everything within your power to enter into the presence of the Lord, and continue to seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness, knowing that everything you need will be taken care of by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!