A CHANGING REFLECTION

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

What joy!  What gladness to serve a great and powerful God who cares so much for us!  As I write you, it is well with my soul, for the days ahead are given to us to serve our Lord with joy and gladness, in a powerful and mighty way.

I pray that you too can see beyond the dark clouds that threaten to bring destruction each day.  I pray that your house is filled with the joy of the Lord and you stand firm, as a tree planted by the water, with its roots feeding from the Water of Life.

I pray that you have found your place within the Body of Christ; that you may serve as a true and willing vessel for His good work; doing as we see the Father do. 

A CALL TO LEADERSHIP

God is calling for those willing to die to themselves and worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.   He is offering abundant and eternal life; a changed mind and a renewed spirit.  He is opening up the doors of His Kingdom and raising-up leaders to pour out over the world; leaders who will grow in Christ’s love and holiness; leaders who will be transformed to become like Christ and become Kingdom Leaders.

To grow in Christ, is to increase in faith, and to live producing the fruits of the Spirit.  Our transformation begins inside and spreads to the outside.  We are no longer of the world.  God is looking for leaders who are not afraid to look in the mirror and be truly changed, humbled, obedient and accountable to Him.

God is looking for leaders who are not afraid of the world; who know what it means to walk through the valley of death and fear no evil--over-comers.  Truly, as we look at the world around us, it is filled with sin--the precursor of death.  Many who have not overcome, because of their own weaknesses and insecurities, choose to build up walls and false doctrine to keep out what they are afraid to meet head on.  They place themselves in a controlled and seemingly sacrificial environment and live within an illusion of humbleness and godliness.  God is looking for leaders who do not walk in false humility; who do not operate in grey areas and justify their actions as good deeds.  God is looking for leaders who do not try to hide behind the Word of God, but carry the Word forward as a Light and Sword.  

God is looking for leaders who truly believe in His Word and His Power; who do not try to limit His Power, because of their own weaknesses.  God is looking for leaders who walk in the Light, move in the Spirit, worship in Spirit and in Truth; who fall on their knees and pour out their heart; who weep, laugh, and cry out, because they truly know the Joy of the Lord; who are not afraid to dance before the world for their God; who are not afraid to take back the land and the abundant life that was promised to them.  God is looking for leaders who are not afraid to die to themselves.  God is looking for leaders who will truly love all of His people.

AN END TO BLIND WILL

Our will leads us blindly down the path of destruction.  God can not use those who refuse to submit to His Will.  He will take their blessing and give it to another who will pursue Him wholeheartedly and surrender all. 

God will change the world by creating new leaders that will be accountable to Him.  Today’s leaders do not understand leadership.  LEADERSHIP DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU ARE IN CONTROL.  LEADERSHIP MEANS THAT YOU ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO GOD IN EVERY AREA OF YOUR LIFE.  Leadership means that God has made you His vessel to implement a vision and plan and most importantly to be remembered, it means that God has made you ACCOUNTABLE TO HIM FIRST.

  

Our cross—our calling, as leaders, is to equip the saints and free the captives; and that freedom is found in the Truth of God; His Holy Spirit, who by transformation gives us peace and knowledge of the Father—leading to eternal life.

Christ chose twelve to change the world through faith and belief; and sent many more out to heal and spread the Gospel.  He showed us that one man, through the power of God can overcome any obstacle and affect millions.   

If ever the world needed to see Christ, it is today, when we are on the cusp of self-destruction through moral decay.  Young lives are being corrupted, misused, thrown away and destroyed before they have even had a chance to live.

Still, we choose to shun the tough issues, such as child sex slavery and pornography.  We are too busy supporting their cohorts; celebrating gay pride and marriage; drug legalization; trying to prove we are politically correct; and supporting celebrities and politicians who are doing everything they can to corrupt the rest of the world.

Everyone is looking for things to get better in the world, but what are we doing personally, to insure that it will happen?

God has a challenge for you.  Each day, when you arise and thank Him for another day; before you leave the house; or begin your day, look into the mirror and ask yourself, “Do I see Christ?”  Then, make a decision to surrender all to God; to die to self and let Him make you over and transform you into a new being.  Make a decision to become an ambassador for the Kingdom, wherever you are.  Make a decision to stand with others who are standing firm for God and Kingdom principles.  Let the world see Christ and truly believe that you are changing the world each and every moment.

Let Him use you, my brothers and sisters.  Yes, the world will rebuke you and scorn you, but He will comfort you and give you strength and peace to endure.  If you believe, without a shadow of a doubt that you have given yourself to God and His Holy Spirit lives within you, you have the power to make a positive and lasting change in someone’s life; to change the world and let His Kingdom come. 

 

Father, it saddens me that so many leaders see You as instructions on a one-sided piece of paper, filled with details and agendas to meet their own specifications.  It saddens me that they are so blinded that they can not truly see you as the God of all people.  They are like the Pied-Piper whose tune is only to attract and lead rats and children. They have forsaken a true relationship with you.  Forgive us, Lord.

Who will have a heart for all of your people?  Who can truly see past their own flesh and into the hearts of others?  Father, who will hear the music of Your Holy Spirit and not just the music of their own flesh?  Who will hear Your Words and really understand what it means to "Be Still and know that I Am God"?  Forgive us, Lord.

Father, whose heart is not laden with bitterness and malice towards his brother?  Whose heart will truly listen to the cry of the world?  Forgive us, Lord.

They hear the language of the world, but they do not hear the language of the Holy Spirit.  They hoist their anchor and raise their sail, forgetting that it is Your Hand that moves the wind. Forgive us, Lord.

Father, the drum beats, but only a few march forward.  Others are stuck keeping time, marching in place, believing they have moved.  Their hearts are turned inward, unable to reach out.  Their love is like rain that falls on hardened ground, only to return as vapor to the sky.  Forgive us, Lord.

What more can I say, Father?  Often, I am downcast because they can not see You.  My heart grows heavy.  My shoulders fall.  We often fail to cast Your reflection.  Darkness has impaired their vision.  They look through broken glass and their vision is distorted; unable to discern Truth. They turn away the physician to drink bitter wine to try and heal themselves instead.  They are drunk with self-righteousness. Forgive us, Lord.

Oh, Father, a dangerous game they play with the lives of others, bringing folly upon themselves.  Father, compel them to lift up their eyes to the hills from whence their help cometh, lest they be overcome by darkness and perish.  Forgive us, Lord.

Set them free from pride, deceit, and unrighteousness.  Release them from the comfort of their lukewarm bath of Christianity and set a fire down in their souls.  Give them a new mind and a changed heart.  Forgive us, Lord.

Dear Lord, help us to grow.  Shine Your Light upon us.  Have Your Way Lord.  Cast out that which is unclean; jealous minds and jealous hearts; false humility and hypocrisy; stubbornness, lies, deceitfulness, betrayal and control.  Forgive us, Lord.

Father, bring forth Your Love and repair the damage.  Set our eyes upon You.  Help us to walk and abide in Your Holy Spirit, with Your Son, Jesus Christ.  Help us to see clearly.

Father, I thank you for your love that endures through hardship and pain.  Father, I pray your kingdom to come to the household where there is no mother or no father.  I pray your kingdom to come to the household where the husband and wife are so wrapped up in self that they can not find true, Godly love to love one another.  I pray your kingdom into the lives of those grandparents, step-parents, relatives, and adoptive parents raising children who are victims of the darkness.  I pray your kingdom to come to the family with no roof over their head.  I pray your kingdom to come to the families torn apart by unemployment, sickness and disease, drugs, abuse, war, infidelity, pornography, rebellion, violence and tools of Satan.  I pray your kingdom to come to households held in bondage to pride and self-destruction.

Lord, I pray for all churches and worship groups, pastors and spiritual leaders.  Keep them from the evil one.  Open their hearts and eyes.  Turn them to you and their calling.  Increase the workers in the field.  Bring them out of the buildings into the streets, byways, and homes, where your children are being ravaged by sin and darkness.

Kindle a fire in Your leaders that will be transferred to your servants to run with Your vision and bring it into existence.  Kindle a fire in your sons and daughters that the world will see and know that You are an awesome and forgiving God calling them to repent…change from their ways and walk in the Light.  Lord, help them to understand that asking forgiveness is not enough.  We must change and separate from that which has caused us to sin.

Father, make us aware of Your power within us, so that through each and every adverse situation, we do not fall to our weakness, but stand faithful and strong in your power and love;  giving love to our neighbors and enemy, even when it is not returned to us.  Father, keep us pure in heart.

We love you Lord.  We thank you.  We can never thank you enough.  What a wonderful change that has come over us.  You have breathed on us and a fresh wind has revived our souls. 

Give vision to your prophets; let them prophecy.  Let your voice be heard through your preachers.  Spread the Light of Truth through your teachers,  Ignite the fire of the Holy Spirit in your evangelists to bring in your sheep.  Place the armor of righteousness upon your apostles; the humbleness and servitude required for leadership; and the holiness of your presence; so that they may help bring the Body into one accord to drive out the darkness and reclaim our territory and rule.  In the name of Your Precious Son, Jesus,
Amen.

Philippians 4:4-5 (NKJV)

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
⁵ Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

By the grace and mercy of God,
Your Servant,
Mishael