Tag Archive for: rain

I Know My Plans for You: My Heavenly Calendar

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11  

Just like a good father who plans activities for his family on certain days to go out together, bond, and have fun, God is like that. He is YOUR GOOD FATHER in Christ Jesus. He has good things on his agenda for you already planned, blessings in store, waiting to be unlocked in the context of a relationship with him.

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10  

Knowing all this, and that God is Lord over my time, I started the practice of downloading God’s agenda for me. Little did I know that I’ve set myself up for ongoing amazements, surprises, and of discovering more and more the reality of the Lord and that He is Emmanuel, who indeed is God with me.

I printed the monthly calendars on an A4 size then I got home, excited to fill in the blanks with the God substance! I took the monthly calendar paper that just started, lifted a prayer asking God to rule and reign over it, and fill each day and hour with his goodness.

I asked the Lord to give me a title and verse for that month and so He did. Then I continued in prayer and looked at the blank days of that month before my eyes, and asked the Lord to highlight the days marked on his agenda for me. Slowly I began scanning each section and I marked the days I felt Holy Spirit was hovering on. After finishing my spiritual scanning, I stopped on each highlighted day and asked the Lord to give me a title for that day. He was faithful to download his headlines to me for each coming highlighted day that month.

That created a great expectation in me to see the fulfillment and the download of His goodness into His marked days. The days that weren’t highlighted didn’t mean they didn’t belong to the Lord. It is just that there are some specific days where the FATHER has planned something special for me.

“How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!” Psalms 139:17-18

If I write all my testimonies, the surprises, and the fulfillment of God’s agenda for me each month, I don’t think I will be able to keep this devotion short. But one of the remarkable things that happened to me that I can tell you about and I can't forget is this incident:

I live an hour away from my family, and it is rare for my mother to visit me and if she does, it must be on a weekend. On a Monday, Mom called me.  She said she was passing by. I was surprised, and I told her, “Sure, it is always joyful to see you.” That Monday afternoon, Mama came, cleaned my little house, filled my fridge with all kinds of foods that last for a month, brought some accessories and decorated my rooms, and gave me money. I felt FULL on so many levels. I was so filled with gratitude to God and to her.

After she left back to our small hometown where she lives, the night fell and I spent some time with the Lord before going to bed, as I usually do. I forgot that day to check my calendar to see if that Monday was highlighted by the Lord. I grabbed the calendar, looked at the day, and to my shock I’d written at the beginning of that month this little title for that Monday: “MAMA’s BLESSINGS”. OMG! … I went crazy!

Happy downloading of God’s agenda for yourself!

Tony Francis

Download My Heavenly Calendar

Becoming Doves 🕊

God is soo good in the bad times and in the good!!

The story goes such that a great flood came upon the earth, people were completely wicked to the extent that they didn't know the difference between man and alien, in other words, the two became one. They were engrossed in demonic rituals and unruly worship of entities that fell from heaven !!

God in His mercy wanted to save mankind, which had pure DNA!! Hence He selected Noah and Noah’s family who were the remnant of all mankind!! God was good to protect His own creation from the grips of satan.

Deception is very subtle, it seeps in inch by inch like a murderer who ropes in his victims. No one knows who the culprit is until the mystery is unlocked!!

Yeshua said you need to be wise like serpents & harmless as doves!! He will train us, but you need to be willing to learn from His footsteps!!

Sit at the feet of Yeshua, & when He reveals the mysteries of heaven; every deception will come to light!! Seek God & He will bestow abundance of His goodness!!

Become a dove

Selah’

Jeevz💕

Eye Salve To SEE

When you want to see something in the natural, you turn your eyes to it, look at it and you see it. You understand what you saw when your brain processes it. Seeing is an understanding! Now in the spiritual, you see something not necessarily by looking at it but by turning your spirit toward it, by thinking about it, and by giving it your awareness.

Faith is the processor of what you look at in the spirit as the brain is the processor for your earthly eyes.

“By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen did not come from anything visible. Hebrews 11:3”

So in the spirit, you see something by turning your thoughts and awareness to it by faith but it’s the Holy Spirit who breathes life and SHOWS things to come. For example, right now you can do this activation, do you want to see into your future? By faith, turn your thoughts and awareness to this direction and look, wait to get understanding and revelation from Holy Spirit.

You can look by faith at anything, just anything!

What area do you need to look at in the spirit? YOU CAN SEE. And at the end, the greatest thing to look at is Jesus, the glory of God himself. You can see him, you can know him and you can interact with him. You can see your children in the spirit, it’s not spying, don’t be afraid because God will only show you what is allowed for you to see and know. Happy Seeing!

I will end by asking you how did prophet Elisha saw his servant Gehazi from a distance when he met Naaman the Assyrian to take stuff from him in private? Elisha told him “my heart was with you”! 2 Kings 5

Tony Francis

She killed him then he killed her

When Elijah the prophet fled because he got scared of Jezebel's threatening to take his life, he became tired, drained, depressed, and suicidal but it started with fear. Then God met him on the mountain in the cave, and asked him what are you doing here Elijah? He asked him that twice and twice was the same answer.

“I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” 1 Kings 19:14

“They seek my life”? Was that accurate? Let’s see what happened and why Elijah fled:

“Now Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” And he was afraid and arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.” 1 Kings 19:1-3

Elijah answered with pride and wasn't real. He could have told the Lord sincerely; well I am afraid of Jezebel Sir that is why. When we are afraid, we may exaggerate. It was one woman who threatened him but Elijah said: THEY seek my life.

Elijah answered the Lord in a spiritual heroic way: I had to flee and preserve myself and my ministry because I am the only voice left for you O God (and there is none like me. This is my adding). Am I against fleeing to protect our lives? No. But was he led by the Spirit to do that or was he fear-driven? Because sometimes the Spirit leads us to stay and confront and other times to flee. Jesus left immediately on many occasions and attempts to kill him but he was motivated by love and not by fear. Because fear is a sin! And Jesus knew it wasn’t his time to die this way.

In my opinion, God asked Elijah twice to give him an invitation to be real and humble but maybe he couldn't swallow that the MIGHTY Elijah who just had a great conference on the mount Carmel is now running from a woman in authority. He could have been real with God because after all, God knows the heart. Jezebel threatened Elijah to put seeds of fear in him to control him and push him away because Elijah was the real threat to her worship system. If she wanted to kill him she could have taken him by surprise and not give him an appointment “tomorrow about this time”. If she had the chance to kill him, it was before the restoration of God’s people because now Elijah was more empowered.

“Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You, O LORD, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.” Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God.” 1 Kings 37-39

Sadly, Elijah kept hanging to pride on Horeb's mountain while God offered him invitations to humble himself and be real before him in that cave conversation. Elijah insisted that he was the man for the hour alone and that God’s power only works through him but God told him he kept 7000 for him. After that, we see that Elijah’s ministry came to a closing chapter and that he was only allowed to anoint others for continuity. The same thing happened with Moses when he beat the rock twice; his ministry ended after that act of disobedience fueled by pride that was disguised as anger. Then Joshua was appointed next!

On the other hand, David the king after committing adultery with Bathsheba and killing her husband, was humble, real, and repenting when Prophet Nathan confronted him with the word of the Lord and his ministry continued and his relationship with the Lord. We read him repenting in Psalms 51!

It’s true that Jezebel only threatened to kill Elijah but actually she did kill his influence and ministry at the end because Elijah swallowed the bait of fear mixed with pride and because he didn’t find the place of humility in the presence of the Lord, the Lord resisted the proud. But the good news is that Elijah also killed Jezebel and her ministry because he left a prophecy of judgment from the Lord against her that was after her even after he was taken to heaven.

“Of Jezebel also has the LORD spoken, saying, ‘The dogs will eat Jezebel in the district of Jezreel.'” 1 Kings 21: 23

How many times have we answered the Lord in pride when he was extending to us invitations to be real and humble?

“Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling.” Proverbs 16:18 

“Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, But humility goes before honor.” Proverbs 18:12 

“But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” James 4:6

Tony Francis

I hear the sound of abundance of rain

Nobody really appreciates water after extreme thirst than the one who experienced the cruelty and hotness of a desert. Maybe you have experienced a dry season in your health, business, connections and even your relationship with God. It feels dry, so dry and it is a very unpleasant feeling and experience! It is a fade, pale and lifeless scene. It smells like death and sucks all your energy and passion for living! Why? Because God created you to live in the blessing.

You tried to help yourself to get out of this situation. You used some available tools you know about and even created solutions because you were desperate for change. I am glad for you if it worked. But if you tried everything and still are in your dry season … Let me introduce you to the atmosphere changer and the rain dropper!

You may have tried to manipulate your life’s weather artificially and got few drops of blessings on you. You may have also boasted with the achievements you made with your effort and still are drunk with your success. If you can celebrate what your human power achieved so far, how much more would you get ecstatic, thrilled enough if God himself changed your atmospheres, and commanded the clouds of blessings to locate you and spill it all on you?

What man hardly achieves will end and is definitely temporary but if Jesus brought the changes to you, they will last because it comes out of an eternal God who lives forever and wants you remaining in fruitfulness. I believe with all my being if you exchange your power and trials with his, giving him space, and welcoming him into your situation you will be amazed!

Glory to God
Tony Francis

Elisha’s Double Anointing

By Barbie Breathitt

Christlikeness From the Life of Elisha: Tests and Double Mantle

Tests and a Double Mantle

After Elijah trained his servant Elisha to look and see, listen and hear, and prophesy the word of the Lord, it was time for him to return to Heaven. The heavenly chariot of God carried Elijah away from Elisha into the spiritual expanse of Heaven's eternity outside of time. Elisha was told by Elijah, “If you see me when I am taken from you, [you will receive a double portion of my spirit]…”

Elisha had to pass many tests and persevere in order to walk in Elijah's double mantle (see 2 Kings 2:1-18). Elijah asked Elisha to stay in Gilgal, the place of cutting, circumcision, and the rolling away of reproach, but he refused. This is a picture for us that when God removes our past failures and reproach, we must walk through the gates of authority into the new place with God; and so Elijah then moved on to Bethel, the place or house of God, the gates of Heaven. Bethel was a place where people went to seek counsel from God. Elisha followed Elijah to Bethel to learn how to obtain God's counsel.

We must follow the leading of the Holy Spirit to the next place of testing to progress spiritually. We cannot remain complacent or stagnant; the river of God always flows.

Next, the sons of the prophets came to Elisha in Bethel and said, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?' And Elisha said, “Yes I know; be still!” Elijah told Elisha to remain in Bethel while he went on to Jericho. But Elisha said, “I will not leave you” (2 Kings 2:3 NASB).

The sons of the prophets in Jericho, a place of fragrance and warfare, had also been shown that Elijah was going to be taken away from Elisha that day.

From Jericho, Elijah and Elisha traveled on to Jordan, a place of flowing down or descending, where fifty men of the sons of the prophets stood opposite them at the Jordan River. Elijah took his mantle, folded it together, and struck the waters of the Jordan, which divided, allowing both prophets to cross over on dry ground.

When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to Heaven. Elisha saw it [the chariot] and cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw Elijah no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 2 Kings 2:9-12 NASB

However, Elijah did not hand his mantle onto Elisha; Elisha had to pick it up after Elijah was taken into Heaven.

What Was the Significance of Elijah's Mantle For Elisha?

The word mantle in Hebrew is addereth; its root word being adar, which is also the word for the last month on the Hebrew calendar. The month of Adar is the best time to remove any personal barriers to holiness, thus it is a time to create the potential for the greatest joy. Adar is the final month of the year, i.e. it completes the year, and hence it is a time of completion.The root meaning of adar is glorious, splendid, marvelous, and mighty. In a noun form it is rendered as a cloak or mantle.

He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan. He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over. 2 Kings 2:13-14 NASB

Jewish traditions indicate that the mantle that fell from Elijah was a tallith or prayer shawl. The tallith of a prophet or master teacher would have dark purple-blue threads in the corner tassel. People believed that the purple thread contained miracle power. This is why the woman with the issue of blood wanted to touch the hem of Jesus' tallith or garment. When she was healed, Jesus said, “Who touched Me?…I felt virtue leave Me.” Then He told her, “Your faith has made you whole,” not a purple thread (see Matthew 9:20-22 and Luke 8:43-48).

Elijah's tallith, mantle, or “adar” symbolized that Elisha had removed any barriers to his relationship with God. He was no longer the servant but now stepped into the place of the prophet he had served. Elijah's mantle was a doorway to God's power. Elijah told Elisha that if he saw him taken, he would have his desire to carry on the prophetic ministry with a double portion of his spirit.

The mantle is a symbol of joy and completion. Elijah left his mantle as a sign that he had completed his assignment. Elisha picked up Elijah's mantle indicating the start of a new year; he was picking up where Elijah left off and beginning his own ministry as a prophet. Elijah's mantle was a symbol of an agreement of power and authority between Elijah and God. Elisha's picking up Elijah's mantle symbolized that he was entering into the same agreement with God. When Elisha used Elijah's mantle to part the Jordan River, God established His agreement or covenant with Elisha.

What The Double Portion Looks Like

Everyone is at a different level of hearing and seeing in their spiritual understanding. Elisha had walked and been personally trained by Elijah for years. He had been tested and tried in spiritual disciplines. The sons of the prophets had been through training as well, yet they did not possess the level of seeing that Elisha had developed. Elisha saw the chariot of fire and the horses come to separate him from Elijah. He cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” (2 Kings 2:12 NASB).

The sons of the prophets only saw the whirlwind the chariot created. The sons of the prophets were left wondering if Elijah had been translated to Heaven or if he had possibly been transported to another geographic location. They had to search for three days in the natural to come into peace. Elisha knew Elijah had been taken to Heaven because he saw beyond the natural into the invisible realm of the Spirit.

Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him. They said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men, please let them go and search for your master; perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.” But when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men; and they searched three days but did not find him. They returned to him while he was staying at Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go'?” 2 Kings 2:15-18 NASB

The New Testament shares an example of the audible voice of God speaking from Heaven when Jesus foretold of His death. Some that stood by didn't hear anything. Others who were present in the crowd heard God's voice manifested in thunder, while still others thought it was an angel.

So the crowd of people who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, “An angel has spoken to Him.” Jesus answered and said, “This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sakes.” John 12:29-30 NASB

The names of both Elijah (meaning “the Lord is my God” or spiritual champion) and Elisha (meaning “God will save me” or protected) carries the record of what they represent, but not necessarily how they saw, if they are thought to be seers. Elijah's name means God is Jehovah or YHVH is my God. He functioned as the Father's recorder on earth.

In the case of God's servant Elijah, the chariot was a trans-dimensional carrier of God's servant. The chariot of God transported Elijah out of time into the eternal realm where Elijah had always existed in heavenly places. When the fullness of time came, God reached down to retrieve the recording of Himself He had placed within Elijah.

Elijah came to restore all things back to God. He was called to turn the hearts of the Fathers back to the sons, and to turn the sons' hearts back to the fathers', to make ready a people for God lest God curse the earth (see Malachi 4). Elijah's anointing was to restore righteousness and protect the earthly realm from being struck with a curse caused by sin.

Elisha's name means “GOD is salvation” or “My God is salvation.” He functioned under a double portion of Elijah's spirit.

Walk Like the Prophet Elisha

Elisha's eyes saw beyond the veil of the natural into the supernatural realm where God's army of fiery angels and chariots reside. His eyes were not limited by situations or hard facts. He knew to look beyond the natural to see God's provision. He trusted more in the realm of faith than what seemed to appear in the natural.

When fear blinded Elisha's servant, the prophet's prayer was able to open the attendant's spiritually blind eyes to see the coexisting spiritual realms of angels. Knowing that there are more for us than against us brings a peace beyond our present understanding.

Prayer delivers us from fear. Prayer opens our eyes to see God's ever-present answer, while at the same time prophetic decree will blind our enemies and place them at our mercy. For God to trust us at this level, it requires us to develop greater levels of obedience of compassion. God wants to trust us with the lives of our enemies. God tests and tries us until He knows that we will not execute our own judgment or harm people in any way.

When God delivers our enemies into our hands, we must return good for evil, blessing for cursing, and lovingkindness for abuse. The Lord is the only one who should ever move in judgment. He said, “Vengeance is Mine.” We have no right to be vengeful. It is God's place to vindicate us.

We are called to love our enemies, to be kind to those who persecute, use, and abuse our kindness. We should lead our enemies to salvation, and their eyes will be opened to God's saving word, loving spirit, and grace. It is time to love like God loves; see like God sees; obey what God's Word says, and then do what God does.

Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant's eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:15-17 NASB

When Elisha's enemies came down off the mountain to pursue him, Elisha prayed. We should follow his example. Elisha's prayers struck his enemies with blindness. This removed the enemy's power and control. They were forced into a vulnerable place, wandering in darkness and confusion. The army had come to do the prophet great harm, but God protected him. The prophet placed his trust in God. In this new state of total dependence and humiliation, the enemy had to trust and blindly follow Elisha to Samaria. Elisha said, “Follow me and I will bring you to the man whom you seek” (2 Kings 6:19 NASB). (Photo courtesy: Global Recordings Network)

When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, “Strike this people with blindness, I pray.” So He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. Then Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, nor is this the city; follow me and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” And he brought them to Samaria. 2 Kings 6:18-19 NASB

Elisha's enemies had to walk through the process of trusting the one they were sent to destroy. Once they arrived at the promised location, Elisha prayed that God would reopen their blind eyes. Their vision was restored. New vision was given in the midst of their enemies.

When they had come into Samaria, Elisha said, “O Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” So the Lord opened their eyes and they saw; and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. 2 Kings 6:20 NASB

Many of us have been wounded by an enemy or betrayed by a close friend, but we are to respond to them with God's lovingkindness and compassion.

Then the king of Israel when he saw them, said to Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” He answered, “You shall not kill them. Would you kill those you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow?…2 Kings 6:21-22 NASB

Elisha told the King of Israel to respond according to the greatness of God's loving-kindness, to make his enemies the objects of compassion in the presence of all their captors. Elisha encouraged the king to feed the Arameans, to provide for and care for his enemies instead of killing them. The king prepared a feast for the enemy soldiers and they ate to their fill.

“…Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.” So he prepared a great feast for them; and when they had eaten and drunk he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the marauding bands of Arameans did not come again into the land of Israel. 2 Kings 6:22-23 NASB

Elisha's mercy triumphed over judgment. Great grace leads us to victory. The King of Israel's enemies were delivered into his hands. The King was eager to execute judgment and destroy his enemies, but the prophet carefully redirected his focus to blessing and not destruction.

Good will always triumph over evil. Love will also bring forth a better result than hate. Never greet your enemy in the same malignant spirit. Never return evil for evil but learn to bless instead of curse. We are not of this world, so we cannot respond in the spirit of this world. God is love so we must respond in the power of His might.

Barbie L. Breathitt Ph.D.
Breath of the Spirit Ministries
Email: Barbie@BreathOfTheSpiritMinistries.com
Website: BreathOfTheSpiritMinistries.com

Revival Is Coming

By Patricia King

A mighty wave of the Spirit is coming to the earth soon! It is going to be amazing and will have greater influence and spread faster than any other move of the Spirit in the history of the church. This move will sweep over the nations like lightning, with a level of grace (God’s favor and divine influence) that is unprecedented, manifesting the fruit of holiness, conviction, and a great harvest of souls.

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age.” Titus 2:11-12 NASB

The younger generation will be transformed by this move and many miracles, signs and wonders will mark the wave. Resurrections and creative miracles will be witnessed on a regular basis, and the presence of the grace of the Lord will fall upon gatherings of believers like a cloud filled with the dew of heaven.

How do we prepare for such a move? Biblical and church history reveals an important key. Having prophetic insight into what is coming is not enough. For example, Elijah heard “the sound of the roar of a heavy shower” (1 Kings 18:41) and immediately went to the top of Mount Carmel to give birth to the vision through watching and praying (see 1 Kings 18:42-45). Birthing revival through intercession is a key. He saw the cloud manifest firsthand and experienced the heavy rain and the accompanying power of God as he outran Ahab’s chariot.

Jesus prophesied to His disciples that they would be “baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:5). The disciples responded to that word by birthing it in prayer and intercession in the upper room. Like Elijah, they became partakers of the first fruit when the Spirit was poured out and three thousand were added to the church in the first day.

Prior to the Welsh revival, a strong focus of prayer prevailed. Evan Roberts, a pivotal individual in the birthing of the revival, committed himself to prayer and to gaining a more intimate relationship with God for a period of 13 years before the revival in Wales broke out. He went to prayer meetings almost every night of the week to intercede for a mighty visitation of God’s Spirit. The prayer birthed a season of personal visitation from the Lord for him and soon after the revival was launched. Even in the midst of the revival there was tremendous continued grace on prayer.

People were praying everywhere. Small prayer groups grew into large corporate gatherings of intercession at any time during the day or night. As a result of the prayer the revival spread like wildfire. Prayer meetings often lasted till the early hours of the morning and people hesitated to leave lest they miss out on a special move from the Lord.

Similar prayer focus is found prior to other outbreaks of the Spirit throughout revival history. Let’s birth revival. Let’s birth the next outpouring of the Spirit. We have the prophetic word and now we need the intercession. Let’s receive grace to come boldly before the throne and cry out to God to help us in time of need. Let’s humble ourselves before Him and ask Him to manifest His great mercy and power in this hour.

If we posture ourselves in prayer, we will see the glory of God. Revival is on its way.

My Testimony

“Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.” Hebrews 12:9-10

My father disciplined me for a little while as he thought best for me and I am thankful! Are you familiar with this verse “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”? (Matthew 7:11). What my father thought was best for me was in many ways evil and hurt me, but no blame, because he thought he was giving me his best and sincerely I appreciate his efforts in raising me up, God bless him. It isn’t always what people do to you that hurt you; mostly it’s what they don’t do for you while the bar of your expectations is so high, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” and in many ways what my dad didn’t do for me made my heart sick.

For those of you who don’t know my dad, here is a little bit of background for you: my dad is so old because of his late marriage at the age of 50, so I grew up in an environment where my friends at school and my community around me used to tell me: “your grandfather is so funny” and with a bitter smile I answer: “he is my dad”. He’s now 84 years old, in a good health and I’m believing for his salvation. He was always there to provide for me, I didn’t lack any material blessing at all, in fact I lived in abundance, in a big prosperous house, with the best games, the finest clothes, the best school and education in town … while I was living as a rich boy outwardly, I lived a severe poverty inwardly, in my emotions I was a beggar for the fatherhood love & affections. I don’t remember my dad playing with me or affirming me especially in my most time needed of my shaping as a man, more than that he didn’t model to me this strong father figure, where he rebukes me in doing wrong or even slap me! He was tender in character all the time, trying to correct me always with gentle words, until I hungered to see him slap me just to feel his strength, funny huh? He didn’t train me to carry responsibilities nor to face challenges, thus when I grew up the storms of life swallowed me; even I couldn’t stand its slightest breeze. I was so naïve inside and emptiness in me was horrible. I won’t discuss here the consequences of such things but believe me I was mentally, emotionally and spiritually sick and handicapped from head to toe. I was a living dead, well not quite, a living dead doesn’t feel, but I was feeling all the pain of the world. I was raised in a very beautiful home but because of my dad’s absence in my personal life I felt like an orphan homeless, I was lost in the rooms of my life and later I made it my aim to seek for the alternative as soon as I grow up and the world was gladly waiting for me with open arms to embrace a sinful life to journey from pit to a deeper pit and from deception to another.

Did I choose all that? Well some of it, I was aware that some decisions I should not have made but don’t blame a sick hopeless person, blame those who tasted the glory and forsaken it for the lesser. I think the prodigal son was crazy, how could he leave such a wonderful Dad? In the prodigal son’s story, I think the son was bad, in my story my father’s absence was bad. After I came to Christ, and his glorious light shone upon my darkness, I learned about the heavenly Dad but it was mere theology and head knowledge rather than a radical life changing experiences with him. If you were to ask me some spiritual questions, I would have raised my chin up and answered you boldly about my solid sound doctrine. I would have answered the same if you were to ask me about the trinity and the Heavenly Father but did I know him by experience? Not really! My friend, I tell you the truth, everything bad and deformed in my experience with my earthly dad was projected in my relationship with my Heavenly Father, without knowing. I always thought that this up there Father is distant, uncaring and an old guy on the throne. I always felt disconnected with him, I know he’s there hearing me and providing but I was not able to connect intimately with him. I treated him the same way I treated my dad, I used to bring him my list of needs in prayer to provide and then leave. I didn’t express my love to him and I didn’t think he would say it back to me or even wanted to touch me. My perspective of this perfect Dad who is like no other was deformed with the filter of my imperfect experiences. Until the moment my Heavenly Father started to visit me to introduce himself to me … and here my story begins!

Glory to God
Tony Francis

Relationships like Heaven

I am wondering how relationships look like in heaven? How do people treat each other up there? But before I proceed talking about relationships I want to shed a light on this idea that I find foundational. Relationships are a divine concept and issue from the heart and the nature of God because as you know God is a Trinity, Father Son & Holy Spirit. He is one God in 3 separate persons that share the same nature, divinity and unity. God the Father has a will separate than the will of the Son and the Holy Spirit, that’s why we see Jesus surrendering his will to the will of his Father before he went to the cross. (Luke 22:42)

The Concept of relationships is from eternity and this glorious fellowship in the Godhead is intimate even before the creation of Angels. Everything good initiates from God and he wants us to enjoy this eternal pleasure of being involved in godly relationships with him and others as he is with himself and his children. God is a relational God and everything he does is based on this and he made you a partner with the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14). People who are in heaven are looking at the throne of God and at his right hand where Jesus sits and the Holy Spirit who is before the throne and they are beholding this glorious fellowship going on in the Godhead and are mirroring the exact same thing with each other.

Jesus: “But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:44-45). See? God’s nature is the guideline for our relationships and the more we are transformed into his image the more our relationships will be holy and heavenly not the opposite, work on being changed first and not on changing others or the relationship itself. Jesus also said: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34- 35). Jesus first modeled practically before us how to do it. Oh if you really want an exciting glorious life of blessed relationships, look at the Trinity! God longs that relationships in your personal life, in your church, in your workplace, in your family, in your community, in your school, in your university and in the marketplace to be on earth as it is heaven! Let God coach you in relationships and bring you revival!

 Glory to God
Tony Francis

The Story of Rocky & Sandy

Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me. Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. (Psalms 27:10-11)

Rocky and Sandy were cute little children who spent most of their childhood time playing together in the neighborhood. Sandy was raised by wonderful parents who loved her so much and were so concerned to be the best parents to make her lack nothing. Although they were busy yet they always found quality time to spend with their little precious daughter. They played together, ate together, laughed together, brought her gifts and took her to the best school in town; they really did their best to take care of her to secure a wonderful childhood full of warm memories and feelings when she recalls it. Rocky was also raised in such a wonderful family too, his parents did also the same with him but within the frame of their spending of their time together, they taught him the word of God and his ways, they prayed together & they prayed for Rocky and not only with words they also modeled the gospel to him in their living and actions. They really invested in Rocky and set him in the safe boundaries of God’s word. Both Rocky & Sandy had a wonderful childhood and wonderful moms & dads.

Rocky and Sandy grew up healthy teenagers excited to embrace their journey of life and ready to explore the world but they both faced tough temptations which were so appealing, attracting & seducing. Rocky’s decisions were so firm and didn’t yield because the hidden word of God in him supported him along the way but Sandy couldn’t resist long and was lost in the world and great was her fall.

Jesus: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:24-27)

Now whose parenting endured? Whose parenting was successful? Parenting is a lot of sweat but it’s worth the hard work because true parenting isn’t meant to be for a short term but for a long term that stick to your children everywhere. Are you a short term or a long term parent? Will your parenting accompany your children and influence them to make godly decisions even when you aren’t there? In Psalms 27:10 David said that his parents forsake him and the Lord will receive him but why would David seek after God? The answer is in the next verse, God as a mother & a father receives David to teach him his way, his word to remain strong against his oppressors. A father and a mother’s first duty is to teach their children God’s ways which enable them to stand against the oppressors of life. It’s such a blessing to have spiritual parents who feed you the word of God but if you don’t have, God’s parenting for you is more than enough. Study all the scriptures and you will learn that this is God’s original design for parenting! Adopt it. “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain” (Psalms 127:1)

 Glory to God
Tony Francis