A Word to Leaders

Leaders! I wanted to share this word of wisdom with you. It's through Prophetess Karen Pina, a proven vessel whom God placed in my life some years ago. Heed the words of Holy Spirit through her and LIVE!

In light of all that's going on with high-profile leaders right now, the body needs to hear Yahweh's voice and heart for all leaders. In prayer this morning, Yahweh spoke this to me, and before sharing this, I preface it by saying, "This is not aimed at any specific leader."

 

Will you continue on the ancient path that wicked men have walked?

Everywhere you turn leaders are being ousted for sexual sins. At the same time, these leaders don't possess David's spirit. You see, when they are confronted with their sin, they lie, deny, and in some cases even crucify the one who confronts and inquires. The hearts of many leaders are surely wicked, and they are not turned to Yahweh (God).  These men and women are not after Yahweh's heart, but are after the lusts of the flesh, the pride of life, and the lusts of the eyes.

Because they are not quick to confess and repent, they are snatched away before their time and their foundations are washed away like a river (Job 22:16).  Instead of running to Yahweh to be cleansed of their sin, they say, "Leave us alone, God (Job 22:17)!"

Oh what a tangled, deceptive web Satan laid that entrapped them in uncleanness and bondage.

"So any person who knows what is right to do but does not do it, to him it is sin." - James 4:16 AMP

In some instances, it's simply man choosing wrong over right. When man chooses man-made glory over Yahweh's glory, they end up walking on the same ancient path that wicked kings before them walked. Will you continue on the ancient path that wicked men have walked (Job 22:15 HCSB)?

If you need ordained direction and support back to your foundation, we are here and we are a confidential anointed safe space in which you can get free and experience His glory (i.e., His power, character, and nature) once again. 

Blessed and happy and to be envied are those whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered up and completely buried. - Romans 4:7 AMP

If you're going to cover your sins, you don't need Him to cover them, and He can't cover what you conceal. Come clean to be cleansed, beloved.  He's waiting with open, merciful, loving arms of atonement and forgiveness. The fallout of sexual sin is devastating. It ruins marriages, families, lives, ministries, churches, and elections and callings unnecessarily. There is an option, and it is honest confession and true repentance. How many casualties will you take with you by continuing on the ancient path of wicked kings? Unharden your heart and hear His voice (Hebrews 4:7).

If these words resonate and you need a way back to your foundation, you can reach Prophetess Karen and her husband Apostle Stanley at www.GODSCoach.com.

Many blessings.

Read more...

Bleeding on Facebook

I've read plenty of Facebook statuses that make me shake my head and leave me asking why. What's particularly grievous is when leaders bleed all over Facebook. I've asked myself many times, isn't there someone offline they can talk to about that?

Pastor Lisa  examines those who are bleeding on social media networks like Facebook. Finish reading article here. 

Read more...

Finish Well

Pastor Perry Noble of Newspring Church is hosting a one-day re-awakening just for pastors. Pastors dealing with depression and on the verge of burnout.

ReAwaken Promo from NewSpring Media on Vimeo.

This is the Body of Christ at its best...helpers one to another.

Blessings everyone.

Read more...

No Time to Dance A Jig

 Yesterday's post got me to thinking. You can read it here and catch up for this discussion. Jesus underwent a great deal of stress in the Garden of Gethsemane. He asked if a Plan B could be implemented because the task ahead of Him was going to be the death of Him...and it would be a slow and agonizing death.

I thought about Him.

I thought about His plea...if it's possible...please let this cup pass from me. He knew bringing about salvation was not going to be easy. He was about to pay for the sins of mankind. The punishment that was rightfully yours and mine; He took and at first He struggled.

I thought about Him and the moment He said...not my will...but your will be done. I know that feeling when you accept what must be done and set your mind to just do it knowing it will probably be the most difficult thing you ever do in your life.

After He aligned His will to the Father's and began to act out the redemptive plan...you didn't hear much from Him. The prophet Isaiah said:

He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He did not open His mouth;
Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,
And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,
So He did not open His mouth.

Which brings me to this point. Jesus didn't dance a jig to Calvary. He didn't turn around to the Roman soldiers flogging him and say praise the Lord, I'm paying the price for your salvation! He didn't cry out hallelujah they just pierced me in the side. Instead He cried out from the cross...My God...why have you forsaken me?


It was because of the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, was despised and shamed. Where was the joy? On the other side.

Why then do we harass people clearly going through a night season to praise their way out? There is no shabach that will hurry you through the process; Jesus had to go through all of it. I offer that our act of obedience becomes our worship and our surrender speaks of a heart that adores God and puts Him first.

The bible tells us that there is a time for everything. There's a time to weep and a time to laugh. There's even a time to mourn and a time to dance.

You have to let people go through their night season and we all know...weeping endures for a night, but joy comes in the morning. You can't force daybreak. It comes at the appointed time. Just remember to show grace and not condemn those who may come to your church and not turn over the pews when the praise is in high gear.

Read more...

Let Him Test It!

What's released when heat is applied?

In a recent marketing video, I talked about how campaigns and design pieces should be tested. In that video I mentioned that even God himself doesn't release a thing until it's been tested. As leaders we can't be quick to release those serving with us without proper testing no matter how great the need.

Character, faithfulness, spiritual soundness and maturity, are all things that come under scrutiny during testing. Testing demands that one proves what they know and that they are who they say they are. Testing exposes weak areas and then those weak areas are submitted and yielded to Holy Spirit for strengthening through prayer and fasting.

Before next levels...there is usually a time of proving. Jesus was led to the wilderness by Holy Spirit for testing. (Luke 4). Upon successful completion of that test, then He was released into public ministry. Spiritual leaders then must be observant and willing to wait. Leaders must ask:

• How do those up for promotion handle pressure (i.e. trials and adversity)?
• Do they complain or are they prayerful? 
• Has their attendance increased or decreased during this time of testing? 
• Has their praise and worship taken a noticeable hit? 
• Has there been a decrease in their giving (time and finances)?
• Do they "heed sound doctrine?" In other words are they teachable, receptive to Holy Spirit's wisdom through you as their leader?

This is the kind of information you need before the ordination and a time of testing will always tell. Allow Holy Spirit to do the work then be observant, be patient and know that God will with hold no good thing from you. That includes sending able-bodied ministers to help you carry the vision. Take nothing at face value and allow Holy Spirit to test their readiness for you.

Whether its a marketing campaign or minister in your congregation...it shouldn't be released without first being thoroughly tested. 

Blessings everyone!

Read more...

When London Calls

Big Ben, London, England

A dear friend of mine called me to say that she received a ministry invitation from a ministry in London, England. They visited her Web site and extended an invitation for her to come speak at a conference. The first thing ministers do is check the validity of the ministry. There are lots of scams out there. Unfortunately when you get an email from Africa or India chances are it's a scam. But this time a ministry from London came calling and the ministry was legitimate. We followed links all over the Internet and confirmed this was a real church, with real people and a real pastor.

They offered to pay hotel/airfare and provide ground transportation and a sizable honorarium. All she had to do was apply for a work visa or work permit. Once that had been completed they would wire three-fourths of the honorarium to her.

Something still didn't sound right so we asked a third party. A minister who has traveled internationally told us it didn't quite sound right. That she had a similar offer once before but it didn't fall through.

Come to find out it was a scam.

What these people want is your personal information.

They don't want you to come and bring the glory of God to London.

They find legitimate churches and ministries and pretend to be extending you an invitation on their behalf.

They know all the right things to say.

The offer very nice honorariums. Very nice.

They even create very nice conference themes with dynamic topics for you to minister from. 

But there are a couple of things that tipped off our international minister.

• The email address to the government agency in London was a gmail account. Government addresses in London end in .gov.uk.
• There was no office phone to contact. Every phone number was a direct cell number. My friend tried to call and was not able to reach anyone.
• The conference was just a month away. Who does this? Scammers. They want to create a sense of urgency and hopefully disengage good sense long enough for you to remit your valuable personal information.

I know you were aware of the Africa and India scams. Well here's one more coming out of the United Kingdom. Use wisdom, ask somebody else if you're unsure and always follow-up! My friend is going to contact the church in London and let them know scammers are using their ministry as a cover!

As always, be blessed ministers of God!
 

Read more...

Here's what to do

In a moment of frustration, I posted on my Facebook page, my mounting frustration about what I was hearing come across the pulpit in the name of the Lord. Some of it is truly the spirit of error at work; but not so in every case. Sometimes it's due to lack of knowledge. By the end of that post, I was ready to confront and ask for notes and references. But then Holy Spirit reminded me that this is not new and a best practice for handling this type of situation already existed in scripture.

And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. - Acts 18-24-26

Leader to leader
A minister I know told me about a relative of hers who thought it her business to correct ministry leaders. She held no prophetic office and was determined on delivering what she believed to be the word of the Lord. Some actually entertained what she had to say. What this person did not know is that a best practice had already been established. According to scripture, this type of correction comes from one ministry leader to another.

Aquila and Priscilla were missionaries and traveled with the Apostle Paul. Church tradition says that this husband and wife team were a part of the 70 that Jesus sent out according to Luke chapter 10. So we see established leaders listening to a dynamic message from a very eloquent man but obviously lacking in a doctrinal truth. When they heard this, it became their responsibility to correct in love and show the better way.

I wouldn't try it 
David was fleeing Jerusalem when Shimei hurled curses and insults upon David in 2 Samuel 16. Without further reading, it  appears that his actions were met with God's approval. Scroll down to chapter 19 and we find Shimei repenting to David and pleading for his life. Shimei admitted his guilt, said he knew he had sinned and went to meet David and repented. Eventually Shimei was killed by King David's son Solomon for blatant disobedience. A poignant story that reminds us of God's order in the Kingdom and reveals the heart of those who buck against that order.

Again, correction of a leader should always come from another leader.

Oh they'll eventually get it is not acceptable
Aquila and Priscilla did not let Apollos remain in the dark concerning God's truth about Jesus Christ. It was more important that Apollos declare the full counsel of this gospel message. That is all that mattered. Here is where church leaders today can take note. It's not enough to see your fellow co-laborer missing an important truth. The notion of, "Oh they'll eventually get it," is not the will of the Father. To my surprise, some allow those who pull in large crowds to teach in error because of the money that also comes with large crowds.

This ought not be so!

To complain, to talk about and not offer correction to a minister who is lacking knowledge or truth is unacceptable.

There's a right way and wrong way
Notice another best practice for us here in this text. They did not confront Apollos in the middle of his message. They did not "call him out" if you will in front of the other synagogue leaders. They took him and privately showed him the way of God more perfectly.

This is a best practice solution for handling fellow ministry leaders who lack some eternal truth and need to be shown the better way. Dealing with false teachers and prophets and confronting the spirit of error is another post altogether. Holy Spirit will definitely lead and guide you in this area if you ask Him too. Don't get frustrated, Holy Spirit just may want to use you to enlighten and reveal truth. A true vessel will consider your words and take them to heart. Remember sons of God receive correction!

May God give you wisdom and grace to contend for the faith!

Blessings to you all!

Pastor Lisa

Read more...