Matthew 10:7-8

"And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give."

Thursday, May 9, 2013

THE RESCUES IN CLEVELAND POINT TO A SEASON YET TO COME!

Where do I even start in trying to tell you of the electricity that is flowing in my body at this moment?

Where do I start?????

I, like just about everyone else who lives in northeast Ohio have been captivated by the 3 young women who have been rescued in Cleveland.  Jubilation!!  We can actually watch the news coverage for long periods of time and really feel good about the end results.  The thrill of seeing 2 of the 3 women going home yesterday with Amanda Berry being the first, was something I wanted to watch over and over.

Amanda, Gina and Michelle we love you and rejoice you are safe!

Along with this abundant joy there is also something else that has my spirit soaring.  I hope you've noticed, too.  The news channels have been talking openly about how prayer vigils are just popping up in the communities.  I've watched footage of circles of people holding hands and praying, some with their hands lifted towards the heavens.  I've heard many people thanking God openly.  And I've pondered things in my spirit.  I remember thinking as I watched this unfold yesterday, that God is now clearing the way for His name to be remembered again.  Even among those who have rejected Him before.  And this is only the BEGINNING.    There have been many of us saying things like, "A great awakening is coming........................."  I don't know how many times I've proclaimed this over the past couple of years.  Over the past few months, though, I've started to say, "The time is here.  No more waiting!"

Today I just wrote to a friend though and admitted to him that there are days when I do wonder if I'm hearing from Holy Spirit correctly.

And then I started to read something this afternoon that you MUST read.  Especially if you have been following these events in Cleveland..........  DON'T MISS THIS .  Please, please don't miss this.

I'm going to copy and paste a prophetic (I know I just scared a few of you with that word, but read on).......a prophetic word that was given on April 27, 2013 by Kim Clement.  I'm only going to give you about 3 paragraphs and at the end I will give you the link for the entire prophecy from him.  These 3 paragraphs have pierced into my soul.  I became so excited that without realizing it I was gulping my ice tea and began to choke!!!!  I had to settle myself down.

With what has just happened in Cleveland PAY EXTRA ATTENTION to the THIRD paragraph which begins, "OUT OF THE BITTER SHALL COME SWEET.............."  Also, keep these two things in mind:  1)  This is still spring.  Summer is YET to come!  2)  There have been a lot of prophecies about how this amazing new wave of awakenings to God will begin in northeast, Ohio........yes, even Cleveland itself!"  (At some point come back and click on this link:  UNITY IN NORTHEAST, OHIO

Now remember, this was spoken on April 27, 2013.

God's Spirit says, "Listen; hear Me now. I have set aside a season during the summer which shall be called the season of great harvest – which shall be called the season of the one hundred fold. It shall be called the season where people went out and they picked of the fruit of their labor.
"This is a season, a time, where there will be a great harvest," says the Lord, "where summer camps will be invaded by My Spirit, where summer schools will be invaded by My Spirit. I have set a time aside to invade schools and homes of children. I will raise them up, wipe their tears away, take away spirits of heaviness, and replace it with garments of praise, give them oil of joy for sadness, and to give them healing. This is a season during summer where I will bring a hundred fold upon My people who receive it and who declare it and who live it. I shall do it during the summer," says the Lord.
"Out of the bitter shall come sweet; out of the bitter shall come sweet. Out of the wrong shall come right. Out of the evil shall come good. There is no loss in the Kingdom. That which has been taken from you, I will give back during summer. Listen to Me. I will give it back to you, but I shall not hand back what was stolen two times, three, five, or ten...but 100 times. If you can receive it, then do. If you cannot, then you will not receive it, for that which was stolen from you, I wish to restore 100-fold."


Now of course I don't believe that events like these are going to be exclusive to Cleveland.  I believe they will become national and worldwide and in many different cities, but I do believe that we are seeing the beginning of them in Cleveland.  And wouldn't it be just like God to choose a city like Cleveland, a city which has been the target of even national jokes for so very many years.

In the darkest part of the night, the light begins to break through.  The Light has already pierced the darkness.

All I will say to those who have read this and still may be scoffing, or even rejecting the notion of an amazing God who delights in getting involved in the lives of His children is that you better get ready.  You are about to realize just how wrong you are, for you shall see.........

"MY GOD'S NOT DEAD; HE'S SURELY ALIVE!"

Here's the link to Kim Clement's entire prophecy.
http://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word.html?ID=12122

Let Your glory fall, Lord
Mark S.



















Wednesday, May 8, 2013

LET THE POTTER BE THE POTTER; AND THE CLAY BE THE CLAY

This past Sunday Kay and I had a fantastic opportunity to worship with wonderful friends while in Wilmington, North Carolina.  There was a sweet time in the worship when I began to hear the Lord say something over and over to me.  "LET THE POTTER BE THE POTTER AND THE CLAY BE THE CLAY."  That may not seem like an earth shaking revelation to you, but it came to me over and over.

Jeremiah wrote this account:

"Then I went down to the potter's house and there he was, making something at the wheel.  And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter, so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.  Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?' says the Lord.  'Look, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!'"  (Jeremiah 18: 3-6)

I would encourage you to get your Bible and read to read further into this passage.  I think it's pretty significant for the times that we now live in, but here are my initial thoughts on what I believe the Lord was trying to say not only to me, but what He also wants me to now say to you.................

We HAVE to stop worrying about things that we cannot control.  That is up to God and He is more than big enough to handle some of the major issues that we face in our day to day living.  Jesus tells us often to follow His teachings and commands.  We are instructed to meditate on the Word, even day and night.  We are told to pray for our enemies and to love our neighbors.  To love God with everything inside of us.  We are to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit.  (Love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness and faithfulness.)  Then there are the beatitudes.  Micah tells us to "do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."

Those are some things that just come to me off the top of my head that we can control when it comes to our relationship with God, that will then help us keep our minds right when it comes to our outlook on life.  I've only scratched the surface with these types of things, but take a minute now to just go back over the things I've mentioned and honestly evaluate how you are doing in those areas.   When we take care of the things that we are instructed to do, I promise you God will take care of the rest.

Take it from the man typing that the more you do the things that Jesus and God instructs you to do the stress level will go down, worry will begin to cease,  peace will abound and fear will be driven out.  I do the whole Facebook thing too, and without judging I can tell who is trying to do it their way and not His way.   God is trying to tell us that we need to stop that kind of nonsense.  Time is too short and if we want to keep our sanity during these crazy times, we have to let our Father be the Potter.

About 5 years ago there was a situation at our church that really angered me.   I had myself convinced that I needed to get involved in a situation and to let someone know exactly how it was going to be.  I was even so upset that I had to go outside and walk around just trying to get my emotions to calm down so I wouldn't cross the line (too much).  Looking back now I know that my heart was in a sinful place at that time with my attitude.  However, while I was outside walking I very clearly heard the words, ".............And so you think that I'm not big enough to handle this?"  I heard those words so clearly that I really knew that God wasn't going to mess around with my attitude and so I surrendered and turned it over to Him.  You know what happened?

GOD TOOK CARE OF IT.  I let the Potter be the Potter.

Had I not there would have been some kind of mess.  Over the next few years there were other times when the Lord would have to remind me that He indeed was big enough for the big problems.  I finally got it.  Ever since I did, God has been shaping me and molding me into the kind of guy that I should be.  Not that I am perfect, but I have become a much better man in being a representative of Jesus.  Without boasting I am finding that the things I do in life are prosperous and blessed and all for HIS glory.

First, do those things that will allow you to become usable "clay" that can be more easily shaped and molded.  In other words:  Let the Potter be the Potter and the clay be the clay.  That may sound simplistic, but if we really work on becoming better at this we will really start seeing more and more of the amazing things that God has planned.  You then have every right to be excited about verses like the one I love from Jeremiah 33: 3.................."CALL TO ME AND I WILL ANSWER YOU, AND SHOW YOU GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS , WHICH YOU DO NOT KNOW."

I haven't blogged in quite sometime and now tonight I sensed the Lord wanting me to write this.  There must be a reason.  So I need to ask you this:  What is going on in your life to where you need to allow the Potter to be the Potter?

For those with ears to hear............let us hear!

Mark S.