Tag Archives: god

Contrast Teaches

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There are many lessons that God teaches me through the art of contrast.

Recently, I purchased a $5 McDonalds’ gift card to have in my wallet for the next time that I saw someone in need. Just knowing that it was there, shifted my attention to the details of who might need help the most. For the two weeks that I have had the gift card in my possession, I haven’t noticed anyone in need … or at least nobody that God would point out as one who would receive the gift. Yes, I realize that it’s a small gift, but to someone it might signal that the world is less harsh, that there are those who see their pain, or even that God is providing their needs. So it’s a gift worth giving.

This morning, I was sitting alone at McDonalds. I had earphones on listening to praise music while I enjoyed breakfast. A few booths away were two teenage boys. They were neatly dressed and happily enjoying breakfast of their choosing. Another young man, carrying a backpack, approached the counter and patiently awaited for a server to take his order. He only ordered a cup of water, which I know because the server was sure to yell it loudly, non-discreetly into the kitchen.

I wanted to give the young man the $5 gift card. Wasn’t that why I had it? But, as I always do, I asked the Lord if that was His will. I was surprised to hear Him say “No”. It pained me to see the young man clearly hungry. He was just a boy. Why would the Lord withhold His help from him? Over the next few minutes, I continued to ask the Lord if I could help the young man. The Lord’s response was the same.

The contrast that I saw was that the two situations seemed to be based on parenting. The two boys appeared to have a quality family life, their needs provided, and happiness that comes from contentment. While the other boy might have hoped that he had a home or parents to rely on. I realize that I’m making that assumption with little information to go on. My compassion wanted to reach out and help the other young man feel valued, but God withheld it.

What did I learn from that contrast? I’m not sure just yet. That $5 gift card may have been there to teach me more than to help someone. What do you think is the lesson?

Authorized Signature

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When the boss signs your paycheck, he is authorized to have money withdrawn from the bank as payment. The boss can have other authorized signers available to also sign the paychecks. But if someone who is not authorized to sign, signs the paychecks, the bank will refuse to withdraw payment. Is that a correct statement?

When God puts authority on someone to deliver healing, they have His authority. When God sent the disciples out, they were able to do miraculous wonders. But those who were not sent by God did not have that same ability.

If all that is true, then why would someone who is not sent by God for the specific purpose of delivering His healing to an individual be able to have His authority? They wouldn’t. God can withhold His healing power until it is delivered appropriately. You can have all the people in your church praying for you, you can have the church ministers lay hands on you, you can have a gallon of anointing oil poured on you … and still not have God’s authority. God decides who He sends. It’s not rocket science. God is the boss, and you are not. If you keep refusing His messenger, the healing will not come. But don’t believe me … ask God yourself.

Yes, this was a message for you.

Introduction Page

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The Covenant Voice of God
The Rogue Prophet Magazine
Draft 7/7/24

It’s likely that many churchgoers have never experienced what it’s like to walk with the Spirit of God. As a result, they cannot fathom the overwhelming presence of God or His supernatural anointing. They miss out on fellowship with the Almighty. Some are not even sure that He is real.

As one who grew up in the church, I was instructed to study a Bible, not to walk with God. It was if God were dead and all we had left of Him was a book of instructions. But then … I heard the voice of the Almighty speak to me in prayer. Everything changed! When we commit to covenant relationship with God, we are promising on oath to obey Him wholeheartedly. How can we obey Him without hearing His voice? We are often taught by pastors to interpret the Bible and follow rules agreed upon by the church. How does that process create intimacy with God? God is not a book, and He’s not dead. God is Spirit. I’m so disappointed with the church leaders whom I trusted to teach me to know God. They never once told me that I should expect to hear God’s voice. They wasted every opportunity to teach me true obedience to God. I promise you that I won’t waste my voice of truth. I will teach believers to know God.

In this edition of The Rogue Prophet Magazine, we will study what it means to have faith, grasp spiritual discernment, revisit the Biblical stories of those who heard God speak, discuss the profession of faith versus the covenant oath of allegiance, and walk through steps to discerning the voice of God. There is so much that I want to cover in these pages. But I realize that it’s difficult to navigate the unknown and to set time aside to earnestly pursue hearing the voice of God. I have tried to condense this study as much as possible while still bringing the most important topics forward. My hope is that if I can help you get to a place where you are hearing God’s voice, then you and God can take it from there. I’m counting on you to give this your best effort! God is too!

The covenant relationship is integral to hearing the voice of God. If you are not in unbroken covenant with Him, you cannot expect productive prayer conversations between you and Him. Initiating or restoring a broken covenant are prerequisite to being positioned to hear God speak direction for your decisions. If He’s not your only God, then He won’t take second place or share His throne.

You will need to decide how much you are willing to sacrifice to make God priority. Wholeheartedly actually means wholeheartedly. One day, the Lord is going to call you to step into the destiny path that He has uniquely ordained for you. Will you willingly lay down all the encumbrances and follow Him? Can He trust you to be faithful with the anointing? If not, why should He bother speaking to you?

“but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you.” (Jeremiah 7:23 NIV)

Christianity is Monotheistic

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If you are attending a church that teaches that there are three gods (aka trinity) that church is not a Christian church.

Christianity is monotheistic, meaning one God. To be clear, there is only one God. God is His title, much like “mom” and “dad” are titles. God’s name is Jesus. Just like your mom and dad have names, you don’t call them by their names, you call them by their most excellent title. However, if you’re introducing your parents to someone, you would use their names. When I’m talking to God or about Him, I refer to Him as God, but when I need to be specific for others, I use His name “Jesus”.

God is Spirit. When God, as Spirit, wanted to make His presence known on earth, He created a flesh and blood frame delivered through the human reproduction process. God provided the daddy seed implanted in a human woman named Mary. Mary gave birth to the flesh and blood frame. She did not give birth to the Spirit of God who created her. The invisible Spirit of God put on visible flesh and walked out ministry on this planet.

The title “Son of God” refers solely to the flesh and blood frame that was created by God. Jesus is God. He is God’s Spirit. He is the one and only Spirit of God. The flesh and blood frame was temporary but the Spirit of Jesus is eternal. He is the first and the last. Jesus is the one and only God. There are not three gods in Christianity.

If you want further explanation about this, please reach out to me. The “three gods” doctrine is the major false doctrine in the churches today. You should only have covenant relationship with one God, not three. If you are not in covenant relationship with God, you should not expect to hear His voice in prayer. I truly want to help you know how to hear God so that you can have fellowship with the Creator. It’s my mission in life!

Waking Up in Fight Mode!

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Lately I have been having night dreams that involve someone stealing from me, trying to harm children around me, or some other fist-clenching scenario. It happened again last night. When I awakened, I asked God why these dreams so often. I should say upfront that I believe all dreams are from God versus as a result of something I ate or any external issues. (I could give you the Biblical foundation for my belief, but then this would get off point, so I will provide that separately if you request it.)

God answered my question seemingly without words. The answer just came into my mind. God wants me in fight mode. That’s the reason for all the little annoyances too. God doesn’t want me peacefully enjoying a content life. He wants me constantly in fight mode ready to defend truth and justice. He doesn’t seem to want me to settle for comfort. So to be sure that I don’t have that option, He constantly requires me to strive. Let me just say this: I understand the technique and why it’s required, but that can’t be fun to be around. I’m certainly not enjoying it. So is that why all the Biblical disciples and prophets were always on edge? Were they always aware that battle and sacrifice might be just around the next corner? I suppose that it requires constant training to be ready to “take a bullet” for your beliefs. Obviously, I don’t expect to actually take a bullet, but the dreams that I have been having demand that I fight with everything I’ve got to defend what’s right. I think that I’m naturally a fighter. I just don’t give up. I take perseverance seriously. If there is a stance to be taken, I’m going to stand firmly with truth.

So God wants me in fight mode. Ok then, I will do my best to stay focused on the battles. What about you? Are you in fight mode? It certainly would be easier to want the sweet dreams that don’t require anything but comfort. But what does that do for the Kingdom of God? Should we be building up our own little kingdoms when the Lord wants us fighting for His? Should we choose ease in this life rather than wanting to submit ourselves to the Lord’s specific will for us? I’m in the fight!

Gender XYZ (Page 4 of 4)

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SPIRITUAL GIFTS:
Without a spiritual connection to God, a person cannot experience the supernatural anointing from God. The adversary wants to manipulate and confuse what it means to be a child of God.

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”
(Galatians 5:16 NIV)

As you walk with the Spirit, you hear God’s voice and receive His anointing.  You will learn your strengths and weaknesses and come to understand your spiritual identity. If, however, you don’t walk with the Spirit and recognize God’s voice, you will be susceptible to the enemy’s voice and manipulations of your identity. The adversaries’ interpretation of who you are is contrary to God’s plans for your life.

The enemy is clever and can fool even religious people who don’t walk with the Spirit of God. Listen, the psychological warfare used by the devil is cloaked in selfish desires of the flesh. You must know your spiritual identity which is intricately tied to how God uniquely designed you. Do not be deceived.

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.”
(1 Corinthians 12:4-11 NIV)

SPIRITUAL BATTLE:

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12 NIV)

Secular psychiatrists will discount psychological warfare in the spiritual realm and label gender dysphoria as mental illness. Christian deliverance ministry vastly differs from secular psychiatry. Secular psychiatry expects for each person to decide their own fate and to be their own “god”. Christian deliverance ministry investigates the warfare/disconnect in the spiritual realm, helps to assess the spiritual battle elements, and works to restore/improve the spiritual connection to God. 

DON’T BELIEVE ME … ASK GOD YOURSELF!

If evil spirits can convince someone that they are the opposite sex from who God created them to be, then the adversary has succeeded in polluting the identity of the person and his/her connection to God. The way to reverse the enemy’s success is to submit yourself to God: 1) Ask the Lord to silence and bind the enemy so that you can have a sincere forgiveness conversation with God without interference from the evil one; 2) Ask God to identify the sins that you need to ask forgiveness for and humbly seek His forgiveness. This needs to be a specific sin acknowledgement versus “forgive me for everything”.  You can’t learn from your mistakes if you don’t know exactly where you have gone wrong.  Learn from your conversation with God. Ask God to expose the enemies’ lies and deception so that you can walk free; 3) Ask the Lord to take back any spiritual authority that you gave away when you weren’t walking with God; 4) Seek direction from God going forward.

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” (Ephesians 6:13-18 NIV)

Gender XYZ (Page 3 of 4)

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Flesh vs. Spirit

“For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.”
(Galatians 5:17 NIV)

On the following page we will study the subject of spiritual warfare, but before that, let’s look at how the spirit and flesh are two separate bodies. The physical body is visible while the spiritual body is unseen. The physical body is temporary, and the spiritual body is eternal. The spiritual body is created in God’s image. God is Spirit. (God made Himself visible in temporary flesh over 2,000 years ago to be the final priest and final atonement sacrifice so that we can have direct access to God for covenant restoration conversation.)

Parents don’t need to teach the physical body how to grow. They can guide nutritional eating and healthy lifestyle habits, but they are not involved in choosing the physical attributes of their offspring. Parents can however aid in the spiritual growth of their children. They can encourage spiritual connection to God and be an example by listening to God in prayer, studying the Bible, and living in obedience to the will of God. They can display the fruit of the Spirit that is evident when walking with the Spirit of God and under His anointing.  But, if instead, a child is raised to prefer worldly ideas to God’s will, they will not mature spiritually and will likely abandon any connection to God.

“Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:5-8 NIV)

Invisible Spirit (God’s Image)

•“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24 NIV)

•“Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image…’” (Genesis 1:26 NIV)

•“and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to the God who gave it.” (Ecclesiastes 12:7 NIV)

•“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV)

•“So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44 NIV)

Breath of Life Scriptures: (from adjacent page)
Genesis 1:30, 2:7, 6:17, 7:15, 7:22; Job 12:10, Job 27:3, 33:4, Isaiah 42:5; John 20:22

“You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.  And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.” (Romans 8:9 NIV)

(Please see graphic on page)

Gender XYZ (Page 2 of 4)

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The Gender Reveal:
God knits together the physical body in the mother’s womb using the parents’ DNA. The decision of male or female gender is exclusively God’s to make as He creates the child in the mother’s womb. God sovereignly chooses the key identity characteristics of each person. It’s not by chance. It’s by design.

“Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:16 NIV)

With sonogram and blood testing technologies available, expectant parents can know the sex of their unborn child even before the baby is fully formed. However, the gender of the child is never a surprise to God. God chooses the physical and spiritual body of every individual. He doesn’t make mistakes nor is He ever unsure of His plans.

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.” (Psalm 139:13-15 NIV)

Flesh Versus … :
“See now that I myself am he! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand.” (Deuteronomy 32:39 NIV)

God is sovereign over life and death, both physical and spiritual. Let’s look at the physical body first where male and female characteristics are most obvious. The physical body is created by God in our parents’ likeness while the spiritual body is created in God’s image. God is Spirit. The spiritual being will either go to Heaven or Hell (as determined by God) when the physical body dies.

God breathes the “breath of life” or the spiritual being (created in God’s image) at birth. The spiritual being is separate from the physical being and is not part of the reproduction process. The physical body dies but the spiritual body is eternal.

•“The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” (Job 33:4 NIV)

•“This is what God the LORD says—the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it:” (Isaiah 42:5 NIV)

•“But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them.” (Rev. 11:11 NIV)

•“And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’”. (John 20:22 NIV)

“Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7 NIV)

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Gender XYZ (Page 1 of 4)

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There are few things that we get to sovereignly control. We don’t get to choose when or where we’re born, who our parents are, our gender, ethnicity, or biological siblings. God chooses all those things. And since we are not God, we don’t get to usurp His authority.

Rarely do we even get to know our divine purpose except for glimpses in hindsight. We don’t get to demand or bargain for the spiritual giftings, anointing from God, or rewards from God. We don’t get to decide for God when it comes to discipline and punishment. Our true identities are largely dictated by all those things outside of our control.

So why do some try to pretend that they aren’t who God created them to be? Why do some males want to be females,  females want to be males, and others want to be gender neutral or binary? Is their confusion exclusively a mental illness known as gender dysphoria or is there an underlying spiritual problem?

Why would anyone want to oppose God’s choices on such a basic tenant of their identity? The adversary wants to confuse people about their gender to manipulate their spiritual well-being. Evil can find a way to permeate itself into the minds and hearts of unprotected, naïve, and wayward souls. Should we help them or ignore them? Should we pretend that the devil doesn’t have them in his clutches?

Male and female are vastly different in many ways. The divine architect chose for men and women to function in specific roles. For example: a woman cannot be a substitute for a man and a man cannot be a substitute for a woman when it comes to their roles in creating offspring.

The adversary wants to oppose God’s choices. With the obvious God-chosen physical differences in the male and female genitals it would seem unlikely that the devil could succeed in gender deceptions. However, he uses psychological warfare to manage his schemes against humanity.

What is the Church’s responsibility to help restore proper identity? Are we even allowed to discuss this issue from the pulpits? Has the devil, armed with political correctness, made It impossible for us to help those who have been deceived?

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27 NIV)

Would God Harden That Heart?

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The words “But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to let them go”* are devastating. Is that saying what I think it’s saying? Why would God purposely harden the heart of our adversary when we’re trying to escape captivity? Was God also wanting to change a captive heart from apathetic to motivated?

In my own life, just as I was learning to hear God’s voice and obey, it seemed that God hardened the hearts of many key players around me. I didn’t know it at the time but I was living as a captive. God hardened those hearts against me to force me to rise up and learn to walk free. Certainly there were no visible chains holding me, but the mental chains were real. If the church said that God doesn’t speak, then who was I to dispute their lies? If the church said that women weren’t anointed by God to lead, wasn’t I supposed to just shut up and sit pretty? Seriously, how dare I think that God had chosen for me to escape the captivity of bogus church traditions and false doctrine?

In hindsight, I can thank the Lord for making me a fighter through those hideous hardened hearts of my betrayers. I can tell you with confidence that God has chosen me to dispute the false teachings in the church and to boldly proclaim that women can receive every anointing from God as He decides.

I’m ok with that hardened heart of the opposition because God is on my side preparing the escape plan even now. Remember that He used ten plagues against Egypt when they tried to hold His people captive. Perhaps God is a bit of a show off in hardening their hearts. Rise up beloved and follow God to the promised land.

*Exodus 10:27 NIV