|City on a Hill - Writings for Refuge

ac·tiv·ism, ˈaktəˌvizəm noun "the policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change." Activism will be the most common expression of lawlessness in the end time church. The great falling away of the church from loyalty to Jesus will be done under a banner of activism. The youth of our country are incredibly vulnerable to this deceit. They are tired of waiting for change. Waiting on invisible Jesus just doesn't seem worth it in an impatient world. This impatience leads people to sign up for causes, rather than draw near to the only One who will fix every cause. God could do all the justice without us...He has invited us to partner with Him in the release of justice through intercession. True activism...the kind that agrees with Jesus... petitions only God...it agrees with God's government. The activism of the earth rebels against the "foolishness" of God's government, which operates in night and day intercession...as

The fear of going backwards is a sign of your commitment to go forward. The fear of falling out of lovesickness is a sign of lovesickness itself. The fear of love growing cold is evidence of burning love. The devil is a liar and one of his main lies is that God will not supply. This lie is designed to get you to quit asking, so you will quit receiving. God is a good father. If you want to go forward and express that desire to God, you WILL go forward. If you want to burn hot, and simply express that desire to God, you will burn hot for Him. If you want to grow in lovesickness for Jesus, it only happens one way: asking and receiving. God isn't looking for ways to disqualify you from all the promises, He is drawing all the qualifications out of you...he is in the process of increasing your capacity to receive as much as possible. To receive more, you have to want more. This is simply the way love works: voluntary desire on the part of two parties. You have to partner with Him in it.

Excited to talk this morning about learning to love the judgments of God...specifically the seals, trumpets, and bowls of Revelation 6 to 16... At New City Church in Kalamazoo. Many will be offended by Jesus because they didn't learn to understand, and learn to love, the very intense things Jesus is going to do to prepare the earth to receive Him: Luke 7:23“And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” 24When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25“But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. 26“But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. 27“This is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’ John the Baptist stood with Jesus in the inten

This is what faith sounds like: John 5:25“And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice—the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live. 26The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son. 27And he has given him authority to judge everyone because he is the Son of Man. 28Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, 29and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment. The fullness of this statement would happen more than 2,000 years after Jesus made it. But, it was true from the moment the Father whispered it to Jesus and Jesus spoke it on earth. No one knew these words to be true at the time but Jesus and the Father. This is the relationship we are invited into. Jesus is the firstborn of many. As He was i

The efficiency of communication is increasing at unprecedented levels. This is actually what drives the end time fulfillment of prophecy. Daniel was told the connection of people and information would unseal the end time events: Daniel 12:4“But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” The reason the world works this way is because God gave the earth to mankind. We get whatever we want on this rock. The more people want something in unity, the more they will get it. The reason the earth is getting so dark is because the people of the earth are uniting in their desire to get free from the leadership of God...who is the light: John 1:2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. This happened in

The Lord is not neutral...His eyes search to and fro looking for hearts loyal to Himself so he might show himself strong in their behalf. It is easy to think that God is neutral about all who simply name His name. He is not. Often, there is a delay between injustice and vindication. It is in this time period that God's mercy is really on display. God is merciful, not neutral, towards those who perpetrate injustice, even in His name... he gives them time to repent: Revelation 2:20“Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21“And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. 22“Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. Unfortunately, many see the patience of the Lord as His tacit approval of th

Bizarrely, the Bible prophesies that as the world descends into unprecedented confusion, betrayal, violence, greed, and murder many would declare that the opposite was happening!! This will happen first in the Church as false prophecy always has: Jeremiah 23:16Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; They speak a vision of their own heart, Not from the mouth of the LORD. 17They continually say to those who despise Me, ‘The LORD has said, “You shall have peace” ’; And to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say, ‘No evil shall come upon you.’ ” 18For who has stood in the counsel of the LORD, And has perceived and heard His word? Who has marked His word and heard it? 19Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD has gone forth in fury— A violent whirlwind! It will fall violently on the head of the wicked. 20The anger of the LORD will not turn back Until He has executed and performed the thoug