Beware of Craigslist scammers. Thursday, Oct 22 2009

We recently had an attempted scammer try to sucker us.
The police just left with all the critical info.
We are now praying the Lord Jesus Christ will contact this one with salvation.

BUT – Craigslist posted the following – please be careful yourself.

You can sidestep would-be scammers by following these common-sense rules:

• DEAL LOCALLY WITH FOLKS YOU CAN MEET IN PERSON – follow this one simple rule and you will avoid 99% of the scam attempts on craigslist.
• NEVER WIRE FUNDS VIA WESTERN UNION, MONEYGRAM or any other wire service – anyone who asks you to do so is a scammer.
• FAKE CASHIER CHECKS & MONEY ORDERS ARE COMMON, and BANKS WILL CASH THEM AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE when the fake is discovered weeks later.
• CRAIGSLIST IS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY TRANSACTION, and does not handle payments, guarantee transactions, provide escrow services, or offer “buyer protection” or “seller certification”
• NEVER GIVE OUT FINANCIAL INFORMATION (bank account number, social security number, eBay/PayPal info, etc.)
• AVOID DEALS INVOLVING SHIPPING OR ESCROW SERVICES and know that ONLY A SCAMMER WILL “GUARANTEE” YOUR TRANSACTION.

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Who should I notify about fraud or scam attempts?

• FTC toll free hotline: 877-FTC-HELP (877-382-4357)
• FTC online complaint form
• Canadian PhoneBusters hotline: 888-495-8501
• Competition Bureau Canada: 800-348-5358
• Internet Fraud Complaint Center
• Software Piracy (http://www.siia.net/piracy/report.asp)
• Non-emergency number for your local police department.

If you suspect that an item posted for sale on craigslist may be part of a scam, please email the details to “abuse@craigslist.org”. Be sure to include the URL (or 10-digit post ID number) in your message.

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Recognizing scams

Most scams involve one or more of the following:

• inquiry from someone far away, often in another country
• Western Union, Money Gram, cashier’s check, money order, shipping, escrow service, or a “guarantee”
• inability or refusal to meet face-to-face before consumating transaction

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Examples of Scams

1. Someone claims that craigslist will guarantee a transaction, certify a buyer/seller, OR claims that craigslist will handle or provide protection for a payment.

• These claims are fraudulent, as craigslist does not have any role in any transaction.
• Scammer will often send an official looking email that appears to come from craigslist, offering a guarantee, certifying a seller, providing payment services — all such emails are fakes!

2. distant person offers a genuine-looking (but fake) cashier’s check

• you receive an email (examples below) offering to buy your item, or rent your apartment, sight unseen.
• cashier’s check is offered for your sale item, as a deposit for an apartment, or for just about anything else of value.
• value of cashier’s check often far exceeds your item – scammer offers to “trust” you, and asks you to wire the balance via money transfer service
• banks will often cash these fake checks AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE WHEN THE CHECK FAILS TO CLEAR, including criminal prosecution in some cases!
• scam often involves a 3rd party (shipping agent, business associate owing buyer money, etc)

3. Someone requests wire service payment via Western Union or MoneyGram:

• Scam “bait” items include apartments, laptops, plasma TVs, cell phones, tickets – but could be almost anything
• Often claim that an MTCN or confirmation code is needed before he can withdraw your money – this is FALSE, once you’ve wired money, it is GONE.
• Common countries currently include: Nigeria, Romania, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Spain, Italy, Netherlands – but could be anywhere
• Apartment listing may be local, but landlord/owner is “travelling” or “relocating” and needs you to wire money to them abroad
• Deal often seems too good to be true, price is too low, rent is below market, etc

4. distant person offers to send you a money order and then have you wire money:

• this is ALWAYS a scam, in our experience – the cashier’s check is FAKE
• sometimes accompanies an offer of merchandise, sometimes not
• scammer often asks for your name, address, etc for printing on the fake check
• deal often seems too good to be true

5. distant seller suggests use of an online escrow service.

• most online escrow sites are FRAUDULENT, operated by scammers
• for more info, do a google search on “fake escrow” or “escrow fraud“

6. distant seller asks for a partial payment upfront, after which he will ship goods

• he says he trusts you with the partial payment
• he may say he has already shipped the goods
• deal often sounds too good to be true

7. foreign company offers you a job receiving payments from customers, then wiring funds

• foreign company may claim it is unable to receive payments from its customers directly
• you are typically offered a percentage of payments received
• this kind of “position” may be posted as a job, or offered to you via email

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All nations deceived by “medications” – Rev. 18:23 Monday, Sep 28 2009

Kinda got a bit upset this a.m. reading the news when I read the two articles below.  And I began renewing my commitment to be whole, healthy, strong and fit and drug-free!

1. “Quietly and with little ado, Mexico last week enacted a law to decriminalize possession of small amounts of all major narcotics, including marijuana, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and crystal meth. Anyone caught in Mexico with two or three joints or about four lines of cocaine can no longer be arrested, fined or imprisoned.”  http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1918725,00.html

2. “Following the lead of Switzerland and a handful of other countries, Britain recently concluded a four-year trial in which longtime addicts were given daily heroin injections as part of a treatment program to eventually wean them off the drug.” http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1926160,00.html?iid=digg_share

Many years ago, while still in Teen Challenge I learned the Greek meaning of the word “sorcery” in Revelation 18:23. If you haven’t read this chapter recently – you should.  It’s about the fall of Babylon – or the one-world system and the harlot church – mystery Babylon.

Revelation 18:23 and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.

The word translated “sorceries” is pharmakeia (Strong’s NT 5331 from 5332) ) medication (“pharmacy”), i.e. (by extension, literal or figurative magic.)  The KJV renders it sorcery or witchcraft. To extend your understanding of pharmakeia – it comes from pharmakon (a drug, i.e. spell-giving potion); a druggist (“pharmacist”) or poisoner, i.e. (by extension) a magician: KJV – sorcerer.

These definitions come from Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.

Just knowing the definitions should shed light on our lifestyles of solving health problems with medications and drugs rather than boosting our immune systems and improving our  health.  The fact that we find our symptoms treated rather than our doctors trying to prevent further disease, disorder and decay in our bodies.

It should cause us to want to live healthy – avoiding substances deadly for our bodies and our spirits – and exercising daily as a means of real health insurance.  Yet another reason to avoid useless calories, cholesterol, sodium and sugar.

It might cause us to rethink why we do what we do – our decision for quick and easy or right and good.  It should make us consider how we are setting an example for our children.

I hope so.  It does me.

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Weave His Mercies into a Song! Thursday, Jul 9 2009

I was greatly touched in my morning meditation this morning – and my prayer is that you will be too! Weave His sweet mercies into a song today!    Julie

“Forget not all His benefits.”
Psalm 103:2
Morning & Evening by C.H. Spurgeon

It is a delightful and profitable occupation to mark the hand of God in the lives of ancient saints, and to observe His goodness in delivering them, His mercy in pardoning them, and His faithfulness in keeping His covenant with them.

But would it not be even more interesting and profitable for us to remark the hand of God in our own lives? Ought we not to look upon our own history as being at least as full of God, as full of His goodness and of His truth, as much a proof of His faithfulness and veracity, as the lives of any of the saints who have gone before?

We do our Lord an injustice when we suppose that He wrought all His mighty acts, and showed Himself strong for those in the early time, but doth not perform wonders or lay bare His arm for the saints who are now upon the earth.

Let us review our own lives. Surely in these we may discover some happy incidents, refreshing to ourselves and glorifying to our God. Have you had no deliverances? Have you passed through no rivers, supported by the divine presence? Have you walked through no fires unharmed? Have you had no manifestations? Have you had no choice favors?

The God who gave Solomon the desire of his heart, hath He never listened to you and answered your requests? That God of lavish bounty of whom David sang, “Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things,” hath He never satiated you with fatness? Have you never been made to lie down in green pastures? Have you never been led by the still waters?

Surely the goodness of God has been the same to us as to the saints of old. Let us, then, weave His mercies into a song. Let us take the pure gold of thankfulness, and the jewels of praise and make them into another crown for the head of Jesus. Let our souls give forth music as sweet and as exhilarating as came from David’s harp, while we praise the Lord whose mercy endureth for ever.

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We are “Called to be Saints.” Sunday, Jul 5 2009

Romans 1:7
Charles Spurgeon

“We are very apt to regard the apostolic saints as if they were “saints” in a more especial manner than the other children of God. All are “saints” whom God has called by His grace, and sanctified by His Spirit; but we are apt to look upon the apostles as extraordinary beings, scarcely subject to the same weaknesses and temptations as ourselves. Yet in so doing we are forgetful of this truth, that the nearer a man lives to God the more intensely has he to mourn over his own evil heart; and the more his Master honours him in His service, the more also doth the evil of the flesh vex and tease him day by day.

The fact is, if we had seen the apostle Paul, we should have thought him remarkably like the rest of the chosen family: and if we had talked with him, we should have said, “We find that his experience and ours are much the same. He is more faithful, more holy, and more deeply taught than we are, but he has the selfsame trials to endure. Nay, in some respects he is more sorely tried than ourselves.”

Do not, then, look upon the ancient saints as being exempt either from infirmities or sins; and do not regard them with that mystic reverence which will almost make us idolators. Their holiness is attainable even by us. We are “called to be saints” by that same voice which constrained them to their high vocation. It is a Christian’s duty to force his way into the inner circle of saintship; and if these saints were superior to us in their attainments, as they certainly were, let us follow them; let us emulate their ardour and holiness.

We have the same light that they had, the same grace is accessible to us, and why should we rest satisfied until we have equalled them in heavenly character?

They lived with Jesus, they lived for Jesus, therefore they grew like Jesus. Let us live by the same Spirit as they did, “looking unto Jesus,” and our saintship will soon be apparent.”

I love it that our only pattern – Jesus – the pattern son – lived a sinless life as a human being. Thus He proved it could be done and that gives us incredible hope and motivation. Had He done it as God who cannot sin – it would have meant nothing to us – for we cannot duplicate it.  But being born-again and spirit-filled with the same Holy Spirit that raised Christ from the dead – we have hope to attain that life!  And our saintship – as salt and light in this world – will be apparent.

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Swine Flu – some perspectives Saturday, May 2 2009

Putting Swine Flu in Perspective

7 Facts to Consider if You’re Fearful About Swine Flu

By Miranda Hitti -  WebMD Health News -Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20090501/putting-swine-flu-in-perspective

May 1, 2009 — Swine flu is big news. Cases are rising in the U.S. and other countries, there’s no vaccine, it’s a brand-new virus, and it’s teetering on the brink of a pandemic.

But remember, there’s no “panic” in “pandemic.”

Swine flu has sickened at least 141 people in the U.S. and 365 people worldwide, according to the CDC and World Health Organization’s tally of lab-confirmed swine flu cases as of Friday, May 1.

But those numbers are changing all the time; the CDC and WHO web sites are updated once daily.

Swine flu is serious, for sure. But have some people crossed the fine line between reasonable concern and unwarranted alarm?

A new poll from the Harvard School of Public Health shows that of the 1,067 participants, 59% said they’re washing their hands more often and using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer in light of swine flu. That’s in line with CDC recommendations. And school closings are appropriate if cases are confirmed in students or staff, according to the CDC.

But that same Harvard poll shows that 17% of participants said they are avoiding Mexican restaurants or grocery stores and 13% said they thought you could get swine flu from eating pork. You can’t get swine flu from eating pork or any other foods, and there is no reason to avoid Mexican restaurants or other businesses.

There have been reports of people in the U.S. rushing to buy face masks. But most people don’t need masks at this point, says Michael Smith, MD, WebMD’s chief medical editor, in his blog.

CNN reports that proms are being canceled, and in Alabama — which isn’t on the CDC’s list of states with confirmed swine flu cases — officials have reportedly canceled all high school sports events in light of swine flu concerns.

7 Reasons Not to Over Worry

After a solid week of scary headlines about swine flu, it’s time to take a step back, take a deep breath, and regain perspective. Here are seven points to consider:

1. Most swine flu cases have been mild, so far. Severe cases have been seen mainly in Mexico, for reasons that aren’t yet clear. But most swine flu patients have recovered without being hospitalized.
2. You’re not defenseless against swine flu. Simple things — washing your hands, not touching your mouth, eyes, or nose, and trying to avoid close contact with sick people — can go a long way toward reducing your risk.
3. Most swine flu cases so far have been pretty much like normal, seasonal flu. Swine flu and seasonal flu share symptoms, and spread the same way.
4. How much do you worry about seasonal flu? Maybe you should give garden-variety flu a little more respect. In a typical U.S. flu season, an average of 36,000 people die of flu or flu complications, and about 200,000 people are hospitalized. Swine flu hasn’t come anywhere close to that.
5. Swine flu’s future is unknown. No one knows where swine flu is headed — for better or for worse. “You don’t know if it’s going to fizzle out in a couple weeks or become more or less virulent or severe in the diseases it causes,” CDC Acting Director Richard Besser, MD, said on April 29. “If we could see into the future [that] would be absolutely wonderful, but that’s not the case. That’s why we’re being aggressive” in seeking to limit swine flu’s impact on human health.
6. The world is more prepared than ever. Remember bird flu? When that was the “it” virus several years ago, the global health community ramped up its pandemic preparations. As a result of that work, “the world is better prepared for an influenza pandemic than at any time in history,” WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said on April 29.
7. Pandemics aren’t all deadly.” If the World Health Organization declares swine flu a pandemic, that’s all about the spread of the virus — not the severity of the illness. In the past, some pandemics have been mild, while others have been severe, notes WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl, adding that “people should act with common sense, not with panic.”

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The Most Important Thing Friday, Apr 3 2009

This morning I was praying and thinking about my friend Pam Bluemel.  She lost her sweet husband Craig (http://www.bibleanswerstand.org) in June of 2007 and on March 30, just a few days ago, her daughter Julie died having just given birth to her 4th child, Gabrielle Sophia.The babe is doing well – and will be released from the hospital when her lungs are functioning normally.

But I was seeking the Lord for Pammy – who is now with her son-in-law and 3 little kidlets – taking care, grieving, and all the other that goes with a family death.

What is the most important prayer I could offer up at this time??

I prayed for the supernatural peace of God to come to them.

Jesus is prophesied as being the King of Peace in Isaiah 9:6-7 – and as His loving subjects we can live in Peace even in the most difficult and trying times.  He told us in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.”

The best the world gives is tranquilizers, sedatives and mood-altering drugs along with behavior modification and stress relieving exercises.

Inadequate.

Totally inadequate in times like Pam is going through now, or that I’ve gone through from time to time.  Only Jesus brings 100% peace that passes understanding – even at a cellular level.

My prayer then is for her and her family to bring everything to dead stop before His Throne – to lay it all down and worship Him.  For in so doing – He will step in and they will be healed and energized for tasks to come.

Philippians 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

2 Thessalonians 3:16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!

Hebrews 13:20-21Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, 21 equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

I love you Pammy.

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Restoration – Much needed today. Tuesday, Mar 31 2009

We rarely go anywhere, out to eat, to church, or visiting friends, where we don’t touch on the subject of restoration. We believe in restoration. We crave restoration.  We practice restoration.

I got an email from Judy Nedom today containing Part 2 of Todd Bentley’s restoration process that caused me to do a short Bible study.

Before you quit reading just because I said Todd’s name – please read the following scriptures – cause they are for all of us.  The articles and video regarding his restoration are urls at the end of this piece I wrote.

RESTORATION OF THE BRETHREN

Romans 5:10-11 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:18-21 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation , namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Galatians 6:1-3 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

Isaiah 1:26-27 Then I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning; after that you will be called the city of righteousness, a faithful city. Zion will be redeemed with justice and her repentant ones with righteousness.

Malachi 4:5-6 Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.

With these things in mind I was pleased to read Rick Joyner’s articles on the restoration of Todd Bentley.  There are two articles – they are much, much more than Todd’s personal story. So much so I have made them part of my reading and study so that I might also “restore such a one” with grace, mercy, humility and simplicity.  I

am of the conviction that those who arrogantly castigate their brethren for sin and folly should perhaps examine their own hearts for pride and roots of bitterness.  I need this lesson as well as anyone I know.  So I’m praying that all of us who call ourselves Christian will do everything we can to be unoffendable – the unruffled Christ.

PART 1

http://www.morningstarministries.org/Articles/1000045589/MorningStar_Ministries/Media/Special_Bulletins/2009/Special_Bulletin_17.aspx

PART 2

http://www.morningstarministries.org/Publisher/Article.aspx?ID=1000046495

Video of restoration process

http://www.morningstarministries.org/Groups/1000040651/MorningStar_Ministries/Media/VIDEO_Todd_Bentleys/VIDEO_Todd_Bentleys.aspx

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Ben & Lori’s Wedding Photos Tuesday, Mar 31 2009

Yes, I know some of you will say, “Well, finally, wedding pictures!”  But really folks, I couldn’t put them up until Lori and Leah did.  So here a just a few pics to whet your appetite.  Enjoy!  And if you wish – take a look at the wedding album on my Facebook page.

All the people rejoiced over what God had prepared for the people,
because the thing came about suddenly.  2 Chronicles 29:36

So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together,
let no man separate. Matthew 19:6-7 6

Their wedding morning

So happy together!

Just married!

Scott performed service for Ben & Lori.

Their honeymoon begins their new life together!

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Ben and Lori Baxter Wednesday, Mar 25 2009

It was our great joy to see our son Ben marry his best friend, Lori, on Saturday, March 21st at our favorite beach, Surfside. As Lori puts it – Ben is her perfect companion.  We see such delight in their faces – we can’t help but grin constantly!

They have known each other (and our family has known hers since 1985) for 11 years, and been the closest friends for the last few years.  Love has a wonderful way of blindsiding us sometimes and it was this last 6 – 7 months their eyes were opened and love bloomed.

We had a lovely time at the wedding and a great time with her family after the wedding for 2 days at Mimi’s Cafe and our home.

Serving the Lord – it just keeps getting better and better.

One pic only today – cause they will post more and better ones -and cause we leave tomorrow for 5 days and I know no one wants to wait that long. Don’t forget her sister, Leah, is a professional photographer and hers will be exquisite.

Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin Scott Baxter

More when I get home on our other great joy – Sara and Chris are having a girl!!

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“Tear Down Strongholds and Grab Hold of Your Portion!” Wednesday, Mar 4 2009

Chuck Pierce is a man of God who hears God’s voice and is full of His Word.  This study is excellent and the 7 day prayer focus will help implement it in our lives.

Be blessed as you seek to be more like Jesus.
Julie

“Tear Down Strongholds and Grab Hold of Your Portion!”
by Chuck Pierce Mar 3, 2009

Changing our mind and realigning our thoughts is a process we go through! The Lord is doing so much with all of us during this season. I believe that His main goal is to have us understand His mind as we enter the next level of promise in the land that He has given each of us to possess. You have an inheritance. This is the portion that is linked with your destiny and promise.

Unlock the Creative Genius Hidden in You!

I loved this month’s Issachar Course on “Unlocking Your Creative Power in Time and Space!” I think we have not understood the word genius. Therefore, we limit this category to those with an exceptionally high I.Q. Intelligence is not just linked with a person who has a high I.Q. Our environment and genes play an important part of what makes us think and act. Generational iniquity can rob a person of their ability to think and act efficiently and effectively.

Intelligence is developed in someone who is willing to overcome the spirit of fear and insecurity and break new ground. This type of adventurist will produce an uncovering of what has been hidden. This results in discoveries, witty inventions, and magnificent and new artistic displays. This type of creativity changes the way people view the world, field, or sphere where they are working.

Someone with genius capacity will use their intelligence in a productive or impressive way. Their brain is functioning and agile. They do not overlook information or stimuli that others consider irrelevant.

In “NEW THINKING FOR A NEW SEASON!”, Sharon King, NP-C (Nurse Practitioner – Certified), writes the following: “The brain is the machinery of the mind and these are clearly the days we need our brains regenerated to accommodate new ways of thinking, feeling and doing.

We have a saying in Neurology, ‘Cells that fire together, wire together.’ This statement means that our experience literally wires our brain. If two neurons (brain cells) are connected and are electrically active at the same time, the connection between them gets stronger. But if they are not electrically active together, then those connection points called synapses are pruned or lost. To think in a new way, we need to have new electrical pathways formed in our brains; old ones cannot be remolded!

This is the new wine in an old wineskin scenario that Jesus talks about in Matthew 9. We need to activate new firing to get new wiring in our brain connections!”

The Stronghold Religious strongholds form and have authority to work within our thinking processes when we refuse to connect our thoughts properly. Jesus told us that you cannot patch an old quilt with new material and you cannot pour new revelation into an old structure.

In approaching the “new” we must dismantle the old. Our old thought processes must be dismantled very precisely, and new ways of thinking must be built. New connecting ideas of time, season, action, and methods must align in our thinking process. This entails the tearing down of strongholds that resist our sphere and field from coming into and producing a new crop.

I write about this in The Future War of the Church and Interpreting the Times. When a new thought has a hard time connecting with your existing stored thought structure and then creatively developing a new way of doing things, you most likely have a stronghold. A stronghold is a thought process that is resistant to the will of God. This thought process gets impregnated by a demonic force and causes you to resist aligning your mind with the mind of Christ.

We all process what we see and feel from using our senses, but we do not all process information or revelation the same way. If you are not careful, you can reject someone because they see things from a different perspective than you. Cultures and races process information differently. Your environment influences your thoughts. Genders can process what they see and how they perceive something very differently; a man and a woman can look at the same object or seascape or mountain and describe what they see totally differently.

However, “IN HIM” we should all come up with the ultimate will of the One who created us and know Him when we see Him. How we process and grab hold of the perfect, acceptable will of God in the midst of a world filled with distractions is key to our success. How we “filter” out the distractions and choose the best is key to being successful in the future. Distractions can cloud your decision making and discernment. As we interact we can begin to tear down strongholds and develop our identity for the future.

Every Question Demands a Response
This Prayer Focus is designed for you to interact—”Doing reinforces hearing!” Let’s move by faith these next 7 days and tear down old mindsets that will hinder us in the future.

This may take you longer than 7 days. Take your time. I am giving a week to rethink things between focuses. Think differently. Watch your prayer life change as you dialogue with the Lord in a new and different way each day. When we examine the teachings and ministry of Jesus, isn’t it interesting that He, having all knowledge as the Son of God, chose to ask questions rather than just supply all the answers?

The Lord asks us questions to cause us to think differently and critically. He stirs our minds and prompts us so that we will seek His way. Our hearts and minds are being stirred to ask a question similar to what was echoed in Matthew 16: “Who do you say that I AM?” God is still demanding a response today to each question He asks and each thought we have that exalts our way of thinking above His. This is what makes God so real.

The Lord has never ceased interacting with His people. What He desires is a people who are willing to gather His thoughts, assess His ways, and then align with His strategies. That is the essence of critical thinking for the astute Believer: aligning with God’s thoughts. To dismantle a stronghold we must go through the process of realigning the way we think. There are steps each of us can take.

Following are a few keys to sharpen your mind, develop critical thinking skills and capture your thoughts:

Define your problem and clarify your real concern. What is your bottom line issue? Evaluate all information you have about how you got into the mode of thinking that seems to have captured your freedom.

Get some help to pinpoint the missing pieces that keep you from thinking in full complete thoughts. You can notice this from your communication if you half way complete sentences or you do not fully think through a problem.

Define your traps. Ask the Spirit of God to reveal your biases.

Clarify your position and authority.

Identify root causes of the problem you are addressing. Determine what point of view you are using in your analysis.

Be willing to shift your perspective at any time. Ask yourself, “Am I limiting my thought processes to only what I know?” Limited thought processes are synonymous with self-righteousness.

Identify anything that you are taking for granted in your analysis. Do not allow your assumptions to cause you to look foolish.

Check to make sure you are not making intellectual judgments based upon partial truths. Ask yourself, “Have I simplified things to the point that I’m missing out on a major component?”

Avoid being biased or prejudiced in the way you receive, perceive and release information.

Be willing to repent and change your mind. Ask forgiveness where appropriate.

Be cleansed. Receive grace and ask for your mind to healed.

Next 7 Day Prayer Focus: Includes Prophetic Word of the Lord

Day 1: Read and memorize 2 Corinthians 10:3-6. “For although we do live in the world, we do not wage war in a worldly way, because the weapons we use to wage war are not worldly. On the contrary, they have God’s power for demolishing strongholds. We demolish arguments and every arrogance that raises itself up against the knowledge of God; we take every thought captive and make it obey the Messiah. And when you have become completely obedient, then we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience.” (Complete Jewish Bible) Ask this question: Am I exalting my thoughts in an area above the Word of God? Am I being arrogant in an area? Are my prideful insecurities keeping me from gaining the revelation and counsel I need for a new dimension of freedom?

Day 2: Embrace and war with prophetic words! Memorize 1 Timothy 1:18-19. “Here are my instructions for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they help you fight well in the Lord’s battles. Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked.” (New Living Translation. Also read Exodus 23.) Prophetic revelation is used to produce a “now” thinking process in God’s children. Prophetic revelation and illumination will never contradict the principles of the canonized Word. But revelation from God’s heart, spoken today, gives us the ability to defeat the enemies of this world in this age. While you are reading the prophetic word below, ask yourself the following questions: “How does this word apply to my situation? How am I being deprived? Are my hands prospering? Am I addressing my enemy? Do I recognize the angelic assistance around me?”
Word of the Lord: “Do not lean on your own understanding concerning the promise that you are contending for and the conflict that rages around you. I am producing the law of the spoil within you that will cause you to govern the field that I’ve given you. Watch with Me! I have put many treasures in your safe keeping for this next season. You will have to learn to watch in a new way to secure those treasures. Allow Me to reorder your prayers that will reorder your steps that will form a new path for you to walk on. There are treasures on this path that will fill your treasure box for seasons to come. “This is a time for you to say, ‘I will govern the spoil that God has given me!’ Stretch out your hands before Me and I will show you what I would have your hands grasp. Many resources are around you that you are not seeing. I will show you how to put your hand on the resource that will multiply and cause you to secure your future. For some of you, this will be like a knob. For others it will be levers. For others it will be a pin. For others it will be a key. Watch until you see the point and moment to grasp what I have for you. “In this shaking season, I will cause you to shake so the unbelief that has entered you will shake loose and you will be detoxed. This will be a divine detoxing season. Many of you will find your diet rearranged. Many of you will find your thoughts have actually agreed with the enemy’s plan. I will detox you from critical, murmuring spirits of unbelief. “I am giving you angelic assistance. I am sending those that you have not known to walk with you. I am sending you help, to help you; to keep you moving; to cause you to be reordered; to cause you to recover; to cause you to come in. This is the beginning of the divine reordering and recovery. “Watch! Watch! For the enemy has planned to overtake you, but I am trumping his hand. Watch, watch, watch with Me. This is the time that you will take your new stand. I will show you! For the season changes today. I will cause My people to get past the blockades that have been in their way. So watch, watch with Me and you will see where to take your stand in this season ahead. Watch, for angels are coming in to cause you to have the strength to rise up and say, ‘Give me that field! It is what God has assigned to me!’”

Day 3: Read Romans 6 and memorize verse 14. “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” (New King James Version) Is there an area in your life that has dominion or rulership over you? This is how you detect a stronghold. The thought process linked with this stronghold must be detected and dismantled. Be aware that this may be an emotion that has been wounded and what you are doing or “acting out” is an attempt to mask the real emotional hurt. Ask the Lord for the grace to overcome! Now read Romans 7.

Day 4: Read Romans 8. Know that you can triumph over the condemning cycle of thought that tries to overrule your victory. Memorize verses 6-8. “For to be carnally minded is death! But to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (New King James Version)

Day 5: You will start today with a simple thought. Capture that thought. Meditate on Isaiah 55:8. Read Psalm 94. Memorize Luke 21:19, “By your patience possess your souls” (New King James Version). “By standing firm you will gain life” (New International Version). Read Matthew 14. The Lord will teach you how to multiply in new ways! Hear Him saying, “This is your time to rise up and possess your soul. If you will possess your own soul, then I will have you possess the field. You will walk in and say, ‘This is mine. Restore it all!’ Possess that one thought and then I will rearrange and reorder everything you are doing. You have grown complex in the midst of entering in to take what I have given you. Simplify! Start with one thought and then move forward. “I will speed you into the spoil! You will find yourself picking up the spoil of the enemy. Twelve baskets later, you will say, ‘I’m taking back what has been taken! I am learning to multiply!’ Take your field first. There are gifts that you have never allowed Me to rise up and multiply.” Sound produces movement. Know that God can give you the ability to retake ground that you lost.

Day 6: Read Matthew 9:27-31. Answer the question in verse 28. Hear Jesus saying to you: “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” (Matthew 9:28, New International Version). Read Ephesians 4, 1 Corinthians 12, and Romans 12. Because of your insecurities you have said, “The gift within me is not that which it is and should be. Therefore, I will rely upon others.” Ask the Lord to show you how gifted you really are. Take a gift inventory! Be willing to pray for someone in a new way. Know that He is able to develop the gifting in you!

Day 7: Read Joshua 5-7. Stop and allow your heart to be circumcised. Reread these chapters several times. Hear the Spirit of God giving you a strategy over how to proceed into this new season ahead. Wait. Do not talk. Listen. Walk forward. Face the stronghold that would stop you from taking your promise. Circle that which belongs to you. Circle your field and circle it again. Circle it seven times. Hear the Lord saying to you: “I have given you unprecedented access to your future. You will circle your portion. You will circle that which has looked invincible and watch it fall. I will reorder your restorative plan of recovery. I will cause you to circle where the enemy’s hand has come in to reign.” Understand the concept of Ai (mentioned in Joshua). Do not try to hold on to anything that is old. Let go of what God puts His finger on! Give your victory to HIM! Jericho was a firstfruits offering. Give a firstfruits offering and label the offering “UNPRECEDENTED ACCESS!” Go forward learning to be patient, waiting for your strategies, and with a joy in your heart that you will secure the portion God has given you!

Blessings, Chuck D. Pierce Glory of Zion Ministries

ElijahList Publications 310 2nd Ave SE, Albany, OR 97321 www.elijahlist.com email: info@elijahlist.net Phone 1-541-926-3250

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