"We Are In a Time of Great Transition and Reformation"

Joni Ames takes a looong hard look at CHANGE.

Why were you born? What are you presently doing? Is it causing you to walk in more of your calling? What plans do you have to help you move forward and into your purpose, call and destiny? These are questions I was asked not too long ago.

While praying recently, I sensed the Lord speak this to my spirit: "My people must acquire the ability to learn from, yet release, the past in order to embrace the future and change history."

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.—Philippians 3:12-14

We are presently in one of the most interesting times in history. With the availability and use of email and Internet, each and every one of us has the ability to affect and direct the future of all mankind. Nearly all of us can become an instant news media source to the entire world just by using our cell phones or cameras to upload what goes on around us. Instantly, it can be uploaded onto YouTube—or by sending it to CNN or Fox News—and what you report can become today's top news story! In recent time, through the use of such personal media, we have been able to witness firsthand the literal restructuring of nations, right before our eyes!

"Change"

The dictionary defines "change" as: (1) to make different, alter; to make radically different, transform; to give a different position, course, or direction. (2) to replace with another; to make a shift from one to another, to switch; to exchange money; to undergo a modification; to put on fresh clothes or covering.

I often come across people who are "uncomfortably comfortable." In other words, not happy with their situation, stuck in a rut they don't even enjoy—but due to "fear of change," they stay in it! How long will we each continue to accept the changes that life randomly deals out before we actually have the guts to make the changes in our life that will bring about the type of conditions that could catapult us into greater levels in life, and into our purpose, call and destiny?

It's time to "Work Smarter, Not Harder!" How many times do people settle for less than what they are worth, even in a job, just to escape having to make changes? That even happens to those of us in ministry. In fact, it happened to the disciples. They wanted to change people, but they didn't want to change the way they were doing things. They were happy to stick together and work together in the same region—maybe even forever. But they were called to spread the Gospel to the world, so God allowed there to come arguments among them in order to make them uncomfortable enough to get with it and walk in their purpose, call and destiny, and spread the Gospel!

We are told in Acts 15:39-40: They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.

Sometimes we just get so used to those around us and what we are doing together that we forget—our job is to equip the saints, not be the only ones doing the stuff.

Fear Change?

As I've mentored various ones in ministry, I've sometimes gotten "comfortable" with those around me, and therefore lagged behind in my call to release them to go on to what they are to do, and allow myself to continue to bring forth others. I'd have a worship leader or other person that I absolutely loved and trusted, and I didn't want to change that comfortable arrangement! Situations like that cause all of us to lag in our calling. We must learn to release what is in our hands in order to receive what is in His. And the truth of the matter is, when we allow ourselves to do so, it causes us to "graduate" to a new level as well.

How many of us do that though? For example:

• Parents who fear the "empty nest syndrome?"
• Ministries who don't want to have to find a new worship leader or children's minister?
• Businesses who could expand and have a greater effect?

Because of concern for our own comfort, we become fearful to step into the changes necessary to allow the other person to become who they are meant to be!

What type of change, effect, or legacy can we bring to help those around us (if we'd only be willing to change) when God gives us the opportunity to do so? And, how much of that will we actually accomplish if we do not allow ourselves to be flexible and receptive to whatever type of change is needed in order to accomplish it? It's not what happens to us that matters nearly as much as how we respond and what we do because of it. We must realize that His ways truly are SO much better than ours!

Did you know that fearing that which will NEVER happen is the main cause why our greatest dreams, visions and destiny don't take place? Sounds silly, but it's true! I have a counselor friend who says that most of the cases they deal with are due to fears of things that will never happen. Sales trainer Zig Ziglar says, "F.E.A.R. stands for False Evidence Appearing Real."

Satan is a liar and the father of lies—a deceiver; and comes to kill, steal and destroy. Jesus came so that we could have life and have it more abundantly. Whose report will we believe? We must believe that He IS, and that He is a REWARDER of those who diligently seek Him. We must love God—and thus believe in Him—more than we fear the enemy. As we draw closer to Him, God's perfect love casts out all fear!

Reformation

The men who fashioned our nation knew they needed a Revolution that would lead to Reformation. When you break down that word "reformation" it looks like this:

Re - Form - ation or Re - Formed - Nation!

When things need to be re-FORMED, that requires ACTION! — CHANGE!

Just as a potter is sometimes required to hammer out the old before "re - forming" the new, so it sometimes is with us. No wonder Jeremiah 18:3-5 says: I went down to the potter's house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?" says the LORD. "Look, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand..."

Sometimes life is like an old couch, old mattress, or old pair of shoes: we are so used to them that, even when we need a new one, we don't want to take the time and effort to break in a new one. All too often we remain in an uncomfortable comfort zone, because we fear the unknown. Therefore, we never attain the success we are capable of.

As the old saying goes...sometimes we just need to "do it afraid!"

Kairos Moments

I have learned some things about "kairos" timing. Kairos means: (Greek: right or opportune moment): Fullness of time; the propitious moment for the performance of an action or the coming into being of a new state (Oxford English Dictionary).

Sometimes we have a dream or vision that we carry in our hearts for many years before it begins to happen. Then suddenly it is as if that "right moment in time" occurs. Suddenly (after maybe many years of waiting) a divine alignment takes place where everything and everyone comes together in proper alignment, and the suddenlies of God begin flowing! Kairos timing, simply put, is "God's perfect timing."

It can be likened to seeing a cloudy sky and then a small section of clouds part and the sun shines through; but the clouds continue to move, and just as suddenly as it opened, it begins to close again. When everything is "opened up" and we are in the midst of a kairos moment, everything is lined up and things can be done with ease, IF we just do it during that kairos moment! We can still do it when that kairos moment cloud formation closes, but then it is harder and must be done in faith and physical obedience, rather than in that anointed time when everything falls into place.

"Paralysis by analysis" can kill that kairos moment. Basically, it's likened to dissecting something in biology class. And just in case you don't know, when you dissect something, if it's not dead when you start out, it soon will be. Paralysis by analysis can also come from operating under the influence of a religious spirit. You will have prayed about or for something for 20 years, and then when it comes and you have to make a "rapid" decision, you move into fear and say, "I need to pray about it"—and end up missing out on it.

Obviously prayer is of importance, but if you've been praying for a certain amount of money so you can build a facility for your ministry and someone walks up to you with a check for that exact amount, what's to pray about?

Many times in Christendom, we use a variety of phrases that sound spiritual, but they can keep us from what God has for us. One such statement is, "I'm waiting on the Lord." However, in reality, we need to ask ourselves if we are waiting on the Lord or is He waiting on us? Let's FULFILL our destiny! We need to be sure that we don't let a religious spirit or a spirit of "paralysis by analysis" rob us of our kairos moments.

Write the Vision

I'm sure you've heard the old saying which says that the definition of insanity is doing the same things we've always done expecting different results. Truly, we can drive ourselves crazy by not fulfilling our purpose, call and destiny. So, let's not procrastinate or evaluate ourselves out of the changes we need to make in order to get to the goal. Let's begin to make even some small changes TODAY! It's time to set our goals and go for them!

Habakkuk 2:2-3 says: Then the LORD answered me and said: "Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry."

Let's write our big goals down in a notebook. But, let's make sure that we cut a path to the big goals by making stepping stones of small, ATTAINABLE goals toward it so that we do not get discouraged. Let's put ourselves in a position to WIN.

Even Donald Trump says the difference between those who write down their goals and those who do not is that the ones who do WILL achieve them. (The ones who do NOT will NOT.) So, let's go for it! Let's WRITE the vision. Then DO it! Faith without works is dead.

"Write in a book all those things that were told to you by the Lord." —Jeremiah 30:2

But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.—James 2:18

Relationships

Don't confuse your purpose with others' opinions. Keep your goals and the blueprint that God gave you in front of your eyes and do NOT divert from them under pressure—or else it will end up looking nothing like what you started out with and what God gave you.

CONTROL has three distinct dimensions:
MANIPULATION - which tries to trick you into something.
INTIMIDATION - which tries to scare you into something.
DOMINATION - which attempts to force you into something.

If you feel yourself slipping into the old habit of trying to please people, DON'T. I was sitting in the midst of a group of people one day and suddenly as clear as can be, I heard the song lyrics come to me, "Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right—and here I am, stuck in the middle with you!" As I sat there, I realized, "These people are talking about things they talked about ten years ago and have still never accomplished. And they are talking about other people the same way they did ten years ago. I need a change!" Surround yourself with RIGHT relationships.

Even the Bible warns us that bad company corrupts good habits: Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits."
—1 Corinthians 15:33

A while back, TV animal adventure man Steve Irwin passed away after having been pierced in the chest by a stingray fish while in the water. I knew there was some sort of spiritual lesson in the event, as well as the fact that we need to stay away from stingrays! So I said, "Lord, what are You saying through this?" To which He replied: "Watch out who you swim with. Toxic people talk sick. And they will pierce you right in the heart of your purpose, call, and destiny and KILL it."

Don't "swim" with time or money wasters. They will divert your time, attention, money, and energy away from your goal, and drain you of energy, life, and purpose. So many times people ask my advice, but when I give it to them, they argue with me. A situation like that is a waste of time. We need to realize that, when we spend TIME on someone or something, we are SPENDING our LIFE! And we will never get that time back! Let's SPEND our time—our LIFE—WISELY!

A Time of Great Transition

Bottom line: change is good. We are in a time of great transition. A transition is a sequence of actions which occurs when a process changes from one state to another in response to an input. However, transition is also the last stage of a women's pregnancy before the birthing. So often, transition involves not only a "new beginning," but the need to LET GO OF THE PAST in order to move into a new realm of the future, and no one can do that for us. Like the story of the butterfly, if someone helps it break out of the cocoon, it will die. For it is in that struggle that it's wings get strengthened enough to fly.

We each have to decide on our own to change or not to change. As we look at various aspects of our lives today, let's ask ourselves that Dr. Phil question: "How's that working for you?" And if the answer is that it's not going so great, perhaps we need to make some necessary changes to be able to move forward.

Let's Pray: Father, we come to You in the name of Your Son, Jesus, and we ask forgiveness for not allowing ourselves to change in the areas where we've needed to change. We ask forgiveness for blame-shifting to others for the situations we find ourselves in. And we ask for the courage and strength to make the changes we need to make. We hand You what's in our hands that we have been holding onto, and we trade it for what You have for us. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Joni Ames
A.C.T.S. Ministries
Email: JoniAmes@aol.com

Andy Andrews has encouraged me to become a "Noticer"

So here's what I have been "Noticing",,, the Tea Parties and Town Hall Meetings are growing more and more vocal. I believe it boils down to righteous vs. unrighteous anger and indignation. It is OK to be angry and to express your indignation in a matter if you are RIGHT. (i.e. Jesus in the temple turning over the money changers tables) When we become angry and indignant without righteousness on our side, it is called ARROGANCE. I have been arrogant (I want what I want, when I want it, just because I THINK I deserve it). I find it much more comfortable and rewarding to be in a position where I want what I want because it is the RIGHT & RIGHTEOUS thing to do, by social, legal and moral standards. It seems to me that the Leftist Liberals who are pushing their extreme policies upon the public today are having a hard time justifying them as either Right or Righteous.
They are dealing from a position of PRIDE and ARROGANCE. By: Woody Wood

Proverbs 11:2 (NASB) When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom.

Meet the New World Order - Same as the Old World Order.

I have tried several times over the past few years to sum up my feelings about The New World Order, but this writer has done a far better job than I could of putting it all together. This IS a real and present danger! PLEASE read what he has to say and act according to your conscience.

WW

Meet the New World Order - Same as the Old World Order.

By Chuck Baldwin

In my column, I attempted to wake up my fellow Americans, who are either currently slumbering through the collapse of our constitutional republic or in a protracted state of denial regarding a very real — and very dangerous — burgeoning New World Order. The information that I need to disseminate on this matter is so plentiful that it is extremely difficult to condense into one column. Therefore, I must at least attempt to provide a little more information on this subject. I will use this column to do just that.

I already quoted former President George Herbert Walker Bush in my previous column. Here are more of his quotes. In 1991, Bush, Sr. said, "My vision of a New World Order foresees a United Nations with a revitalized peacekeeping function." In 1992, he said, "It is the sacred principles enshrined in the United Nations charter to which the American people will henceforth pledge their allegiance."

Wow! I thought U.S. Presidents, as well as all civil magistrates and military personnel, swore an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution. Not in Bush's mind, obviously.

On January 25, 1993, Warren Christopher, the new Secretary of State under Bill Clinton, told CNN: "We must get the New World Order on track and bring the U.N. into its correct role in regards to the United States."

In 1958, Cleon Skousen, a former FBI agent (a man I was fortunate enough to get to know before his death), wrote a book entitled The Naked Communist. In it, he outlined the long-term communist agenda. Since then, the movers and shakers of the New World Order have successfully achieved many of these goals within the U.S. Here are some samples of those goals:

• Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.
• Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.
• Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind.
• Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.
• Get control of the schools.
• Infiltrate the press.
• Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.
• Break down cultural standards of morality.
• Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with social religion.
• Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.

Is there anyone who cannot see that the purveyors of the New World Order have largely achieved most of their goals? All they need to do now is tie it all together under one governmental umbrella.

One of the organizations that is at the forefront of promoting the New World Order is the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). In my last column, I showed how the CFR dominates the Presidencies of both Republican and Democratic administrations (including the current one), as well as the Federal Reserve. I would even go so far as to say that the CFR is a very "clear and present danger" to the sovereignty and independence of the United States.

For example, CFR member and UN spokesman, Walt Rostow, said, "It is, therefore, an American interest to see an end to nationhood."

The American people need to wake up to the fact that the international banking interests that dominate our political and financial entities are working tirelessly to "see an end to nationhood." I am talking about the Rothschilds and Warburgs of Europe, and the houses of J.P. Morgan, Kuhn, Loeb, Schiff, Lehman, and Rockefeller.

Rear Admiral Chester Ward, who was the Judge Advocate General of the Navy from 1956-1960 and a former member of the CFR who pulled out after realizing what they were all about, warned the American people about the dangers of this and similar organizations (such as the Trilateral Commission). He said, "The most powerful clique in these elitist groups have one objective in common--they want to bring about the surrender of the sovereignty and the national independence of the United States. A second clique of international members in the CFR . . . comprises the Wall Street international bankers and their key agents. Primarily, they want the world banking monopoly from whatever power ends up in the control of global government."

Admiral Ward also said, "The main purpose of the Council on Foreign Relations is promoting the disarmament of U.S. sovereignty and national independence and submergence into an all powerful, one world government."

Remember, the CFR was incorporated in 1921 and is currently comprised of only about 4,000 members. The CFR was co-founded by Edward Mandell House and John D. Rockefeller. Colonel (an honorary title — he was not a military colonel) House had been the chief advisor of President Woodrow Wilson. Historians often call House "Wilson's alter ego" due to the powerful influence he held over the President. House was a rabid Marxist, whose goal was to socialize the United States. In his book, Philip Dru: Administrator, House said he was working for "socialism as dreamed of by Karl Marx."

House's stated goals were to incorporate a gradual income tax upon the backs of the American people for the purpose of establishing a state-controlled central bank. Both of these goals were accomplished in 1913, the very first year of the House-dominated Wilson administration.

House's blueprint became the foundation for the CFR. What was not accomplished by the proposed League of Nations at the end of World War I was realized with the formation of the United Nations at the end of World War II. Not by accident, much of the original funding for the CFR came from Rockefeller and J. P. Morgan. President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave CFR members much authority in his administration, and they have pretty much dominated the foreign and financial policies of the United States ever since.

In the April, 1974 edition of the CFR publication, Foreign Affairs, Columbia University Professor and CFR member Richard Gardner wrote a column entitled, "The Hard Road to World Order." In it, he called for "an end run around national sovereignty, eroding it piece by piece." He named the following organizations that would help fulfill that objective: the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the Law of the Sea Conference, the World Food Conference, the World Population Conference, and of course, the United Nations. I would also include NAFTA, the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP), CAFTA, etc.

The CFR has a sister organization called the Trilateral Commission (TC). This group was co-founded by the Marxist, Zbigniew Brzezinski, and David Rockefeller. Like Gardner, Brzezinski calls for a piecemeal "movement toward a larger community of the developed nations . . . through a variety of indirect ties and already developing limitations on national sovereignty." (Source: Brzezinski, Between Two Ages, p. 296)

Brzezinski is also a major proponent (along with CFR member Robert Pastor) of the North American Community (or Union), whose construction began during the second term of President George W. Bush and continues today under President Barack Obama.

Here is a sample list of the notable dignitaries in and out of government who hold (or held) membership in the CFR or TC (and sometimes both):

George Herbert Walker Bush. Bill Clinton. Sandra Day O'Connor. Dick Cheney. Les Aspin. Colin Powell. Robert Gates. Brent Scowcroft. Jesse Jackson, Sr. Mario Cuomo. Dan Rather. Tom Brokaw. David Brinkley. John Chancellor. Marvin Kalb. Diane Sawyer. Barbara Walters. Cyrus Vance. Paul Volcker. Henry Kissinger. George Schultz. Alan Greenspan. Madeleine Albright. Roger Altman. Bruce Babbitt. Howard Baker. Samuel Berger. Elaine Chao. Dianne Feinstein. Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Chuck Hagel. Gary Hart. John McCain. George Mitchell. Bill Moyers. Jay Rockefeller. Donna Shalala. Strobe Talbott. Fred Thompson. Robert Zoellick. Richard Nixon. Hubert H. Humphrey. George McGovern. Gerald Ford. Jimmy Carter. John Anderson. Walter Mondale. Michael Dukakis. Al Gore. John Kerry.

It is absolutely essential that we stop looking at potential leaders as either Democrats or Republicans, or as conservatives or liberals. Those monikers mean very little today. We must start identifying people as either Americans or globalists. Either they believe in an independent, sovereign, self-governing United States of America, or they believe in supranational government and internationalism. Either they believe in devotion to the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence, or they believe in the goals and objectives of the United Nations. We must rid ourselves of the propensity to support those who classify themselves as "conservatives," and we must stop blindly supporting the GOP "because it is a 'conservative' party." If they do not understand AND OPPOSE the New World Order, they do not deserve our support or our vote! [emphasis added]

George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George H.W. Bush laid the foundation for everything that Barack Obama is doing to facilite the New World Order. That two of these Presidents are Democrats and two are Republicans only proves my point: both the Democratic and Republican parties have succumbed to New World Order ideology.

There is more that we can do, of course, but I will save the bulk of that discussion for another day. In the meantime, we need to realize that the New World Order exists, to understand that both major parties are collaborating to facilitate its creation, to start looking at leaders as either Americans or globalists, and to refuse to support the latter in any shape, manner, or form.

Pastors need to start warning their people about the New World Order (and the Biblical principles relating to it) from their pulpits — loud and often! People need to start warning their family members and friends. We need to start searching out like-minded patriots — who understand what's going on — for information and encouragement. And remember this: WE CAN DEFEAT THE NEW WORLD ORDER. Yes, we can!

The fatalistic view that we are helpless is a bunch of baloney! Our forefathers defeated the New World Order in their day. The globalists have been stymied many times through the years. The fact that they have not yet totally achieved their globalistic objectives shows us that it is possible to stop them, or at the very least, set their agenda backward.

I also urge my Christian brothers and sisters to rid themselves of the propensity to say, "This is God's will; there is nothing we can do about it." That, too, is hooey!

Christians are to be the "salt of the earth." Salt is a preservative, a retardant against decay. We are instructed to be faithful "unto death." In Romans chapter 3, the Apostle Paul made it clear that we must never support evil that good may come. I would remind my brethren that refusing to resist evil is the same as supporting it. Sitting back complacently and saying, "This must happen so Jesus can come," borders on blasphemy. It runs counter to everything the Bible teaches. We Christians have a duty, an obligation to do right with no regard to outcome or consequences.

When asked when He would establish His Kingdom on the earth, the first thing out of Jesus' mouth was, "It is not for you to know." Yet, many Christians presume to know the times and seasons of Christ's return. But let's be honest with ourselves and admit that we do NOT know. To sit back and say that we have full understanding of Bible prophecy and can say for certain what God does or does not want to accomplish in and through our country is the height of arrogance and pride. Only God knows those things. It's time we let God be God and start doing what is ours to do.

What we do know is any attempt at establishing global government is as wicked now as it was at the Tower of Babel. As Christians, we are instructed to resist the wicked one. We must oppose him and his work. We are told to "occupy" until Christ returns, whenever that is. To "occupy" means to "take care of business." God expects us to follow His teaching and do what is ours to do. To use Christ's coming as an excuse to not "take care of business" is itself inexcusable!

As John Quincy Adams said, "Duty is ours; results are God's." If we would truly do our duty, who knows what God would do to help us defeat (for the sake of our children and grandchildren) this devilish New World Order?

As for me and my house, we will fight for a free, independent and sovereign United States — so that we might walk, work, and worship in freedom — as long as we have breath in our being. How about you?

Chuck Baldwin is founder and Pastor of Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. In 2008, he was the Constitution Party candidate for President of the United States. He is the author of two books and the host of the hard-hitting radio talk show Chuck Baldwin Live. Dr. Baldwin's columns are used with permission. Visit his website. http://chuckbaldwin.com

“The NWO (New World Order) is the ultimate goal of those who conspire to control the world and ALL else is just a smoke screen, a stepping stone or a diversionary tactic!” Woody Wood