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Topic: THE GLORY CLOUD HAS MOVED and other pertinent issues
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Loren Sandford
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Joined: 02/16/2005
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Posted: 08/12/2009 at 8:58pm
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THE GLORY CLOUD HAS MOVED
and other pertinent issues
The glory cloud has moved: In the time of Moses a pillar of cloud indicating the Lord’s presence led the people through the wilderness. If it stopped, they stopped. If it moved, they moved. In our time the cloud of glory has moved and we must take note of it or run the risk of missing out on the coming move of God. The cloud has lifted from the season of renewal, personal healing and focus on self in which much of the body of Christ has walked since the beginning of the Charismatic Renewal in the 1960s. We’ll still do these things, but no longer are they the focus. Those who want to camp there will find that the presence of God has left.
The cloud has moved not into revival as many of us define revival, but into something much more than that. It has moved into the kingdom of God in which we live beyond ourselves for a purpose greater than ourselves to affect and change the world around us by ministering the powers of heaven come to earth. Matthew 10:7-8: "And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.” Signs and wonders are moving beyond the walls of the church and into the marketplace, the workplace and the neighborhood. This is the hour of our greatest glory if we will only decide to come out of the culture of self and go where God has gone.
Although there are those who have been proclaiming the end of the organized church, God is far from finished with it, but there is a condition attached. No longer can the church be merely gatherings of people who worship together and get their personal needs met. Churches must become indispensable resources for our communities, feeding the poor, clothing the naked, providing counseling services for broken lives, recovery programs for addicts, healing for the sick and more. Above all churches must become places where the presence of God is known and felt and where He is free to move in any way He chooses. Churches must be places where the Father heart of God is experienced and lived, where the very atmosphere resonates with His love.
Where these things are not in place, we will see buildings once filled with thousands standing empty as God redeploys His sheep. It has already begun.
The nation and the world: A number of months ago I wrote what I believed the Lord was telling me about the days following President Obama’s inauguration. In brief, I said that the first six months of his presidency would be months of delusory hope followed by the whirlwind. I “saw” in the spirit a tornado with papers swirling in it. I also said that at the six month mark we would see signs of economic recovery. All three of these words have proven true as any can attest by simply watching the news. What now?
I can’t think of a time in my life when it has been more important for Christians to keep their balance, nor can I think of a time in my life when we seemed to be more off balance. Lost in a whirlwind of prophecies of gloom and doom and apocalyptic fears, many believers seem to be caught up in a swirling tornado of negativity that mirrors the whirlwind of changes coming our way in our nation and our world. To use another metaphor, too many of us believers seem out of control in a feeding frenzy of anxiety in which one word builds upon another until we have generated so much fear and alarm that we have divorced ourselves from reality. All of this tends to dim the light of love that we so need to be exuding in this hour.
The trigger for most of this seems to be what we see or think we see in Obama’s presidency. Make no mistake, there’s plenty to be alarmed about these days, but we seem to have forgotten that Obama is President Obama, not King Obama. He is an elected official answerable to the voters, as are all members of congress. Ultimately they cannot just do whatever they wish without suffering the wrath of the electorate.
Reality checks: The health bill is running into huge opposition across a broad range of voters, even in congress and even among Democrats. Obama's approval rating is dropping like a rock. For the most part, he has not been able to advance his agenda and even the security policies that he promised to change from Bush's presidency remain intact. In actual fact, not much has happened so far. There is yet time to pray.
I continue to believe that we must obey Scripture and pray for President Obama with love and respect rather than propagate the hatred and condemnation that seems so prevalent in the Christian world. I also believe that at some point along the way if we will pray God will grant him a genuine encounter with Jesus. If God could stop Paul on the Damascus Road as he went to arrest and kill Christians, He can intervene in Barack Obama’s life as well. It may be that the defeat of much of his agenda and the impact of his falling poll numbers will pave the way for such an encounter.
Extreme alarmism among prophetic voices can be compelling because it engenders fear, and fear is a form of excitement. Excitement is very difficult for many Christians to resist. Excitement clouds discernment so that we often mistake it for the Spirit of God. We are indeed in for a rough ride in years to come. They will be years of radical change – the whirlwind - as well as of some very significant natural disasters, but those of us in the prophetic world must take care that what we say is conditioned by the heart of God rather than by fear, judgments, bitterness, politics or self-importance.
What is certainly going to happen: Economic recovery will be a long process. We are at the front end of a massive shift in the economic base of this nation and the world. This always causes anxiety and results in many people being displaced, at least for a time, as old jobs cease to exist and new industries become reality.
Because of our greed and corruption during the years of economic freedom and free enterprise that have led us into this deep economic recession, we're going to see a gradual erosion of certain freedoms in years to come as government steps in to protect us from ourselves. But the problem is that government, too, is corrupt. Tough years lie ahead - not years of collapse, but difficult just the same.
This is a season like no other to heed and live Jesus’ own words, "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:33-34). The cloud of glory has moved.
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Kriston Couchey
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Joined: 09/29/2007
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Posted: 08/13/2009 at 11:52am
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Loren Sandford wrote:
Extreme alarmism among prophetic voices can be compelling because it engenders fear, and fear is a form of excitement. Excitement is very difficult for many Christians to resist. Excitement clouds discernment so that we often mistake it for the Spirit of God. We are indeed in for a rough ride in years to come. They will be years of radical change – the whirlwind - as well as of some very significant natural disasters, but those of us in the prophetic world must take care that what we say is conditioned by the heart of God rather than by fear, judgments, bitterness, politics or self-importance.
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Amen!
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One of the chosen foolish and weak
http://my.opera.com/Boanerges/blog/
kcouchey@gmail.com
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Kathy Bippus
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Posted: 08/13/2009 at 12:46pm
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a very sound word Loren,
yes, not revival in way of what we may have in past time thought to be, but an awakening, coming alive to the Kingdom of God.
churches( called out ones) who come into union with Spirit and in, by and through Spirit, collectively hearing from Father, having His heart and moving accordingly..making known Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God.
While tough times are here and more to come, it is precisely when darkness covers the earth and gross darkness the people, that His Kingdom in and through His own being made known, shines ever so brightly.
i'm referring in mind of thought to "islands of glory in a sea of mud" which you shared of before. these local churches(called out ones) who are a part of the world wide body of Christ who have come into being in demonstration of Spirit and power, proclaiming His Kingdom. the full throttle if i can put it that way, is making an open display of His Love. that being the living reality of the revelation of Jesus Christ, the Son of God is manifest. the Word is made flesh in and through
all of this to say..amen : )
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Gayle Getz
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Posted: 08/13/2009 at 1:00pm
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Amen, my Sister Kathy,,,'still hearing HIM say, "I AM BIGGER THAN THAT!" The 'that' is ALL the negative, fearful words spoken everyday. We have been given the very 'mind of Christ' with which to choose what we will say and do on a daily basis. With GOD ALL things are possible---just need to list out the "GOOD THINGS FROM HIS WORD" and speak them out daily. Got to remember the Word also says, "ALL THINGS are possible for those that believe(HIS WORD IS TRUTH)!" Love you ALL-prayin' & decreein' & rejoicin'-taking to 'walking in the spirit'-walking by faith and not by sight-for without faith it is impossible to please GOD. TIME TO GET THE WORD IN YOUR HEART AND OUT YOUR MOUTH-THE WORD TRULY IS THE 'ANCHOR FOR OUR SOUL'...TY ALL for being my family-I AM BLESSED!
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Shalom-nothing missing, nothing broken-Gayle
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Pat Thompson
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Posted: 08/13/2009 at 3:04pm
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Loren:
Thanks for the article. It is so refreshing to hear someone speak the truth in love and also have the courage to do so. Yes, we are in times of great distress (especially the Church) and it seems we have lost our focus on the true meaning of the gospel. Satan is having a field day with many Christians, i.e., using them as tools to further his kingdom through ignorance, fear, unbelief, hatred and to sow discord among the brethern. With help from individuals who profess to be Christians but act contrary to the Word of God, Satan's work becomes easier (to steal, kill and destroy). I believe that the Holy Spirit is revealing the hearts of men and women, especially in the Body of Christ. Pulpits have now become political platforms and the true gospel of the Living God has been put on the back burner in many churches. How sad! When Jesus met the woman caught in adultrey, He did not condemn her or the others in the crowd. Jesus was the only One who would have been justified in stoning the woman and the men because He was the only one without sin. He knew no sin! Yet He was tender and forgiving! Who then are we to judge and condemn? Instead, let us pray, pray, pray! Pray for those in authority and leadership! Remember, God sees each of our hearts and He alone knows our true motives. We may fool others but we cannot fool Almighty God. Yes, He is a God of judgment but He is also a loving, forgiving, compassionate, understanding, merciful, longsuferring Father. Many of us act like Jonah. We want to see vengeance. God says that He doesn't take pleasure in the death of the wicked. His will is that all men come to the knowledge of the saving grace of His Son, Jesus Christ (John 3:16). All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Aren't you glad that God did not allow us to die in our sins and miss eternity? I sure am!
Again, Loren, thanks for speaking the truth in love! You made Jesus proud!
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Jesus is Lord of My Life!
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