Sunday, August 24, 2008

Now, Where Were We?*

Hey bloggers,

We’re back…had a great trip (although with e-mail and cell phones, it is virtually impossible to really take off, completely…it was still somewhat of a working trip... but it’s all good). I missed you all, and hope to see you ITB in a few hours.

Anyway, I’ll be back here later today after church, but in the meantime, here is a prayer from Germaine Copeland's Prayers That Avail Much to which I would like for you to add your agreement.



Vision for a Church

Father, in the name of Jesus, we come into Your presence thanking You for Church In The Now and Now Ministries. You have called us to be saints in Conyers, Georgia and around the world. As we lift our voices in one accord, we recognize that You are God and everything was made by and for You. We call into being those things that be not as though they were.

We thank You that we all speak the same thing: There is no division among us; we are perfectly joined together in the same mind. Grant unto us, Your representatives here, a boldness to speak Your Word, which You will confirm with signs following. We thank You that we have workmen in abundance and all manner of cunning people for every manner of work. Each department operates in the excellence of ministry and intercessions. We have in our church the ministry gifts for the edifying of this body till we all come into the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a mature person. None of our people will be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine. We speak the truth in love.

We are a growing and witnessing body of believers becoming 10,000 strong. We have every need met. Therefore, we meet the needs of people who come — spirit, soul and body. We ask for the wisdom of God in meeting these needs. Father, we thank You for the ministry facilities that will more than meet the needs of the ministry You have called us to. Our church is prospering financially, and we have more than enough to meet every situation. We have everything we need to carry out Your Great Commission and reach the Metropolitan Atlanta area for Jesus. We are a people of love as love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. We thank You that the Word of God is living big in all of us and Jesus is Lord!

We are a supernatural church, composed of supernatural people doing supernatural things, for we are laborers together with God. We thank You for Your presence among us, and we lift our hands and praise Your holy name! Amen.


Scripture References:
Acts 4:24 Ephesians 4:11-15
Romans 4:17 Philippians 4:19
1 Corinthians 1:10 Romans 5:5
Acts 4:29 1 Corinthians 3:9
Mark 16:20b Psalm 63:4
Exodus 35:33

_____________


*Hey bloggers,

I said that I would be back here after church...so here I am (there are currently 15 comments posted). I don't really have anything to add to what I've already said today, but I do want to thank those of you who were ITB for helping to make the service so free and powerful! I feel very energized by what took place on that holy ground this morning...

How about you?

36 comments:

Son of Zadok said...

Welcome to the planet
Welcome to existence
Everyone's here
Everyone's here
Everybody's watching you now
Everybody waits for you now
What happens next?
What happens next?

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened before

Welcome to the fallout
Welcome to resistance
The tension is here
The tension is here
Between who you are and who you could be
Between how it is and how it should be

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened

Maybe redemption has stories to tell
Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell
Where can you run to escape from yourself?
Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna go?
Salvation is here

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened
Today never happened
Today never happened before

Switchfoot - Dare You To Move

youtube.com/watch?v=uK_E7xS7AtQ

Teezy313 said...

Good to have the blog back Bish!!

I'll be home next weekend so until then...

Blessings to all,
Teezy

Erik said...

I agree.

All have come from every place, road, alley, mansion, and hut. The abundance within us is active through and around us, in hand. Fully applied and engaged. All that we thought 'Maybe' and hoped would be, has always been truly here. Our Spirits weave seemlessly as we are the expression here of what has always been.

Yes and Amen!

PattiL007 said...

YES and AMEN! No matter where we may end up or in what ministry at CITN or anyplace else in whatever dimension or space we may occupy, we are CITN, we uphold our Bishop and all our leaders and we boldly proclaim...Greater things are yet to come, greater things are still to be done in this City!...this Metron...this Unique Place, this Amazing People known as CITN.

For those who have their specific vision, I add my agreement to the greater things they will do, to those who are still searching, I add my agreement that greater things will come from ALL of CITN...whether they stand on this side of life or choose to stand on another...CITN will continue to stand strong. We are the Many, We are becoming the One, We are the Proud Members of CITN! Our Mission: To Love and Peaceably exist with ALL Man- and Woman-kind. To the entire World...E Pluribus Unum!

Blessings Blog Fam!

Erik said...

We are in a place that is unmarked, uncharted. Soemtimes we look for markers, familiar, but in this place we are making the marks. We set the checkpoints, because there are none set by those before us, for this place.

God sees the whole picture, we get to see these pieces as they are, with no pre judged coverings. We see without the filters.

Anonymous said...

Yes and Amen!
And I am adding this: PRAYER FOR THE Body OF CHRIST!
Father, in the Jesus Name, I thank you that we are the redeemed of the Lord and we are saying so. (Psalm.107:2)

We are redeemed, we are redeemed…. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law… wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved. Thank you, Lord! (Gal.3:13; Eph.1:6)

Even unto Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood. (Rev.1:5)

Father in Jesus Name, I thank you for the Blood of Jesus

For it is the Blood that has washed us, the Blood that has cleansed us, the Blood that has made us whole (1John1:9)

We enter into the holiest by the Blood of Jesus. (Heb.9:19)

Father, I pray for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, we may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ, in Jesus Name. (Eph.4:12-15)

I pray that the Body of Christ put off concerning the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lust… And be renewed in the spirit of our minds; and that we put on the new man, which after you Father is create in Righteousness and true Holiness… wherefore putting away Lying, I speak every man truth with his neighbor; for we are members one of another. (Eph.4:22-25) We be angry and sin not; we let the sun go down upon our wrath; neither give place to the devil.

In Jesus Name, I pray the Body of Christ cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting HOLINESS, in the fear of you Lord God (2Cor.7:1). That Church in the Now which is the Church of Jesus Christ will come out from among them, and be ye separate saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing….we touch not the unclean thing in Jesus Name ( 2 Cor 6:17)

Father, I thank you in Jesus Name that we have the mind of Christ. (1 Cor.2:16)___ I pray the Body of Christ stand PERFECT and COMPLETE in all the will of God. (Col.4:12-13)…that we continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving. (Col.4:2)…. Letting our speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that we may know how we ought to answer every man. (Col.4:6)

Father, in Jesus Name gives us the tongue of the learned, that we should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary. (Isaiah 50:4a)
Let us not be unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. (Eph.5:17)

I thank you, that the Blood bought Church walk in Divine Healing, Divine Health, and Divine Health, and Divine Life. (Gal.3:13)
For you are our life, our strength and the length of our days (Deut.30:20b)
I give glory to you in Jesus Name!

Anonymous said...

Amen

Welcome back

Anonymous said...

SOZ referred to some videos on Iconoclast’s blog site that brought a great deal of thought to me concerning the validity of this ministry. It also reminded me of the central message produced here about the goodness of life and how we should embrace every second of it as a precious gift from God.

I recognize Reverend Caldwell as a person who loves God with all his heart and enjoyed watching his ordination service with Bishop Swilley. That was a moment more special than he and the others probably realized at the time and it was obvious they all felt that it was pretty special. Because Bishop Swilley and the associated ministers of CITN have brought so much into our lives, it is pure joy for my soul to be nourished here.

I thoroughly enjoyed the videos and they reminded me of the school of the Bible sessions conducted by Bishop. The format was excellent and congratulations are in order for the compilation of them. This message is presently vital to the Body of Christ.

We are in a new age of information and it is important that the truth be acknowledged.

There is much information available that proves the incorrect, whether intentional or not, interpretation of Bible scriptures many of which are cherished jewels by main stream fundamentalists. Unfortunately we as mankind have asserted our opinion to be something greater that what God has said from the very beginning of our enterprise to gain knowledge of divine love. In the beginning God said it is good. Humankind has said and agreed to keep saying that it is bad. God knows the end from the beginning, stating in the first few chapters of Genesis that it is good and at the end of Revelation all is confirmed to be good. Why has humanity asserted anything different?

There are not just a few hints but numerous plain statements made concerning the fact that life is good throughout not only the Bible, but in most of the new information coming to us through our pursuit of God in many other fields of study. The very universe itself bears witness to the rule of goodness as prevailing over the perception of evil.

One interesting topic of thought recently at CITN has been the tree of life versus the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Bishop Jim has lead the congregation correctly to understand that it is better to see life through the view of life being good rather than seeing it through the knowledge of good and evil causing a perception that it is bad. During the course of his working that message out under the anointed direction of Holy Spirit another piece came to me that says even the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is good.

In reading the creation story it is clear that God wanted humanity to remain in perfect peace and abide in perfect love. As humankind developed there also developed a yearning to know what God’s love was all about. What is obvious to me about the telling of humanity eating from it is that God created tree of the knowledge of good and evil to be good for food. It would have been easy enough to keep creation in a perfect state by doing otherwise but God’s plan is clear that the tree was intended to be eaten from.

This allows an understanding of perfect love to develop from the view of contrast where there was no contrast before the eating of the so called forbidden fruit. It was not prevented but was made to be good. Humanity did not fall but is rising.

We must break the repetitive cycle of continuing to go in a circle on this issue. Even when we try to reverse our walk we are still going in the same circle in the opposite direction. We must see that God intends for us to spiral upward instead of repeating the same mistakes that are prevalent in religion.

For hundreds of years we have seen man as fallen and told humanity they are fallen and then we are aghast at the atrocities committed by one human against others. There must be a teaching of the truth that God’s only word is that IT IS GOOD.

The Word made flesh represented as the only begotten Son of God also confirmed that original word by taking all perceived sin past, present and future upon His person. God nailed it to a standard for all humans of that ion to see and others that followed to reflect on that every perception of creation as being bad is in error. The resurrection gives humanity hope of who we actually are to be made real on the earth. So, why after all this time does humanity still think in terms of being fallen?

Well in the first place not all of them do. Many humans outside of pseudo christianity (spelled lower case on purpose) recognize that they are intended to increase in understanding and wisdom and receive new revelation of higher truth every day. Unfortunate for the pseudo group most of them do not even call themselves Christian but, their actions speaking louder than words, proclaim it all the same.

The communities of searchers have already found great truth in the fact that life is good and that is what I see in the ministry of Bishop Jim Earl Swilley. There are several detractors and also those who would manipulate this vital message for their own purposes, but it will not be suppressed any longer. Bishop’s influence has planted seed on good ground to produce many who will continue taking this message to the world.

This message of the goodness of God can not be contained and the world will not tolerate being held at bay from receiving the blessing of it. Those who have intended to use the power of God’s love by converting it to the ideal of a vengeful God to accomplish their own agenda will soon find them selves spiraling downward like nasty dishwater going down a drain.

It is not too late for them though, because if they just reverse themselves and accept responsibility for the need to change they will be spiraling upward with the rest of us.

Peace in unity with Love,

JB

Anonymous said...

VERILY, YES, AMEN, SO BE IT, IT IS SO. AMEN AND AMEN

Jesus Groupie said...

We should all accept the dare that son of zadok presents to us as delivered by Switchfoot. This prayer is going on my wall of power that I have at home. It is past time to move and I am grateful to be able to move toward CITN this morning and hope to see all who live in the area there.

Welcome back Bish and P Deb!

Anonymous said...

Aw... there it is... the anointing!

Nothing to lose.

dgm2007 said...

ok so i want you to think of a pepsi commercial when they say ahh... glad to read ur back and here you were gone.. we all need an ahh... Im back to school and i can really see Gods hand all over everything.. I choose to see it.. Im in training to be an ra and have prayed for my floor and decorated with motivating quotes.. Cant wait for the message today.. i may just run and grab a pepsi.. cheers
-Dom

Lisa said...

Powerful word this morning. Thank you for helping me see what is happening with our vision. Getting back into alignment and protecting my words and believing for the breakthrough miracles and free 1st class tickets to China for my family. I can't wait to move back to be with my CITN fam.

Son of Zadok said...

Praise God, Hallauha, Glory to God, Amen !!!!!

Thank you for that word Wednesday night Father Swilley. It is giving me strength. That combination of words is very annointed. I can feel the Lord's presence and my spirit being lifted when speaking them. And mercy, praise God, that's one of the things it's really all about. May we enter into a rich harvest of love and mercy.

Just got back from Paradox. Keep us in your prayers church. God is planting new churches in the now for His purpose in this awesome age we have entered and are even now entering. Praise and worship started out this morning with this:

Well I wont back down, no I wont back down
You can stand me up at the gates of hell
But I wont back down

Gonna stand my ground, won't be turned around
And I'll keep this world from draggin' me down
Gonna stand my ground and I won't back down

Hey baby, there ain't no easy way out
Hey I will stand my ground
And I wont back down.

Well I know whats right, I got just one life
In a world that keeps on pushin' me around
But I'll stand my ground and I won't back down

Hey baby there ain't no easy way out
Hey I will stand my ground
And I wont back down
No, I wont back down

Tom Petty - Won't Back Down

youtube.com/watch?v=yHJMp5bz9u8

Ha! Take that devil!!!!

JB, so much of the world has been told they are on a downward spiral. It's a popular saying in our culture even. It's been coined and repeated over and over in spiritual circles, "the downward spiral.."

But praise be to our God, the truth is we are on an UPWARD SPIRAL!!! What a word from God. The Upward Spiral. Their are entire generations who need to hear that. That's what I'm talking about; that's a now word from God! Thanks JB.


I taped the service morning and am about to watch it now. We love you Lord. Lift us up as we lift you up!

Anonymous said...

Brothers and sisters,

Willam Dean Howells had this theory about what made America unique. He said it was a matter of "unity in diversity", e.g. we are all united precisely because we are all different. Resolving these differences would destroy our uniquely American quality.

In the spirit of this democratic view, I hope we can challenge one another with divergent perspectives. I agree that we are "joined together in the same mind" in pursuit of the "truth of love."

PM, you reflected on doing a mundane task mindfully and with love. I see that now, and I apologize if I offended. I was referring to the idea, not your person. (However, feel free to call me a socialist anytime;)Also, I did offer an alternative perspective; I unassumingly presented it in the form of a question. Challenging the status quo is a lesson I learned from the Gospels. I'm reconciled with your view, though. There are certain things we have to do in our post-modern world, and to find love, to find God in many of them takes a special talent.

As SOZ said, "praise standing up and praise sitting down."

Erik, you're out in the cosmos, brother, and there is always light in your words. Your satellite's view offers truth and insight.

JB, when I read, "I also wonder about the balance between internal peace that is associated with the bliss of innocence and the troubled soul that is often associated with higher education," I thought, "Ay, that's the rub."
And it falls in nicely with the topic of the trees of life and knowledge. Is it higher education that gives us the knowledge of evil that troubles the soul so? I would argue that innocence is lost eventually, higher education just hastens this loss.

I hope I didn't cause too much of a row, Bish, in casting my rod. (Matt 4:19)

Salaam,

Abraham

Anonymous said...

Bishop,

It is so good to hear my teacher's voice and the comment on there is no such thing as a KFE, well that was classic. I could almost catch the glimpse of a child's excitement just before you said it. Very powerful message and yes we are with you on being a blessing to the world and indeed we are.

Abraham, it is good to hear your voice friend. I've been called everything from imperialistic, fashist pig to pinco, communist fag in my lifetime and in every case it was because I was just stating a difference of opinion about something. Thank God I know that I am all of those things and none of them. We all are whatever another views us to be in their world but in our own world we are what we say that we are. I don't need to speak for anyone but I see Peacemaker, Double Back Alley and you as well as every other person in existence as being an intricate part of who I am. I have had some pretty ugly thoughts about myself at times and have also held myself in very high esteem. These were usually associated with a cause, effect and outcome of some situation or circumstance that I either acted or did not act on. All of those things are temporary at best. My thoughts on ballance as mentioned before are more about what comes to us as a revelation of what it means to understand goodness. Yes, there is a rub there and it is sometimes tormenting but there is also a place of innocent bliss that refreshes my internal being. I think there must be something that can be given to humanity in the form of ballance that may be the most important work that has ever been done.

I am presently convinced that being a part of CITN under the teaching of Bishop Swilley is among the most important appointments that I have yet recieved as a result of prayer. It seems to me that there is also a blending of souls and spiritual power here that is producing the peacable fruit of righteousness. We are moving in a forward, upward motion and there are many powerful words of blessing taking root in our world as a result of this action and others like it around the globe.

Blessings of peace to all

JB

Anonymous said...

best line I have heard in a long time...... Chickens never understand eagles...which is why there is KFC and not KFE.... Priceless!

Branham would even laugh...

love you man

GC

Anonymous said...

Bishop Swilley,

Hi my name is Matthew Harley. My family and I live in Pace, FL. We used to live in Loganville, GA where we became friends with Lydell and Amy Carter who are members of your church. A few years ago Amy gave me the Washed by the Word AM & PM cd's. I have listened to them regularly and they have blessed me in my Christian walk. I recently gave them to my brother who lives in Tallahassee. He has been going through some rough times in his life with his wife and family but praise God they are still together! He called me today to tell me that he and his family went to church for the first time in quite some time. He also said that he and his family have begun to listen to the Washed by the Word cd's again and that they are ministering to him and his family in a mighty way. On a lighter note he also said that his four year old daughter Katherine had asked him, "who's that man on the cd?" She wanted to know who that man was! Anyway, I just wanted to thank the Lord for your ministry and thank you for being an obedient servant of the Lord. I pray that the Lord blesses you and your entire church abundantly.

Sincerely,
Matthew Harley

Sweepea said...

"How beautiful the hands that serve..." What a lovely song to hear on my first day back to the Blog.

What a lovely service this morning, how glad I was to be back in Conyers after 3 days in soggy Florida. There's no place like home! (Say no more...)

Love ya!

Anonymous said...

Glad yall (Bishop, Pastor Deb and the blog & fam are back! Sadly I missed the Streamin this morn...had to be at a family heritage day @ my childhood home church and don't know like SOZ how to record online. (didn't even know that was possible). =)

Prayed the prayer posted and in agreement! God Is Great and the BEST is yet to come!

...will be blurking a lil longer...got to complete some things. (ALOT of work). Just wanted to say my thoughts and prayers are and will be with everyone!

Have a happy~fantastic week everyone! Love you all!

~Crown Jewel

linda said...

Good afternoon Bishop and bloggers, the service today was too beautiful for words. Awesome word Bish, as always! It was like a paradigm shift during the service, My vision is to be a blessing, to my family, to my church family and to the world. Not my life, but Christ living through me, wow, big words,
Love KFC, thank God no KFE!

Let there be light
Love
Linda

Son of Zadok said...

Hey Jewel,

Download and install Real Player on your pc. Then when the service begins their should be a bar that pops up at the top of the video viewing area when you point to it that asks you if you want to record. It's that simple. It's the first time I used it today and it worked flawlessly. It seems their is even an option where you can email the video to anyone you like; how cool is that?

Great message today Bishop. Bless the Lord and you will have no other choice than to be a blessing. His blessings will overtake you. They will spring up from within you the life eternal that only God can give. May we each hunger and thirst after this life. May our vision consume us.

You are not just a repairman or a housekeeper or a businesswoman or an artist, a student or a friend, a father or a mother. You are an administer of the very graces of our Lord. It may seem like you are just this thing which is apparent to you in the natural, but beneath appearance lies a son and daughter of God, a child of God's spirit, equipped with gifts and callings. We are undercover warriors in the valley of these shadows. We are eagles. We are flying high in our upward spirals, seeing the forest and not just the trees.

Did you know an eagle can see 8 times farther than we can? Their beaks are even built to reflect the rays from the glare of the sun and their wings stretch out father than we even stand.

In the classic book The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, it was the eagles who saved that which most assuredly seemed lost in the battle of the 5 armies. I see us like those eagles flying in from dimensions unaware, with wings outstretched, destroying the works of the enemy, that dragon, with this glorious evangel which contains the power to save!

"It will not be long now", thought Bilbo, "before the goblins win the Gate, and we are all slaughtered or driven down and captured. Really it is enough to make one weep, after all one has gone through. I would rather old Smaug had been left with all the wretched treasure, then these vile creatures should get it, and poor old Bombur, and Balin and Fili and Kili and all the rest come to a bad end; and Bard too, and the Lake-men and the merry elves. Misery me! I have heard songs of many battles, and I have always understood that defeat may be glorious. It seems very uncomfortable, not to say distressing. I wish I was well out of it"
The clouds were torn by the wind, and a red sunset slashed the West. Seeing a sudden gleam in the gloom Bilbo looked round. He gave a great cry; he had seen a sight that made his heart leap, dark shapes small yet majestic against the distant glow.
"The Eagles! The Eagles!" he shouted. "The Eagles are coming!"
Bilbo's eyes were seldom wrong. The eagles were coming down the wind, line after line, in such a host as must have gathered from all the eyries of the North.
"The Eagles! The Eagles!" Bilbo cried, dancing and waving his arms. If elves could not see him they could hear him. Soon they too took up the cry, and it echoed across the valley. Many wondering eyes looked up, though as yet nothing could be seen except the southern shoulders of the Mountain.
"The Eagles" cried Bilbo once more!

youtube.com/watch?v=9FCqiL02iyw

Son of Zadok said...

Don't know who these 2 men are , but I liked what they had to say.

Are you an Eagle living the life of a Chicken?

youtube.com/watch?v=OYzRVhRBGZU

youtube.com/watch?v=dHAfVl-t1Hg

Anonymous said...

On a political note, with the first convention starting tomorrow night and all, I found this interesting.

TORANDO HITS DENVER-AREA...

denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_10292554

Anonymous said...

Bishop,
thanks for bringing life to the word today it was just awesome. Lately i/ve been reflecting on all the changes that have occured in my life over a short period of time and in listening to you today i was able to see clearly why some things had to leave so that i could walk into my destiny. When i was on my back side of the desert journey i couldn't understand why God had me there working with people who would put me out of the church because i would not denounce that God called me to preach to coming back home and then being placed in charge of 45 associate ministers with all that drama, getting cancer and having the one i loved turn on me and walk away, taking about change. But now i see that those things had to be because it was causing me to walk out of tradition into the light of freedom which i am experceing at CITN. As i get ready to go out to speak on behalf of the Cancer Society i realize that God has been preparing me for this day, thanks for your words today so that i want miss the change.

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

Great stuff, everyone...I'm watching the closing ceremonies of the olympics, and that giant human flame created on the memory tower was amazing on HD...amazing world we live in...

Erik said...

Hi,

Bishop, yeah, China has so raised the bar on the Olympic cermonies. Clearly the best so far. The Spirit of God is so alive and well. The display of God manifesting through us is so displayed in these ceremonies and China. All of it clearly annointed.

The taste from London was perfect, especially considering the history of Britain with China, and the guy from Led Zepelin, 'Whole lotta Love' performance expresses exactly what is key in The Olympics and our daily lives. 'Give you all of my love' - what we all do each day for each other.

China - mixing their culture and the world, clasical music and opera, pop music, rock and roll, grace, beauty, excellence of their olympians, -- hats off to the exqusite display. God is soooooo good. The expression of all of our Spirits , the world, culminated in this suprecedes all of the minutia of economy, conflict, differences, and the letter. This is Spirit, life.

PattiL007 said...

Amen, Bishop...it's most def a "Boom De Ya Da" world.

Thanks so much for all the comments y'all...today's service, all of your words, and the ideals represented by the Olympics (Phelps, Torres and ALL the amazing US Swim Team members who gave us an Incredible games!), as well as Shawn, Nastia, the USA REDEEM team, Men's Volleyball, Beach volleyball...in addition...a nod to the denizens of middle Earth and SOZ and Erik...some of the most excellent dudes ("Ay, there be Eagles here!")...to JB, PM, Abraham...carry on, my brothers. It's been a unique time for me...again, thank you to all of you for participating in it...even if you didn't know...you did. Rock on...

Blessings Blog Fam!

PS...Bish...Mr. Harley's son's comments remind me of some family moments you've shared in times past...(Mom...have you got any tapes by "that man"?)...seems the legacy continues even in unexpected places among many other families...how awesome is THIS PLACE...this GLOBAL MINISTRY! Kum Ba Yah and pass the peace!

Amen to Chris Collinsworth's statements...we do it for 2 weeks every 2 years...let's shoot for eternal peace...shall we? We shall.

...and Yes and Amen again, Erik...it was pretty dang cool! (You know, two guys from a little country called Latvia actually gave our men's gold medal beach vball team their ONLY loss in these games...Cheers to Latvia!)

Iris said...

Welcome home Bishop and Pastor Debye,

What an excellent word today. Thank you Bishop for following the blast of the Holy Spirit. Along with the other bloggers I loved the illustration on the Chicken and Eagle. It makes me want to soar higher, no matter who is on the ground telling me that I can’t soar like that.

I have also been watching the closing ceremonies of the Olympics. I must say that both the opening and closing ceremonies are by far the best ever. They seemed to go beyond just the physical and tap into the spiritual. God is so good. This is an amazing world we live in.

Seeing the unity of all the performers there, and how each movement was done with such precision, excellence, and purpose, made the performances the most powerful ceremonies in the history of the Olympics. This makes me wonder… if all of us had that same vision… the same unity... what could we accomplish?... If China with all of it’s differences and political difficulties can pull off something with such excellence… how much better can the church who has the blast of the Holy Spirit impact the earth? Vision… Unity… Purpose… WOW!!! Powerful… Get ready world… the blast is here…

Iris

PattiL007 said...

I know...I was a bit of an "American" in my comments but I can't help it...I can't avoid that burst of pride when I see a US athlete win a medal...but yes...that wrap up reminds us of how AMAZING the youth of our World really are...and China? Well...all I can say is Welcome to the world of Olympic sports and thank you for a DYNAMITE 29th Olympiad!

Anonymous said...

Man it's Great to sit down after a long day and just listen to all my friends sitting around the blog fire and sharing their hearts, Watching the Spirit flame flickering in the face of each one. I think I see Gold in the fire !

Today's message was very personal for me Bishop Jim.
Thank you for your continuing faithfulness and great endurance in the work of the Lord.

I also was very inspired by the comments on eagles, chickens and KFE.

"Nothing but a house of BLESSING"

CITN "a gateway/portal to the world"

"Value what you already have"

"Insist on protecting what is handed you"

"See what is already accomplished in the spirit realm"

"Immediately recognize when CHANGE is NECESSARY"

"Operate IN CHRIST at all times"

"NEVER QUIT until your vision is a blessing to the world

Get first class airline seats at no cost !!! Yeay!!!!

"visionaries have very crazy lives"

David ????? who??? :) LOL
it wouldn’t have been so funny if you had looked so serious when you said it :O
LOL!

Love y'all
Iconoclast

Anonymous said...

JB……. Thanks for the shout about the videos on my blog and your complements of me and my ministry. If anyone hasn’t seen this 4 part series on "Hell a closer look" you really aught to go over there and watch them. They are very well done and informative on the subject of Hell, eternal torment. anyone wanting to get a full view of this subject would be blessed.

http://not1lost.blogspot.com/

I am really going this time.

Bye bye

Unknown said...

It is what it is.
It is what it is!
It is what it is!!
I will say all positive things about trying to blog for the last 2 hours.
[pregnant pause]
I will rejoice in ALL things! Okay. That works.

Good to see you ALL!

Agreed! with the blog prayer and the CLEAR vision in today's message. Jaw-dropping is the word that comes to mind for both ITB and the Olympic closing [including reminders of the opening ceremony]. There are so many parallels, its no wonder Paul used the "they do it for a crown that perishes" analogy. I wonder what he thinks of the 2008 games?

So when "the fan's review" [Lord, it would be cool if I knew the guy's name--Mystic probably does, and You, of course] was shown he said one of his favorite things was the members of the men's basketball team saying how surprised they were at their pride in wearing U-S-A across their chests. Yeah, I'm a proud American, but what I thought at the time was "I feel ya, just wait till you know how great it feels to wear C-I-T-N across your chest!", walking in victory and freedom...with a crown that does not perish!

And Congrats from me too, China! You used what you had in your hand to shine very brightly!

PattiL007 said...

Ok...once more but then I must go to bed...not sure why but I know it must be healthier to sleep than not to sleep (to sleep or not to sleep, that is the question...to sleep perchance to dream--big, to blog perchance to receive big perceptions...no question there...it's all good.

Anyway, had to shout out to Avatar...SHOUT AV! You might be speaking about when Collinsworth was recapping prior to Costas' final words as I think he said something similar about how proud those NBA stars were to wear the USA on their chest (of course, there is controversy about their having been asked but I choose to ignore it right now and just enjoy the win and your insightful comment! YES! It is AWESOME to wear CITN shirts, to participate in EACH® and just to walk into our wonderful and amazing CITN home and be among our CITN/BITN family! Identifying with this place is such a privilege and an honor for me...I do so hope y'all feel those same emotions and connections because there's just nothing like it...nothing!

I know I haven't been a part of things lately...I took Bishop's suggestion and took a complete break (somewhat out of necessity)...but it was like honeycomb to a starving person to be ITB today again. To be a valid, connected, anointed piece of the CITN puzzle, to sit under that awe-mazing word, then to study to show ourselves approved and have revelation as well as knowledge for which I must aim daily. I know I have not been contributing much of late here but I will try to change that so that I will once again be involved in all in which I was involved before I stepped away for a minute...lol.

First though...I don't do this often...but I must ask for prayer from y'all...I hope no one minds...I know you probably wouldn't just as I would not...well, I'll just ask to please pray with the spirit over/about me (even if you don't know me personally or know who Mystic is...God most assuredly does know) and since it is serious (to me), very difficult to articulate and personal...Please just be led of the Lord and all will be as it should be. Until then...It is well, It is well, It is well with my soul...

I thank you all in advance for your assistance and for your prayers...thank you all for your kind words today, your genuine hugs, and your overall acceptance of me...of all of us that might be seen as somewhat "off center" from time to time...we're actually dead-on center but some have perceptions of us that are askewed...lol. You just never know what a touch on th arm, a warm embrace, or a kiss on the cheek may do for the receiver...in some cases, it might lead to the saving of a life, or something equally important, life affirming, or other intervention. Please remember that when you see the clock hit noon and you feel your tummy rumble for dinner and decide to leave before dismissal. I'm not trying to offend...really I'm not...I just want you to know how very important and connected each of us are to the others...each and every day, so please keep that in mind when we come together...someone might need your touch...your word...and it could be the only one that can reach them at that moment in time...reach them and cause a paradigm shift for them that will one day benefit you...and the entire world! Think abou that one for just a minute...I'm serious about that too...look at this face...it's serious! >:o

I cannot thnak you all enough for all you do for me personally...all the assisstance in all its forms is greatly appreciated and will be accepted with great joy. God always knows just what we need when we need it.

Ok...I'll leave you for now...I did want to shoult out to Avatar...and think I did...and to NTL and everyone else whom I missed terribly. It's always so good to come home...right, Bishop? I do hope I have not offended, if so, then I apologize with all sincerity and pray for your tent pegs to be expanded by Jehovah Himself...Halal to Jah!

Blessings Blog Fam!

PS and back to the Games...I also agree with and enjoy VISA's commercials during the Olympics...they highlighted some great performer and then used their slogan for the games...GO WORLD! That's cool.

But my REAL Sports Passion is so near I can almost taste it...I can almost hear the leaves crunch underfoot, almost smell the fragrance of crisp autumn air...and most def feel the excitement in there as well...Are ya ready? I Said...Are y'all Ready...REALLY READY?!...ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!!!

Anonymous said...

I totally loved the closing ceremonies and got all of it except the one segment near the beginning where there were alot of people wearing bicycle helmets.

Can someone enlighten me on why they were wearing bicycle helmets?

peacemaker said...

Abraham...
No harm, no foul, my brother and thank you for your words.
Believe it or not, I live for the opportunity to find agreement in divergent ideas. I love the fact that 6 billion+ people on this planet harbor just as many, if not more, viewpoints. All we can ask of one another is to at least walk over to a different place of perspective, look from that vantage point, and either embrace the view or say, "hmmm" and go back to their own...without judging the different view as wrong or even worse...dis-agreeing with it. Call it naive, but I really believe two can not agree on an idea but avoid dis-agreement, which, like judgment, leads to dis-unity and separation.
If debate ensues, let it be done constructively and in the spirit of unity and peace.
As you said before, that ideal is what makes America different and adds to her greatness.

My prayer is that even though any one thing may look different from each perspective, each view could add something to the other and find commonality in the pursuit of the highest good. But still maintain the beauty of diversity which creates the true “big picture”.

Anyway, we are brothers you and I, and on some level I have been sharpened by our recent dialogue. Iron can't sharpen iron without causing a little friction.

Peace,
PM