Carol Purcell

Whoops, did I say ABC Nightline News is a scam….oh, I meant to say “ABC Nightline ‘journalist investigative news is alleged to be a scam!  Who is alleging that?  I am!

When they reported on the Florida Outpouring–the ‘old time revival’ (as they did say a couple of times) in Lakeland, Florida their investigative reporting made me suck air!

The pretty little Anchor woman that introduced the report was a ’sourpuss’ and cloaked her words in ‘darkness’ to warn us that this could be ……wooooo….I don’t know what danger she was warning the audience about, unless it was the sad misleading expose’ to follow.

Here we are in a world full of chaos, China with loss of life through earthquakes, war raging in several countries, slavery going unchecked, and sex-slave trade doing well, while here in our country we have unbelievable destructive fires in  California, and people homeless from the floods in the mid-west, God forbid we would want to give people hope.

Things are so bad that the Pharasees, oh I mean the media (the experts of our day), are sure that God wouldn’t show up in Florida.  And they have a responsibility to warn the public, what might not be happening.

Todd Bentley doesn’t look like ‘the church man’ we are accustomed to…..and therefore we are turned off before we are turned on to what God is doing.  We question the man or woman that God wants to use?  I just think God will do what he wants to do, and His humor may be to use a man who offends the natural mind and use the supernatural to do it.  I would love to see the report they would have given on John The Baptist!

Todd is someone who has turned his life around, sought the Lord day and night for days, months and years.  Until the Lord said it was timeand sent him out to other countries of the world.  Well received and with great success–many healings and huge crowds of thousands in other countries, Todd went to Florida for just a three day conference….well, God had a different idea.  This was definitely not on Todd’s agenda.  

Oh, they didn’t report all that on Nightline?  Well, it would be hard to dig that out….for an organization as large and resourceful as ABC. 

Thousands have found a new understanding and relationship with the Almighty from this revival, all over the world, and hundreds every night at the Florida facility.  They didn’t report that either?  Well it takes one to know one I guess, and they don’t know about Jesus or relationship with our Heavenly Father.  Well, I am sure they will soon as many of us are now praying that their hearts and minds are open to receive the best news ever reported.

Talented, educated investigative reporters could not find a few people out of ten thousand each day, with an exciting story of their healing that they would gladly supply  medical back.  Oh, they did find a couple of people who didn’t get the healing–but were not even discouraged.  That was reported as though the person was a naive unsuspecting victim.  Hey, hundreds of us are praying for that man and his child, so it will have the ending that faith-filled father is looking for.

The reporter did find a nice looking Pastor in suit and tie who did not approve of what he saw.  How interesting there was no accounting of the hundreds of Pastors in attendance every night from all over the world who know and understand this is a move of God.  They come hoping to take this revival back to their own city or country.  Nor did they report the 30 or 40 well known Pastors who came one evening to pray for Todd, support this revival and tell the world they believe this is a legitimate move of God.

I really was amused and offended at the woman in a business in Lakeland who didn’t want the revival.  Did they talk and interview the motel, hotel owners and operators?  Or the restaurants, or the Air Lines?  I’d bet money they are happy about the revival.  Our country needs any shot to our economy.

Oh yes, money, we sure need to talk about that.  There is no charge to attend……guess if this was God He would drop the funds out of heaven so no one would have to give.  There is an oxymoron–since we pay for watching ABC TV by buying products of their many sponsors, who pay a fortune for the privilege of partnering with them .  But some how people should not partner and support financially the ‘revival’  that they chose to attend?

Todd is the victim in all of this, because he so graciously invited all the press to come, to attend, because I assume he did not imagine that they would distort this move of God, to stir the waters of unbelief.

Nor did our well-paid (speaking of money) reporters, editors, etc. let the world know that this man is a well respected family man. 

Todd is not the image of what I would have chosen to represent God to this generation; but that is why we haven’t reached the generations because we stereo-type men and women of God.  I am not looking at the tattoos or the dress, only what God is doing.  I have seen Todd in person, I have received prayer in his meeting.  Never have I ever heard him say he does the healing, rather Jesus is the Healer and he is just his servant.  If he did say that he does healing, as they reported, why didn’t they report the hundred of times he gave all credit to Jesus or the Holy Spirit? 

I don’t even object to the negative reports if they had just balanced the ‘facts’ with the other side of the picture.  God will take care of Todd, and He will bring good out of what was definitely evil. 

The Scam is representing Nightline as a news program, instead a story line of what ABC wants the world to see.  And, assuming that we the American public are not qualified to make our own conclusions when we receive all the facts.

Carol

Unusual sightings–aliens coming–not much more weird than the Cults popping up around the country.  Actually there have always been groups that are different than the norm. 

Amazing that this new messiah has permission from god (small g) to have sexual activities with all the women, but it against the rules for the other men.  That seems fair! (Barf….)

What we believe about God determines our destiny and our future after leaving this planet.  Being a member of one of the largest groups in the world (Christian) I believe God is good, kind, merciful and fair.  And not into giving out special assignments 2000 years after Jesus was crucified.

Religious spirits are always trying to divert our attention from the finished work of Christ Jesus.  But, how do we know if a group is a cult or evil?

The easiest and best answer I know, is if it is a secret group, run like crazy.  If they have things that only that group is allowed to know or do, escape and do it quickly.  God has inspired the book in a mystery to draw us into seeking Him, body, mind and spirit–but it is not a secret. 

THE FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST JESUS IS NOT A SECRET!   
Only men or women who want to control others maintain ’secrets’ just for the very few who ‘follow’ or ‘qualify’.  You can join a church to worship Christ or you can just accept Jesus and worship Him on your own–their really is no membership to Christianity only a belief in Jesus as Savior.

I grieve over those who choose to give their free will to a falible, imperfect man or woman when God inspired a book to reveal Himself, His character, nature, and the Holy Spirit.  Try the Bible you will like it, and you can make choices from your heart, your spirit and the knowledge openly available to you–no secrets–just the words of Jesus revealing the Father to the whole world.

Cult, club, organization, fraternity, sorority, church,–NO secret covenants, agreements, or commitments.  We must look for a knowledge of the Creator of the Universe to freely be ‘who we truly are’ through Him, and embrace His blessings! 

Some one commented to me about working with another person in their office that they were so ‘controlling’ and everything had to be perfect.  That atmosphere is difficult for those around a person driven to make things right.

There is such a subtle difference between striving to make things right and having a spirit of excellence.  There is also a difference between taking control of a situation and assuming the role to lead,  and demanding in a dictatorial way.

Many years ago (I love to relate this story because it has impacted all of my life and I so want the experience to help others.)  after fasting and praying, the Lord told me I had never loved Him, I loved what is right.  I was devastated and cried buckets of tears as the truth of what He said went into my heart and soul.  At the same time I felt His overwhelming love, and I had an enormous desire to change–the difference between conviction and guilt.

As we strive and work to make things perfect it is like a hungry dragon chained to our very being, that never can get enough.  The more we do the more the dragon requires.  He becomes our pet dragon; his name is frustration.  Often he invites friends to join him and they are anger, guilt and despair.  We did not invite them but we house them in ignorance of our fundamental need to accept who we are.

Major problem with that, is, we must know who we are.  And, who truly lives inside of us.  It is not the dragon of perfection, but the Lord of Glory.  The one who desires to bring life and love to all He does.  How the Holy Spirit must cringe as we overshadow His brightness with the darkness of our lust and our need to be right. 

The reason and result that causes this is the mind that is conditioned by the pain and misunderstanding in the past.  When we seek to control so it is because we don’t want to be hurt again.  We seek to make things right so that we will be OK.  This striving for perfection doesn’t give time to be healed and to soak in the acceptance of our Heavenly Father.

Once we have invited Jesus into our heart, and begin to renew our mind with His love and His ways (His pathways to prosper and succeed) the Holy Spirit will begin to bring forth in us, a spirit of excellence.  It is not His Spirit but our spirit full of a desire to reflect the very best because we want to Glorify God in all we do.  We must already know that as a child of God, as we were reconciled to the Father through the death of His Son, we are accepted,  loved,  cherished,  forgiven and worthy. 

When we truly know,  our spirit will kill the dragon and our purpose will be full of desire not fear of failure.  The dragon does not go down easily but he is no match for the power of the Holy Spirit when we give Him His way in our life.  And, if we fail we quickly repent….change the way we think seeking  the wisdom for our life the Father wants us to have.  When we fail we must know that the failure did not change our status with our Heavenly Father, He still loves us and desires each of us in His Kingdom forever!

The striving urgency of being perfect is a need to be healed; and a spirit of excellence is a passion to reflect the Holy Spirit within.  One brings fatigue and pain, the other brings purpose and rest in the sufficiency of God.

Those in our family, our friends, our workplace who are feeding a dragon need our love, our declaration to the dragon that they are part of the Kingdom of God and he and his friends must go.  We smile,  let the person be right,  pray and trust the Holy Spirit to draw them into the place, where He can give them all they will ever need for purpose and excellence.  We can’t do it alone, the Holy Spirit is very, very good at what He does and we have the privilege of sharing in that for His Glory and our Joy!

We have just talked about the Sabbath, which is good, but what about Monday and the rest of the week.  I don’t know how many times I have heard Pastors say, “Don’t come to church and act one way and go out this week and act another way.” or “Don’t be a saint on Sunday and a sinner the rest of the week.”  Well, something to that effect.

Maybe we need to realize the church is ‘dressed up’ in holiness but we humans are just human in or out of church without Jesus.  If Jesus, or the Holy Spirit, touches our mind, heart and soul in church, is that not to encourage us so we can handle the rest of the week?

It may seem like we have a supernatural experience in church with our Heavenly Family of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, however Theyare with us alllll the time.  Rising up, laying down, going out, and coming in….all week, They are there.  Because we are not aware of their presence does not mean They have left.  “I will not leave or forsake you.” is in the Bible over and over, and that is a promise not a threat.

If we are tempted and act on a temptation on Tuesday or Wednesday do They leave and go ‘home’.   “Now you have done it, I am out of here.” like we might do?  No, They just wait patiently until we come back into the Grace of Their Presence; They sure don’t take part in our dumb activities. 

I said I go to special places to just ‘be’ with God in the previous blog.  I consider that ‘going out to dinner’ with Him.  However, I eat with Him all the time, at home.  Meaning I know the Lord is with me all the time.  But going ‘aside’ so to speak is special, and my time with Him is special,  just as it would be if I went to dinner with anyone,  just one on one.

Does that keep me from ’sinning’ (which is anything contrary to the goodness of God) ?  I would like to say yes, but the truth is my flesh is pretty strong, the temptations to gossip, worry, have fear, and even to cheat are always there….you know, we live in a fallen world.

I am learning to grab my thoughts and change my attitude, with the help of the Holy Spirit and the knowledge of God that is required to quench evil destructive thoughts.  What a difference that has made.  I know Jesus likes it and I can almost see Him smiling when I turn from something that would harm and cause me pain.

So I think our Sabbaths should be special–going to church to be with others who love the Lord, eating at a banquet with the Lord as Host.  For me it will never replace that special alone time I have with Him.  But for years that is where I learned to find the presence of the Lord within me, losing myself and world in praise and worship.  Now I go to church to get filled up with knowledge, more understanding and the joy of joining others who love Him too.  

And, He isn’t sitting in a pew waiting for me to return on Sunday, Wednesday or Friday.  The Lord is so much fun, he loves to listen as we talk.  He loves sports when we are involved.  He loves building or fixing things.  He loves banks, and construction, and media, and politics, and most of all children and our homes.  The Lord is the most multi-tasked orientated Person in the world ….or out of this world for that matter. 

Sabbaths are for the ‘joy of the Lord‘ for us, and the rest of the week Heis not our judge, jury and religious jailer,  quite the opposite.  The Lordis our coach, our mentor, our encourager, our partner in all we do to build the Kingdom of God on earth, and our Forgiver and Redeemer when we don’t.

When things get bad (and they do), when I am angry, frustrated or depressed.  I just need to look to Him (when I finally realize my need) to help me forgive or repent, to heal my wounds and set me back on tract. 

Then comes Monday and the rest of the week, and I can truly say, it is all good, I am not alone!

I was just reading the book of Luke and thinking about the words of Jesus about the Sabbath.  How interesting that God took the seventh day to rest, and that day is called a Sabbath.  Did God need a Sabbath, even more did He need to ‘rest’?

My little dictionary says rest means to sleep (I don’t think God sleeps.); Freedom from activity; and Peace of mind or spirit (I am sure that God is always active and He is the essence of peace for mind or spirit.  

A few months ago I heard a different defination of rest that I just love.  I wish I could remember where I heard it so I could thank that person, because it has opened up a whole new understanding that has blessed my life.  Rest means ‘having ample provision’.

So when God rested on the seventh day He had ample provision for all that He had created.  Ample provision for man, and all creatures in and on the earth.  That is why He could look at it and say it was very good.  Well, if God says it is good, it is good!

When I realized what that means for me, I was and am excited.  If I intend to rest in God, to rest on the Sabbath, to rest at night, I must believe He has ample provision for me.  When all the cares, worry and threats of the world, and sometimes sickness and physical pain come on me, to rest in God I must believe He has ample provision.  Ample provision to see me through a situation or deliver me out of it; that is the heart of God for His children.

There is a scripture in Isaiah that says “I am in perfect peace when my mind is stayed on Thee”.   If my mind is on God and I believe He has ample provision for me, I will have perfect peace. 

Jesus said the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.  A day to think about God, to thank Him, to take notice of all of His ‘ample provision’.  To rest from our normal activities and enjoy what He has for us.

I know there are people in the world who feel very far from having ample provision for their situation.  Even though God has provided ample provision we are not always able to  appropriate it.  Many of God’s blessings are received in eternity, and that gives us hope to hang on, trust and believe, one way or another there is ample provision for everyone who knows the Lord of Glory, Jesus.  And, how about the Lord of fun and Joy?  That’s Jesus too!

Some places in the world the devil has so deceived the nations that they are full of violence, evil, hunger, sickness and death.  They have followed false gods and their people pay the price for that deception.  But, in the worst of situations Jesus will come and be with those who believe to give hope and comfort through the Holy Spirit.  Over and over provision comes where there was no provision. 

Here in America there can be, (I said can be) legalism abut the Sabbath that  robs the joy God wants us to have.  Sharing in church should be joyful, not tedious.  Enjoying the beach, the mountains, the park, a physical activity or sport should all be enjoyed with Jesus. We can enjoy just being free of the concerns of the week, free from the bondage of work, trusting in His ample provision for the week to come.

Sometimes my Sabbath is on Monday or Wednesday or any day I take a few hours or the whole day to enjoy relationship with the Lord, along with His provisions.  In San Diego I loved to go down by the bay, talk to the Lord about the ocean in front of me, the beautiful boats, the people walking or running by, walk through the grass and just let gratitude flow all over me for His Provision.  In Redding, I like to go to the prayer chapel, listen to the praise music in the back ground and enjoy the beauty all around me of snow caped mountains, trees and beauty.  In Denver, I used to prayer walk my neighborhood just thanking God for the people and again, for His provision.  Those are Sabbaths where I do not take my cares, or the cares of others, but just spend time ‘being’ with Him.

My hope (passionate expectation) and prayer is that others will find that special place to have their own special ‘Sabboths’ with their Heavenly Father.  Then we can face the tomorrows with faith for ample provision and rest.