Friday, May 23, 2008

W.W.J.B.?

So I'm packing for Israel/Palestine, thinking about the Ministry of Reconciliation, and how that in Ramallah I will talk about Genesis 25:9, which reveals that Isaac and Ishmael buried their the body of their father, Abraham, TOGETHER...

Meanwhile, the news is on in the background...and the top story is: John McCain is rejecting John Hagee's endorsement for President...John Hagee is retracting his endorsement of John McCain...Hagee says the Roman Catholic church is the whore of Babylon, that God used Hitler to establish the nation of Israel, and that Katrina was God's reaction to the Gay Pride Parade in New Orleans (even though He destroyed everything BUT Bourbon Street, and even though there are Gay Pride Parades in every major city in America!)...McCain rejects Hagee's statements...now the religious right is expected to reject John McCain...the coverage continues...there is talk of Rod Parsley, and how he says that Muslims are agents of the Antichrist, and of Jeremiah Wright, and of Barack Obama, and of Minister Farrakhan...but McCain says he's not like Obama because Hagee wasn't his pastor for 20 years...he says Hagee says crazy things...McCain drops Hagee...Obama drops Wright... and so it goes...

My head and heart are full of things that I want to say about the insanity of religious intolerance, and so I think W.W.J.B? (What Would Jesus Blog?), but I don't know what that would be, exactly.

Here's Hebrews 12:18-29 in The Message. This is what is in my spirit, and this post is open for interpretation, but I want you to keep your comments positive. Don't bash Hagee or McCain or Parsley or the Muslims or the Republicans or the Democrats or the Conservatives or the Liberals or the Religious Right, or Obama, or Wright or anyone else. We're going to the Middle East as Ambassadors for Peace, so I want/need to stay in an atmosphere/attitude of PEACEMAKING.

Hear the Word of the Lord...


An Unshakable Kingdom

18-21 Unlike your ancestors, you didn't come to Mount Sinai—all that volcanic blaze and earthshaking rumble—to hear God speak. The earsplitting words and soul-shaking message terrified them and they begged him to stop. When they heard the words—"If an animal touches the Mountain, it's as good as dead"—they were afraid to move. Even Moses was terrified.

22-24 No, that's not your experience at all. You've come to Mount Zion, the city where the living God resides. The invisible Jerusalem is populated by throngs of festive angels and Christian citizens. It is the city where God is Judge, with judgments that make us just. You've come to Jesus, who presents us with a new covenant, a fresh charter from God. He is the Mediator of this covenant. The murder of Jesus, unlike Abel's—a homicide that cried out for vengeance—became a proclamation of grace.

25-27 So don't turn a deaf ear to these gracious words. If those who ignored earthly warnings didn't get away with it, what will happen to us if we turn our backs on heavenly warnings? His voice that time shook the earth to its foundations; this time—he's told us this quite plainly—he'll also rock the heavens: "One last shaking, from top to bottom, stem to stern." The phrase "one last shaking" means a thorough housecleaning, getting rid of all the historical and religious junk so that the unshakable essentials stand clear and uncluttered.

28-29 Do you see what we've got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He's actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won't quit until it's all cleansed. God himself is Fire!

Tomorrow's post will be the last one for several days (as far as I know), so post now, or forever hold your peace...

Selah!

39 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amazing! Everything...God is using you and Pastor Debye strategically and purposely! When I read the blog...yea all the unreal things happening and will be history one day. Some days it feels like the 'twilight' zone~but the good news is God IS still in control. I just hear 'His ways are not ours and His thoughts not our thoughts.'
It sometimes is challenging to strike a balance between love and accountability. I just believe that our Father is a God of balance but love describes Him best of all! I believe that when we go forth in His strength in peace, love, and praise the battle is HIS and we are the vessels for His glory to manifest and victory to be seen. Circumstances can sometimes appear that no victory has been won. This is where trust and faith come in relying on He who sees the BIG picture! I pray for you both as you travel and minister! He has favored and chosen you as well as making the way and He will be with you all the way!!! Yall are such an inspiration and your humbleness, and complete reliance on our Father can be seen. I hope this was in the flow! Sending yall love, prayers and peace!

Unknown said...

WWJB?
Forever hold your peace.
My peace.
Shalom: the peace that comes from being whole, nothing missing, nothing broken.
Forever hold it.
My peace I give you,
to have and to hold.
Forever.
Not as the world gives.

Anonymous said...

We are living in very volatile times. I believe it is the trembling and crying out of the cosmos as she is about to give birth to a new age. An age when the “peace makers” , manifested sons of God rise to the top and move to the front. I believe it would be foolish to make rash decisions before the unveiling of these. There were many devout religious folks living in Jesus time and because of their preconceived notions of what the messiah would look like and be; they missed Him or at least the joy of celebrating his arrival.

I totally trust my Heavenly Father that He is completely in control and that He loves us all and has all our best interest in mind. And I rest in that. The I AM simply IS ! and somehow its all very good. There are no winners or losers; there is just SOVEREIGN GOD !

PEACE,
DENNIS

Here is another scripture from the message bible that came to my mind as I wrote this:

Romans 8:18-31 (The Message)

18–21 That’s why I don’t think there’s any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. The created world itself can hardly wait for what’s coming next. Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens.
22–25 All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it’s not only around us; it’s within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We’re also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don’t see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.
26–28 Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.
29–30 God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun.
31 So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose?

Anonymous said...

Live simple, travel light, share what you can, forgive everybody for eveything, let your loved ones here you say "I love you" from you a lot, and realise these are not trying times, but THE BIGGEST ADVENTURE OF YOUR LIFE, CAUSE YOU ARE A CHILD OF THE MOST HIGH GOD, AND WITH HIM AS YOUR DADDY YOU CAN AND WILL DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS YOU AND AS I CLOSE, MOST OF THE OBSTACLES IN OUR LIVES ARE OUR IMAGINATIONS OUT OF CONTROL! PEACE

PattiL007 said...

For everything there is a season,
And a time for every matter under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
A time to keep, and a time to throw away;
A time to tear, and a time to sew;
A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate,
A time for war, and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Now is the time for peace.

A friend (who can tell this much better and I hope that he will) once told me a story he'd heard directly from General Colin Powell...(I certainly hope my friend does not mind my telling this but I'm sure he could add much more if he so chooses)...about a meeting he'd had with the leader of the USSR, Gorbachev--in an atmosphere of the distrust and strife of the cold war that had raged on for more than 4 decades, the seeds of perestroika and glasnost--of a peace--had been sewn and Gorbachev was bringing them to the table with determination which was met with skepticism. In his final push to make Gen. Powell believe him, Gorbachev stated that "we" (the USSR) simply refuse to be your enemies any longer...now that's a simple statement of sincere peace...an olive branch that surprised everyone in that room and in the rest of the world. One man stood up and because of his decision, the world was changed. Granted there were many other things going on behind the scenes, many other leaders involved, etc. etc. etc. But this full-circle moment (let he who has ears hear) stretched from Lenon to Khrushchev at a table at the UN to Gorbachev at another table refusing to be our enemy any longer. One sure way to end a conflict is to refuse to be conflicted any more...i.e. I will pick up my toys and let me people go home now...and while the absence of war may not be a complete peace...it would be one hell of a place to begin...diplomacy, dialogue, diversity...INCLUSION!

I have never been more proud to be a member of this body than I am today...never more proud of our Bishop and Pastor Debye...never more excited...never more in the spirit or in more prayer...never more prepared for the continuation of this, the final shaking that will bring down all the walls from the foundations of the earth below to the heavens and galaxies above. Selah!

In the immortal words of John Lennon:
Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will live as one.

Revelation 5:13: I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and on the sea. Every creature in those places was singing, "To the one who sits on the throne and to the lamb be praise, honor, glory, and power forever and ever."

NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE...THIS SEASON HAS COME! GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST! THE SEEDS SOWN ON YOUR TRAVELS ARE THE SEEDS...THOSE THAT WILL SPRING UP AND MANIFEST REVELATION 5:13!

I BELIEVE! YES, WE CAN!

I feel it again...stronger...it feels like:

We the great and small
Stand on a Star
And blaze a trail of desire
Through the darkening dawn...
Let The River RUN!


There is still so much POWER flowing through this community and through us and I ask that together we direct it toward our Bishop, Pastor Debye, and all those who will be involved with this trip...from those listening to those speaking to those interpreting to everyone everywhere! The Words God gives will be the correct ones...the ones that will begin a new day of peace and prosperity in all the world--it began long ago when God first gave us the words to speak--we have finally begun to speak them and cause it all to manifest! Creation keeps groaning...our hearts keep aching for what our spirits understand...let us NOW BE ONE so that NOTHING we can imagine (the imagination given to us by God) will be impossible...it will be done! IT'S ALL GOD!!! Halal to Jah!! We are in One Mind and One Accord...let us infuse our Bishop and everyone involved in this trip with encouragement, with power, with peace, with safety and with all the things of God we have to impart. Join together, touch the screen, pray and focus thoughts...send all that is needed into and around them! They need our prayerful support and our complete cooperation in this vision...now more than ever.

Let us focus on them the bright light of His Spirit and see it around and filling them all and pray...Safety, Strength, Power, Blessing, Favor, Protection, and Discernment...to all those stepping out on Faith on this trip.
It's All GOD! It's All Good! And It's All NOW! We will uphold you in this, one of your finest hours.

We pray peace for all nations and all continents around the globe...peace into all our brothers and sisters, peace into our leaders, peace into our children, peace into our earth, our sky, and our atmosphere...PEACE REIGNS!

You go Bishop and Fam! We're right beside you in the spirit all the way!

Blessings Blog Fam!

Anonymous said...

Good morning Cyber siblings!
I actually have this on my blog as if it was something that Jesus blogged there.

Peace,
Dennis

BLOG ENTRY BY JESUS CHRIST :

IF JESUS WERE TO BLOG, HERE IS SOMETHING HE WOULD WRITE. SO I AM GIVING HIM THE FIRST WORD. THIS POST WILL ALWAYS BE ON TOP.

“A LOT OF MEN AND WOMEN OF DOUBTFUL REPUTATION were HANGING AROUND "ME" JESUS, listening intently. The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, "He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends." Their grumbling triggered this story. "Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. WOULDN'T YOU LEAVE THE NINETY-NINE IN THE WILDERNESS AND GO AFTER THE LOST ONE UNTIL YOU FOUND IT? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, 'CELEBRATE WITH ME! I've found my lost sheep!' Count on it--there's more joy in heaven over one sinner's rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.

"Suppose a woman has ten coins and loses one. Doesn't she light a lamp, SWEEP THE HOUSE, AND LOOK FOR THE COIN CAREFULLY UNTIL SHE FINDS IT? When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'LET'S CELEBRATE! I've found the coin that I lost.' So I can guarantee that God's angels are happy about one person who turns to God and changes the way he thinks and acts."


Peace to you,
Jesus Christ

Anonymous said...

Unless ye become as little children....hmmm, You cannot find the Kingdom of GOD in arrogance...It is good what Mcain has done, i think to avoid extreme is healthy..

Lise said...

WWJB?
Perhaps something like, "The universe is mine and everything/everyone in it. And even though it sometimes doesn't appear to be so, I have it all in control. Worry for nothing, and don't be afraid! Don't you know by now that I love you ALL?!?

Anonymous said...

The first six comments have said most of what is presntly on my mind. I especially agree with Pastor Caldwell's last post on WWJB.

The Christ in me would only add this; know that any work of darkness will be looking for an opportunity to bring strife out as a distraction to the acheivement of peace. Those mistakes of the past must be left where they fell, in the past. Those are not the facts of the now but only the actions that shaped the facts of now. What can be done to change the facts as they now appear toward accomplishing 'Peace on Earth and Good Will to Men'? Think on these things. Let the meditations of your heart center on the glorious day of that promise being the facts of the day.

Mystic mentioned that the USSR reached a place where it refused to be our enemy any longer. It is my prayer that we continue to honor that action and not allow fear to cause our decisions to repeat the cycle of non peace that has prevailed until this new day.

This new day requires minds who seek every chance to establish peace on earth. Those minds recieved the herald of blessings poured from the heavens as a gift of inclusion into the family of God. There is common knowledge among those that God loves all humanity and desires love to be a reciprocal action among them.

The day that mankind establishes peace on earth and there is common knowledge that good will is prevailant is the glorious day of the Lord.

fairydust said...

I know that the Holy Spirit will open eyes and hearts of all people when the time is come, for them. All those that Bishop mentioned in his post are particialy blinded by their own words of their own mouths. What a revelation for them and others, that one day will be opened to love and truth again. Its already in them.

I set my amen with all I have read this morn and call your trip Bishop anointed and blessed all the way there and all the way back. You are the voice of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit in you, you go in peace. Great things will be planted and the world will change becasue of it.

Living the vision

Anonymous said...

W.W.J.B.?
Reminders?
Do this in Remembrance of Me (communion as a fellowship, reconciliation and renewal of the mind)....Love one another as I have loved you (call to forgiveness, unification and impartation of affection)...Seek the Kingdom of God first (desire, pursue and wrestle with God individually and corporately until...)...

Wait for and have full expectation for the "suddenly" of God.

The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof...

Go, therefore and teach all nations...Go. Go. Go.

I AM is with you.

Rest easy,
mayam

Anonymous said...

I believe Jesus would blog something like what’s in Romans chapter 14, focusing on verses 17 & 18.
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.”
We all EAT and DRINK different things based on our understanding, the teachings we’ve received, the life experiences we’ve had and our heart convictions, but Jesus loves us all and wants us to seek to please the Father without offending our brother. When we open our hearts, minds and eyes to Him the revelation of Christ becomes a progressive reality in our lives and guess what? We don’t desire to judge our brothers and sisters or see them in a negative light; we will try to understand them and the motivations of their heart. This is the work of the Holy Spirit, who lives in us, and yields righteousness, peace and joy. I feel compassion for others who believe differently and just pray that Christ is as real to me as He can be.
Finally, as stated in verses 19 & 20, I believe Jesus would end His blog with, “19Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.”
Much love.
May flower
Bishop & Pastor Debye, praying for a safe trip and the wisdom of God as you carry the olive branch of peace to the world! What a great statement of reconciliation at Dottie Rambo’s funeral regarding her ex-husband. Also, it was great to see that Bishop Carlton Pearson was included. I believe God was pleased!

dgm2007 said...

Yeah the news is so insane.. I heard the hagee stuff and i was like when will these ppl stop... i really dont care what someone's pastors says there a pastor and ppl should judge for themselves.. but ive seen that hagee guy on tv all the time. I dont watch but when flippin channels you see him.. i guess its kinda cool that its coming up so much.. . but what happened to giving folks a break.. if that many ppl are into them then they must not be that bad.. or maybe they are..finally ppl are talking about the candidates in every way they can which gives us a better presentation but i dunno its a bit much.. and does hilary go to church.. jk... I am so amped for your trip.. i told one of my friends from UAE and she was like why are they going im like its soooo cool right.. or better yet. its so cool Enshallah.. I feel such a peace about this summer and the time is now... I love the old saying we had the future is now... it is.. I cant wait to see the itinerary and pray for you guys..

Cliff Hancock said...

The invitation God extended to John is the same invitation God is extending to our country and our world.

“Come up here”

What is so interesting to me is how this situation with our candidates and their Pastors is presenting an opportunity for everyone to examine “what do I really believe?”

The rigid absolutes are serving to revive the question we are born with “What does God think of me?”

As ministers of reconciliation we are positioned well in this hour to lead others to higher ground as we facilitate the Holy Spirits mission to reveal Jesus Christ to the world.

The kindness of God is making many confront their truth. Perhaps even Pastor Wright and Pastor Hagee.

I believe He is working He is working all things together for good to those who are called according to his purpose.

And that purpose is to sum up ALL things into Christ.

That which is reconciled judicially shall be reconciled in the realm of experience.

How great is our God
Cliff

Anonymous said...

Cliff,

You have the mind of Christ! You could not know this if Holy Spirit had not told you.

I envision the Holy Spirit delivering this kind of wisdom to the Nations through people such as you and Bishop and others including me.

"That which is reconciled judicially shall be reconciled in the realm of experience."

There is more than a wise saying here, it is an absolute Kingdom principle that translates well to the understanding of all who pursue peace and good will.

DoubleBack Alley said...

Sahib,

Ever since the end of World War II, the country that I love has dealt from a position of weakness and appeasement. Whatever happened to dealing with the world from a position of strength? It is abundantly clear to me that the world does not share our passion for conciliation; that perception is viewed as weakness. We encourage the world to talk to us because we are weak. Then we bomb the hell out of them because we don’t like their reaction to our invitation.

If McCain rejects an extreme fundamentalist because he doesn’t want to be perceived by extreme fundamentalists as Muslim haters, whereto the leadership? Is it possible that mainstream Muslims despise their extremist brother’s rhetoric as much as I despise Hagee’s and Parsley’s rhetoric? Can we prove to the world that it needs a peacemaker, which, by the way, was the Colt .44 in the old West, and that our strength is the best news that law-abiding citizens of the world could ever hope for?

The bad news is that the only candidates that we have are currently reside in geopolitical/theocratic imbroglios, with no hope of escape and no spine to stand up for and aver what it is that they believe for America. At some point, someone will have to count the cost of unequivocally stating their vision for our place in the world, vis-à-vis the world view of us. Bush was right; it is appeasement to talk only with an adversary who refuses to talk. Besides, it doesn’t make sense. Weakness never begets strength. Let the weak say I am strong. Weakness is the beginning, strength is the end.

Is conciliation possible? I don’t know. I do believe it does not come without much saber rattling. The SALT and SALT II negotiations were made by entities bent on one another’s destruction. When each recognized the potency of the other, they sat, they talked, they agreed that mutual destruction wasn’t cool. I don’t know how to do that with an enemy that does not think here and now. I really believe Jesus would play a much stronger hand than either of the candidates are displaying at this time. And do it without regard to what people thought.

Jesus would blog to just do IT, whatever IT is that you believe in, but you have to believe in something first.

Ain’t God Good?

Tom said...

Bishop Swilley and everyone hi.

This morning I was reading 1 Corinthians 11;17-34 and Paul is correcting the Corinthians on their manner of receiving communion.He tells them that the come together not for the better but the worse,because they have developed sects among them.Sects is translated heretics in KJV,I think.It's funny maybe all the things we want to describe as heresy isn't heresy but are reaction to them is.Maybe sectarianism is the real heresy,not the manner in which one is baptized or whether someone calls God,Allah or not.Maybe were the real heretics when we refuse to call others our brother or sister because they are Catholic or whatever.Maybe it would have been an heresy for Jesus not to speak to the woman at the well.Just maybe Peter would have been an heretic if he didn't go to Cornelius's house or Paul if he didn't go to Mar's Hill.I don't know whose a heretic but I do know we have been entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation and that should be our mandate.

Bishop and Pastor Debye I will pray for you as you go to Israel and Palastine.I just know God is going to do something great and all you have to do is let the river flow through you.

God bless everyone.

Anonymous said...

We must forever hold our peace and be at peace in order to bring it to the world. you and Pastor Debye are doing that right now, and we follow suit in our corner of the world; the neighborhoods, jobplace, and people we touch in our everyday.

In regards to the reports about John Mcain and John Hagee, Barach Obama and Jeremiah Wright, and Rod Parsley all I can say is:

"By the grace(unmerited favor and blessing) of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not (found to be)for nothing(fruitless and without effect). In fact, I worked harder than all of them(the apostles) though it was not really I, but the grace (the unmerited favor and blessing) of God which was with me." I Cor.15:10(AMP), also, "All things are legitimate(permissable - and we are free to do anything we please), but not all things are helpful(expedient, profitable, and wholesome). All things are legitimate, but not all things are constructive(to character) and edifying(to spiritual life). let no one then seek his own profit, but(rather) each one of the other(let him seek the welfare of his neighbor). I Cor.10:23,24.

Godspeed!

Anonymous said...

Any time I find myself getting too upset with a person/group a thought comes to mind: "They were someone's baby, someone's little child." Then I remember that is who we all are, we are all God's "little children".

Think of the worst person in the world who epitomizes evil in our eyes, then think of when they were just an infant/toddler and tell me if there isn't a softening in your thoughts toward them.

Young children, before they have "learned" prejudices, animosities, "isms", just seem to get along and figure out a way to play together happily. This is because they are still in a state of wide-eyed wonderment where they know they don't know it all and are observing more than thinking of a snappy comeback to win an argument.

Would that we could all stay in that state of wide-eyed wonderment!

See them all as God's beloved little children...

...Oh how I long to gather them together to myself as a hen gathers her chicks...

Peace,

Larry

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

Really impressive stuff, everyone...great insights...powerful Scripture references...I'm very proud of all of you...

Pastor Cliff, that'll preach...

...and that's some classic DBA commentary right there...

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

And, Lisa in Indiana, I think about you every time I see something on the news about the China earthquake, and I thought about you again yesterday when I heard about the tragedy with Steven Curtis Chapman...don't know why, I just wanted you to know that you are in my thoughts and prayers today...

miraclegirl said...

Hello Bloggers;

I just keep hearing this in my spirit, so thought I better blog it. It's the one about us having the key to the kingdom. You have the key, you have the key. I keep hearing that over the over. It's got me thinking all about keys, the kingdom and things being locked. Why would the kingdom be locked?? ...... just some random thoughts. Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Lisa said...

Thanks Bish, It has been such a rough 2 weeks. I was so glad to have been in service last sunday and feel the presence of my Father. I have cried and cried for weeks. I have friends who are in China now helping with the relief efforts. I have friends who are trying to get their children with medical conditions out of China but can't get China to budge they are living in tents in the rain and mudslides. 1000 orphans are in a village totally destroyed who we can't get help to. 400 people died trying. Then Miss Maria. SCC adopted her when we were blessed with our Zoe. We are all devastated. I keep remembering what you said about having to lose things so God can give us better things. I hang onto that every second. I so want to be in China right now or in Nashville. Instead I am buying clothing to take to China when I go this fall. I am doing what I can. Please keep praying. The children need our prayers and I can feel what it is I am suppose to do for this new awakening. I know now where my place is. Please continue to pray for the Chapmans. They are such a wonderful family.
Safe travels to Isreal. I will be in your suitcase with my babies!!!!
Much Love

Unknown said...

Larry, cool. Just today the "individualizing" of children came up. Somewhere in the two's kids realize that they are "separate" and that the others around them are not "them".
We come here knowing we are one.

Bishop, thanks for mentioning anon's comment about S.C.Chapman. I couldn't find any words.

Also, I keep thinking of your comment about getting everyone in the earth to say exactly the same thing at the same time. Would you consider an experiment for us to do for the Israel trip?

Anonymous said...

WWJB

One Word
LOVE

If everyone would learn to love their brother as much as we love Jesus there would be no trash talking & the world would be a better place.



Put A Little Love In Your Heart
(Annie Lennox duet with Al Green)


Think of your fellow man
Lend him a helping hand
Put a little love in your heart

You see it's getting late
Oh please don't hesitate
Put a little love in your heart

And the world will be a better place
And the world will be a better place
For you and me
You just wait and see

Another day goes by
And still the children cry
Put a little love in you heart
If you want the world to know
We won't let hatred grow
Put a little love in your heart

And the world will be a better place
And the world will be a better place
For you and me
You just wait and see
Wait and see

Take a good look around
And if you're lookin' down
Put a little love in your heart

I hope when you decide
Kindness will be your guide
Put a little love in your heart

And the world will be a better place
And the world will be a better place
For you and me
You just wait and see

Put a little love in your heart
Put a little love in your heart
Put a little love in your heart
Put a little love in your heart
Put a little love in -
Put a little love in your heart...

Kettly said...

What would Jesus Blob!

Jesus Blog would say “GET OUT OF THE TENT”.
“LOOK UP AND COUNT********************** THE*******************STARS”*******************If you can ***********. I’ll be finish with the rest of my thoughts later tonight.
Peace, Peace, Peace, Peace, Peace, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE***************
KETTLY

Anonymous said...

DBA inspires a great deal of thought in me concerning weakness v/s strength.

It is kinda like the chicken and egg thing about which came first though.

If the theology that presently appeals to my spirit and soul the most is close to being correct then I would have to say that weakness began after the beginning and that the strength we knew from before the beginning is the same strength we will know before the ending of man's time in this present state of consciousness.

I believe that DBA is right on with the statement that Jesus would say do what ever it takes. Obviously He said both I did not come to bring peace and also My peace I leave with you. So what shall we do then?

I like the idea of saying I refuse to be your enemy but remember a great man who once said " I will fight no more forever ". It seems that he was shortly after that thrown in a box car where he nearly starved and froze to death among many of his people who did on their way to a waste land that had been reserved for them to exist on.

Does peace have a chance?

I believe it does but it will take stronger minds than those that have played their part so far.

Neither passivity nor agression will win and rule the day but determination to continue forward until we obtain the mark of the high calling of Christ will.

Peace is at work in the will of the people.

PattiL007 said...

Larry...what you said confirmed the flow for me today...I had an extra couple of paragraphs in my blog and removed them before posting (I'm not sure exactly why) but then I read your post and realized maybe I should have left it in. It's from a song by Jack Gladstone called Letter to the World which is described like this: "A Native American perspective on the issue of world peace - pointing out that before there was Christianity, Islam, or Judaism, or Buddha, beyond all the "isms" and "anity's" - we were children of God."

Lord, I pray we all get back to our pre-"isms" and "anity's" so that we simply see a hurting world that cries out for the manifestation of Sons and for Peace.

Enjoyed everyone's comments today...thanks...it provoked this as well: Perhaps we should not seek a "stronger mind" but instead a "Single Mind"...I pray we become one so that nothing we imagine will be impossible...including World Peace.

(And folks got upset with Richard Gere when he asked the Oscar audience to "visualize world peace"...seems he was actually on the right track, huh?)

Blessings Blog Fam!

G8TRGRL said...

Avatar... catching up from yesterday... it is a picture of the phenomenon of lightning occurring at the time of/within a volcanic eruption... I wish I could say that I remember where I saved it from...!! We tend to create so much of our own stormy effects during our own phenoms...

Anonymous said...

Perfection is an art. First you must sketch yourself. After that, then you can draw yourself. After you draw yourself you will be able to paint an image of yourself. Once you have painted your image you may perfect the artwork by painting yourself once more, over and over.

Reign! said...

...Forever hold your peace.
Selah...Out of everything written, this concept of holding your peace is guiding me. Right now, I'm trying to locate myself.
I know it’s a God thing because I was just been being me, when I suddenly look up & ask, "Where am I & What am I doing here???"
Right now I see myself in a struggle similar to Esau & Jacob jockeying for position in the womb. Only this is the 1st Adam vs. the 2nd Adam. The 1st Adam wants to rule. But the 2nd Adam has to reign!!! And because the 2nd Adam IS….Love; He will allow the 1st Adam to be expressed within the confines of His Word, led by His Spirit, basking in His Love.....reconciled unto himself!

Changing gears...

I've heard people say look out for the 2nd son: Cain & Abel; Ishmael & Isaac; Esau & Jacob; Adam & Jesus; Judah & Jonah! Only Judah & Jonah are both the 2nd son. And I can see they both have that 2nd Son anointing on their ministries and lives. Congratulations!!!

Shifting to coast...

KJV - Old School :)
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Selah...

I SPEAK PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

Anonymous said...

I do not believe peace will ever be brought to the world on a national or political level. Real peace only exist in the heart. The only hope that the world has for peace is to change the hearts of mankind. This can only be accomplished through the work of the Spirit of Christ. Which our Bishop and Pastor Debye are bringing with them to the meetings that He who only can bring peace to the hearts of men can do His work. Their presence there is the presence of Christ; and He will do a work through them that neither them nor any man can completely understand. And though I do not understand the intricacy of His functioning through them; I trust Him. God who cannot lie has promised that there will be the reconciliation of not only the world but the entirety of creation and even the heavenly realm. And this He said would come through The Christ; of Whom we are the body. The working mechanism that He functions through in this earth in a mysterious and mystical way. I do not fully understand, but I trust Him to fulfill that which He has begun. I do not understand all the complexities of the problems; but I trust his unseen hand of peace and love for all at work in the glove of humanity.
There will be peace on earth and good will toward men for a savior who is Christ The LORD has come which shall be Good News of great Joy for all mankind. And so it shall be.

God bless you Bishop Jim and Pastor Debye as you go and return in love, peace and safety. May the Grace of God and the Power of the Spirit and the Love of Christ be with you.

You will continue in my heart, mind and prayers.

Peace,
Dennis

Anonymous said...

Ushered at the Rockdale graduation ceremony tonight. Really enjoyed all the people and the very great response from many of them as they thanked the church for allowing the service ITB. What an excellent opportunity to let the Light shine! And the class president talking about Jesus!! That took big ones in this time! You go dog!!
Had a chance to talk to the valedictorian whose mom was raised in-you guessed it-UGANDA! Very interesting folks!

All in all a great night and the rain even found a way around the service! Thank you Lord!

Blessings to all,

Larry

Erik said...

Kooties -

Bishop, the name we do not know, is spoken in Ramallah and Jerusalem. (and Conyers). Suddenly and always. We laugh in the midst of it, enjoying the embrace. ‘ carry on my wayward son… there’ll be peace when you are done..’ OK, Ok, maybe not exactly on, but fun anyway. Also, the obituary you read Bishop, adding Buck Rambo, of course – enhanced and sweetened the room, helping to dissolve walls, so the Spirit was edified in all there. Heightening the level of appreciation of The Spirit in all there. Of course.

Strength Determination Integrity - SDI - Anon , is an aspect we employ in our part. A calling we ALL have is that what comes from our mouths matches what comes from our hearts that matches what we have always been.

Refusing to be an enemy. Better than any Star Wars defense. It disables every missile before they are launched. General Powell at first was exasperated with the thought, he had spent his whole career being The Soviet’s enemy, what does he do now, I guess become Secretary of Defense, and then resign. Maybe because someone else wanted to be the enemy, and they were not on the other side of the proverbial table… hmmmmm. Where are those darn WMD’s ( bitterness, fear, ‘isms’ doubt, hatred) :) .

Anon -
Eat and drink, like God unfurling the sheet for Peter, all food and drink, spiritual food and drink is made by God, and all Holy. The statement that ‘nothing unclean will touch my lips’ is as judgmental of God re spiritual food and drink as it is physical. We can choose what flavors we favor, but not to disparage the ones we do not, remembering the sheet rolled down for Peter, ALL is edible, nutritional in experiencing God, Allah, Yaweh, G-d, Gaia, or the name none of us know. ( I may like roast lamb with garlic, but a guest of mine, may prefer Okra, which I do not. However, I want my guest, my sister/brother to enjoy the connection with the provider of ALL foods, nourishment , blood for the body, whether it is lamb, Okra, Allah, G-d, Lord, The Christ, or a name we do not know – God is unrestrained by me or any one. ‘God is free to do whatever God wants, any ole time…’ Mick knows too. After all, God gave him everything he wants, and he gives it all to us.

The Master giving servants deposit of The Holy Spirit. We all have a deposit. Investing it always produces a return. Even if we only make it simply available, such as in a savings account, rather than purposefully investing HS always has a return. 4% or 1000 fold, it always has a return. If it is hidden, buried within us, never allowed to connect, even by osmosis, nothing is gained. Even the most minimal gain is of extreme benefit, so , if we bury it, yes, we who have little and even that will be taken, because the deposit must live, and anything worth anything must be kept moving , shared . Only what is horded/ unshared has no value.

Beth – Amen 1 Cor: 10. And Yes.

Miracle girl – keys – what that has been in mind for me, has been – each our own key(s) in ourselves are the keys that we can use. When we use them to unlock The God within us, it is a trembling, the surface cracks , the surface of what we may see as solid, but is really always moving, like the particles that make physical reality, actually always moving, not solid, but ultimately, only energy, not solid at all. That is reality, we can always connect through what pretends to be absolutely solid, the perceived walls between cultures, minds, souls. Of course there are none. It can seem unsettling when we use the keys we have to enter in, without walls, the osmosis that we are, as opposed to the defined walls and solids we pretend exist. It is permissible to pretend we are separate, but it is not beneficial to ignore we are One body throughout all we perceive. Are we a mountain, or an ocean. Solid definitions or flowing between one another, mixed in every way. One body shares all fluids. No real sanitization between us, all are mixed, no pure bred in us, except the pure bred of God, which is all who are created. The keys unlock our pretense of the walls. Completely unsanitary but always pur. Like mixing Jerusalem, Ramallah, Conyers. Pur-ly un-sanitized. All Kooties are already in us, no immunization possible. We are Kootieized from the foundation.

Ebony said...

"Father forgive them, they know not what they do."

Reading the post today and all the divisions in the body takes me back to Jesus as he was in the garden. His body fearing the cross, but His heart no doubt breaking for what people would do in his name. How they would steal, kill, disown children all the while claiming to be His follower. That's why interfaith dialogue is so important. Spirit-filled and spirit led followers going to truly reason together (not "reason together but we really mean western/Americanize you because you're wrong and we're right",) and seeing what develops. Could it be that the true travail of his soul, the source of his anguish was not the whip, the crown and the grave, is unity. For us to be one as He and the Father are one. He had to go away for the Comforter to come, yet the Comforter brings you back to the Cross. We are in strange days indeed, but above all, God is still in charge.

Ebony said...

Steven Curtis Chapman wrote this song in the days following 9-11,it's one of my favorites of his. May we continue to lift up his family in prayer.

"God is God"

Lyrics by Steven Curtis Chapman

And the pain falls like a curtain
On the things I once called certain
And I have to say the words I fear the most
I just don’t know

And the questions without answers
Come and paralyze the dancer
So I stand here on the stage afraid to move
Afraid to fall, oh, but fall I must
On this truth that my life has been formed from the dust

God is God and I am not
I can only see a part of the picture He’s painting
God is God and I am man
So I’ll never understand it all
For only God is God

And the sky begins to thunder
And I’m filled with awe and wonder
‘Til the only burning question that remains
Is who am I

Can I form a single mountain
Take the stars in hand and count them
Can I even take a breath without God giving it to me
He is first and last before all that has been
Beyond all that will pass

Oh, how great are the riches of His wisdom and knowledge
How unsearchable for to Him and through
Him and from Him are all things

So let us worship before the throne
Of the One who is worthy of worship alone

Anonymous said...

WWJB


If only the laborers were many.


Soil tester

Anonymous said...

Bishop, Pastor Debye and family;
just wanted to say I was thinking of you guys and praying in agreement. God bless all your journeys...in peace.

Love,
Karl

Aubrey Gallimore said...

Hello All. I know that I am late but the topic is a continuous issue today so I felt complelled to respond. With all that is going on in the world today and listening to people who swear they know something and like to use the parts of God's word for their justification and as some sort of truth, I wanted to see what my Bishop has to say about it all and I found my answer in this Blog.

It always puzzles me why those who have seemed to read the first book and the last book have the most to say and they live on the principles of the Book of Revelation. I don't believe in such. I believe in the GOODNESS of God and the love and protection of his own. I will NOT live in a spirit of fear that those who self interpret the book of revelations always wants to speak about. Not to say God's word in the Book of Revelation will not come to pass but those "Book of Revelation" Only readers should look for God and who He really Is in the other books of the Bible as well so that they can see the ENTIRE picture.

Simply put...no matter how bad the world seems it is getting...God is and has always been in control and he will not be out shadowed by the evil of the world. God will get the Glory Anyhow so I believe in the Goodness of God and will take that to my grave no matter what is going on in and on this earth!

Thanks for representing the Real Truth in these Real times Bishop.