James Goll's Dream

James W. Goll:

I Heard John Wimber Declare:
"Come Again Holy Spirit!"

     One of the most consistent ways the Lord speaks to me is through the avenue ofdreams. Many of my writing and speaking assignments are given to me in such a manner. Prayer assignments over the years have almost always come in the forms of visitations and visions. This is especially true if it is a strategic assignment.

     While ministering in Brazil in July 2012, I was seeking the Lord for His mind and thoughts concerning future movements of the Holy Spirit. I went to sleep in my hotel room in Belo Horizonte and woke up out of a "stunner of a dream". The manifested presence of God was riveting on my body as an after effect of this dream encounter. It shook me.

    I have yet to tell the full dream experience publicly, but I have been directed to present portions of it to you now. Perhaps I will be released at a later date and the proper setting to actually proclaim the message. For now, I am going to steer away from my craft of interpreting and just bring you the raw message.

  I Saw Southern California as a Womb for the Body of Christ!

     Like an eagle in flight, I was hovering over the globe in search of a place to land. Suddenly the entire West Coast of the United States came before me. I was zoomed in upon the state of California and with the eye of an eagle I saw glimpses of redemptive purposes and plans. I then turned in flight over portions of Southern California and I saw something that seemed unusual. Southern California was a womb for the Body of Christ. She had been used to conceive the Word and the Spirit over the last one hundred years of the Church and to bring forth different movements of God.

     My "knower" was on high alert as I flew over Los Angeles and Orange County – that this womb had already received another word implanted at least a year earlier and that another long-term, almost overdue, birth was imminent. I then soared over Pasadena and the next thing I knew, the eagle suddenly flew into the historic Mott Auditorium on the hallowed grounds of William Carey University.

An Incomplete, or False Gospel

      This morning I was reading in Hebrews.  Chapter 5, verses 8-9 seemed to stand out: "Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him..."
      I began to meditate on how seldom this verse is taught.  In Protestant churches here in the U.S. we are told that we have eternal life if we believe in Jesus.  Many of us have gone forward in an alter call saying we believe, and then have been told that we are saved and now have eternal life, but that is not what this verse says.  It says He is the source of eternal salvation for those who OBEY Him.  Have you been told that Jesus paid the price for your sin and therefore it doesn't matter what you do now?  It's true that only His sacrifice makes us righteous but then we are to "go and sin no more".  Paul talks about those who thought Jesus' sacrifice gave them license to do whatever they wanted in Romans 6.
      I don't know if it is out of ignorance, or it's a plan of the devil (probably both) but the whole gospel is not being preached in very many churches today, and therefore they are preaching a false gospel.  The Bible has much to say about those who preach another, or false, gospel.  We are to stay away from them.
      Are you hearing the whole gospel?  Is every word that Jesus spoke preached in your church?  Are you expected to become disciples and "to go and do likewise" the things He did?  If not, you may want to ask yourself if you are hearing a 'false' gospel.  It may be time to remove yourself from such teachings and look for a church who is intent on making disciples of all men.
      Jesus said in Mark 16:15-18, "¹⁵ He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. ¹⁶ Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. ¹⁷ And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
      Are these signs accompanying you (and your church) as you preach the gospel?  If not, why?
       

Beauty and An Old Wooden Church In Poland

      We saw many beautiful 'neighborhood' churches like this in Italy.  I was constantly amazed at the time, expense, and workmanship given to "God's house."  How times have changed!  Almost every new church I've visited in this country has a 'warehouse' feel to it and has been built as economically as possible.  Could it be that we've lost our reverence for Him?
       Of course there are arguments that now that the Holy Spirit has come to live in us, we are God's house, but even that argument doesn't stand well when we consider how little thought we give to our appearance these days.
      I believe it would be wonderful if beauty would again be the standard for how we build churches and how we present ourselves to the world.  Of course I'm not just talking about superficial beauty in our appearance.  I'm talking about being the best we can be and looking our best when we are God's (who is altogether lovely) representatives here on earth.
     It seems that in prior centuries God's people expressed their reverence for Him by sparing no expense in creating 'dwelling places' for Him.  What will be our explanation when He calls us home?

  

An Old Wooden Church In Poland

After looking "around" 360 degrees, +/- zoom in/out, be sure to click the UP arrow and look at the walls and ceiling.

An Old Wooden Church In Poland ......really something to see.

This church is so beautiful, one has to wonder how you could possibly concentrate on the service?

This church had been built by Germans since this part of Poland had been German until WW II, when the Oder/Neisse line had been drawn.

Details in this church are absolutely amazing. Take a good look.

Click on the link below:

                                            

   http://zieba.wroclaw.pl/kpg/kps.html

My most favorite novel!

       I have been re-reading Taylor Caldwell's novel, Tender Victory, which I first discovered in the public library when I was in high school.  It is my all time favorite novel!  Not only is it an interesting story, but it is more inspirational than most any book I've ever read.  I highly recommend it.
        Here is an excerpt from the book (p. 266.)  It's the Christmas sermon preached by Johnny Fletcher, the main character.  In his sermon he told the gospel story again using the verse in Isaiah:  "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given."  I loved the way the author made it personal to every hurting person.  Christ came for each one of us, and has the answer to our every need.  All we need do is 'Follow Him.'

      "Unto you, all you tired and heavy-laden, unto you who are hopeless and sad and dwell in the darkness of sorrow, unto you who are caught in the web of your sins and your crimes and your agonies and your hells, unto you who weep and find no joy in your lives and no faith, unto you who are victims of injustice and despair, unto you who have been injured and who injure, unto you whose lives are as stone and steel and you who are tormented with pain and the fear of death and whose children have abandoned you, and who weep in the night and find no peace therein, unto you who labor and find no sustenance in labor, and no meaning, unto you who may die tomorrow or the day after tomorrow and who cry in the darkness without an answering voice from man, unto you, the friendless and the homeless and the lost, unto you who hate in your grief and you who hate without reason but only through blind and ignorant envy, unto you without love and who have never been loved--
     "Unto you, this night, a King has been born.  A King of love and mercy and salvation and understanding, a King who will bind up your wounds and touch your blind eyes and take away your hatred and your sorrows and comfort you, and who asks only of you, in accents of eternal love and compassion: Follow Me.
     "Unto you, the Word has been made Flesh, out of love for you, out of mercy.  Rejoice, therefore, that God has been born in your flesh, and waits for you in His Manger.
     "Unto you, unto all men, God has come, to fulfill His promise of the ages.  Follow Me.  Sound you bells, to the night!  A Kings has been born, saying: 'I am among you, even to the end of the world.  Follow Me.'"

Why Are They So Ruthless? by Richard Maybury

I found this article very interesting and thought provoking. 

Why Are They So Ruthless? 
By Richard Maybury, Early Warning Report
  It's dead, but alive
After the Soviet Socialist empire collapsed in the early 1990s, many pundits jumped to the conclusion that socialism is dead and we no longer need to pay much attention to it.

They are right, in the sense that as an economic model, socialism is dead.

As an emotional response to trouble, I think socialism is more alive now than ever, and the wise investor will study it in depth.

My evidence? In recent months, I've seen numerous calls for "stimulus" by staunch conservatives who are so frightened, they cannot bring themselves to allow the shakeout of the malinvestment to continue. The cover of the Feb. 16 issue of Newsweek declares, "We Are All Socialists Now."

Here, I think, is what has happened
For thousands of years before the 20th century, the "extended family" was the norm. Parents and grandparents lived with or near their offspring, in tribes or clans.

It is not hard to imagine some of their economic practices, particularly specialization of labor, and the child-rearing routine growing from it.

The healthy young parents were out every day doing the dangerous, exhausting work. Males were risking their lives hunting mastodons, and women were dodging rattlesnakes in the effort to dig up roots, and squirm through briar patches for berries.

With the strong young parents doing the heavy lifting, the child-rearing was left to older members of the family, the grandparents.

It was a great system for raising kids. The parents were too young to know much, but grandparents had some wisdom, including, very likely, skepticism about fads.

In the 20th century…
…family life changed drastically. The Federal Reserve's stop-start monetary policy caused hot and cold spots to dance all over the landscape. Extended families were destroyed as the members scattered to the four winds in search of jobs.

All that remained was the "nuclear" family. For the first time, children were raised by their parents. Grandparents, who often lived hundreds or thousands of miles away, faded from the child-rearing scene.

A fun visit!

       Our daughter and her two sons have been visiting us from Nebraska since Thursday.  They were planning to return home today but after looking at the forecast of snow and wind for Nebraska they decided to stay another day.  We are so glad they did!  Not only did we not have to worry about them being on the road in bad weather, but we had another day to visit with them.
     Granddad and the boys started a fire in a tree stump in our front yard that had been difficult to cut with the chain saw, and then we decided to have a wiener roast in the stump.  The temp here was in the lower 60's.  Our two sons and their families came, too, so it was a really nice day.
     This morning the little boys went with me to dig more daffodils to transplant from the patch in the woods.  I was very impressed by their helpfulness!  They are 7 & 5 and ended up digging several bunches of flowers.  They're planning to take some home tomorrow so they can have their very own patch.
    We are praying the roads will be clear so they will have a fun safe trip back to NE.

The Bible Mini-series

       Were you one of the 13.1 million viewers of the first installment of this mini series?  We thought it was excellent and are looking forward to the rest of them.  This article was posted on Elijah List today.

Aimee Herd:

Sunday TV Ratings: "The BIBLE" is Hot, Rising Pop Stars are Not

      "Clearly, the passion for this project has resonated with our viewers and across the nation." –Nancy Dubuc

EDITOR'S NOTE: Many have already pre-ordered the DVD or BLU-ray set of "The BIBLE" in our webstore. This epic miniseries will be officially released on April 2nd. See below to pre-order your copy. -Aimee Herd, BCN.

    In an AP report on Yahoo News, correspondent Joe Alblas reports on the large viewing audience theHistory channel's new miniseries "The BIBLE" received for its first installment this past Sunday night. (Photo: BibleSeries.tv)

     "The BIBLE" beat out such programming favorites as CBS's "60 Minutes" and AMC's "The Walking Dead. In fact, this past Sunday night, part one of the new "BIBLE" miniseries reached the #1 spot in terms of television viewers.

      "In the latest television ratings, the Bible is hot and aspiring pop stars are not," quipped Alblas, alluding to the 13.1 million who watched part one of the Biblical series, compared to last week's dismal viewing of both "American Idol" episodes, which both garnered their lowest audience numbers since the show's inception about 10 years ago.

     In addition to the large viewership of "The BIBLE", History's website "had its most visited day ever on Sunday," according to Nancy Dubuc, president of A&E network's entertainment and media.

      "Clearly, the passion for this project has resonated with our viewers and across the nation," Dubuc said. "We are thrilled, and the story is only just beginning."

       "The BIBLE" on History—produced by "Touched By An Angel" star Roma Downey, and her husband, Mark Burnett; also producer of "Shark Tank," "The Voice" and other hit shows—airs four more episodes on consecutive Sundays. Its conclusion will coincide with Easter Sunday on March 31st.

Last week, Breaking Christian News featured an interview by Holly McClure with Roma Downey and Mark Burnett, regarding the new "BIBLE" series. To read that article click here.

     The next episode of "The BIBLE" airs on Sunday night, March 10th, and features the Biblical stories of Joshua and Jericho, and Samson and Delilah among others.

     "The BIBLE" will be available on DVD, and BLU ray on April 2nd, however, you can pre-order your copy NOW. 

Click on the following links to pre-order:

DVD: http://www.elijahshopper.com/Video_The_Bible_DVD_p/vid-thebible_dvd.htm or

Blu-ray:http://www.elijahshopper.com/Video_The_Bible_Blu_ray_p/vid-thebible_blu.htm

Year of Beauty From Ashes by Jane Hamon

Jane Hamon:

Year of Beauty From Ashes

...the Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you because the Lord your God loves you. Deuteronomy 23:5-6

Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around.Proverbs 13:12 (MSG)
         A Turn Around Year!

     As I fasted and prayed the first week of the year, I really felt the Lord say, "This will be a turn-around year for My people. Breakthroughs, miracles, advancement, prosperity, opportunities, will all come into fruition as people shake off the difficulties and discouragement of the past years and arise in faith to see the promises of God come alive even in the midst of an adverse spiritual climate in the earth. I am turning that which has been sent against you for evil to begin to work for your good."

      There is no doubt that the last several years have been times of great challenge for individuals, for the Church, and for nations – especially America. We are living in times of great shaking, which will produce great reformation for the Kingdom of God. I have often reminded our congregation that there is no victory without a battle, and that in order to be an overcomer one must first have something to overcome.

      This will be a year of tremendous turn-around for those who are aligning themselves to the purposes of God and who are obeying His voice.

      It is a year where God will give us beauty for our ashes, the oil of joy for our grief and mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (see Isaiah 61:3).

      This will be a time when those spiritual forces and circumstances, which have tried to rise against us to bring us under a curse, will instead be turned to a blessing for us.

     I call Heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days... Deuteronomy 30:19-20

James W. Goll: Journaling As a Tool of Retaining Revelation

      I have kept a journal off and on for the past 30 or 40 years.  I think it is a wonderful tool, but it IS a discipline and I have not been good at disciplining myself these past few months.  Busyness interferes.  After reading this article by James Goll I have new determination to start again.  If you've never journaled give it a try.

                                          James W. Goll:

Journaling As a Tool of Retaining Revelation

    Do you need help retaining what you have already received? Then I have a simple remedy for you –journal! Yes, it is one of those awesome spiritual disciplines! Journaling is a tried and tested spiritual tool that will help you retain revelation and grow in your capacity to discern the voice of the Holy Spirit. I have tried it, and it works!

     Basically, journaling is simply a method of keeping notes for future reference. It can take many forms. Your journal may consist of your prayers, a record of God's answers as you perceive them, and/or a record of what you sense the Holy Spirit is saying to you through His various delivery systems. Journaling is a fundamental and clearly useful Biblical discipline.

     Some Believers express concern that journaling is an attempt to put subjective revelation on the same level of authority as Scripture. This is not the case at all. The Bible alone is the infallible Word of God. Journaling is just another tool to help us retain and be more faithful with what He speaks to us.

      God speaks to His children much of the time! However, we do not always differentiate His voice from our own thoughts, and thus we are timid at times about stepping out in faith. If we clearly learn to retain what He is speaking to us, we will know that He has already confirmed His voice and Word to us. Thus we will be enabled to walk out God's words to us with greater confidence. Journaling then becomes a way of sorting out God's thoughts from our own.

     As it has been for so many, the simple art of recording revelation may prove to be one of the missing links in your own walk of hearing God's voice. Continuity of language, divine suggestions and reminders, and also learning the proper interpretation of symbols, will occur as you use journaling as a creative tool of storing up, and later deciphering, revelation.

I strongly encourage you to start journaling now if you have not already done so. The principles, tips, and suggestions in this chapter will help you get off to a strong start. Those of you who are already engaged in journaling, I urge you to continue!

     To encourage you as to the value of journaling, let me share some thoughts on the subject from another elder friend, Herman Riffel. Herman is one of the "patriarchs" of modern-day visionary revelation – an authority not only on dreams and their interpretation but also on journaling as an effective method of retaining revelation.

Do not be anxious about anything

      Philippians 4 was included in today's chronological reading of the New Testament.  This passage--verses 4-7-- is one of my favorites because I have discovered its truth through experience.  
       ⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

       Our Festivals & Events committee has been working on several projects this year.  Right now we are planning Heritage Days for June 15-16, while beginning construction of our new amphitheater, doing some fundraising projects, and planning a botanical garden. So I have needed to rely upon the truth of the above verses to help me through each day.  

     It is amazing the ideas and the people who have come forward to contribute to the planning and implementation of this Festival!  It seems that as we pray and then do the step that seems right to us, another idea or person comes to help us make it even better.  It would be easy to get anxious about some of the preparations--e.g. the equine parade & how to handle unloading, the parade route, will the amphitheater be done in time to use it for the festival or will there be a muddy mess around it, etc.--but I trust the Lord.  I believe He has led us this far and therefore He knows how to direct our paths to the completion.  

       This is going to be one of the best festivals to come to this area!  I thank God all the time for the way in which He is putting it together by helping us ask just the right people and do the right things.  We continue to ask Him to guide us, we thank Him when He does and then His peace comes.  What a great way to prevent anxiety--just as the scripture says!

My 3 Cents 0n Cancer: Jack Andraka at TEDxSanJoseCAWomen

This is exciting and inspirational!  Jack is only 15 years old and has done something cancer researchers have been trying to do for years.

Joseph Prince "What is on your heart?"

     Today's devotional by Joseph Prince is an excellent explanation of how to recognize God's leading in your life--follow your heart.

What Is On Your Heart? by Joseph Prince

Hebrews 8:10:  "I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts…”

Many of us have been taught that we cannot trust our hearts. We quote verses like “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked…” (Jeremiah 17:9), not knowing that Jeremiah was referring to the man who had not received Jesus as his Lord and Savior.       I have had people come to me and say, “Pastor Prince, I don’t know what I should do with my life.”        “What is on your heart?” I asked one of them.            “I would love to work among children.” “Then work among children!”        “But I am waiting on the Lord to tell me to do that.”         “Well, He has given you the desire, so go and work among children!”        “But the desire comes from my heart. How do I know if it is of God?”        My friend, once you are saved, you have a brand new heart (Ezekiel 36:26), and you can trust the promptings of your heart because God dwells in you and He leads you from within. And don’t worry because His promptings will never contradict His Word. It will lead you to good success.         Often, you find that when you follow your inner promptings, it is actually God who has put those desires in your mind and written them on your heart. I remember years ago when I approached one of our church leaders and told him, “I really think that you are called to be a full-time pastor.” It turned out to be a confirmation of what he already knew on the inside. You see, God was already leading him from within.    Today, he is one of our full-time pastors.        If you enjoy something and desire to do it, then go for it! Go with the flow. God Himself says that He will guide us from within. Let’s not doubt Him. And don’t worry about the outcome. Your part is just to follow the flow. God’s part is to work in you both the willingness and the performance of it! (Philippians 2:13)         Beloved, because God has given you a new heart, He will write His desires on it. And as you fulfill these desires, you will bring forth fruit, and not wither and die. Whatever you do will prosper!

Disabled Basketball Player is Given Help by Opposing Player to Score a Shot

Jess sent me the link to this wonderfully heartwarming story.  I thought you would want to see it, too.

People of Influence Painting

       People of Influence Painting   An, oil on canvas, 2006.   Painted by Chinese Artists, Dai Dudu, Li Tiezi and Zhang. 

     If you click on the title above it will take you to the website where there is a large computerized picture of this painting.  As you run your cursor over each person his/her name appears.  Clicking on the person will bring up biographical information on each one.  Technology is amazing, isn't it?

Cookbooks

       Cookbooks are here and they look great!  In addition to contacting me, you can also purchase them at Accents, and at Mustard Seeds, in downtown Martinsville.  The cost is a $10 donation to The Linn Foundation.  All proceeds will be used to fund the "Heritage Days on the Old National Road Festival," and/or for construction of the new Linn Park Amphitheater.