Be Faithful With The Land Of Your Heart

November 2015

Dear Friend,

I was reading Proverbs 28:19 and saw some things concerning the cultivation of our walk with God that I had not seen before:

Prov 28:19 (AMP)

He who cultivates his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless people and pursuits will have poverty enough.

When Proverbs 28:19 was written, we have to remember that agriculture was prominent in Old Testament Israel as it was one of the major ways in which they obtained their food; primarily through the process of Seed-time and Harvest. And in order to ensure that they maximized the produce, the farmers spent time and effort to till the land. This included breaking up the soil and turning it over; mixing the soil up with fertilizer and other soil amendments as necessary to provide for the seed to grow into a good crop.

I had always interpreted it as being faithful with the job that we had, and that through diligent, hard work, we would always have more than enough for our own material needs. And I also saw the result of not being diligent in the same verse.

What I saw when I read it again was that there was also a spiritual application to the verse, and it revealed some things to me about how my daily walk as a Christian should be, and how I missed it in the past, and also how I could improve further in my personal walk with Him.

In the parable of the Sower (Mark 4:3-8), Jesus taught on the seed that was sown in four different kinds of ground:
1. The wayside (verse 4)
2. Stony ground with not much earth (verse 5)
3. Ground with thorns (verse 7)
4. Good ground. (verse 8)

He then went on to explain the parable in verses 13 to 20. However, note what he compared the seed sown and the various types of ground in the parable to:

Mark 4:14-15
14 The sower sows the Word.
15 The ones along the path are those who have the Word sown [in their hearts], but when they hear, Satan comes at once and [by force] takes away the message which is sown in them.

Jesus compared the Word as to seed, and our hearts as to the different kinds of ground for the seed to be sown. Peter also alluded to this metaphor when he wrote about the Christian's born-again experience in his letter:

1 Peter 1:23 (NKJV)
having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever

What I saw in Proverbs 28:19 was this: God did His part in sowing the Seed of His Word in my heart, but I'm ultimately responsible for tilling the soil of my heart, constantly cultivating it so as to prepare my heart to receive the Word. And that as I prepare it, I allow the Word to be able to produce a crop that I need for whatever area of life I find lacking.

What I also saw was that if I didn't take the time and had the diligence to cultivate my own heart; but rather spent my time going to every Christian meeting, conference I'll more than likely end up being all the more spiritually poorer.

I am not saying that it is entirely bad to go for such conferences but I've seen people who go from one Christian convention to the next, one 'prophetic' conference after another, but still remain the same as they were before. They might get some new things in terms of knowledge but remain stuck in the same rut as they were before they went to said event. They get offended easily, lifted up in spiritual pride and unteachable. Those are the kinds of people who remain spiritually impoverished.

But the ones who took time and effort to prepare their own hearts, cultivating it before the Lord and making it good ground to receive the Word; those are the ones who'll consistently produce a good crop, who'll always be steady no matter what season they're in. And no matter where they are, they'll always receive a word in due season; the right word at the right time.

So I strongly encourage you, take time to cultivate the land of your heart. Take time to prepare it. Be faithful with the process. And you'll never lack for anything with Him.

Blessings,

Ken

Trust Him, Don't Be Hasty - It'll Come To Pass!

October 2015

Dear Friend,

Recently I was reading Habakkuk chapter 2 and I saw something in the first few verses that came out alive to me:

Habakkuk 2:2-4 (NKJV)

Then the Lord answered me and said: "Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith. 

NKJV

I was reminded of this one simple truth: that God has a specific plan for each and every single one of us. And because His very nature is that of inherent goodness, His plans for us are therefore good (Jeremiah 29:11).

And His nature is such that He will not lie regarding His plan nor will He change His mind about that very plan (Numbers 23:19). He's seen the end of that plan from that very beginning, and declares that His counsel will stand (Isaiah 46:10).

It dawned on me that when God reveals His plan for my life, my response as His child is to have faith in Him that His plan for my life will come to pass as I keep walking with Him in each and every step.

At times, it will seem frustrating to wait for what you know to be the plan of God for your life to come to pass but be encouraged as the Jewish Believers were in Hebrews chapter 6,

Heb 6:11-12 (NKJV)

11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 

It is through faith and patience that we will see what God promised come to pass in our life. It may take a while, it may be instant, but it will come to pass.

In his letter to the church in Rome, the Apostle Paul makes a distinction between the Gentiles and Israel, describing Israel as not having "attained to the law of righteousness", because they sought to attain to it through works (Romans 9:30-32).

Paul quotes from the prophet Isaiah when he writes,

Rom 9:33 (NKJV)

As it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."  

As true as it is that the one who believes Jesus will not be ashamed for his belief, it is interesting to see that Paul's quotation was slightly different from the original passage in Isaiah:

Isa 28:16 (NKJV)

 Therefore thus says the Lord God: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily. 

Isaiah declared that whoever believes in that foundation stone (speaking of Jesus) would not act hastily. By reading what Isaiah wrote in parallel to Paul's writings in Romans, there is one conclusion I reached:

That if I believe in God, it's believing that what He said will come to pass. And if I believe Him, I won't act hastily (or rashly in the decisions that I make concerning my life); and therefore I won't be ashamed because I didn't make said decision.

Abraham, the father of faith; is a classic example of a person who acted hastily when he heard God tell him that he'll have a son. He acted with presumption and we're seeing the effects of that hasty decision till this day.

Just because God showed you some things concerning your future doesn't mean you have to immediately jump up and do something about it. In fact, He knows the future better than you do, so just trust Him! What you sense Him saying may oftentimes not necessarily be what He's telling you to do.

In his book Plans Purposes and Pursuits, the late Kenneth E. Hagin wrote the following:

Sometimes God will show you what He wants you to do - you will have His plan. But at the same time, you will perceive in your spirit that the time to do it isn't quite right. Learn to wait for the right time to implement God's plan - wait for the quickening of the Holy Spirit. At other times, God will show you things in the Spirit, and although you won't know everything God wants to do, as you fulfill what the Lord told you to do - little by little, you will move into deeper areas of the Spirit. As you are obedient to follow God's plan and His purpose, He will begin to illustrate and demonstrate some things to you and lead you into greater understanding of His plan.

There will also be times when you simply pick up on what the Spirit wants to do through others in the Body of Christ, but that does not mean that God wants you to do it.

... Many people who have some sensitivity to the Holy Spirit sense what God is doing and what He wants to do. They grab that and run off with it and try to build something from that. But because God didn't specifically tell them to do it, their plans are only man's plan, not God's plan or purpose. 

Concerning RHEMA and Healing School, he also writes that other people wrote him letters asking him how to start up the same thing. They had a sense of it and thought that they were supposed to do it also.

....many of these people sensed in the Spirit that God was moving this way, and they thought He wanted them to do it. They didn't take time to wait before God to get His plan for themselves or for their church. When people sense which way God is moving, many times they assume God wants them to do something.

I am not perfect but I know this, I have a God who's perfect and who has a perfect plan for my life. So I'll rather not be presumptuous and think I should immediately start moving the moment I have a direction from Him. I still want to take time to ask Him the way He wants it done, and to do it His way. 

I was also blessed to hear something Brother Hagin said at the dedication of Lakewood Church in 1988 (when John Osteen was still alive - it's amazing what you can find on YouTube!)

Keep crawling when you ought to be walking. And keep walking when you ought to be flying.

- Kenneth E. Hagin

It's far better to be a step behind God and know that you're walking in His plan for your life than to be two steps ahead of Him and face the unknown wondering whether this is the right direction to take.

Take time to wait on Him. Listen to what He tells you to do, then as you hear, take time to walk it out. It's not a matter of being the first to finish the race, it's that you finish it.

Blessings,

Ken

Keep Preparing, Your Faith Will See You Through!

September 2015

Dear Friend,

This isn’t actually a bona fide original letter but I’m thankful that I heard Nancy Dufresne give the following statement as it opened up some things in me:

Faith will reach into the plan of God and make preparation for it.

- Nancy Dufresne

If you have been following this blog for some time, you may have come across a statement I made that the message of faith in God wasn’t just a teaching to be intellectually understood but it was a lifestyle that every one of us should live.

In his letter to the Corinthian church, Paul made the following statement:

2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV)

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

Our faith in God goes beyond what we can see with our physical eyes and into the future, believing that what He said and promised concerning us will come to pass. However, we also read in James’ letter to the church,

James 2:17 (AMP)

So also faith, if it does not have works (deeds and actions of obedience to back it up), by itself is destitute of power (inoperative, dead).

Who you and I are today is a result of what we believed and acted on yesterday. And what we believe and act on today will change our destiny tomorrow and hereafter. Our faith in God will give direction to our actions and shape the destiny and quality of life that we walk out in the years to come.

Without going deeply into the Greek meanings behind Hebrews 11:3, I’ll use what a friend of mine wrote concerning it:

Hebrews 11:3 (paraphrased)

by hearing and believing in God’s word, the ages of time have been shaped by men and women who then brought unseen purposes into the seen realm.

- Toni Haskell, It’s About Time

History has been made by people who believed the Word and acted on it, making preparation for it. If we look at the life of Noah, we can see how he had faith in God and made preparation for the manifestation of that faith when he built the ark (read Genesis chapters 5 to 7).

From reading the chapter, we find the following details:

1. Noah was around 500 years of age when God commanded him to build the ark (Genesis 5:32, an assumption)
2. It took him approximately 100 years to build said ark (Genesis 7:6, he was 600 years old when the Flood took place)
3. The Flood happened.

There’s more detail to the story than that but I wanted to point out the following:

Noah acted on the word he received from God, that a flood was coming and he was to build an ark to save not only himself but his wife, three sons and their wives with them, and a whole bunch of animals.

It took him approximately 100 years to build an ark and he continued building it, based on that one word, a flood was coming. That's a pretty long time to wait, isn't it? He could have given up at any point in time in between the start and completion of the ark, thinking that word to be false. He didn’t. He persevered and kept building it until it was fully completed. Once he finished building the ark, he and his group went in, God shut the doors and the flood happened, wiping out almost all of mankind.

Just because you believe you have a word from God doesn’t mean there's no preparation involved in the process. There will always be a period of time between the revelation of the promise and the manifestation of the promise. What we do in between both points will determine how we end up. There are people who started off well but ended up on the spiritual junkheap of life because of lack of preparation, and there are people who ended up well because they took the time to prepare themselves and consecrate themselves to carry out the plans and purposes of God for their lives.

Kenneth E. Hagin said it well, that “preparation time is never wasted time”. So make it a priority to prepare yourself, believing that what God promised you will come to pass in due time.

Blessings

Ken

Go Back To Your First Love

August 2015

Dear Friend,

As I write this letter, I write it with the constant reminder that I want it to be an expression of what I have in my heart, and not merely a letter that comes from my head with the intent to tickle the intellect of man. I will not write this letter saying that I have made it, and that I have made no mistake. On the contrary, I believe that this letter is to be written as a testimony of my shortcoming in this particular area as you will read further.

I have been (and still am) going through what I call a period of burnout where it seems that the issues of life and serving in the church have taken its toll on my walk with God.

It is not to say that I fell behind in terms of ministry. Even as of this writing, the anointing and the flow of the Spirit has increased all the more in my life. I have been in small home meetings where we've experienced a move of the Spirit, specifically through tongues and the interpretation of tongues, and prophecy. There are times when I've been with close friends and I find myself still speaking into their lives and encouraging them to pursue God. However, I find myself missing the joy that I experienced time and again in walking with Him.

It was in the midst of this that I received the following correction:

The longevity of your walk and the fruitfulness of your life and ministry is not dependent on the works that you do or how man would look at you, but on the condition of your heart.

In this, I readily admit that I have been rebuked by God; as in the pursuit of wanting to be who I believed God called me to be; and to be a blessing to those who He placed in my life, I let my own relationship with Him falter to the point where I have been exhausted.

We can see a similar situation in the book of Revelation 2:2-5 where Jesus is speaking to the Church in Ephesus:

Revelation 2:2-5 (NKJV)

I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place; unless you repent.

The Ephesian church was considered to be a church full of zeal and fire. It was birthed in fire and revival when Paul entered Ephesus (Acts 19). It was from this church that all in Asia heard the Gospel (Acts 19:10). Revival broke out in the city of Ephesus (Acts 19:17-20). It was to this church that Paul wrote his letter with the revelation of the Church being both the Body and Bride of Christ, seated with him in the heavenlies. It was to them that the letter was written with what we call the Ephesian Prayers: (Ephesians 1:17-23, 3:14-21)

This is also the same church that was rebuked for having left her "first love" even in the midst of the great works she was doing at that point.

It is so easy to get caught up in the work of the ministry and what we perceive to be the glamour of the Christian walk that we fall into the trap of turning it into a religious experience more than a living, vibrant relationship . Eventually, it becomes a monotonous routine where we find ourselves robbed of the joy of living life with Him. 

It is also easy to think that the works that we do are what defines us more than the revelation of who we are in Him and who He is to us.

When reading 1 Samuel 17, we see the prophet Samuel going to the house of Jesse to choose the replacement for King Saul. He sees the sons of Jesse coming before him and he thinks that they are God's choice for King. Note how the Lord responded:

1 Samuel 16:7 (NKJV)

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 

Eventually David, the youngest of Jesse's sons is chosen to be Israel's king, a man who God considered as a man after his own heart (Acts 13:22).

Realize this: that God does not see as man sees. He is far more interested in the condition of the heart than He is in the external appearance or conduct of you and I.

The way in which we maintain the intimacy of our walk with our First Love will determine the quality and direction of the lives we live. I want live out my years full of life and not have a life full of years.

And so, I encourage you: examine the condition of your heart. If it is found wanting, go back to Jesus, your First Love. Maintain a lifestyle of intimacy with the only One who is worthy, and live your life out of that position of intimacy.

Blessings

Ken

Don't Shipwreck Your Faith - Keep A Clean Conscience

July 2015

Dear Friend,

As I write this letter to you, I also take it as a reminder to myself that the contents of this letter has been written for my own benefit as well.

Paul; writing to his spiritual son Timothy: a young pastor of the church in Ephesus, encouraged him to stay firmly rooted in his calling, reminding him of prophecies made about him, and that the way he was to continue walking out that calling was through fighting the good fight according to those prophecies as we can read:

1 Tim 1:18 (NKJV)

This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 

It is unknown as to what the exact content of those prophecies were, but what we do know is that Timothy was spurred on to continue being a pastor to the Ephesian Church and pursue the call until his martyrdom in approximately AD 97.

In the book of Proverbs, King Solomon described the value of a prophetic word where he stated that without it, the people would perish or cast off their restraints in some translations (Prov 29:18). The word used for 'vision' in this proverb literally meant to prophesy. When there is a genuine word of prophecy given, it would give the one who received it encouragement and boldness to pursue the plan that God placed on his or her life.

Notice however that Paul didn't stop there. He continued writing his instructions to Timothy and gave two things that Timothy was to have that (in my opinion) helped him hold fast to the prophecies and fight the good fight of faith. Continue reading verse 19 

1 Timothy 1:19 (NKJV)

having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,

Paul wrote to Timothy that he needed faith and a good conscience if he wanted to continue fighting that fight of faith. We know Paul wrote in his letter to the church in Rome that faith comes by continually hearing the Word of God (Rom 10:17). We also know that God has given to each and every one of us a measure of faith (Rom 12:3). We understand faith to be the placing of our absolute trust and confidence in God, that what He promises, He is also able to perform (Rom 4:21).

Therefore it is interesting that Paul wrote of how other people had 'suffered shipwreck' concerning their faith. It is even more interesting when you read it in the Amplified version as to how they managed shipwrecked their faith:

1 Timothy 1:19 (AMP)

Holding fast to faith (that leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence) and having a good (clear) conscience. By rejecting and thrusting from them [their conscience], some individuals have made shipwreck of their faith. 

By reading the above statement, we can see that Paul made one thing clear: the secret to maintaining a strong vibrant faith in God was found in having a good (or clear) conscience.

Merriam Webster defines the word conscience as "the part of the mind that makes you aware of your actions as being either morally right or wrong". 

If we want to look at the Bible definition for the word 'conscience', Strong's Concordance breaks the word into two root words; which when put together can be taken to literally mean 'see the resemblance'. For there to be a resemblance, we have to know what we're comparing our actions against, and there is no greater standard of comparison than the Word of God. 

The writer of the book of Hebrews describes the Word as sharper than a two-edged sword, able to divide between the soul and the spirit and discern the very thoughts and intents of the heart (Heb 4:12). THIS is the standard that we are to use in the examining of our conscience to determine whether it is clear.

Make no mistake about it, if you want to maintain a strong vibrant faith, you must have a clear conscience. And that can only come from being a doer of the Word (James 1:21).

Paul recognized the importance of a clear conscience and he always made a concerted effort to keep it clear. In his defence before the Jews, he stated:

Acts 24:16 (NKJV)

This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.

The Amplified translation brings it out even more:

Acts 24:16 (AMP)

Therefore I always exercise and discipline myself [mortifying my body, deadening my carnal affections, bodily appetites, and worldly desires, endeavoring in all respects] to have a clear (unshaken, blameless) conscience, void of offense toward God and toward men. 

A conscience that is clear, unshaken and blameless is a conscience that will not desire to sin against God or be offensive towards man. That is the kind of conscience that helps maintain a strong faith. A man whose conscience is not clear will live a life of insecurity and fear, never able to fully put his trust in God to deliver him when he needs it. Such a man has truly shipwrecked his faith because of his conscience. 

Paul wrote later in his letter to Timothy, warning him of what was to come in the later years. There is a prophetic significance in this as it also speaks of the times that we live in, the End Times. This was his warning:

1 Timothy 4:1-2 (NKJV)

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 

He also warned in his second letter to Timothy:

2 Timothy 4:2-3 (NKJV)

For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

People who have had their consciences seared are people who cannot believe what the Word says. They cannot bring themselves to believe God at the time when they need him the most. And they will go about causing others to stumble in their faith walk.

It will be a disaster for you and I to override our conscience because of our own desires that run contrary to what the Living Word says. We'll go through life not fully confident in our faith towards God when we need Him the most.

I strongly urge you, whatever you do, don't go against your conscience. Keep it clear before God. Keep it clear towards men. Pursue the plan of God with fervor. Don't shipwreck your faith. Have a strong faith because you kept your conscience clear. 

Blessings

Ken

Praying For Ministers Who You Connect With

June 2015

Dear Friend,

This letter is especially dedicated to those who have been assigned to pray for those called to the five-fold ministry (Eph 4:11). It is to my fellow pray-ers that I dedicate this letter and honor for answering the call to pray, and to those who have a stirring in their hearts to pray for ministers of the Gospel.

We recently had an intensive ten-hour course on the study of man and his three-fold nature (being his spirit, soul and body). In one of the sessions, there were two utterances (or messages) in tongues given with their respective interpretations and I saw how it just 'unlocked' certain things that were brought out over the course of the session. I am reminded of something I heard an older minister say recently: that some things could only be revealed through giving a tongue and an interpretation that couldn't be revealed otherwise (1 Cor 14:26)

I strongly believe that all of this would not have been made possible if people had not been praying for the guest minister; that she would deliver the right word at the right time.

In his letter to the Church in Ephesus, the Apostle Paul strongly encourage them to pray, being led by the Holy Spirit, for 'all the saints'; those being God's consecrated people. (Eph 6:18). However, it is interesting what he writes in verse 19:

Ephesians 6:19 (AMP)

And [pray] also for me, that [freedom of] utterance may be given me, that I may open my mouth to proclaim boldly the mystery of the good news (the Gospel),

I find it significant that the Apostle Paul; a man who wrote approximately one half of the New Testament, actually requested for prayer from the Church, that he could have freedom and boldness to proclaim the Gospel. It is difficult to imagine that one as highly spiritual as him would covet the prayers of the church he was instrumental in founding.

Paul places such a high value on the prayers of the church that he even describes the effectiveness of their prayers in another letter he wrote, this time to the Church in Philippi:

Philippians 1:19 (AMP)

For I am well assured and indeed know that through your prayers and a bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) this will turn out for my preservation [or deliverance, KJV] (for the spiritual health and welfare of my own soul) and avail toward the saving work of the Gospel. 

When you and I give ourselves over to prayer, we carry with us what Paul described as a 'bountiful' supply of that which God has placed in each of us. That when we pray, many doors of utterance will be opened for the person who we pray for. They have boldness and freedom to bring out of the rich treasury of their hearts the right word for the right season.

Why did Paul place such a high value on the prayers of the church? Read 1 Cor 16:9 and Eph 6:12 with me:

1 Corinthians 16:9 (AMP)

For a wide door of opportunity for effectual [service] has opened to me [there, a great and promising one], and [there are] many adversaries. 

Ephesians 6:12 (AMP)

For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.

When Paul wrote to the Church in Corinth, the Amplified Translation describes the door he had to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles as a "wide door of opportunity" (Acts 14:27); and that along with that door of opportunity came many who opposed it (Acts 19:9). These men may have opposed the preaching of the Gospel in the physical sense but Paul recognized that his real enemies were not the religious authorities of the day, but that it was a spiritual war that he fought.

Likewise we also have to recognize that the war we are in is not visible in nature but invisible. There is much opposition to the Word of God taking root in the hearts of men and women who have not heard the Gospel, who have been made spiritually blind to the goodness of God. 

THIS is the main reason why were pray for our pastors, and for those in the ministry who God has knit our hearts together with. It is through our prayers that we clear any opposition to the preaching of the Gospel and the teaching of the Word. Read Isaiah 40:3-5 with me:

Isaiah 40:3-5 (AMP)

A voice of one who cries: Prepare in the wilderness the way of the Lord [clear away the obstacles]; make straight and smooth in the desert a highway for our God! Every valley shall be lifted and filled up, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked and uneven shall be made straight and level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory (majesty and splendor) of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it. 

This was a prophetic declaration of John the Baptist's role in proclaiming the coming of Jesus the Messiah, but this is also just as applicable to the role of the pray-er today. Through prayer, we prepare the way for God to come. We clear any obstacles and make the path straight and smooth for the Word to go forth. And as the Word goes forth without obstruction, we know that His Glory will be revealed. And all this can be done through praying for ministers!

As we pray for them, we help to prepare the path for them to speak the Word boldly and with clarity. We know that as they speak, it will penetrate the heart of the ones who hear, changing them from the inside out and positioning them to fulfill their call and destiny.

I do not take the assignment given me lightly, as I know I have a supply within me that helps bring the glory to the Church and beyond its walls. I cherish every minister who I have a connection with. And as God places them on my heart, I lift them up in prayer.

It would be an injustice for me to end this letter without enclosing some examples of how I pray for the ministers who I am connected to. I find that I have faith when I have scripture to stand on as the basis for my praying. The wording is up to the individual, as there is no specific formula or button to push in praying.

1. Ephesians 6:19

Father, I pray for [insert name], that You give [him/her] freedom of utterance, that [he/she] has boldness to proclaim the Gospel to those who would hear it....

2. Philippians 1:19

I thank You that I have a bountiful supply of the Spirit to bring, that my prayers will result in [his/her] freedom to speak the Word with boldness and unfailing courage....

3. Isaiah 50:4-5, 2 Timothy 4:2

I thank You for giving [name] the tongue of the learned, that [name] will speak the right word at the right time to those who need it the most. You open [his/her] ears to hear what You have to say to them. [name] will always be ready no matter where he/she is, whatever season he/she is in...

4. Ephesians 1:17-19

Father, I thank You for giving [name] the spirit of wisdom and revelation in knowing You intimately. You flood his/her heart with light through Your Word. He/she knows and understands the hope of Your calling, how rich Your glorious inheritance is in him/her, and the exceeding greatness of Your power that is working right now in him/her....

5. 1 Samuel 3:10 - 4:1(a)

I thank You that you are with [name], that none of his/her words will fall to the ground empty and void, but will produce much good fruit. He/she is established in You. And what he/she says will spread to all who cross their path.....

There are other possible promises in the Bible that you can stand on. And when you think you've prayed everything you know to pray, you can still pray in other tongues concerning them. Much of my praying is done both ways so it's up to the individual really.

I strongly urge you, fellow pray-er, to pray for those whom God has placed in your life, whether they be your pastor or other ministers of the Gospel who you have connected yourself to. The value of your prayers and the supply that you bring to them is immeasurable.

With much love,

Ken

Be Filled, Speaking!

May 2015

Dear Friend, 

I was stirred in my heart to share something that has helped me recently in dealing with certain situations that have been difficult to approach in the natural; and that has to do with one of the ways in which you and I can be "filled with the Spirit".

When Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesian Church, he exhorted them to walk "circumspectly" (or diligently, exactly, accurately), redeeming (making full use) of the time they had, because the days ahead were evil. (Eph 5:15-16) Looking at the times we live in right now, how much more relevant this is to us; even as we draw even nearer to the coming of the Lord!

Paul exhorted the believers (and us) to "not be unwise, but to understand what the will of the Lord is." (Eph 5:17). Purpose comes when you know clearly what the will of God is for your life. You will live determined to carry out your life in such a way and manner that reflects your Father accurately like Paul wrote in Galatians 5:25,

Galatians 5:25 (AMP)

If we live by the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. [If by the Holy Spirit we have our life in God, let us go forward walking in line, our conduct controlled by the Spirit.] 

Paul then went on to write further in Ephesians;

Ephesians 5:18-20 (NKJV)

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

Note that Paul did not specifically say that drinking alcohol was a sin, he encouraged against drinking it to the point of excess. Personally I do not drink; not for religious convictions but simply because I experienced going past excess and decided to just cut it out rather than go through the process again. Everyone should follow their own personal convictions regarding this issue but remember that as you are in Him, there is no condemnation (Rom 8:1)

Why then did Paul use this as an example of how we were to be 'filled' with the Spirit? Have you noticed people who were beyond drunk? They lose all sense of fear and reservation (even if it's only temporary), they speak boldly from their hearts, they can be extremely happy (again temporarily!) among others.

And that's the same way we should be when we're filled with the Spirit of God! I strongly believe that we should be the happiest people on this earth! Not only are we redeemed and forgiven of our sins (Eph 1:7), we're called His children (Rom 8:16-17), He's always with us wherever we are (Jn 14:16). If you actually stop and think about it, there's a lot of things you can be happy about.

Note how Paul writes we were to be filled with the Spirit in Eph 5:19:

Ephesians 5:19 (NKJV)

speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 

There are other ways in which we're to be filled with the SPirit, through speaking in other tongues (Acts 2:4, 1 Cor 14:4), through the Word (Col 3:16) but I am convinced that we'll miss out if we're to neglect this way of being filled with the Spirit; whether unintentionally or intentionally.

I have experienced this, that somewhere deep within me a song (more like a poem, I'm not musically inclined) will just rise up. And more often than always the contents of that song will either address a situation that I'm facing right now, or will face in the near future. To this day, I don't know why those songs/poems tend to rhyme. I do not get the whole piece but a few words will come and as I take a step of faith and begin to speak out those words, more begins to come by inspiration until I finish.

There is an element of prophecy involved when you start speaking (or singing) songs given by the Spirit. That is also possible because one meaning of the word 'prophesy' brings across the image of something bubbling forth or springing forth. And that is the same with this way of being filled! It'll just start by springing up from within you a bit at a time until the full piece is released.

The following poems are examples of what I had recently that addressed some situations that I was going through. It's to give an idea of what I'm referring to. Do note that as it comes by inspiration, it can be either long or short (although for some unknown reason mine tends to be fairly long?)

Victory

Victory is not just for those

Who are strong in the Lord

But victory is for all

Who are dearly loved by God

For the enemy is a defeated foe

And that we should surely know

For the Son has thrashed him

And made him a show

So we rise up and 

Boldly take out place

Partaking of our Father's

Great and glorious grace

And we can surely say

How it will be, that

"Something great is now

happening for me!"

Songs

Songs in the day

Songs in the night

Songs that'll make a way

In the midst of the fight

Not by your might

Not by your power

It's by the Holy Spirit

In this day and this hour

Prepare yourself

No time to waste

To pursue His call

You must make haste

Called by the Spirit

Washed in His Blood

Living life above

Keeping the Word

Love

Love that is not easy

Nor does it come cheap

God's love demonstrated

Will cause you to weep

Love that brings about

Sweet and gentle peace

Love that puts 

The troubled heart at ease

So be willing, be hungry

Partake of that love

Be aware that it comes 

From your Father above

Know that His love 

He desires to show

That you are greatly loved

He wants you to know

Interestingly enough in Ephesians 5:18, some Greek scholars have suggested that Paul used a form of word play, that he encouraged believers to be 'being' filled or to be continually filled. So in a sense, by speaking songs of inspiration, you'll maintain your capacity of being filled with the Spirit of God, that would make you more than able to handle whatever the enemy throws at you!

So I encourage you, take time to fill yourself up! Take a step of faith and start speaking out songs that will see you through!

I pray for you,

Ken