Megamorphosis Magazine Issue 9 - March Saints by Megamorphosis Magazine

AUTHOR KEN HARRISON + ZACK CURRY + CRAIG SWEENEY + DEAN DEGUARA

FOR THE RISK-TAKERS

MAGAZINE

MAN UP with ken harrison

March! Saints

Author + CEO of Promise Keepers

#shareradicallove #expectmiracles

Issue 9: MARCH! SAINTS

Photo by Monty Nuss

THE WORLD DOESN’T NEED MORE RELIGION. THEY NEED LOVE. THE WORLD DOESN’T NEED

MORE RELIGION.

THEY NEED LOVE.

#MEGAMORPHOSISMAGAZINE #MEGAMORPHOSISMAGAZINE

#SHARERADICALLOVE #SHARERADICALLOVE

#EXPECTMIRACLES #EXPECTMIRACLES

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passionate music by passionate people

CONTENTS

ISSUE 9 MARCH, SAINTS!

CREATED, DESIGNED & EDITED BY A TEAM OF 3 + A BUNCH OF WRITERS JENENE STAFFORD, NISSI GUIAO, HEATHER MURDOCK, JOY HARRIGAN, KEVIN CASTLE, HEIDI WHITE, DR. JOHN JACKSON, TANNER DI BELLA, LORI & LARRY HILL, PAYTON CARTY, JEFF WITTMER & CARA MOELLER A SPECIAL WELCOME AND THANK YOU TO A FEW NEW COLUMNISTS: PASTORS ZACK CURRY OF JESUS CULTURE SACRAMENTO, DEAN DEGUARA OF REAL LIFE CHURCH IN SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA AND CRAIG SWEENEY OF BAYSIDE CHURCH OF CITRUS HEIGHTS

14 STEWARDING LEGACY Dean Deguara Column

16 AGAINST ALL ODDS Craig Sweeney Column

20 FULLY ALIVE Zack Curry Man Camp Column

60 MAN UP: KEN HARRISON

50 PART 1: LEGACY SECTION Lincoln Leadership By Kevin Castle

60 MAN UP â&#x20AC;&#x201D;WITH AUTHOR KEN

HARRISON Ken Harrison, CEO of Promise Keepers By Jenene Stafford

66 PART 2: 2020 LENSES Prophetic Lenses for 2020

Words by Jenene Stafford, Anita Alexander and Christy Johnston

78 BRAVE

78 PART 3: BRAVE By Jenene Stafford

FOUNDER'S LETTER

By Jenene Stafford

OIL, JESUS & JOY By Lori Hill

JESUS IS KING By Heather Murdock: Unleashed Column

GOD LOVES JUSTICE By Tanner Di Bella

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TRAFFICKING IN 2019 By Joy Harrington

BOLD MOVES By Payton Carty

A CRY FOR FREEDOM By Cara Moeller

WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW By Dr. John Jackson

37 THE BURDEN OF PASSIVENESS By Kevin Castle

FROM SHADOWS TO SIGNIFICANCE By Jeff Wittmer: King Maker Column

38 CALLED TO THE HARD PLACES By Heidi White

2020

[ N E W CO LU M N I ST S W E LCO M E ]

New Pastors Sharing their Voice in Megamorphosis Magazine We’re honored to have 3 new pastors coming on board with their new columns for 2020 encouraging men to rise up and be the men they were created to be. All 3 of these men were hand picked by God to be influential leaders in the city of Sacramento and to impact their community and marketplace.

Zack Curry

Dean Deguara

Craig Sweeney

Zack Curry is a pastor of Jesus

Dean Deguara is the lead pastor for

Craig Sweeney is the lead pastor for

Culture Church Sacramento

Real Life Church in Natomas, CA

Bayside Church of Citrus Heights

PASSIONATE! - l’m passionate about family, impacting culture and seeing men live fully alive to serve the world. We have a podcast called “Man Camp” to invite other men beyond our community on this journey into the wild, stepping outside of isolation, the normal, mundane and status quo, to explore and discover what it means to be a man.

ENCOURAGING! l I have a passion for leadership and encouraging pastors and leaders to elevate their ministries and organizations.I believe men living fully alive from their identity as a son will serve and lead their families, communities and cities. Thet will find healing and wholeness in community and through what Jesus paid for on the cross.

IMPACT! – I want to have a strong effect on people—that’s the definition of impact. That’s exactly how the irresistible church of the first century would be described. We endeavor to follow their example! We recognize our opportunity to IMPACT this generation in this region and in our communities, and we won’t let it go.

www.JesusCulture.com

www.RLCSac.org

www.BaysideCH.com

MEGAMORPHOSISMAGAZINE.COM

founder's Thoughts

March! Saints It's 2020 hen I met Ken Harrison I knew there was something really special about this guy. I was so happy to discover that he was a real down-to-earth leader and also a little bit of a younger look alike version of George Clooney. I thought maybe it was just me until other people who saw the cover said the exact same thing. Anyway, I appreciate a man that will look you in the eye, and Ken does, but he's very unassuming. He's empathetic and really present. Ken worked as a Los Angeles police officer on some of the most crime-filled streets in America and has seen it all when it comes to crime, suffering, violence and even death. His stories in his book "Rise of the Servant King: What the Bible Says about Being a Man" will keep you on the edge of your seat. I heard

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other women say to read it because women will also appreciate the lessons as well as men. I agree. I read it all and loved it! Ladies, I say go and get the book for your husband for the New Year, but read it yourself too. Ken is the right guy to become the new CEO of Promise Keepers (yes, it's back). They're claiming a new era for PK and I believe that will be the case. Many people thought it went to the wayside, but God is bringing something seemingly dead back to life, and bringing redemption as well. Ken never wanted to take on a dead organization. Hey, his words, not mine. But God had a perfect plan and the perfect man for the job. After retiring as a police officer and a successful business man who built a lucrative kingdom of his own, God asked Ken a direct question. "Will you have as much ambition for my kingdom as you did your own?" You'll have to read the story to get the scoop (page 60). Needless to say, Ken's on the cover because God is going to use him to rise up men to change the game in America. He's been discipling men to be the men God intended for them to be for their wives, families, churches and communities for years. Now with PK and his new book he has the opportunity to make a much bigger impact as a kingdom leader. Leadership, justice, bravery, and legacy are all topics covered in this "March! Saints" issue, as well as 2020 lenses. God wants us all in position, marching forward and not looking back. 2020 is a ground-breaking year and we ALL have a part to play in that—not just the men. Ladies, it's time to do the brave work—to transform your story, dis-

The world needs us, my beautiful friends. It's past time to learn to lead well together and honor each other, men and women alike. cover your voice and face what holds you back. The world needs us all my beautiful friends. It's past time to learn to lead well together and honor each other, men and women alike. That's how we leverage our leadership and influence in the church and in the world—love one another like Jesus. Lastly, a heartfelt welcome to 3 pastors writing new columns: Craig Sweeney (Bayside Church of Citrus Heights), Zack Curry (Jesus Culture Sacramento) and Dean Deguara (Real Life Church). Thank you for sharing your voices with the MM tribe.

JENENE STAFFORD Founder & Creator

P.S. #shareradicallove

2020

Find Your True North SIGN UP FOR A SPIRITUAL GYM

The Dokimos Project is an intense spiritual workout for marketplace influencers that will help you discover your unique identity in Christ, journey of hope and divine assignment. You will be commissioned to advance God's kingdom in your sphere of influence. This 12 week course is targeted for those called to the marketplace but open to all who want to grow their confidence and spiritual gifts. Join a growing number of marketplace ministers who are equipped and commissioned in their unique identity in Christ, gifting, journey of inner healing and calling to bring hope to all spheres of influence. Learn more at a guest event happening in the Sacramento Area. Come and check us out and you'll hear stories from other graduates of the impact of Dokimos Project Spiritual Gyms! Contact us at info@dokimosproject.com for details.

www.DokimosProject.com

7 Elements of the Culture of the Megamorphosis Magazine Family We believe that the culture of Megamorphosis Magazine represents the Kingdom of God that Jesus came to establish.

When we gather, this is what it’s about—growing more into the likeness of Jesus and becoming true ambassadors of the Kingdom of God. We’re rising up an army— super soldiers for Jesus and the cause of LOVE.

LOVE

HONOR

We see our tribe as family, not as a guest in our home. We have a love that heals and inspires.

We honor God, our callings in life and each other and we seek out the gold in every person.

UNITY

FORGIVENESS

We’re going after unity in the Spirit and we’re praying for more revelation.

We forgive just like Jesus forgives us every day. We strive to give no opportunity to the enemy.

TRUTH

BRAVERY

Jesus is the Way, the Truth & the Life and He’s our solid foundation.

We are:

A. Anointed & Accountable

SACRIFICE We sacrifice for the needs of the family of God and we strive to put others’ needs above our own.

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Our Culture Is One of Love, Honor, Unity, Forgiveness, Truth, Bravery & Sacrifice #shareradicallove #expectmiracles #nocottoncandychristianity

B. Bold & Brilliant R. Rulers and Rolemodels

V. Valiant & Victorious E. Enlightened & Engaged

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SECTIONS OF MM RISK-TAKERS People willing to risk it all for Jesus

We’re creative risk-takers defying status quo Christianity. UP & COMERS S i n g e r s & S o n g w r i t e rs

People, maybe unkown, but God is making known in the marketplace MOVERS & SHAKERS Movements on the rise Movements that are shaking things up for the sake of the Father’s heart THEN & NOW Th e n e w J e s u s movement

People passionate to bring LOVE and the power of the Kingdom to earth ROOTS Our Jewish roots

Learning to understand the Jewish festivals and the mysteries of the Bible

We’re Just Trying Our Best to Be Like Jesus

OUR MISSION: To go. To send. To love.

“At the heart of all that we do is to take Jesus’ words seriously—to GO— not sit and wait for people to show up at church on Sunday.”

OUR TRIBE: We’re creative risk-takers chaning lives, shaking things up & defying status-quo Christianity.

Megamorphosis Magazine is a spirit-led magazine. We’re passionate about highlighting what we believe is on God’s heart and who He is using in the marketplace. We’re not out searching for people—we’re simply listening for Holy Spirit to disrupt our lives and our agenda so every day—every hour even, we’re available to hear who God wants put on these inspiring pages.

CHECK OUT THE ENDORSEMENT VIDEO ON OUR INSTAGRAM PAGE @MEGAMORPHOSISMAGAZINE.

OUR VISION: To remember the new commandment Jesus gave—“To love one another (John 15:5).”

WHAT WE STRIVE FOR: 1) To be on God’s agenda, not our own. 2) To be exactly who God has mandated us to be—nothing more and nothing less. 3) To fulfill Jesus’ request to “display the beauty and uniqueness of His bride” per the words of Jesus himself. 4) To be authentic and real (not religious) and to share radical love.

“Megamorphosis is going to be God’s tool to stir up those revival passions in this generation and capture what the Holy Spirit is doing in the lives of His people.”

LENSES A prophetic glimpse i n t o t h e f u t u re

Prophetic people bringing vision, wisdom and words from Holy Spirit LEGACY L e a d e r s a n d i n f l u e n c e rs

Leaders, influencers and entrepreneurs building legacies through coaching HOLYWOOD A c t o r s a n d p ro d u c e rs called to bring Jesus t o t h e b i g s c re e n

A new Hollywood will rise in a new place and we’re going to document it BRAVE Wo m e n s p e a k e rs , l e a d e r s a n d i n f l u e n c e rs

Women empowering women to discover their purpose and share their voice

Dr. John Jackson, President of William Jessup University, Endorses MM

DR. JOHN JACKSON, the president of William Jessup University, is a contributing writer for MM and a genuine supporter. Three years ago, Jenene Stafford, creator of MM, sat down and met privately with John and shared the vision she had from

Jesus and she said she “couldn’t shake the vision of seeing the magazine in print” and John authentically said “How many people have told you you were crazy?” Jenene said, “Plenty, but it only matters what Jesus says.” Although every issue is a financial challenge to get it published, still miraculously

Jenene and Nissi (at this point) make the editing and production happen because of sheer determination to believe that MM is in fact, a mandated piece of art created by the Father’s hand. It is a healing magazine and a beacon of light.

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LEADERS THAT INSPIRE & MOVEMENTS WE LOVE

FAV’S

1DAYLA.COM For a week missionaries from all over the planet show up and pour out love to a specific nation. In 2020 it’s a city, Los Angeles, California. http://www.1DayLA.com

THERE ARE JESUS MOVEMENTS RISING UP ALL OVER THE GLOBE & HERE’S A FEW OF OUR FAVORITES Check out the movements and events we love, starting above.

2. FAV’S

Get in the Loop With MM & Join us for a “Family Gathering” or one of our events GO TO OUR WEBSITE OR REACH OUT ON FACEBOOK OR INSTAGRAM If you happen to be in Sacramento, California come and gather with us. Every event is unique because they’re Spirit-led just like our magazine.

TOGETHER GENERATION Join Together Generation as they take over Washington D.C. on June 20th, 2020. http://www.togethergeneration.com/

PLEASE CONTACT US VIA PRIVATE MESSAGE ON FACEBOOK OR INSTAGRAM IF YOU’D LIKE TO GET INVOLVED, VOLUNTEER OR SPONSOR AN EVENT OR GATHERING . @Megamorphosismagazine

books we love.

CLICK TO BUY.

FAV’S

MEGAMORPHOSISMAGAZINE.COM

1Nation 1Day is switching things up in 2020 and coming to the city of Los Angeles to serve thousands of people in one day What can happen when thousands of missionaries show up and take over a country at the same time? That’s the premise of 1Nation1Day. For a week missionaries from all over the planet show up and pour out love to a specific nation. They build water wells and provide water filtration systems, they help heal the sick at medical centers, they feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and build homes for the homeless. Then they bring everyone together to hear the Gospel. Except they don’t fill buildings, they fill stadiums.

People come in droves, filling every nook and cranny creating a vast sea of people. Typically 1Nation1day chooses a nation to impact. So far they’ve worked in Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru, and the Donovan Republic. This year they’ve chosen our own backyard, and specifically, Los Angeles.

The City of Angels is obviously not a country, but it has nearly 20 million people living in or around it. And many of these people desperately need Jesus. If you want to get involved and volunteer, check out their website and let’s shake LA up together.

IT’S TIME TO MARCH, SAINTS! GET INTO POSITION! GO WHERE YOU’RE CALLED TO GO AND BE WHO’VE YOU BEEN CALLED TO BE. NO MORE SITTING ON THE SIDELINES. NO MORE WAITING FOR THE PERFECT CIRCUMSTANCES OR THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF MONEY OR EVERYTHING TO LINE UP PERFECTLY. JUST GO AND LET JESUS PROVE HE’S CALLED YOU AND PROVE THAT MIRACLES FOLLOW THOSE WHO FOLLOW JESUS. -Jenene Stafford

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2020

An Up & Comers Update: The Singers & Songwriters

1. Bri Cauz @bricauzmusic

2. James Love @jamesalove

3. Brett Lee Miller @brett_lee_miller

4. Karina Kudina @kari_kudi

merch we love.

@chrchapparel

GOD CONTINUES TO POSITION HIS SINGERS AND SONGWRITERS IN CHURCHES, BARS & COFFEE SHOPS

Each one of the Up & Comers have incredible stories of overcoming to tell and they’re not just good musicians, they’re great musicians. We’ve been honored to follow their journey to see how the Lord continues to grow their reach in cities and churches across California and the nations. Follow them on Instagram.

3. WE CO-LEAD They’re passionate about developing leaders and helping men and women lead more effectively alongside each other. www.wecolead.com

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THE MIGHTY MEN MOVEMENT has been formed to utilize the power of synergy, and to become a catalyst for building disciples as we partner with, and to become an asset for, the church. Working together in unity, men’s lives can and will be transformed to become men of legacy; impacting their families, churches, communities, and the following generations.

merch we love.

www.chrchapparel.com

mightymenmovement.org

In 2020 Promise Keepers is back and manning up! THERE’S A NEW ERA OF PROMISE KEEPERS. Check out our cover story and find out how former police officer and retired entrepreneur, Ken Harrison, became the new CEO of Promise Keepers (see page 60).

5. PROMISE KEEPERS God created you for significance. You weren’t made to sit idly by. You’re not here to waste your life. You have battles to win. A role to fill. You live in a world that desperately needs your strength and passion. www.promisekeepers.org

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2020

“INJUSTICE ANYWHERE IS A THREAT TO JUSTICE EVERYWHERE.” “OUR LIVES BEGIN TO END THE DAY WE BECOME SILENT ABOUT THINGS THAT MATTER.”

-Martin Luther King

DEAN DEGUARA

stewarding

legacy

BY DEAN DEGUARA, LEAD PASTOR OF REAL LIFE CHURCH - SACRAMENTO

ne of the most misunderstood gifts being transferred to the next generation of leaders today is the gift of legacy. Legacy as it relates to leadership is defined as a gift received from a predecessor. We know as it relates to the holiday season, gifts come in different sized packages and are uniquely wrapped to hide its contents. Just as we would

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never discard a gift that hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been opened, so it is with the gift of legacy. Legacy is a gift that must be received and given an opportunity to be revealed in order to be maximized by the leader receiving it. The problem is that leaders are discarding the gift of legacy because they misunderstand the power it will bring to their life and leadership. Therefore many leaders find themselves strug-

gling to start over rather than picking up where their predecessors left off. WHY IS THE POWER OF LEGACY MISUNDERSTOOD? I believe legacy is misunderstood because many leaders fear their future will never live up to the past. The gift of legacy should not be something to be feared, but instead something to be honored. When leaders honor the

2020

legacy that’s already been created and gifted to them, they release an unstoppable momentum to sustain and build upon which becomes the future legacy they will leave behind. Also, many leaders who become successors fall into the trap of comparing themselves with the predecessor and cut themselves off from receiving wisdom, input and feedback from the predecessor who could bring a lot of value to them if a healthy relationship was fostered. I was recently with a Legacy Leader who recognized at 73 years old, the time had come to hand off a magnificent church and ministry to a successor that could continue to build upon the legacy God created and blessed him with. At the time of the transition the church still had 2,000 people in attendance but it was definitely clear that he needed to find someone to hand off the leadership baton to. God highlighted a successor who honored the gift of legacy and two years later the church has doubled in attendance. I asked the Legacy Leader why he thought the transition has been such a success and he told me one of the keys to their success is that he and his successor meet for lunch every week. Compare this with a similar story I heard where a successor received a thriving church with a ton of momentum, but as soon as he got the keys to the building he cut off the relationship with his predecessor. Unfortunately the successor has not been successful in honoring the gift of legacy and the church is in rapid decline and experiencing many internal organizational struggles with the possibility of imploding. One of the most misunderstood things about legacy is the wealth of wisdom and relational strength it brings to the one receiving it.

LEARNING TO STEWARD LEGACY Two years ago I received a gift of legacy from my predecessor who built a great church that at the time was 11 years old. Imagine how much time, treasure and talent went into those 11 years. Think of all the people that have walked through the doors, attended services and sowed and sacrificed to see a vision come into fruition. This is why learning to steward legacy is so important. When you steward legacy it’s not just about a dream or a vision, it’s about the people behind it. With that understanding, here are just a few things I’ve learned about stewarding legacy: 1. BE A CAREFUL STEWARD OF THE GIFT. Stewardship is the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care. When you receive the gift of legacy you have to care for the past more than you fear it. The leader you're following and the legacy you're receiving is a blessing not a curse. I have maintained a healthy relationship with my predecessor and he has cheered us on from a distance and has encouraged through text messages and attending whenever he’s in town. He’s given us advice and input on how to handle different people who have both stayed with us and transitioned out. There is a huge advantage when your predecessor is in your corner. 2. RUN WITH THE GIFT OF LEGACY. Every church or business has a history that consists of a vision and mission which points to the reason why it exists. Don’t be tempted to change or recreate the vision immediately. Instead, be ready to run with it. Sure there may be an opportunity to revise the vision in the future at an appropriate time, but understand

a steward's first responsibility is to care. When you care about the legacy that’s been gifted to you, people will be more open to the change that is needed to continue running at full speed. When you show concern for what people sacrificed for they will be open to allowing you to lead them into the future with the change that is necessary to sustain the legacy. 3. RECOGNIZE GOD’S TIMING IN TAMPERING WITH THE GIFT OF LEGACY. There is a right time and a wrong time when it comes to stewarding legacy. The gift of legacy is not absent of navigating change because every transition comes with a need for organizational transformation. Yet it was important for me to understand God’s timing. More often than not, leaders know what to do, why they want to do it, how they are going to bring it about, but they lose sight of God’s timing. I would strongly encourage you to allow your deadlines to be overridden by God’s timeline when it comes to receiving the gift of legacy. God is the gardener and He knows exactly when to prune your staff, uproot sacred cows, and cultivate the garden of legacy. Be patient. You are not running out of time and you definitely don’t want to get ahead of God’s timing. As leaders receiving the gift of legacy, we must be willing to learn how to steward it in order for the power of legacy to continue to create momentum for the future of the ministries and churches God has called us to lead. Stewarding the gift of legacy prevents you from having to start over and instead gives you a running head start towards a promising future. Dean Deguara is currently the lead pastor of Real Life Church - Sacramento. He has a passion to encourage pastors and leaders and elevate their ministries and organizations.

MEGAMORPHOSISMAGAZINE.COM

CRAIG SWEENEY

ME + GOD

AGAINST ALL ODDS Photo by Nicole Banks Photography

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2020

A NEW COLUMN BY CRAIG SWEENEY, PASTOR OF BAYSIDE CHURCH of CITRUS HEIGHTS]

here’s a book in the Old Testament that holds an intriguing story, teaching a very powerful truth: When God is leading, the odds never matter. The plot includes many bad choices, generational consequences, great loss, desperation and impossible odds. However it also teaches us about the powerful, far-reaching grace of God. The book of Judges through Gideon’s story showcases seeds of hope that grow into freedom and restoration for man and his family (as well as a people) as they learn to follow the heart of God. We need this story of Gideon because there won’t be a shortage of seasons and life events that are seemingly impossible for us to succeed in. We need this story because not only are the odds typically stacked against us, but they tend to feel a mile high. I’m believing you want to accomplish incredible things for the kingdom of God. You likely don’t want to sit down and settle for less. I believe you want to engage life in the abundance of Christ. You’ve said “yes” to following Him and as you do, you will be called upon to engage with God and with others, all the while expecting the miraculous hand of God to meet you at the end of your rope. You and I both chose most likely because of a desire to be useful in the hands of God. How we answer God’s call as we walk at His side is the question. Gideon’s personal walk gives us insight

into this. To be truthful, we should all know that whatever God calls us to do and/or to be in His name will require more than we possess. In fact, the work will require God to move on our behalf. Do you know the call of God on your life? You may not know everything but you do know some things. Callings are made up of relationships we are responsible for and actions laid out before us. Examples from my own life include being a loving husband, a father to my two children, a Pastor to a growing and thriving church we planted 10 years ago that started with about 200 people and $3,750,000 debt from day one. (That’s an awesome story I don’t have time to tell). It has also included so much battling—12 emotional years of infertility, a 16-month public fight with cancer, the struggles of planting a church that a mentor of mine said would fail if I led it, and working hard to publish the first album of worship from our church. Each area of influence has required my best, yet I would not have gotten through any of it without a move of God. I’m never enough for the task, but ME + GOD is always more than enough. You have a call that is at the forefront of your heart as you are reading this. You might be thinking what I’ve thought and what Gideon certainly did, “The odds are against me, ever succeeding. Why should I dare to take the first step?” The answer is plain to see—When God is leading, the odds never matter. Let’s remember that we need this story because we will often feel the weight of the odds stacked against us as we step into our God-given callings. Though you feel it’s impossible, the truth never changes: YOU + GOD is more than enough. You signed up to follow Him, and that comes with an expectation of His miraculous hand meeting you when you can go no further.

MEGAMORPHOSISMAGAZINE.COM

Gideon’s story is our encouragement in those difficult seasons. We remember, when God is leading, the odds never matter because…

God is going to do what God is going to do… so why not use you? Nothing will stop or even slow down what's in the heart of God to do. In chapter 6 of Judges, God came to rescue Israel. He came to Gideon looking for someone who would say “I’m available.” It does make me wonder if Gideon was actually first on the list or maybe

Gideon was concerned about clarity more than the odds against him. Throughout the story, Gideon digs into the details. We don’t find him staring long and hard at the odds against him. We don’t find him devising plans and arguments with God for why something should not or cannot be done. We do, however, find him digging for clarity. He gathers confidence by gaining clarity. Clarity about what? Clarity about his calling, next steps and when to take those next steps. Following Christ, we can expect to encounter difficulties

What is Gideon’s story? - Judges chapter 6-8. There was peace in the land and the Israelites did evil in the sight of the Lord, so God pulled His hand of protection from them and the Midianites were then able to raid them and stripped their land bare seven years in a row. They cried out to God and He sent the angel of the Lord to a fearful, ordinary man named Gideon who was threshing wheat in a winepress because that is the last place the enemy would look for him. The angel says “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!…Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!” Gideon has questions, but agrees to step into this call on his life. God then gives his next steps “Pull down your father’s altar to Baal, and cut down the Asherah pole standing beside it. 26 Then build an altar to the Lord your God.” Gideon does exactly what God has made clear but at nighttime, because he was afraid. The people recognize Gideon now as one who stood up to the God Baal and won. God then calls Gideon to lead his people to defeat Midian and their allies, but not before God whittles the army of 32,000 down to 300 men. This is when Gideon succumbs to fear again and asks God to use the “fleece” to bring clarity about the battle. The troops rally around Gideon and at the last minute Gideon is struck with fear for the third time in this story. God shows him patience and mercy by allowing Gideon to overhear enemy soldiers discussing a God given dream that revealed their ultimate demise by God’s hand. Gideon with confidence goes into battle with an army of 300 men and watches God move. The Midianites literally destroy themselves. It was the move of God on the other side of Gideon’s obedience. Not one person could have expected it, but God knew all along. Gideon fulfills his calling as the rescuer of Israel. (A lot more happened in this story, so if you haven’t read it go back and fill in the blanks! Don’t forget to look for the really huge loaf of bread, but for our purposes this synopsis will do.)

further down the list? People say “no” to God often, but that doesn’t mean He or His plans are derailed. I assure you He is never frustrated to accomplish His plans. When I hear the whispers of God through His written Word, when I am compelled by the Holy Spirit to move forward on a difficult task, I remember He will not be stopped. He doesn’t have to use me, but if I’m available, He will. Gideon was nobody special, just like me. He wasn’t even a hero; he was afraid and hiding. He did make himself available to God though…and God made Himself available to Gideon.

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or even seemingly impossible circumstances. But that’s when we’re encouraged to look to God’s clarity instead of the odds. Odds are, the addiction will not go away, but God clearly wants you to be free. Odds are, the marriage is lost, but God clearly wants it to thrive. Odds are, churches are closing their doors, but God clearly wants them to win souls. Odds are, my co-worker is not reaching out to God, but God clearly wants me to be a light to him/her. Odds are, I am not enough to fulfill what God has called me to, but God has clearly called me anyway.

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It’s time to stop paying so much attention to any odds against you and focus on digging into time with God for clarity. He is patient and He is kind and He always wants you to succeed. If you have next steps then take them and watch God move when only He can. If your next steps aren’t clear, dig in to Him until He makes them clear.

Gideon was losing confidence and God was eager to give it back to him. When Gideon doubted the call of the angel, God reassured him. When Gideon feared for his life to tear down the altar of Baal, God protected him. When Gideon lost confidence and begged God to speak through the fleece, God spoke. When Gideon feared to enter the battle with 300 men against many thousands upon thousands, God pulled back the curtain. He allowed him to hear the doomsday dream planted in the hearts of the Midianites. God was eager to give Gideon’s confidence back to him. Often I feel guilt when I lose my confidence. I become fearful to even express my lack of faith to God. I am so much like Gideon, in that, he could see what God called him to accomplish, or called him to be, in front of his men. He knew it demanded more than what he was on his own. I, like Gideon, and most likely you too, recognize I’m not enough. God’s callings on our lives will always demand more than what we bring. I cannot be the father I know my son and daughter deserve on my own strength and abilities. I cannot lead the church in my own strength and wit! There are definite moments that require God’s move and the fear those moments bring often cause a slow drain in confidence from me. I have learned from Gideon to trust that when I make myself available to God in that calling, He is eager to give my confidence back to me. My callings will always require God’s move at one point or another. The key for me is to exercise my faith believing God will move at just the right time.

Gideon was included in the work of God because he believed him. It’s incredible to think that Gideon was a Baal-worshipping pagan when God graciously reached out to him in Chapter 6. The only reason we know Gideon’s name is because he believed God. He embraced God’s vision for his life. He did not deserve

it and certainly had not earned it, and yet we see this invitation, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” Gideon was no more a hero in this moment than you and I were when God came to us the first time. it and certainly had not earned it, and yet we see this invitation, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” Gideon was no more a hero in this moment than you and I were when God came to us the first time. Yet a hero Gideon became in the next 3 chapters one step of obedience at a time. He had to say “yes” first. He had to follow through in obedience to his next steps, which was to subdue his own heart and his own home. God was faithful to make his steps clear. Before God would use Gideon for the really big thing, Gideon had to be obedient in the smaller things. Follow through with what He has already made clear to you in the smaller things first. I know you want to accomplish incredible things for the kingdom of God, but you will never be enough…on your own. Gideon’s story reminds us, it isn’t just you. It’s an invitation to join God. The powerful truth to remember is that YOU + GOD is and always will be more than enough, no matter what you face in your day-to-day and as you faithfully step into the call on your life. It’s my hope that Gideon’s inspiring story provides that inspiration and guidance to help you position yourself to live your calling to the full. Here at this moment, I believe we are better able to answer some important questions. Do we believe God when He calls us? Can we get clarity about our next steps? Will we be obedient to take those next steps? Will we be honest with God about our need for clarity and confidence? Will we make ourselves available to God to accomplish His incredible things in our generation? I know it seems like the odds are against us, but let’s remember Gideon’s story and be encouraged— when God is leading, the odds never matter.

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MAN CAMP

Fully Al MAN CAMP: A NEW COLUMN BY ZACK CURRY

wanted to share with you a journey that I have been on to answer a few questions. A little over three and a half years ago I sat down with 7 of my friends on a Thursday night. I had invited them to come talk about beginning to meet on a regular basis to be more intentional in community and connect. To be honest, this meeting came out of a need in my own life. We were two years into planting Jesus Culture Sacramento and I was burnt out. I was tired, feeling isolated and realizing that the pace of ministry and the life I was living was not sustainable. The crazy thing was the things that had led to my burnout were all really good things. Family was well, my marriage was strong, the church was growing and life was good. However, I felt alone and I was neglecting some really important areas in my life. I had drifted from spiritual, emotional and physical health and along the way found myself trying to do things on my own even though I was surrounded by a rich community and incredible friends. The pace and way I was doing life was not sustainable. Something needed to change. I had begun to re-evaluate the rhythm of life and re-prioritize several areas of my life. This meeting was one of those first steps.

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I began to share my heart and tell my friends that I wasn’t doing well and needed to walk with some guys and be known. I knew what this looked like because in previous seasons I had been a part of smaller groups of guys that were walking together and doing life together. A new city, new season of life and being busy had caused me to drift and neglect what I knew I needed. As I began to share and open up, right away I discovered that I wasn’t the only one in this place of needing to be known. Guys began to share, be real with where they were and some of the struggles they were facing as well. There was no shame, guilt or condemnation. Instead a freedom, peace and strength came as we stepped out of isolation and let people into our journey. We began to meet every other week later in the evening as many of us had younger kids. We each shared our stories and the dreams we had. We challenged each other to live fully alive, reminded each other of our true identity and asked hard questions. I found myself living fully alive and from my heart again. I re-prioritized my schedule to make sure I was being intentional about spiritual, emotional and physical health. I made space for fun and adventure and stepped out of isolation. This group of guys soon became a significant source of strength, encouragement and life. We had a group text where we would joke around, ask for prayer and share our lives. I remember one time I was feeling overwhelmed and anxious about a really hard meeting I had coming up. I was at the gym and physically felt the weight of this meeting. I sent a quick text to the group to ask for prayer. I knew that if I asked for prayer, these guys would actually pray for me. Literally 5 minutes after I reached out to ask for prayer, I felt the anxiety and weight I was feeling lift. This is the power of prayer and community! Remember, community doesn’t happen—it's created. Needing other people is not a sign of weakness it’s actually a sign of strength. Real community doesn’t feel safe right away because it requires vulnerability which requires risk. Once we step out and let people in, we encounter a strength we could never find on our own. We also discover that we aren’t the only ones facing struggles or challenges in life. About a year into us meeting we began to talk about creating something like this for the men in the greater community at JC Sacra-

2020

live mento. We knew that there were other guys who were isolated and needed the strength we had found simply by sharing our story and being known. So…two and a half years ago we created the JC Sacramento Men’s Community. I grew up in the church and many times what I experienced in men’s ministry lacked adventure and creating an environment that engaged adventure and men’s hearts. So we tried to get creative to not only call guys to more but also model what it looked like. We met every three months in random places like an airplane hanger, an open field, the mountains, a sports complex, a fight club or motorcycle shop. We usually had meat, a fire when we could and we began a journey of sharing our story and inviting other guys to do the same thing. Groups of 6 to 8 guys began to meet and share their stories and dreams. We saw some powerful things happen. Men discovered significant strength, freedom and a safe place to be known. Marriages were restored, healing happened, shame was lifted and men began or resumed the journey of living fully alive and from the heart. Here are a couple testimonies guys shared: "I was walking in relative isolation in regards to community until a nudge from the Father.. or maybe it was my Wife. With that I said Yes to that first JC Sacramento Men’s event. I said "Yes" to going outside my comfort zone. I said "Yes" to showing up and being intentional. I said "Yes" to serving others when I was presented with the opportunity. Little did I know I was about to enter one

of the most difficult seasons of my life. But this time it was different. It was different because I wasn’t alone, I had other men to lean on. I was able to share my struggles without fear of shame or judgement. I was lifted up and strengthened, my roots growing deeper as our family weathered the storm. We emerged from this season not only surviving, but thriving. I’m so incredibly thankful for the impact this community has had on our family and can’t wait to see the goodness that is in store." - Sean

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“Over the last two years God has shifted my idea of what it means to be a man. I’ve learned that self-awareness, vulnerability, and self-care are what produce boldness and confidence. I’ve learned that self-reliance, emotional apathy, numbing and the hiding insecurities increases shame and disfunction. I’ve learned that true confidence only comes as the fruit of being fully seen and heard by God and others. I’ve learned that in both the good and the bad times in our lives, we never stop being son’s. Ultimately I’ve learned to a greater degree how good God really is.” – Jeff This last year we started a podcast called Man Camp to invite other men beyond our community on this journey into the wild—stepping outside of isolation, the normal, mundane and status quo, to explore and discover what it means to be a man. On this podcast we share the failures, victories, perspectives and stories of men who are on the same journey

“MEN LIVING FULLY ALIVE FROM THEIR IDENTITY AS A SON WILL SERVE AND LEAD THEIR FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES AND CITIES. THEY WILL FIND

THIS JOURNEY STARTS WITH A FEW THINGS: 1. Ask Jesus to begin the journey of getting your heart back. 2. Don’t try to do it alone. Invite some other guys into your story. 3. Go after being healthy and living fully alive. 4. While you’re at it, take a risk, go on an adventure and invite someone with you.

HEALING AND WHOLENESS IN COMMUNITY AND THROUGH WHAT JESUS PAID FOR ON THE CROSS."

to live life fully alive. We called it Man Camp because many of the most meaningful and real conversations I've had were around a camp fire or fire pit. There is something about getting outside and starting a fire that ignites a man’s heart. Why do I share all of this? I believe that there is a battle over the hearts of men. Many men find themselves isolated, alone and numb. Instead of finding healing and life, we medicate and distract ourselves with all sorts of counterfeit

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options. This leads to men leading passive, subdued and lesser lives. The result of this has a significant impact on society and families. We see this in the growing absence of fathers in society. Research and studies are showing that children without fathers are at greater risk of behavioral problems, committing crime, violence, going to prison, obesity, teen pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse and dropping out of high school early. Many men who overlook their hearts find themselves in addiction. Barna research did a study that found 68% of Christian men struggle with porn. They also found that 50% of pastors struggle with porn. This is not what we were created for. We often treat or react to the symptoms without going to the root issue. The answer is not dealing with the symptoms but going straight to the heart. There is good news though. It’s not hopeless, there is healing and life. Men living fully alive will live from their true identity as a son and will serve and lead their families, communities and cities. They will find healing and wholeness in community and through what Jesus already paid for on the cross. John Eldredge said something that moved me deeply on the Man Camp Podcast, “Your heart matters. God really cares about your heart. Jesus invites us on a journey to get our hearts back and live fully alive.” I want to invite as many men as possible to join us on this journey of getting our hearts back and living fully alive. In this column we are going to go after this and the areas that keep us stuck. We will share resources and stories of hope that hopefully will encourage and challenge you. Men will you join us on this journey?

For more information and to listen to episodes of the Man Camp Podcast you can go to www.jesusculture. com/podcast. The podcast can be found anywhere on the platforms you listen to podcasts. You can also email us at mancamp@jesusculture.com. We would love to hear your story, answer any questions you have or simply pray for you. You can also follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @mancamp_podcast. Zack Curry is a pastor at JC Sacramento who is passionate about family, impacting culture and seeing men live fully alive to serve the world.

2020

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+ ROOTS

Oil, Jesus a + By Lori Hill

n my last article, I shared what I learned on my recent trip to Israel about the acacia tree. In this article, I want to share with you another revelation I had on that same trip. In Nazareth, the place where Jesus grew up, there is a living history tour of the replica of Nazareth Village. I learned something there that hit me with so much revelatory emotion, that it caused me to cry. It had the same impact on others in our group too. You would not think learning about olive oil would make us cry, but it did. Let me share why… In the last few years there has been a sudden surge of essential oil use, and I’ve noticed a lot of people (myself included), using essential oils. There’s a lot of buzz about the health benefits of oil. Diffusing, aromatherapy, and applying oil to the body or even ingesting it is recommended for a variety of positive health benefits (emotional and physical). But what is the significance of oil in the Bible? What does it represent? Why does God’s word tell us to anoint with oil? In our current culture, we tend to view oil as either something for cooking, something to put in our cars, or something to buy for health benefits. Oil is mentioned in multiple places in the Bible, and some might say that oil has lost significance in our world; or has it? Oil was highly significant to the Hebrew culture.

OIL WAS USED FOR:

1. Consecration (to be set apart) of priests, kings, and the Temple implements 2. Fuel for the lamps of the Temple (the menorah) 3. Hospitality and honor 4. Healing injury/disease, beautifying skin and strengthening muscles 5. Food (cooking, as we do today) 6. Soap 7. Fuel for household lamps Much of the uses for oil listed above are still in use today in our culture. Oil is used for fuel, we still use it for healing, an ingredient in soap, and food. However, our culture has seemed to have lost the idea of using it for hospitality and to honor people. In ancient times, oil would be poured onto the head of a guest to honor and extend hospitality. It says in Psalm 23:5, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” Jesus mentioned to the Pharisee who had invited him over for dinner in Luke 7:46, “You didn't even pour olive oil on my head, but this woman has poured expensive perfume on my feet.” In Biblical times, if you didn’t anoint someone with oil it was a mark of

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and Joy disrespect and considered terrible hospitality. Culturally, anointing with oil was like providing refreshment for an honored guest. With this thought in mind, it makes sense that oil is of great significance in God’s Word and is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. Kings were anointed with oil to represent God’s choice to rule as a chosen vessel for Him to work through. If a king was anointed, it was symbolically the same as being crowned. Also, the priests in the Old Testament Levitical priesthood were anointed with oil. The oil was to symbolize being set apart (sanctified or made holy) for the purposes of God. The implements of the Temple were also consecrated with oil. HOW DOES OLIVE OIL SYMBOLIZE HOLY SPIRIT?

First, let’s talk about olive oil. It is the most common oil processed, sold, and used in Israel. There are some other oils mentioned in the Bible, but olive oil is the primary source. Olive trees are plentiful in Israel, and most villages have their own olive press. The olive press was very large, constructed of heavy wood and large weights hewn out of stone. The olives were gathered in the village orchard and then taken for crushing. The olives were usually crushed with a grinding stone pulled by a donkey. After the olives were crushed, the mash was scooped into baskets, and those baskets were strapped onto the olive press. The stone weights were stacked, causing the baskets of olive mash to be “pressed.” The pressure would extract the oil from the olive

mash. The first press would produce the cleanest, best oil. This oil was used in the Temple for sanctification, consecration, hospitality, honor, and healing. The second press of oil required more weight to be added for pressing the baskets. This oil was for the village to use for cooking. The third press, with even more weight and greater pressure on the olives, produced oil that was used to light the homes in the village. The third press was the lowest grade of oil and squeezed out the last drops that the olive had left to give. An olive press was found in excavations at the village of Nazareth (where Jesus grew up). Jesus would have been very familiar with the olive harvest and the process of pressing olives three times. Many villages produced olive oil as it was an export of Israel to other countries. We read in Hosea 12:1, “Ephraim feeds on the wind; he pursues the east wind all day and multiplies lies and violence. He makes a treaty with Assyria and sends olive oil to Egypt.” The Old Testament is full of references about the use and importance of oil. As mentioned above, God told Moses to use olive oil to consecrate the Temple, and as fuel for the Temple lamp (or menorah). Exodus 27:20 says, "You shall charge the sons of Israel, that they bring you clear oil of beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually.” In John 8:12 Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world.”

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+ ROOTS

Jesus was most likely celebrating Hanukkah when He said that and the Temple lampstand (or menorah) would have been burning with the best olive oil; the first press oil! This was the oil used for sanctification of the Temple and lighting the temple—a beautiful foreshadowing of Jesus’ sacrifice for us. The oil indicated gladness and joy. It says in Isaiah 61:3 that He gives us, “the oil of joy instead of mourning.” But what is the oil of joy? That’s where the Holy Spirit comes in. The Spirit is the oil of joy we are anointed with. David wrote in Psalm 45:7, referring to Jesus, “You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” The Apostle John wrote in 1 John 2:20, “You have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.” We also know the Spirit of God teaches us in 1 John 2:27, “As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.” James 5:14 gives instruction when someone is sick to “Call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” David wrote in Psalm 23:5, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” Oil was part of David’s provision and a picture of profound gladness. Hebrews 1:9 says, “You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” HOW DOES THIS ALL CONNECT? Here is what I learned in Israel that brought me to tears. At the end of Jesus ministry time on Earth, He was in the Garden of Gethsemane. The word gethsemane is derived from two Hebrew words: gat, which means "a place for pressing oil (or wine)" and “shemanim,” which means "oils." The significance of this is huge. Jesus, also called Christ (which in Greek means “Anointed”) is our High Priest, the Light of the world, who was consecrated and set apart by God. He prayed in the olive garden. We read the account of this anguished prayer in John 26: 36-46. Jesus was pressed three times in prayer, just as the olives are pressed three times. He poured out all he had in intercession for us. His anguish caused Him to sweat great drops of blood. And yet, for the JOY set before Him, He endured the cross (Hebrews 12:2). As Jesus was crushed for our sin and iniquity, his blood was poured out on the cross. And in the crushing, the oil of joy was released. His anointing with "the oil of exulting joy" took place not at His baptism when He began His ministry for us, but at His triumphant completion of His work, at His ascension when He obtained the Holy Spirit without measure. John 3:34 says, “For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the

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Spirit without limit.” Jesus has now imparted His Spirit to us. The connection between the oil press in Nazareth, and the oil press in Gethsemane, is what brought tears to my eyes. I was overcome with the revelation of what Jesus endured for us so the oil of joy (the Holy Spirit) could be released. The oil is symbolic of the imparting and joy of the Holy Spirit. The anointing that we as believers receive from God is the Holy Spirit. Jesus was pressed and crushed for our iniquities so that the oil of gladness and joy, the Holy Spirit, could be sent to us. The Holy Spirit brings fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22). 1 Corinthians 1:20-22 says, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so, through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” Oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit anoints us with joy. As we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, we impart the Joy of the Lord. We impart healing and honor. We dedicate the person we are anointing to receive the attention of the Holy Spirit in their circumstances. Anointing with oil is an external act of the body that accompanies, and gives expression to, the internal desire and disposition of faith to dedicate someone to God in a special way. We are setting them apart for God’s special attention and care. We are applying the Holy Spirit to them in a tangible way as represented by the oil. James 5:14-15 gives a powerful exhortation for how healing that application of oil can be, “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.” Invest in “first press” oil, and anoint your family, friends, and those the Spirit leads you to anoint. You’ll be a blessing and you will be releasing the JOY of the Holy Spirit upon them. Let the army of God arise and bring the oil of JOY!

Sources: Holy Bible, NIV Fausset's Bible Dictionary Wikipedia.org Smith’s Bible Dictionary Gotquestions.org Desiringgod.org Nazarethvillage.com

LORI HILL, Co-author of the Dokimos Project www.DokimosProject.com

2020

+ UNLEASHED

JESUs is KINg

I was judging people for judging people. Second, although my motives had been pure in getting them to church, I had allowed my motives to morph into proving my point. I challenge every Christian to check their own motives. We tend too often to point out the plank in someone else’s eye while we have a log in our own. We all need grace. Kanye has been quoted as saying some crazy things since he’s come out as a Christian. I think of Kanye as a garden hose turned on full blast, twisting wildly all over. The Gardener will regulate the water pressure and the hose will be used His way to water the garden how and where He wants it to. Kanye will reach people that most of us never could in a world most of us will never know. But not all the “quotes” are exactly as Kanye said them. For example, I researched some of the statements made by Kanye and came upon an article in the Washington Post that quoted him saying, “I’m the greatest artist God ever created.” I was like Really, Kanye? Come on. Some humility please. But then I watched the quoted Joel Osteen interview and saw the context of the conversation. It was actually said more tongue and cheek about his admitted arrogance. It put a different light on things for me. Most articles like that don’t bother to describe the context or quote the other statements he makes that convict culture and glorify God. It wouldn’t go with the narrative they are trying to create. I encourage you to watch the interviews themselves instead of reading the articles. Does Kanye come across as prideful? Yes, sometimes he does (but why point fingers?). He doesn’t get everything right, neither do we. But God will work that out. He is faithful to finish the good work He’s started. He typically works on one or two character defects at a time. If Kanye doesn’t submit to God’s chiseling, He will intensify the pressure like He does in all of us. He’ll get to it all over time. I think some of that bold brashness is being used by the Lord to help Kanye speak on a platform where he’s the target of massive scrutiny and criticism. Most people wouldn’t be able to endure it and I sincerely hope and pray he will. What the enemy means for evil, God will use for good. Part of the speculation is that Kanye is too “bad” to have had such a dramatic and sudden conversion. It doesn’t seem possible to most. But remember, Jesus changed Saul to Paul— it can’t get more sudden and dramatic than that! I’m not sure why people think He can’t change Kanye West. We either believe Jesus changes lives or we don’t. Let’s pray for and believe in the gold in Kanye, just like we want people to pray for and believe in the gold in each one of us. Praise you, Jesus!

COLUMN BY HEATHER MURDOCK

he album Jesus is King is groundbreaking and catalytic. Innovative and unprecedented. I believe Kanye’s conversion and commitment to use his creative gifts for God’s glory is the beginning of something huge! I’m so encouraged by what the Lord is doing. We’ve all been praying for revival for years. Folks, this is what revival looks like; addicts, criminals, influencers, even Hollywood, coming to Christ in radical ways. A huge wave is rising! It’s going to be a wild ride. I see a whole new level of evangelism and worship being birthed by the Holy Spirit. The Lord is raising up people of influence who once worshipped and exploited the culture but now live to worship Jesus. God is getting our attention. It’s time to wake up! You don’t want to miss the harvest! I, for one, stand with him as a brother in Christ. I am for him, not against him. The criticism from some in the Christian community plays right into the devil’s hands. It displays a judgmental Church so consumed with motives that it can’t see beyond its assumptions. I’m very thankful no one was assuming my motives when I became a Christian. When I think back to my early days in the Lord, I remember my boldness. I was unapologetic about my faith. I still am. But sometimes my passions got jumbled up and the pendulum swung too far in both directions. Through discipleship, I learned how to check my motives and let the Holy Spirit purify my passionate heart. I remember one time when my motives got mixed up. I had been working with the recovery community and befriended several recovering addicts that were homeless. I brought them to church with me and was dismayed to see that a small group of church goers were not happy to see these people in our church. I was so angry at their judgment that I vowed I would bring as many of the homeless as I could to spite them. I labeled it as righteous anger and knew my actions would be endorsed by God. However, He had a slightly different reaction. First, He showed me that

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first love

Wonders of the Ancient World. The cult of Artemis was so widespread and powerful that there was an entire industry in Ephesus around the manufacture of silver statues made in her image. The Apostle Paul planted a church there and spent three years teaching his disciples how to lead a church in a challenging place like Ephesus. He taught them to do good, maintain the doctrine and protect the integrity of the Gospel from the wolves of idolatry that influenced the city. When I think of Ephesus, I think of New York or San Francisco. In verse 2:1 Jesus says that He holds the seven stars in His hand and walks among the seven churches, which affirms that Jesus is not only the leader and authority over the Church, but that He also deeply cares about the Church. He watches and sees everything that goes on in His churches. In the next two verses, Jesus commends the Ephesian church for their good works and discernment in guarding the Gospel from evil. He praises them for their perseverance in enduring persecution for His namesake. He honors them for their diligence and dedication. Yet, He held something against them. “Yet” means that no matter how good the former is, it doesn’t dismiss the latter. This I hold against you. You’ve forsaken your first love. No matter how hard you’ve worked to serve Me and protect the purity of My Gospel, I hold this against you. You’ve abandoned your intimacy with Me. Take heed, Church, this warning is for us today. We’ve become very good at dutifully checking the boxes of our religion. We boldly declare what we’re against. We serve to the point of exhaustion. We publicly call out apostasy. We proclaim what good Christians do and don’t do. As the culture squeezes Jesus out of every public domain, we insulate ourselves and become even more religious. Social media is full of well-meaning Christians complaining about the intolerable conditions of their state and planning their exit. We can check all the boxes, but we must check our heart. We have prioritized our religion over our relationship. And how will Jesus respond? From His own mouth, He will remove our lamp stand. Our light. Our impact. He will remove His presence. I don’t know about you, but that terrifies me! Can you imagine life without His presence? Or the Church with no impact? This is an urgent issue that Jesus calls us to repent of. We mustn’t

BY HEATHER MURDOCK

hurch, we are in danger of losing our impact. The Church has more power and potential to change the world than any other movement in history because of the Person and Presence of Jesus Christ. But we are slowly becoming irrelevant. I believe we are living in the greatest window of opportunity to transform culture, but it comes with a warning. Ephesians 2:1-5 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2] I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3] You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4] Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5] Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. This is the first of the seven letters Jesus has written to the seven churches in Revelation. He begins with the church in Ephesus. Before I dig into the warning, I want to give you some back story to help you understand the full meaning of the text. Ephesus was an iconic, multi-cultural city in the Roman empire bustling with trade, tourism, affluence, wealth, art and idol-worship. The Ephesian people worshipped Artemis, the goddess of the hunt and of virginity. Her temple in Ephesus was one of the Seven

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waste time pointing at other people or denominations. This is a Church problem. Jesus says repent and remember. Remember what you did when you first loved him. Think back to that time. Remember when you couldn’t get enough of Jesus? You couldn’t stop talking about Him. You wrote love letters to Him in your journal. You thought about Him every minute and couldn’t wait to be alone with Him. You mourned the depths of your own depravity and overflowed with joy as you experienced forgiveness that only Jesus could give. You couldn’t wait to give the same forgiveness to others. You bubbled over with grace, and mercy became your anthem. You asked Him questions and waited for His answers. You couldn’t wait to serve in His name so that hopeless people would know there’s a Living Hope named Jesus. Every day was an adventure as His Holy Spirit electrified your life with purpose and passion. Maybe you haven’t had that experience with Jesus. Well, you can. It’s not too late. In Ephesians 2, Paul reminded the Ephesians how they were once dead in their transgressions and sin but were now alive in Christ because of His great mercy and love for them. Church, we must remember where we’ve come from. He who is forgiven much, loves much. Let’s remember and reflect on what we’ve been forgiven of and what Jesus has delivered us from! Church, if we don’t repent, we will lose our Light. But the Lord will accomplish His plans. His Word tells us He will. He is raising up another kind of Church. A Church of people who do remember where they’ve been. The addicts, the ex-cons, the homeless, the gangbangers, the outsiders, the infa-

mous rappers. All people are invited to the Gospel table, but those disabled by despair have always been the most willing to come. They are sign posts to the resurrection power of King Jesus! We pray for revival, but we miss that He is setting it up right now because we want revival our way. Revival looks like people you would never expect having radical and rapid transformations! Revival is messy and unexpected and wild and beautiful and contagious! It defies logic and breaks the status quo. It’s supernatural! Praise the Lord for what He is doing among us! The Church gets to be a part of this uprising. But we are in danger of missing out because we’ve turned away from our first love. Don’t get me wrong, the Ephesians church was a great church filled with faithful Christians, but somewhere along the line they turned away from their first love. We have also done well to stand for Truth and to serve in the name of Jesus. But Jesus scorned the shame of the cross for the joy set before Him, the joy of living in intimate relationship with His children for all eternity. Yes, we’ve checked all the boxes, but He doesn’t want routines and rituals. He wants our heart. He demands our heart! Hebrews 11 is often called the Hall of Faith because it recalls the ancient heroes of the Bible who, through faith, accomplished great things for God. They are our mothers and fathers of the faith who we can look to as examples of ordinary people who served faithfully an extraordinary God. But as I look at these heroes, I see more than faith. They all had a deeply intimate relationship with God. It was out of the overflow of this communal relationship that supernatural faith flourished. Faith is a huge topic in today’s church culture. Christians clamor to

know how they can have more faith to accomplish the supernatural. We look for shortcuts, follow famous Christians and volunteer for every church activity, but we aren’t seeking the one thing that fuels the kind of faith that pleases God—intimacy with Him. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that God rewards those who earnestly seek Him. The reward is Jesus Himself. He wants to be pursued and prized just like He pursues and prizes each one of us. When we make time to be alone with Him in prayer and meditation, we experience the Lover of our very soul. That’s when our faith erupts with passion and conviction. More than anything else, Jesus wants our heart. As we move forward in this post Christian culture, it becomes even more important that we walk in the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish great things for the Kingdom. Acts 2 says in the last days God will pour out His Spirit on all people. His sons and daughters will prophesy, young men will see visions and old men will dream dreams. These are exciting times! They are also very challenging times. Living for Christ will get harder. We will need faith in large doses to overcome what’s ahead. We must get serious about our relationship with Jesus. Church, it’s time to press into Him, to earnestly seek His face and to yearn for His Presence. We must want Him more than anything else. His love is beyond anything we could ever think to ask for. His love is better than life. Let’s stop chasing faith and start pursuing the Source of all faith. Let’s give our whole heart to Jesus before it’s too late. There is no impact without intimacy.

HEATHER MURDOCK, is a speaker and writer with a passion to disciple people to live in the power of the Holy Spirit, to overcome obstacles and to live out their divine destiny.

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+ LEGACY

God Loves Justice

By Tanner Di Bella

y mother is someone who is the spitting image of “Monica” from the TV show Friends. In that, she prepares for everything, and I mean everything. She cleans the house before the house keepers arrive, she cleans the yard before the landscapers get there. I have even witnessed this woman trim plastic shrubbery. So yes, a spitting image. But, what she is known for is her hosting skills. Karen cleans the house and there is not a pillow un-fluffed, carpet not vacuumed, and candle not lit. She prepares. While her tendencies might be a bit “much” for most people, it’s due diligence, right? It would not make sense for her to clean the house once guests arrived. She goes to where her guests are going to go when they are in the house, and she prepares those spaces. It’s funny how normal that may seem, but when it comes to preparing for God to come for “dinner” — it’s foreign, maybe even a little uncomfortable. As I have prayed and asked God what the horizon looks like, I see a great awakening taking place. It’s evident in the halls of churches across the nation, it’s seen in the hearts of God’s people. And just like any good host, we need to be prepared for the visitation. My pastor puts it this way: “You go where Jesus is about to go.” What does preparation looks like? It looks like fervent prayer, an ever-obedient posture, and a desperate heart. It feels like discerning where the Spirit is leading, and going without hesitation. But, there is one piece we never really quite talk about, but I believe will be a catalyst for His next move... and that’s justice.

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(Wow. I can hear your gasps already.) Justice is a word that brews very controversial opinions and breeds very hateful rhetoric in even the best of people. Christians around the world cower and cringe at the word. It’s seen as politicized and victimized, and it scares believers. The word associates itself with visuals such as “Black lives matter” or “Me too” and it poses the question: what is our biblical response? To be clear: Justice is the reconciliation of what is right. It’s to make something right. We are witnesses in many things that are not right in our world, and we must be carriers of justice. We may see justice as bitter wine and rotting Brie—but I believe it’s the prophetic milk and honey witnessed in Scripture. The lack of engagement in justice has been a branding of religious people, but what if a biblical pursuit of it could be a catalyst into something wonderful? What does the Lord think about justice? What’s our role to play? I’ll tell you: GOD ADORES JUSTICE AND ABHORS INJUSTICE

“For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing.” -Isaiah 61:8 ESV

The word for “love” in Hebrew is translated “to desire” to “to breathe after.” This demonstrates a significant affection for justice. The Lord isn’t casual about His position. He breathes after it. He pursues it. If we are to truly emulate the character of Christ, shouldn't that be our position as well? When you think of pursuing justice, do you truly desire to see it manifested in society? Moreover, if He loves justice, and hates injustice — does cowering away from Justice, in essence, manifest itself as injustice? We are to love what

our Father loves. If Christ loves to see justice, we are to be the carriers of that everywhere we tread our feet.

fend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” -Isaiah 1:17 NIVUK

GOD USES JUSTICE God always takes what is given and uses it. He will take bread and multiply it. He’ll take water and turn it into wine. Justice is no exception to that. The Lord divinely uses righteousness and the reconciliation of wrongdoing because He is a good Father that wants to see Heaven principles flood that of Earth’s.

I have been discerning in this season that our Father needs our voices more than ever. We have Heaven solutions to worldly problems, and we need to be present. We must fervently seek what is right and boldly declare it over society. We must defend those that cannot defend themselves, fight for the orphans and widows. When we read “on earth as it is in Heaven” — that’s what He’s talking about. Bringing the redemptive nature of God’s atmosphere into the lives of those that see no redemption, no hope, and no future. God wants you to be a voice for justice. The theme for this quarter’s issue is “March Saints” — and it’s a beautiful reminder: God needs our voices. Our voices have been buzzing with Facebook posts, political opinion, and it’s gotta stop. He needs us in position to become a catalyst for His goodness to fall on all. Justice is not a political rhetoric or social semantic — it’s a mandate of the Father because it flows from His holiness. You serve a God that is greater than your political preference, Who's kinder than our social ideology. Justice is abundance. It’s righteousness. It’s mercy. It’s your role. It’s mine. We are marching saints... and we are called to pursue justice. God’s taking us somewhere, and I am going to grab the hand of every black, white, poor, rich, democrat, republican person I can touch. It’s God’s House... and all are welcome at His Table.

“Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.” -Isaiah 42:1 ESV

Isn’t it interesting in Isaiah 42 that it says the Lord puts His spirit upon him, and he will bring forth justice. One of the purposes of the Spirit in us it to bring forth justice. It’s a spiritual mandate. The poor and needy on this street? We are carriers of solutions for them. The oppressed and silenced? We are hosts of reconciliation for those people. No exceptions. GOD WANTS MORE JUSTICE Our God is a multiplier. When we read in Exodus the story of the Widow who has no money, and the prophet instructs her to get as many jars as she can find, and pour the little oil she has into those jars. What she discovers is that the Lord multiplied that oil to the point that she had a vessel to contain it. God wants justice to “pour like a river” over our cities, over our churches, over our education system, over our families. He wants to see it pour to the point that we can carry it. BE A MOUTHPIECE FOR JUSTICE

TANNER DI BELLA, Visual Arts and Marketing Director of Destiny Christian Church

“Learn to do right; seek justice. De-

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Trafficking

Photo by Joy Harrington

in 2019

THE TRUTH - THERE ARE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD WHO ARE SLAVES WHO ARE SEEN AS SUBHUMAN, LIKE TRASH ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

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x x x x x

It is estimated that 20.9 to 45 million people are currently enslaved world-wide. In 2018, 51.6% of human trafficking cases active in the US were sex trafficking of children. Approximately 71% of those trafficked are women and girls. Human trafficking produces an estimated 150.2 billion dollars of revenue every year, more than the total international trade in arms (worth 100 billion). The National human trafficking hotline received more calls from the state of California than any other state, followed by Texas, and Florida during 2018.

by Joy Harrigan

very time I sat down to write something about human trafficking I got stuck, I felt like I couldn’t write what I actually thought. So I decided to be real instead of acceptable or eloquent, at the risk of being ridiculed or judged a fake. And to be perfectly honest and transparent, sometimes I feel so sick when I think about this world. We can be so selfish and self absorbed sometimes all we see is ourselves, our interests, and what will fulfill us and us alone. We ask “how does this inconvenience me?” or “does this give me pleasure” rather than “how can I help others, even when there is a risk of making myself uncomfortable?” And if I’m being really honest, maybe I despise this world and our culture because I despise it in myself. I am guilty of all of these. Coming from humble beginnings, how could I forget the weight of poverty, and how could I forget how I have been blessed? If I know even a fraction of pain that these people experience, how could I look away and let my heart become cold? I would be lying if I said I did not feel truly embarrassed, having the pretense of “caring”, while having the knowledge of this massive injustice, yet doing nothing and being

silent. Indifference is a terrible disease. The truth - There are millions of people in this world who are slaves who are seen as subhuman, like trash on the side of the road. Sometimes these people are prostitutes, they are almost always impoverished, they may be addicted to drugs, immigrants, sometimes homeless, factory workers, or those working in lowly positions. They are vulnerable women, children, and men, often who don’t speak the common language of the country they are in, held captive most commonly for labor or sex. They often live in inhumane conditions, with the threat of harm to their loved ones and to themselves. And even families sell their own into slavery. For a long time I could not reconcile the grief and guilt I felt when I heard these stories. Have you ever walked past a person so broken they seem to no longer even exist in their own mind as a human? That is such a deep suffering, to feel beyond the reach of love and acceptance. This is the reality of people who are trafficked, people who are homeless. Broken. I simply cannot be silent because I assume my voice means little, or that I do not have much to give. I cannot let the fear of being judged by others

who might laugh at my idealism, or being labeled a hypocrite, stop me from doing something, anything, anymore. Women and children are the majority of those sold for labor or sex, and it is utterly repulsive and heartbreaking that nefarious acts such as these continue to exist today. And the truth is that it should repulse you too. If that guilt and grief hits you like it hits me, isn’t this the call to act? The world is in dire need of people who are willing to make a scene, willing to stand up and stand out to injustice, to say the uncomfortable, unglamorous, and unpopular things that must be said and acted upon. This world needs more people to care - and to care for one another. Please take time to educate yourself at the very least, or support your local organizations that provide resources, care, and funds to those trafficked and rehabilitated. You have the ability to be the change you want in the world, and to shine a light in dark places. JOY HARRIGAN, Is a travel nurse and volunteer for Elica Health providing street medicine in Sacramento.

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Photo by Joy Harrington

A Cry fo r

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Freedom Many of us are completely unaware that slavery is happening not only in other countries, but right here in our own back yard.

IT’S 3AM AND I WAKE UP from a dead sleep. I immediately sit straight up in bed as my eyes try to adjust to the pitch-black room and I see nothing. My ears tune in to the silence, there’s no noise that could’ve woken me. I enter the room and I sense this emergency setting into my thoughts. I close my eyes and call out His name and pause. Jesus. In my mind, I question what this could be. My eyes are still closed and I go into prayer, requesting an army of angels, as many as necessary to surround a building I now see in a vision. I have an ariel view of a concrete building that appears to be in a war-torn country and its nightfall. I see the angels descending in uniformity circling the building from the outside. A wave of emotion comes over me as I can now see into the building, a room full of children who appear to be hiding. I cry out to Jesus requesting Him to keep them hidden from plain sight. I

BY CARA MOELLER

ask His Spirit to fill the room and allow the children to feel His presence. Jesus, release your peace and give them a calm confidence that they will survive. Please allow your angels to whisper prayers for them to pray. Jesus answer their prayers and deliver them from the evil ones lurking about. Allow them to feel your love so strongly that it becomes undeniable. Tears are streaming down my face as I notice a specific girl in the room. I begin praying for her, don’t give up, call out Jesus’s name and allow Him in. It seemed as though I was speaking directly to her as I promised her, He will deliver her into freedom and restore her life. I remember praying until I felt the atmosphere shift into His care and the countenance on the children’s faces began to ease. I didn’t let up until I could sense that specific girl knew in her heart of hearts, she would be rescued and restored. She now had a knowing, a hope, that she would make it out. This alone would save her from taking her own life through the night. I begin thanking Jesus for the power of His love and protection. I’m running down a list of things I am eternally grateful for and I cannot help but feel a passion stir in my heart for freedom, truth and love to reign in this world…. and if I’m being honest, I also wanted to see a few heads roll. Around 10 years ago, I was sitting in a Sunday service at a local church when a guest speaker was there to discuss a global epidemic on human trafficking. Her name was Christine Caine, founder of the A21 organization. A21 stands for abolish slavery in the 21st century and up until that point, I had no idea how massive this issue was. I listened to her share stories; stories of girls as young as 4 years old being auctioned off as sex slaves on platforms similar to those used in 18th-19th century America. Stories of newborns who were being sold into pedophile rings and as it went on, rage from the pit of my stomach built up. Toward the end of her talk, she made comments similar to the tone of, each individual makes the choice to either let it happen or to find ways to fight it. Human trafficking happens when the world closes their eyes and pretends something isn’t happening. She talked about the goods and services we as Americans purchase and how we no longer care about the process in which it took to get them to us. The statistics she shared about modern day slavery and the multi-billion dollar industry that it is with only 1% ever saved, had my stomach in knots. I sat there with this overwhelming sense of pressure, as if it were on me to save them all. I began running through possible solutions and how I could begin by buying fair-trade. But I’m only one person, what good is that going to do, clear my conscious? What about the people who need to be rescued out of being sex trafficked and the restoration and healing they will need? Often we think, I can’t do it all and then we become paralyzed and do nothing. Christine says, “We can’t do everything, but we all must do something. If we find the one thing that we can do, then together we will all make

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a difference.” The call for me that day was loud and clear. I now had a new passion and desire to be a part of the solution to end human trafficking and play a role in the restoration process. For years, I donated to A21 because I wasn’t equipped to do much else. Quite some time later, I began a new career that allowed me to have more time to do the things that matter most in life, well at least for me. I pursued my relationship with God like never before and my gifts were in a strong development process. I was becoming equipped in ways like never before. When the Holy Spirit is waking me at 3am to pray for a group of children I’ve never met, not knowing where they are or even if they exist, I obey the call. I began interceding for this global issue. It was also strongly imprinted on my heart years ago to help the hopeless find their hope, find the truth and be delivered from spiritual bondage, and be restored new. For the last two years, I’ve hosted what is called “Walk For Freedom” for A21 and alongside thousands of other “walks for freedom” taking place around the globe on the same day. This walk is a silent protest and symbolism for all those still trapped in slavery today. It’s done to raise awareness, not just awareness that human trafficking exists, but how to identify it taking place in public. It’s done to raise resources and funding for A21’s organization who have what I like to call “boots on the ground” in 12 different countries around the world, rescuing, advocating and restoring the lives of those set free from modern day slavery. Through this volunteer work with A21, I have been introduced to some wonderful people and local organizations working to restore lives right here in Sacramento. It's like an epicenter, ranking #2 in the nation for the highest amount of human trafficking. I met with Rachelle Ditmore, co-founder

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of the City of Refuge, who works day and night in devotion to see people set free. The first day I ever visited the City of Refuge, Rachelle came out to greet me, simultaneously a team member of hers had just walked through the door. Rachelle excused herself for a moment to brief the team member about a woman with her child who had been taken in just hours ago, raped and left in a field the night before. I thought to myself, this is her everyday work life scenario. These are heavy life issues they deal with on a regular basis. Just a few days prior to this, Rachelle spoke at our “Walk For Freedom” event. She shared a story of a girl who just hours prior to our walk, had broken out of a moving vehicle and ran away from her trafficker into a church on a Friday night, where Rachelle just so happened to be. Rachelle says “we have to partner with God wherever He is. We have to give Him permission to interrupt our day and our lives.” Her prayer for our city is “that the region would see the heart of God by acts of justice and mercy and the Capitol would remain aware of how it’s responding in the eyes of the state and country. That people would see the church as the answer.” City of Refuge is certainly a pulse in God’s heart beat for our city. They are in the trenches working to return dignity, restore lives and rebuild our community. I leave you with these final thoughts. God has a solution to everything, what is He saying to you about Human trafficking? The impression He gives me is, to invite Him in! Into everything we do, He wants to connect with us. That’s His original plan for us! Let’s be more intentional to ask Him what’s on His heart, how to respond, what the truth is on the matter and what lies do we need to renounce and break agreement with? He will respond. He always responds, in love and in truth and by the power of His Spirit people are set free!

FOR MORE ON HOW YOU CAN BE ONE PERSON WHO DOES ONE THING:

1. Pray

Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the authorities and powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

2. Learn More

A21 operates on a global scale partnering with governments and law enforcement to rescue, advocate and restore lives in collaboration with God. City of Refuge is in our hometown and they support people in our community by offering holistic transformation for individuals affected by a history of brokenness, abuse and exploitation.

3. Donate

There are more ways than one.

4. Advocate

Be an advocate on a political level.

5. Volunteer

Give of your time and solutions.

6. Educate

Educate yourselves on how to identify human trafficking, because it’s happening all around you. If you suspect it, report it. Save this number to your phone. National Human Trafficking Hotline 1-888-373-7888.

7. Don't Ignore

“the call.” When God puts something on your heart, don't second guess it or push it off for another day. This world needs the light you carry and your specific gifts.

2020

The Burden of Passiveness BY KEVIN CASTLE

Here's some staggering statistics, The Average American:

ROUGHLY 2000 YEARS AGO a Man came down from Heaven and started a revolution. This movement would go on to shape the world, to build hospitals and colleges, to create inventions and art and beauty, and to equip leaders to start revolutions themselves. This power, when used correctly, has shaped the world for the better, and when used poorly or not at all, has lead to devastating consequences. Of course, we know that Man as Jesus and the Church is the product of his revolution. In the early days, the Church was once called "The Way" most likely quoting from Jesus who is the way, the truth, and the life. Men and Women risked their lives to spread forth a message of love, of passion, of freedom. They conquered enemies, they battled forces both physical and spiritual, and they loved with abandon. And when faced with imprisonment, with exile, and in a lot of cases, with death, they marched forever onward despite the hazards. I wonder what Jesus would call his Church today? Would he call us The Way? Or would he be heartbroken? Would he find a church that is affecting the world, or would he find his bride, his people, complacent and trying to fit in? Oh sure, we go to church on Sunday, we say all the prayers in the right order, we know the song lyrics, and we might even dust off the bible every once in a while. But when was the last time you shared radical love? Or something even more simple- When was the last time you even invited your neighbor over for dinner? It's not hard to see the evidence of a failing church. All we need to do is look around. We have become passive in our faith and in our mission. We have, for lack of a better word, become average. Our faith is no longer something we embrace, something we grow, something we share. It is now a burden, a heavy load we lug around like a boulder chained to our ankle.

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1. Watches 33 hours of TV a week. 2. Reads just 4 books per year. 3. Spends about 2 hours on social media per day. 4. Is 17 pounds overweight. 5. Has less than $1,000 in savings. Does this sound like you? If so, how are you supposed to shine your light if it looks like everyone else's? How is God supposed to work through you if you are barely capable of supporting yourself? The short answer is: He can't. We are the salt of the earth, not Him. We are the light of the world, not Him. Of course, he is the giver of that light, that salt, but we are the ones to go and spread it. When Jesus sacrificed his life for us, he gave us freedom from sin and from Satan, but he also gave us equal responsibility. We are told to GO, not to sit around in the comfort of our air conditioned pews. Men, we are not called to be average because God is not average. We are made in the image and likeness of God. Like the heroes in the bible, we are called to be Mighty Men of Valor. We are called to be spiritual warriors, fit for battle both mentally and physically. We are called to be leaders of our families and our communities. We are called to push ourselves to be the best men that God created us to be. If we want to see our world change, we must be willing to change too. We must be willing sacrifice, to work hard, to not give in, to not be afraid of getting dirty or pulling late nights and early mornings. We called to emulate Jesus, a carpenter, a son, a mentor, a friend, a leader, and ultimately, a revolutionary. As Christians, that is part of our DNA whether you like it or not. God is calling us to battle, and has been for a long time. The question is, will you answer?

2020

Photo by Joseph Gonzalez

Called to the Hard Places ISSUE 9 + MARCH SAINTS

2020

T H E S TAT E WA S N E V E R C A L L E D T O C A R E F O R T H E O R P H A N S — T H E C H U R C H WA S . by Heidi White

s a teenager I had an innate sense

In the Bible James 1:27 clearly states “Religion that God

of justice and it was particularly

our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after

aimed at the foster care system. I

orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from

saw how broken it was, how deep-

being polluted by the world.”

ly wounded it left so many, and I

The Church has been called, anointed and equipped to be the

was determined to be a part of the solution. I

solution but we need to believe it and get into action. Nation-

was quick to point out what was wrong with the

wide there are over 400,000 kids in the foster care system. The

system, the government, and the foster families.

state with the highest amount of kids in care is California with

I used my senior paper and senior project

an overwhelming 54,685 kids in care.

both to highlight the horrors of the system. I went on to major in Sociology and pursued a

The statistics are staggering:

career in social work. All the while fueled by frustration and bitterness towards the brokenness that I saw around me. Like many, I was paralyzed by the size of the problem and could see no real solution. In my mid-twenties I had a life changing encounter with Jesus. I had a personal revela-

More than 23,000 children will age out of the US foster care system every year.

23,000

tion that Jesus is the hope of the world and I felt a call to Church ministry. So for the last seven years, I have been serving full time on staff at Bayside Church doing what I love, helping people encounter freedom and true hope. Two years ago, though, something started stirring in my spirit and God began to remind

After reaching the age of 18, 20% of the children who were in foster care will become instantly homeless.

20%

7 out of 10 girls who age out of the foster care system will become pregnant before the age of 21.

7/10

1 out of every two kids who age out of the system will develop a substance abuse dependence.

1/2

me of this burden He put in my heart as a young person, even before I truly knew Him. Every time I heard someone talk about kids in foster care or needing adoption I would instantly be brought to tears. I prayed for years “break my heart for what breaks Yours” and this season in particular He was answering that prayer. I could not get away from the thought that there are kids today—in our city, in our neighborhoods—without loving homes. And once again a sense of justice rose up in me—but this time it was different. This time, rather than only seeing an incredible problem, I saw an incredible opportunity. Is the system broken? Yes. But here is the truth: The state was never called to care for the orphan, the Church was.

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If we look at homelessness, drug addiction, sex trafficking and trace back the lines we see it all began in a broken home. This is not some foreign issue, but it is here in our own backyard. The human rights society released a study showing that Sacramento is the second worst city in the country for human trafficking. Half of all victims of trafficking are minors and 70 percent are from the foster care system. It is no secret that the family unit, as a whole, is currently in a fractured state and It is easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer size of the problem. But, I believe Jesus was right when He said in Mark, “With man this

“My pastor Ray Johnston always says, 'Whoever wins the kids, wins the community.'"

is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” The reality is that we are perfectly positioned to effect change in the state with the greatest need in

Empowering the Church to be the solution creates

the nation. My pastor Ray Johnston always says, “Whoever

a culture of caring for kids and families from hard

wins the kids, wins the community” and I believe that with

places. You can make a meal for a foster family,

all of my heart. If you want to change a community there is

provide childcare for a single mom, buy a stroller

no better place to start than the home and there is no better

for a family in need or actually open your home to a

time to start than now.

child without a family. Just as it takes a whole village

At Defending the Cause we have a big goal in the next five

to raise a child; it takes the whole Church to change

years—that, in our own backyard (the greater Sacramento

a community.

region) there would be “more than enough.”

Equipping families involves providing the families More than enough . . .

who say yes the tools to succeed. Half of all foster fam-

1. Foster and kinship families for every child to have an ideal

ilies quit within the first year. Our goal is to create an

placement

environment that helps them win. This includes trau-

2. Adoptive families for every child still waiting for adoption

ma training, tangible support and a community who

3. Assistance for biological families trying to

is willing to walk the road with them.

stabilize and reunify 4. Wrap-around support from the church for

If I am honest when I first began this journey over

foster, adoptive, and biological families.

two years ago, I was frustrated with the Church because I felt that we had so much resource and yet

This God-sized vision doesn’t happen without the Church.

so little impact in the lives of kids from hard places.

That’s why our mission is to do our part to mobilize the

Then, one day God showed me that the Church is

Church by educating, equipping and empowering them to

ready and willing to engage, they just need clarity

care for these vulnerable kids and families.

and opportunity. Now I believe with all of my heart that the Church is the solution. I believe in God’s

Educating the Church provides information necessary

dream for these kids so much that I work with

to make a decision on getting involved. It requires having

Defending The Cause Regional Alliance. We’re help-

an accurate view of the problem as well as an avenue to be

ing raise awareness and create a clear path so the

part of the solution. Simply put, people who know better—

Church will rise to the challenge and meet the needs

do better. This is not a calling for only a few, everyone can

of these children who didn’t ask to be born in these

do something.

hard places.

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2020

BOLD MOVES

FINDING MY VOICE OUR JEWISH ROOTS

BY THE TIME I GOT TO COLLEGE, all I wanted was freedom. I lived a life of self-indulgence, on my terms. My life was about my agenda—parties, eating junk food, staying up late, calling home when it was convenient for me or when I wanted money. At age 19, I felt like a complete fake; I woke up in so much guilt and shame on a weekly basis. I didn’t know who I was anymore. At the time for whatever reason (probably a cute boy), I attended church regularly, only walking out Sunday mornings no different than when I walked in. One Sunday, I went to service and heard a message on James 4. The pastor was speaking on verse 8 “draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” That verse nearly split my heart in two. I felt like I had finally woken up from a bad dream. And then, the Lord spoke to me clearly saying, “Transfer to Hope College.” That was a pretty bold statement for God to make. I was attending the University of Arizona with an estimate of 50,000 students. Hope College? Hope College was a Christian school in West Michigan with about 3,500 students. Back then, I didn’t have a grid for listening to God’s voice or being led by the Spirit. I knew Jesus and verbally surrendered my life to him, but not all my actions followed suit. At 19, I was filled with every care of the world and little care of what God might want for my life. In my mess, He didn’t stop pursuing me. His voice came through and called me out. In my heart that night I decided I was going to transfer no matter what the cost. The stakes were high, either I would act on what He had said or I was going to go down a road of destruction. I was awake, and I knew the truth of what my life would look like if I didn’t surrender and listen. It was time for bold moves. The freedom I felt when I decided to transfer was beyond my understanding. I didn’t know I could feel so free while I trusted God while simultaneously acting upon what He said. There is no greater freedom than listening and responding to our Heavenly Father. Underneath my mess I had made, I deeply desired a different life and wanted to be who God

ISSUE 9 + MARCH SAINTS

BY PAYTON CARTY

created me to be. I yearned to be a daughter but felt like I didn’t know how. Transferring was bold, risky, and full of faith. After neglecting His pursuit of me for some time, it was as if He woke me up by speaking to me the craziest idea that He could come up with, that is, an idea that was not part of my agenda… I believe God knew it would get my attention. This was His plan, not mine! If I would have stayed in Arizona, I would have lost myself only to walk away from God completely and go down a road of confusion, destruction, and further self-centeredness. This was not about making a good decision or the right decision. This was about hearing His voice and responding to His words. I did transfer Hope College. I’m so thankful I didn’t just hear, but that I stepped out in faith on what I heard. I tell this brief story because it is a reminder to take action on what the Lord is saying. Deciding to transfer was one of the very first times I followed through with what Jesus was speaking to me. I look back now at my history with the Lord, and I see that taking action upon His words looked like big, bold decisions for me many times. However, over the years this has also looked like small, almost secret moments no one may ever hear about. It’s not about right and wrong. It’s about learning to hear His voice. This is a true relationship with Him! This is what we were created for.

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"what the world needs now is LOVE, SWEET LOVE." Â© Dr. John Jackson

HAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW IS LOVE, SWEET LOVE. That 1960’s song seems to easily resonate in our head. Love, sweet love. Such a simple prescription. And yet in the 50 years since that song was first introduced, it seems like the meaning of words has become much more complex and nuanced. As I write, we are in the midst of our 3rd impeachment process in the past 50 years; in the over 150 years of our nation’s history, there was just one other impeachment action. Love, sweet love. What once seemed so simple now seems so complicated (or as was once said by a former President, “It all depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is”). Ours is a different world. A Pew study from 2014 suggested that in sharp tones when it revealed that 23% in the United States say that they have no religious affiliation with any formal church organization; that number climbs to 35% among the Millennial generation. In a further indication of the changing spiritual landscape, 38% of the people surveyed report that they attend church, but actual church attendance is 16% across the country and closer to 5-7% here in the Sacramento region. With all this, the spiritual landscape of our nation has clearly shifted. What does this increasingly complex and spiritually challenging time require of us as followers of Jesus? Or, as Francis Schaeffer asked years ago, “How Should we Then Live?” I have a simple and Biblical answer. I believe we should live full of grace and truth.

+ LEGACY

This answer has been brewing in my heart and head over 4 decades of serving in pastoral and leadership ministry here in the Western United States. It has been my great joy to teach and lead across a portion of the US and in Kenya and in some parts of Europe. It has been my assignment to be a man, husband, father, pastor, leader, educator, businessman. I have served at the intersection of the streams of Family, Church, Business, Education, Government, and Culture. Our entire social structure has been built by people of faith who have established churches, schools, hospitals, and other social service agencies to meet the needs of people in the world around us. Yet, through the 40+ years of my serving in these various roles, I have increasingly experienced society questioning and challenging the values, love and presence of Christians in the public square. The destruction of those social structures is upon us, often aggressively and with anger towards Christians. Today, many Americans, when asked, say that they see followers of Jesus as mean, angry, condemning and judgmental. It is my strong belief, that even with the rising tide of those beliefs about Christians, that followers of Jesus must be more deeply immersed than ever before in a Biblical and Christ honoring worldview; not simply full of Biblical information, but full of spiritual formation and Spirit-led transformation so that we live out the Word of God in our society. The fact is, TRUTH MATTERS. In fact, several years ago a dear pastor friend of mine asked me to speak to his church and answer the question, “Do smart people still follow Jesus?” My answer to that question was this: Smart People who follow Jesus have made a specific decision that objective truth does exist, that God has revealed Himself, that the Bible is God’s written revelation, and

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that Jesus is God revealing Himself in human form. Those beliefs have consequences. (Smart People Still Follow Jesus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc_JWj_OW8Y) Not only does truth matter, but Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth (John 16:13) and the promise of His empowerment and resurrection life. A person walking in the power of the Holy Spirit can live out and speak out truth in a way that is loving and redemptive in every situation in our world. Ours is a world desperately in need of the truth that comes in the love and kindness of the Father. "The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. From the fullness of His grace we have all receieved one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made Him known " (John 1: 14, 16-18). With my own background, for which I am deeply grateful, I have often been led to observe that my life is full of truth and sometimes sadly lacking in grace.

"The problem is with Christians in America is not that Christians aren't where they should be, the problem is that they're not what they should be right where they are."

In fact, the Spirit has powerfully confronted me on multiple occasions that my “natural” walk with the Master often resembles more of the elder brother in the Prodigal Son story (see Luke 15) than that of the father. Sadly, I have had to admit that my life has occasionally been full of truth with only a tiny dash of grace. I know that is not pleasing to the Father, nor is it the life of Jesus empowered by His Spirit that He intends for me to live. Our broken and sin-stained world is desperately in need of Jesus followers

2020

who are full of grace and truth. The world needs the redemptive presence of Christians who can be love, sweet love, in the reconciling power of the Gospel, and bring the life and hope of Jesus into the often hopeless and pain filled world of our everyday lives. I’ve oft quoted and been struck by the observation of an English brother in Christ, Os Guinness: “The problem with Christians in America is not that Christians aren't where they should be; the problem is that they're not what they should be right where they are.”

When I think of the Biblical cast of characters, my mind and heart are drawn to Joseph, Deborah, Esther, Daniel, and Nehemiah. We need to live faithfully, excel in the learning of the Babylonians (using Daniel as an example) and know when and how to live in such a compelling way that when we have to “draw the line” and speak and live out truth, we do so in Jesus honoring love, full of grace and truth. The Apostle Paul, writing in the first century to believers living in a commercial and morally compromised setting, exhorted them like this: “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt that you may know how to speak to everyone. (Col 4:6-7)

Every time I read that passage, I think of the old saying, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink..” and I think that is true— but you can give them salt! Grace is the salt of a believer’s witness. The grace we offer is not a compromise of truth,

it is a fulfillment of the ultimate truth of the human condition. Because all of us have sinned and fallen short, we are desperately in need of a Savior (Romans 3:23, 6:23). Grace does not deny Truth, it is the God-only source of fulfillment and completion of the Truth of the human condition and His amazing kindness to us in the midst of our broken reality. So, how are we to live in this present hour when many are saying that Christians should abandon the public square (think Government, Education, Business, Culture) ? I do not believe that abandoning the public square is an option for Jesus followers. We have an accountability to live and love and speak and write in ways that draw people to Jesus, the source of love and hope. In fact, Jesus himself charged us to this end: “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)

We are called to so love and care for our families, our neighborhoods, our cities, our states, our nation, and our world that we weep (just as Jesus did!). How do we do this practically? Here are six things I’ve been trying to do as I seek to live full of grace and truth:

1.) keep Eyes on HIM, not on them: Mat 6:33) 2.)Honor all people as made in the image of God: Gen 1:26-27) 3.)Treat people with kindness and civility: Col 4:6-7) 4.)Love people that Jesus puts in front of you: (John 13:34) 5.)Pray for people whenever you can: (1 Tim 2:1-5) 6.)Share your testimony and why you believe, with gentleness and respect:( 1 Peter 3:15-16) I trust that you will experience the fullness of His presence as you keep your eyes on Jesus, love people as His creation, treat them with grace, serve them with humility, and pray for people (actually do this in public or wherever the Spirit leads you to do so!), and share your Jesus story as a blood-bought, grace redeemed, and truth planted son or daughter of the Most High. Jesus loves you, this I know. For the Bible tells me so. This is our grace and truth song of this day and all ahead. That love, this love, is indeed love, sweet love. Dr. John Jackson is the President of William Jessup University (www.jessup.edu) and the author of multiple books on life, leadership, personal and organizational transformation.

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+ KING MAKER

FROM

SHADOW SHA TO

SIGNIFIC SIG

ISSUE 9 + MARCH SAINTS

2020

BY JEFF WITTMER

The King Maker column is written by Jeff Wittmer, a life coach, ministry leader and speaker

want to reach those who are dwelling in the shadows and bring them into the significance of their intended destiny...” I heard these words whispering in the stillness of my predawn devotions one October day. Do you ever hear the whispers of God? You know, like in those moments of stillness when you feel the heartbeat of Love. His whispers come to us while sharing the pain of a grieving friend or in the compassion we feel when catching the hallow gaze of one of the lost souls of the city pushing their possessions in borrowed shopping carts. The photo I was looking at was from a friend. She’s an artist who paints on stage at a very popular annual conference that attracts the faithful, and the curious, to Northern California from all over the world. In the photo were hundreds of “worshippers” with arms raised all facing the same direction and from that direction came a cascading light. As I sat in the stillness, my eyes were drawn into the shadows. One person illumined by the stage’s radiance, cast a shadow on the person behind them until those further back were shrouded completely in the shadows. I realized the “shadow-dwellers” were not of the unfortunate who didn’t arrive early enough to position themselves closer to the incandescent stage, but another kind of shadow-dweller. The heartbeat of Love was whispering His thoughts about those languishing in the shadows of irrelevance. Many hungry souls in that environment are longing for, and seeking, the God of Heaven. Others, perhaps, are seeking only God-KnowsWhat. Sometimes we lose touch with our hearts, and our vision, when blinded by the radiance and allure of personalities, performances and

CANCE

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platforms. God actually DOES know what we long for. After all, He created us like this. “In the beginning, God created...” the Holy Scriptures begin in Genesis. The word “God,” more a description of His nature than His name, means the Self-Existent One. He is first of all Creator and Originator of All Things. The Hebrews used the word “Abba” when referring to God which means “Source”; the English transliteration is “Father.” The One we call “Father God” is the Self-Existent One, who needed no one or nothing outside Himself to create everything in existence, both the seen and unseen. Another way of saying it is, “God is the Father, Creator and the Source for all of us.” He knows our needs because He put them there. My deepest needs are God’s design. God created us with core needs we humans all have in common. They are needs that motivate us to pursue a Source to not only remain alive, but also for thriving in life. We are motivated by the drive to meet those intrinsic needs. When needs go unmet, something feels missing and eventually we become weakened and withered. Experts tell us there are Seven Fundamental Human Needs or rather, categories of needs. Different people, in different seasons of life, will fall at different places on the spectrum of each of the categories of human needs. The Big Question to answer is, do you feel you deserve to have your needs met? All of your needs? An even bigger question perhaps is, "do you believe you have the power to influence your future by the choices you make to get those needs met?" The first category of needs is called

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Subsistence—the right to exist. Within the category of Subsistence are other needs that support subsistence like safety, self-care and security. Some try to deny extremely vulnerable humans this most basic of needs—the need to be alive. As you observe the ascending category of needs, they appear to evolve as one category supports the next. The second category of needs is for Understanding and the Development of one’s potential. If all the air were sucked out of the room you’re in right now, what would happen to your interest in reading this article? You wouldn’t care about anything except getting air. Survival would be your only motivation. But once you’re breathing again, you no longer struggle. Satisfied needs don’t motivate. It’s only the unsatisfied needs that motivate. Once a need is met, we become aware of other needs we have. The third category is the need for Connection and Love. Relationships are the containers that carry the healing balm of love. Being loved and understood is like the emotional oxygen needed for thriving as we continue experiencing and unfolding our unique design. This is where life becomes tricky. The fourth category is the need for Contribution and Creativity. We all long to add value and to make the world a better place through our brilliance. At our core, we are not only created beings, we are creative beings. Creativity should be an everyday experience. Creativity should be as common as breathing. We breathe; therefore, we create. Erwin Mcmanus reminds us that, “To deny our creative nature is to choose a life where we are less and

thus responsible for less. We see ourselves as created beings, so we choose to survive. When we see ourselves as creative beings, we must instead create.” The fifth category of needs involves the shaping of a healthy self-esteem and sense of Identity. Esteem has to do with respect earned as a result of our contribution to our world and that in turn, helps form our identity. Feeling positive emotions about our lives brings clarity, which drives us to persevere, and that, inspires the people around us. Something seems to break down and thus stifles motivation for many of us in the hot pursuit of our dreams. The next two categories of needs are often suppressed through the years of disappointments, set-backs and shattered dreams within our human experience. The need for Self-Governance, when thwarted, causes us to settle for less in life. When we stop reaching, we begin feeling deflated and negative feelings gather like storm clouds on a sunny day. One of our highest needs is for Significance. We need to know from our last breath that we’ve lived a worthy life. When we lose our motivation, we lose a sense of relevance and we begin slipping into the shadows. It’s then that we become mere observers of others still chasing their dreams. Somewhere between Self-Esteem and Significance, we get lost. When we lose our way, it’s easy to slip off the field and into the bleachers of life where shame tells us it’s safer to watch the superstars perform than to put ourselves out there again. There is a story in the Gospels that speaks to this condition among us. We know him as Blind Bartimaeus. What a poor pathetic reality! My wife often

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reminds me the day of your greatest breakthrough begins like any other day. I imagine Bart’s day began like any other day. He made his way to the side of the road, posturing to beg for his daily sustenance. But the day he met Jesus would be a day like no other. Bartimaeus’ blindness left him needy and desperate. When we lose our vision, we become beggarly as well. Cloaked in garments of shame, we sink into shadows, weakened by opportunity blindness. On the day of his break-through, he heard Jesus and the crowd coming down his road. He began to shout over the din of the crowded streets. He cried out for mercy from the Miracle Worker. Many around him began to demand him to be silenced and stop creating a disturbance. Have you ever felt silenced? Have you lost your voice? Have you ever had people shushing you into silence so your story goes untold? Jesus summoned blind and tattered Bartimaeus to stand before him and asked him a simple and obvious question of a blind man standing before him. “What do you want me to do for you?” Why make something so obvious a point of emphasis? It’s all about the question: “What do you want?” If you had Jesus right in front of you and he asked you, what do you want? What would you say to your Source? What is driving you? If you were that blind man would you not start with your deepest longings, that the dream that seems too-good-to-betrue, could actually come true? A lot of us might be like Bartimaeus, except we are asking for less than our deepest longing. “Lord, could you

give me sight in one eye? Could you give me a service animal to guide me? Possibly make me a cane that I can tap through the streets?” He said “I want to see.” Is it possible that you are not living the life of your dreams because God has asked you what you want and you are asking for way too little? Have we been willing to settle for much less than our dreams because of low self-esteem? Look deeper into this story, and listen for the whispers of God. Blind

means “Highly Prized” A son, highly prized? Did he lose his sight? Was he once useful and relevant, but somewhere on his life journey, he lost his vision? Once we lose our vision, we lose a sense of relevance. We become shadow-dwellers letting the world pass us by. The WORLD saw a blind beggar, the son of a despised father. Jesus saw a Highly Prized man with a destiny to fulfill if he could only see it! Listen for the whispers of God, He’s calling for you. What was inside that man that he found his cry when others are shushing him? He knew he needed to find his voice, and receive his vision. Because he mattered. In the presence of the One who designed him, he knew he was coming home. He was coming back to his Source. Jesus said, “Your Father knows what you have need of before you ask Him.” Of course He does, He designed you. He built Needs into your design to motivate you to pursue. The need for significance is as powerful as the need to breathe. It’s imperative that you believe You Matter! You are not the only one who suffers if you choose to live your life in the shadows. Your family and friends suffer and all those who are waiting on the other side of your obedience to your High Call. It’s time to stand up, throw off the cloak of shame, let something rise inside you, reclaim what was lost. Many have tried to shush you into silence but it’s time to find your voice. Jesus came to bring out the best in you. Hear His whisper. It’s time to emerge from the shadows and embrace your God-designed significance. It’s time to get back into the game.

“he built needs into your design to motivate you to pursue. the need for significance is as powerful as the need to breathe." Bartimaeus, the beggar, was how he was known-A shadow-dweller. But Bartimaeus was not really his name, it was Timaeus. Look deeper and listen. In Greek transliteration, within the name, Bär-tē-mī'-os, is the word “Bar” which is a masculine noun meaning Son. Literally, Timaeus, the son of Timaeus, he was named after his father. Some translations have defined this name as Son of the Unclean. People saw him as an unclean, irrelevant man of an unclean, irrelevant dad. Listen in the stillness. Why would this man cry out in spite of those who tried to shame him into silence? You see, lost in translation was the etymology of his name in the ancient text spoken in Aramaic. Timaeus

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Lincoln Lessons Leadership lessons we can learn from Abraham Lincoln about leading in challenging times

SECTION 1: LEGACY

BY KEVIN CASTLE

+ LEGACY

Intro

Take heart T

en score and ten years ago, Abraham Lincoln was born in a small cabin in the tiny unincorporated town of Hodgenville, Kentucky. His father was uneducated, his mother died when he was nine, he was forced to give up his education shortly afterwards and they lived in an unending cycle of poverty. If we were to dive deep into his beginnings, given his circumstances, it would be easy to believe that he would have never amounted to anything. Like most other men, his story could have easily faded into nothingness, registering not even a blip on the radar of history. Instead he grew into one of the most influential leaders in our nation’s history. Instead he united a country ready to tear itself apart in two. Instead he lead the Union through its most trying times, and,

indeed, one of its bloodiest. He led men to their death in order to set others free. He fought with words, he battled with pen and ink, his weapons were the thoughts of the great men who came before him, and at the end of it all, he gave his life for what he believed in. There is an old saying that goes, "May you live in interesting times." While seemingly a blessing, the saying is used ironically to suggest that times of peace and happiness are more enjoyable. But times of tranquility require much less from the human spirit. In our time, thankfully we no longer fight over slavery and property rights, the idea that men can own one another. Every man and woman is as free as their neighbor to choose the life they want to live. But make no mistake, like the Israelites when they forsook God time and again, the world is turning on its head. The 24 hour news cycle portrays a world falling

apart. Children no longer play in neighborhoods, violence is escalating, racism and sexism on all sides has reared their ugly heads, and no longer do we build communities with one another but instead hide in isolated pods only to echo the thoughts we selectively want to hear. Meanwhile political opponents can no longer agree on anything and are constantly infighting. Suicide and drug use are at all time highs. Churches are emptying at record rates, biblical policies and principles are being abandoned, and the nuclear family has all but been been disused, disparaged, and disregarded. May we live in interesting times indeed. But take heart, for it is in these times when true leaders can rise up and take hold of the things that God has entrusted them with. The shadows seem darkest before the dawn, and like Lincoln used examples of others who came before him, we too can look to Lincoln's example on

and Rise Up.

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Lesson 1

Of the qualities of leadership, none is more readily apparent than backbone. It is the cornerstone of great men and women, from Gideon to Rahab to Jesus and everyone else in between. Without backbone, it is impossible to stand against adversaries. It is impossible to hold rigid for what is right and good and true. And it is impossible to have faith in God's words and promises for our lives. Like most qualities, backbone is not developed overnight. It often takes repeated use in order to grow, much like our faith grows in response to the need that God places in our lives. For Lincoln, it started when he was a kid. Around the age of 10, Lincoln's education was cut short by his father, who viewed school as a waste of time. Instead, young Abe was put to work on the family farm where he cut down trees, dug up stumps, split rails, plowed fields and planted crops. Not one to be held back, Lincoln would often walk for miles to the nearest library so he could continue his own education. He also borrowed books routinely from the nearby school and whenever he had a free moment from farm work, he would

pull out whatever he was reading and study much to his father's chagrin. At times his father caught him studying and would beat him, but Lincoln remained steadfast and committed to his education, for he viewed it as his ticket to a better life. Abe's defiance helped build the character he needed when he, at the age of 23, would run as a member of the Whig party in an Illinois county that was primarily Democratic. During that political campaign run, he also volunteered to join the militia during the Black Hawk War, willing to risk life and limb for his country. After safely returning, he lost the state election only to try again two years later and won. This allowed him to register his first official statement against slavery, despite the fact that the state assembly had voted 77-6 in favor of keeping it. At the time, this was tantamount to political suicide, but Lincoln remained undeterred. As his political ambitions continued, he remained true to his stance, never wavering for money, fame or political prowess. His word remained his bond, his "chief gem" as he called it, and he always followed through on his commitments. As the nation continued to rend

itself between abolitionists and pro-slavery groups, he stood alone and proposed a solution for both sides despite it being unpopular. He became known as the great mediator, and this mediation between political rivals, both in his own party and the opposition party, took him all the way to the white house. At every step of the way, his opponents were more qualified, better educated, and had larger followings, but he took every challenge head on. And lastly, when war was inevitable and already on his doorstep, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing some 3.5 million slaves. "Abraham Lincoln may be slow," Frederick Douglass said of him, "but Abraham Lincoln is not the man to reconsider, retract, and contradict words and purposes solemnly proclaimed over his official signature." God holds our word as bond because we can trust His word. We can trust that at the end of the day, as we continue to push ourselves towards the greatness that God has for our lives, we are saved. Our salvation is our strength, it’s what gives us the courage to face the enemy head on, to tackle challenges far greater than ourselves, and to bring about lasting change the world can only marvel at.

Lincoln had Backbone. 53

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SECTION 1: LEGACY

how to handle situations like these.

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Lincoln had Ambition. Lesson 2 Like backbone, every leader must possess ambition. It is the water that helps grow the seeds of purpose God places in our lives. It is what drives a leader through dark times when it seems like nothing is happening, through the times where we struggle to grow and change both ourselves and our circumstances. Ambition is what leaders use to inspire followers to identify with something larger than themselves. They call for sacrifice in the pursuit of moral principles and lofty goals. It is what helps them paint a picture of a better tomorrow, to look beyond the present and work towards a future worth fighting for. "Every man is said to have his peculiar ambition," Lincoln said of himself. "I have no other so great as that of being truly esteemed of my fellow men, by rendering myself worthy of their esteem." Lincoln's ambition knew no bounds. Fresh off his father's farm at the age of 21, he quickly found favor with the people of New Salem and decided to run for State legislature.

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He remained unschooled, and no one knew of him outside the town. One might think him foolhardy and overly ambitious, and indeed it would certainly seem so as he failed to get elected, but his failure drove him all the more and two years later he accomplished his goal. After leaving office, he was poor and needed to work so he set about becoming a lawyer. He joined forces with Stephen Logan, an older but accomplished lawyer himself, and together they built a formidable law practice. Lincoln didn't know the first thing about law besides what he had gathered from books and in person, but he somehow convinced Stephen to teach him. And learn he did. Lincoln was tireless in his pursuit of education and in the pursuit of excellence. One of Lincoln's friends said of him, "The ambition of the man soared above us." And as we know, his political aspirations didn't stop there. The boy who had been beaten for reading books in between farming tasks next became a successful lawyer, then a US

Senator, then a nationally renowned Republican, and finally president of the United States. During his presidential run, it was said that his hard work even bled through to his team. They worked tirelessly around him. Due to his passion, former political rivals came to work on his side. Even the others who had lost the Republican nomination to Lincoln helped him unite the party and get him to the White House. Whatever your better tomorrow is, whatever promise of God you are working towards, we can be sure it will come to pass. His promises are "Yes" and "Amen." But that doesn't mean it'll just plop into our laps. We must put our hand to the plow, to commit ourselves to the daily work. Lincoln told his aide, "Always bear in mind your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing." We too should remember that as we push forward in anticipation of the plans that God has for our lives.

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Lesson 3 man living... To remain as I am is impossible; I must die or be better, it appears to me." But his desire to engrave his name in the annals of history eventually spurred his return. He had to repair what he had lost and he began a new law practice with Stephen Logan. He fixed his relationship with Mary Todd and they became married. He rededicated himself to politics and eventually became a US Senator. Nothing was perfect, and of course, nothing ever is, but it seemed as though Lincoln was climbing out of the valley and into the mountain of the future. And then he hit yet another stumbling block. Everything was going according to plan, but try as he might while being a Senator, he failed to further the ambitious goal of ending slavery, or even constraining it. Embarrassed and frustrated, he withdrew from public life for five years. Focused on his law practice and his studies, it is here where he finally gained the upper hand on his depression. With his heart firmly fixed on containing and eventually ending slavery, his defeats in the Senate didn't bother him any longer. And after he returned from political exile, he ran for president while he quieted the inner voice that anticipated his defeat allowing him to garner support to win the Republican Nomination and the eventual presidency. Struggle continued to follow him

through his time in the White House. Before he had even gotten there, the nation had finally torn itself apart as seven states had seceded from the Union and declared themselves the Confederate States of America. As the war grew on, the deaths of all the soldiers haunted and tormented him. “If there is a worse place than Hell, I am in it.” In order to maintain his spirits, he visited the theater often and recited Shakespeare during countless sleepless nights. He liberally used the Presidential Pardon to save soldiers' and deserters' lives in order to stave off thoughts that countless people were dying day after day as a consequence of his decisions. He surrounded himself with men who not only pushed him towards bigger and better things, but also committed themselves to the cause of unifying the Union and ending slavery. Lincoln found joy in the small moments, and like him, we can do the same. We can engross ourselves in a hobby outside of our tasks, we can find joy in helping the individual while we struggle to change the masses, and we can surround ourselves with friends and compatriots who share in our struggle and build us up when we falter. And as we do, we must also stay committed to the mission at hand. We must balance the small joys with the large tasks at our feet. We must remain steadfast in our spirit, let God handle the worries, and trudge ever onward toward the future God has planted in our minds.

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As a consequence of striving towards a better future, all leaders struggle. Nothing worthwhile ever comes easy, and with it often comes depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Whether it’s the sheer magnitude of the burden we place upon ourselves or the responsibility for the changes we desire to see in the world, lofty goals can lead to crushed souls. Lincoln was no stranger to depression, loss, suffering, and struggle. Shortly after his victory to state legislature, he lost the love of his life, Ann Rutledge, to typhoid. Even though they weren't married, her death sunk him into a deep depression. He wandered the nearby woods with a gun in his hand, often contemplating suicide. Thankfully the people of New Salem and the friendships he had built within that community helped pull him back from the brink. With life back on track, Lincoln pushed for reform within the state's infrastructure, only to meet more failure as the state sunk into recession. Lincoln and his projects took the lion's share of the blame, causing the worst depression of his life. After leaving office, he was poor, his law practice had suffered while he was working for the state. He broke off his engagement to his new beau Mary Todd and he became emaciated, a ghostly shell of his former self. At one point, he wrote a letter to a friend saying, "I am now the most miserable

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Lincoln had

Good timing. Lesson 4 Another great quality of all leaders is they have good timing. Timing is unique among talents in that it often seems like luck. The person who watches with great carefulness, who prepares long and hard for the opportune moment, who works for years to have a seemingly overnight meteoric success, will often be called lucky. But opportunity comes to everyone, and those who are prepared are the only ones to take advantage of it. We know Lincoln valued his education, even when he was a child. He did not "intend to delve, grub, shuck corn, split rails, and the like," as he would say. "I'll study and get ready, and then the chance will come." He maintained this same attitude as he got older. During his time as state legislature, he paid close attention and absorbed as much information as possible. Others there during his tenure were 2 future presidential candidates, 6 future senators, 8 congressman, and 3 Supreme Court Justices. Assuredly, other members were quick to call attention to themselves in order to express their demands, but Lincoln was idle, gaining wisdom and insight about his state, its issues, its citizens, and his fellow politicians. Lincoln often withdrew and studied alone. He was an avid reader, something he would carry with him even through his presidency. He wasn't afraid of looking foolish by gathering firsthand information and asked many questions of everyone from all backgrounds. When he "got on the hunt for an idea" he didn't sleep

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until he "caught it." And even then, he didn't let it go until he had completely mastered the idea in his mind. All this knowledge allowed him to act with precision, from the law to his personal life to even matters as grand as slavery. He treated slavery like he did all subjects he didn't know about, and he dove deep into research. Eventually he came to the conclusion, "The time is coming when we shall have to be all either abolitionists or democrats." One portion of timing is knowing when to pursue a matter and when to hold back. While at the state, despite thinking slavery unjust, Lincoln chose to pursue it at a later time and instead focused on Illinois' infrastructure projects. The country was largely settled on the issue of slavery, and his notion would have died with a whimper. Later on, shortly after the Louisiana purchase and the Mexican American war, was the perfect time to launch into an impassioned campaign for the abolition of slavery. When the nation was splitting apart, Lincoln tried to keep it together by proposing no new states should have slavery. Even though he wanted to completely abolish slavery, proposing it then would only further drive a wedge between the North and South. He knew from Scripture that a house divided against itself cannot stand. After studying the founders, he saw slavery "as an evil not to be extended, but to be tolerated and protected only because and so far as it's actual presence among us makes that

toleration and protection necessary." By the time he was president, with the tides of war upon the country, just weeks after Robert E. Lee crushed General McClellan's first offensive to attack the Confederate capital of Richmond, Lincoln announced he had founded a new position on slavery and delivered the first draft of the Emancipation Proclamation. He realized he could no longer keep the Union together and it was only War that could set captives free and bring the South into submission. Later he wrote to his staff, "It is my conviction, had the proclamation been issued even six months earlier than it was, public sentiment would not have sustained it. Just so, as to the subsequent action in reference to enlisting blacks in the Border States. The step, taken sooner, could not, in my judgment, have been carried out. A man watches his pear tree day after day, impatient for the ripening of the fruit. Let him attempt to force the process, and he may spoil both fruit and tree. But let him patiently wait, and the ripe pear at length falls into his lap!" And finally, after ensuring his 2nd term as president, Lincoln introduced the Thirteenth Amendment. "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."

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From an early age, it was often said that Lincoln was smart. But he would disagree. "My mind is like a piece of steel," he would say, "very hard to scratch anything on it, and almost impossible after you get it there to rub it out." Humility often sets a leader apart from a man leading others to a man leading only himself. And Abe had it in spades. One doesn't need to look very hard to find Lincoln's humility. During his debates, he refused to sensationalize the extreme hardships he experienced as a child for political gain. He also refused to disparage his rivals. Only one time early in his career did he verbally brutalize an opponent of his who broke down and cried in the audience. This moment haunted Lincoln for a long time afterward, and he promised never to do it again. Unlike his political rivals, Abe was consistently unassuming and quiet. If he could not be people's first choice for a position or a job, he was happy to be second even though his desire was always to be first. He was happy

to be second to his partner Stephen Logan, he was happy to be second in order to help unite the Republican party, and he was happy to be second when he was happy to be third in rotation to become an Illinois State Senator. Every time he wasn't first he used the opportunity to gain knowledge and grow himself. Like any great leader, he assumed full responsibility for his failures and his decisions no matter how monumental. Whether it cost the lives of men, of his political gain, or his relationships, he put the burden of failure upon himself even when it was someone else's fault. He realized that when you put the burden of blame on someone else, you can no longer accept the responsibility to change. Being a victim doesn't solve anything, it puts you in a metaphorical cage in which there is no escape. In addition to better versions of tomorrow, leaders also look to individual self-interests in order to further their goals. Leaders use bargaining, trades, and rewards to

influence their followers and solicit support. After all, if greatness attracts greatness, then assuredly great leaders will attract other great leaders who are working towards their own versions of the future. Lincoln worked diligently to help his friends and compatriots, pushing them to new positions and helping them achieve new goals in their lives. Realizing he couldn't accomplish his dreams alone, as president, he pieced together the most unusual cabinet in American history: former Whigs, Free Soilers, and antislavery Democrats, a combination of conservatives, moderates, and radicals of hard-liners and conciliators. All of them were strong-minded, independent thinkers who had more experience, were better educated, and more celebrated. The top 3 positions he gave to his 3 chief rivals, Seward, Chase, and Bates. When asked why he was doing this—the country was in peril and he needed strong able men.

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Lesson 5

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Lincoln dealt with

Adversity. Lesson 6 Without adversity, a tree cannot grow strong. It is the wind and the rain, the fire and lightning, the animals and other trees that threaten to kill a young sapling. But if it survives, it can become the mightiest of oaks, the tallest of redwoods. Likewise, if they are without challengers, leaders cannot attain new heights. In the marketplace, it is competition that drives innovation. In the political arena, it is the pundit with the best ideas and the brightest words that always take center stage. As with struggle, Lincoln was no stranger to adversity. When his mother died when he was 9, his father, Thomas Lincoln, left him and his sister alone for seven months to go find a wife. The cabin they stayed in was floorless, doorless, had little furniture, no bedding, and was surrounded by wilderness. For the next 11 years, Abe worked tirelessly on the farm, only to move when he was 21 with little more than the clothes on his back. Lincoln took these experiences in stride. He didn't grow bitter, but instead turned his misfortune into favor with the people of New Salem. As he stretched into new arenas he faced adversity from his own lack of knowledge and adversaries from both the law and political arenas. One such lawyer, Stephen Douglas, a prominent Democrat, continued to be a thorn in Lincoln's side all the way through his

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career and even ran against him for the presidency. With every new challenge, Lincoln dove head first into it with gusto. He quickly made friends, astounded his opponents, and treated everyone with kindness and dignity. His attitude and hard work helped catapult himself over other more prominent leaders. When he ran for the Republican nomination for president, Lincoln faced New York's youngest governor turned Senate, William Seward, who was the nation's most celebrated antislavery politician. He also faced Salmon Chase, the first Republican Governor of Ohio and one of the founders of the Republican party. And also Edward Bates, a formal educated abolitionist lawyer who had already garnered support from numerous states in both the North and South. And who was Lincoln? A failed senator and failed state legislature who was largely unknown outside of Illinois. There was one thing he had that the others failed to possess—an impossible work ethic. And it was that work ethic that took him all the way to the White House. Little did he know his problems were about to begin. Before Lincoln's first day as president 7 states had passed resolutions to secede from the Union and had formed their own government as the Confederate States of America. On top of that, the Republican party was once again divided between compromising

with the South and hard-liners who demanded abolition or nothing. Within his own Presidential cabinet, they debated for months about the Emancipation Proclamation, whether they should do it or not, how to do it, when to do it, and whether President Lincoln had any right to even do it in the first place. Despite protests, despite the risks of alienating Border States and increasing the length of the Civil War, he proceeded anyway. The importance of ending slavery far exceeded all of these concerns. Many states, even Northern states, actively opposed the Proclamation for various reasons. Lincoln faced immense opposition during his reelection. There was a cry for peace at any cost. The war had dragged on for too long, and everyone wanted things to go back to normal. They pushed Lincoln to compromise, but in the end, he refused to meet with the Confederate president Jefferson Davis unless their meeting meant the end of slavery. In the end, Lincoln stood his ground and swept the Electoral College by a tally of 212 to 21 and began President for a second term. As we know, unfortunately he never got to see his ambition fully realized. Many leaders never do, the seeds they plant and the legacy they leave often continues long past their existence. But he did reach his goal in one way, his name will always be remembered.

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Determined to make an impact, during his final months as a US Senator in 1848, Lincoln gave an impassioned speech on slavery hoping to draw compromise from both abolitionists and pro-slavery forces. It didn't work. He considered his only term as a Senator a failure. Even as a child, he always dreamed of a better future. Possibly due to the harshness of his living conditions, he dreamed of being on his own and making his name known across the land. But unlike most children, that dream never died. As Lincoln entered adulthood and became a leader in his profession, he kept pushing for greater things.Â His legacy is defined by his executive order that freed the slaves. He wrestled for months as President on how to make it law abiding and

constitutional. He dreaded becoming an Alexander, a Caesar, a Napoleon, a man who exploited times of chaos to impose order from above. But in order to save the Union, that's exactly what he did. Published in newspapers across the nation, it read, "As a fit and necessary military measure for effecting this object, [preservation of the Union] I, as Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, do order and declare that on the first day of January in the year of our Lord 1863 all persons held as slaves within any state or states, wherein the constitutional authority of the United States shall not then be practically recognized, submitted to and maintained shall then, thenceforward and forever, be free." Eighty words supplanted consti-

tutional law, property rights, and legislation that had taken place over three-quarters of a century. Roughly 3.5 million black people were finally set free. When signing the Proclamation, Lincolns said "I never, in my life felt more certain that I was doing right, than I do in signing this paper. If my name ever goes down in history it will be for this act, and my whole soul is in it." When we look at our lives, most of us will never accomplish something so monumental. But that doesn't mean we can't affect the people and areas God has placed in our charge. We must look to our greatest example, Jesus, and to those giants who have come before us. The world was forever changed by an uneducated kid who grew up on a farm. May we strive to accomplish such change as well.

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Lesson 7

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PHOTO BY MONTY NUSS

KEN HARRISON, AUTHOR OF

RISE OF THE SERVANT KINGS:

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT BEING A MAN ISSUE 9 + MARCH SAINTS

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BY JENENE STAFFORD

egacies are built on the decisions we make. If we make a poor decision, it has a ripple effect because it is the evidence of the impact we've made on those we love, lead or influence. People leave a legacy and so do businesses, churches, ministries and movements. When men across the board don't measure up to God's standards for men and they're unwilling to man up and recognize the power and responsibility they have to influence others, the results are devastating. The entire world is affected and the antidote is found in men understanding real manhood and how they are called to be servant kings. In America and across the globe, crime against women—rape, molestation, incest and human trafficking—are real evils where men by majority are the perpetrators. In America we wonder why women are full of fury and hatred,

KEN HARRISON TAKES ON THE NEW ERA OF PROMISE KEEPERS AS CEO

man up but Ken understands the suffering and challenges that too many women face because he saw it firsthand as a police officer in the streets of Los Angeles. Those law enforcement years back in the 90's were the reason why when asked "Why do you have such a special heart for men that you're bringing back Promise Keepers?" He responded "I don't have a special heart for men, I have a special heart for women and children—when men are screwed up, it's women and children who suffer." In society and in churches, women have been left holding the bag, carrying the responsibility that should have been the responsibility of the men in their life. "Men can just check out of society, and they are, but women, they don’t just get to walk away from their kids the way men do," he says. It's not as if Ken is bashing men, he's pointing out the obvious and he's modeling humility and accountability for men. The state of inequality in the Church, divorce, and the break-

down of family as well as society can't be denied. Ken says it well, "That’s all Satan does is point fingers at people." In other words, if he can keep us all pointing our fingers at the other guy, then no one will be accountable and no one will take a stand and be a voice for change.

sometimes men are unaware OF BASIC TRUTHS Ken is big on helping men plug in to what’s going on with their wives and paying attention to what they feel. and he recognizes that there are a lot of blindspots for men when it comes to understanding women. One of those areas in marriage is the topic of sex. "When a woman feels protected, provided for and cherished, it has a remarkable effect on her libido. But guys don’t know this because they’re not being taught, especially this younger generation," he says. Ken's not at all surprised by the anger of women. In his mind "it’s easy to fix, and guys [need to] stop being jerks

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but someone’s got to inform men of these basic truths because guys don’t think about it and unless their fathers are teaching them they’re not going to know." His compassion and conviction for discipling men and providing wisdom to the younger generation comes across authentically.

ARE YOU WILLING? It's abundantly clear in sitting down with Ken and looking him in the eye, he's the real deal—he's all about changing the game and his heart is for making things right on many levels. He's going to make big strides forward for reconciling women and men in America and helping men to understand, cherish and even die for their wives. He's a tough yet humble guy— what you see is what you get. He's not sugar coating anything—he's got his Sword out and he's going to fight to set things right by teaching men to rise up and equipping them with the tools you

need to win. Ken has been discipling men all over Denver for years. And a few years back, God laid it on his heart to write a book, a "blueprint for becoming the man you were made to be." His book Rise of the Servant Kings was released in late 2019 and it's all about what the Bible says about being a man. It's full of action-packed, movie-worthy stories of real life examples of his experience in the LAPD. When the book was written, Ken had no idea that he would become the new CEO and Chairman of the Board for Promise Keepers. In fact, it was the furthest thing from his mind. In 2012 Ken retired from building a big company. Some of his thoughts were: I don’t want to lead people anymore. I don’t want to get sued anymore. I don’t want to fire people anymore. I just want to be left alone. Ken could have left his legacy in tact as a successful business guy and retired young with 3 beautiful kids and a lovely wife. But, God had something even more significant in mind—to build something new (sort of) together. Of course, that wasn't exactly how the conversation began. God came to Ken in a really vivid way and asked him point blank, "Are you willing to be as ambitious about building my Kingdom as you were for your kingdom?" Side note, it came with a "super warning—be careful of your answer, it's going to cost you everything." After wrestling with God

“YOU GET WHEN GOD CALLS PEOPLE IN THE BIBLE, WHETHER IT'S MOSES OR MARY, OR WHOMEVER, THE REACTION IS ALWAYS LIKE GET SOMEBODY ELSE, ME? IT'S A

SHOCKING FEELING."

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for a couple of hours, Ken said, "OK God, whatever you need." Then the waiting game was on to know what exactly it was that Ken had said yes to. In the meantime, Ken spent several years discipling men. One day a guest showed up at one of the meetings, his name was Raleigh Washington—the CEO of Promise Keepers at the time. "Is that still a thing?" Ken said when he introduced himself. As their friendship grew, Raleigh kept asking Ken to join the board, but he said "No, I don't want to be part of any dead organization." Eventually he convinced Ken to attend his first board meeting to help Raleigh out and by the time he left the board meeting they voted him as Chairman of the Board. Initially Ken actually thought he was going to close Promise Keepers down. "I didn't realize that was what God and I were talking about way back then when He called me." However, God got hold of Ken's heart and he began to realize that there would be a new era of Promise Keepers and Ken was going to be instrumental in restoring what was lost or broken and in building something that would ensure that ongoing discipleship was part of the organization's future. Sometimes movements fold up or die out and we think the game is over, but sometimes God is waiting for the right people to show up on the scene.

HE WAS HANDPICKEd God began to reveal how He would use all the experience Ken had as a cop and a successful business man to revive a once powerful movement for Christian men into something better than it had ever been. It was clear from where I was sitting that Ken was the right man for the job and I said to him, "It seems you were

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handpicked." His response was "Yeh, it’s a freaky thing to think about…when God calls people in the Bible, whether it’s Moses or Mary, or whomever, the reaction is always like ‘Get somebody else. Me?’ It's a shocking feeling." If you don’t react that way, then you’re probably not being called by the Lord. Ken admits, grudgingly and scared, he still said “yes.” He's taking the steps to restore honor, dignity, leadership and legacy on a much wider scale than he

may even realize in this moment.

god lined up the deal God strongly laid it on Ken's heart to write a book, so like many of us Ken had a little negotiation with God and said to the Lord, "If you bring me a real book agent then I will." He lined it all up and God came through like a champ. Three weeks later Ken met a major book agent. Ken told him about his cop stories

and he thought the stories were amazing and they were really needed but he still said "nobody buys men’s books." Ken figured if it was meant to be God would make it happen so he said, "Well let’s see what we can do." The agent signed him up and agreed to do what ever he could. Ken asked his wife, "How much of the money should we give away if the book gets published?" He had 80% in his head, but his wife prayed about it and said, "100%." So they decided together to give 100% away. That was step one in His unveiling of His plan. Ken, a big player, didn't just want results, he wanted to knock the ball out of the park. He wanted to know what that number would be. The agent gave me him an advance number and said "If you were to get this number, it would be unrealistically amazing!" So Ken and his wife prayed and committed to give every penny away. The agent put their book proposal out and he was shocked, 4 days later they got their first yes. God showed off and they ultimately had 3 different rounds of publishers in a bidding war on the book. They ended up signing a contract for 3 times what the agent said would be the highest number they could ever get. The amount of the deal was exactly how much money they needed to get Promise Keepers back on its feet. "The Lord knew I would never promote this book if I was getting something out of it, but the fact that I would get nothing out of it allows me to be more vocal and say 'Go buy the book ‘cause you need it,'" Ken says. This journey all started with Ken saying "Whatever you want God" and step by step he has done what the Lord has asked, although wrestling and ne-

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gotiating at times with God along the way.

the mission matters We don't want to make him out to be a super hero—he's just a humble and brave man willing to be the poster child for manning up for Promise Keepers. But, he also realizes "that this mission matters like no other has in his life. This mission has a singular cause that transcends all else—the kingdom of Christ ruling in every masculine soul, to the end that men actually become mature in Christ, marriages reflect heaven, families become healthy, communities are revolutionized, and above all else, our God is glorified." (Stu Weber's words taken from the Foreword of the book). Ken's heart is to see men of all ages rise in their true identity as husbands, fathers and kings by learning from the

Word of God about true masculinity and how to be a man. We know the truth is that men often feel they fall short as fathers, husbands, friends and followers of Christ. They're tired of the world's ever-changing advice on manhood and are desperate for wisdom to help them through trials, temptations and decisions. Ken's advice cuts through the confusion with a refreshingly real version of true masculinity. Evander Holyfield says about Ken's book, "If you want a no-nonsense guide to getting manhood right, this is it." Os Guinness says, "Some authors write with ink and some with water. Harrison writes with blood and fire, and his soul-stirring call for men to rise to the challenge of the hour is bold, timely and heartwarming. If Christian men respond as the promise keepers described here, the world will be a different and

better place." Ditto from Megamorphosis Magazine. We want to empower you—to get into position in the army of God and build a game-changing legacy for yourself and for God's kingdom. God has a bigger plan for you, for Ken Harrison and for Promise Keepers and it's our prayer that men will rise and become the men they were created to be—and simultaneously champion the women they influence to do the same. True success and unity in the body of Christ will happen if men and women become passionate about loving one another and seeing each other through the Father's eyes. With bravery and accountability we can go into 2020 surrendered to God's game plan and watch Him create a masterful turn-around in the Church, in our homes and in America. It's time for men and women to Man Up.

“HARRISON WRITES WITH BLOOD AND FIRE, AND HIS SOUL-STIRRING CALL FOR MEN TO RISE TO THE CHALLENGE OF THE HOUR IS BOLD, TIMELY AND HEARTWARMING." -OS GUINNESS

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2020

AN EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK "RISE OF THE SERVANT KINGS" BY KEN HARRISON (PG 77)

"One of the most important aspects of masculinity is accountability. And the beginning of accountability is self-control. A man takes responsibility. He understands that he and only he is accountable for what is in his charge. An accountable man seeks to serve in some capacity in all his relationships because he understands that he is responsible for the health of any group of which he's a part, whether it is his family, his church,his work or any other organization to which he belongs. A passive man wishes to take from his relationships. He looks to be served rather than to serve.One of the ways to destroy society is to destroy masculinity. The ways to do this is to have males that are not accountable. How does this happen? Eliminate self-control. If you drink too much, look at pornography, look at things that lead to pornography, are addicted to mood-enhancing drugs, are obsessed with sports, are a workaholic, or ____, you need to stop. Stop now. Your flesh has control of you. How do you do this?

YOU MUST WALK IN THE SPIRIT OF GOD. HE WILL GIVE YOU THE SELF-CONTROL THAT LEADS TO HOLINESS." -Ken Harrison

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1| The Rise of The Patriots 2| The Golden Eagle is Swiftly Moving Over California

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3| 2020â&#x20AC;&#x201D;A Ground-Breaking Year! A No Nonsense Year!

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Now is the time to march! Saints

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PHOTO BY JOY HARRIGAN

The Rise o

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of the Patriots Restoring and returning to our foundations

Revival Flame Ministries ANITA ALEXANDER www.revival-flame.org

BY ANITA ALEXANDER

independence and freedom from the rule of the English crown in the American revolution in the late 1700’s. But there is much more that the Lord is unearthing and wanting us to see in this time regarding this term PATRIOT and the correlation of this term that caused a revolution that birthed a free nation under God. ORIGINS OF THE PATRIOT Oxford Dictionary describes the word Patriot as a late 16th century word from Greek patriotes or patrios, which means ‘of ones fathers’, and from patris, which means ‘FATHERLAND’. Another way of saying “of one’s fathers” would be to be called a son, would it not? A Patriot is a son—a son who knows his inheritance and will defend and fight for that heritage unto death. Now interestingly enough the origins of the term “Motherland,” according to phrases.org. uk, derives from the early European settlers to the USA. Two prominent figures of the Pilgrim Father settlers were John Robinson and William Brewster. While in Holland and planning the emigration to America on the Mayflower, they wrote to Sir Edwyn Sandys in 1617: “We are well weaned from ye delicate milke of our

Everyday Revivalists

NATE & CHRISTY JOHNSTON www.nateandchristy.co

Creator of MM

JENENE STAFFORD F: @jenenestafford

"A PATRIOT IS A SON—A SON WHO KNOWS HIS INHERITANCE AND WILL DEFEND AND FIGHT FOR THAT HERITAGE UNTO DEATH."

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HIS WORD DOESN'T ONLY SERVE to be a word for the body of Christ in the USA, but rather a parallel prophetic analogy of what the Lord is doing throughout the earth in His people. I do believe however that this content is a direct word also for the United States in a very specific war they are engaged in right now. Unlocking would be the word I would use to describe my latest ministry trip to the New England area in the USA this past October. A visit to George Whitefield’s Church in Newburyport was a cataclysmic moment for me where the Lord began to reveal a movement He was arranging in secret that would unearth in the near future that will take the world by surby storm. A revolutionary movement that would confront the enemies of this age that would seek to steal a generation and generations to follow. This movement is the “Rise of the Patriots.” As we know the original “Patriots” are known as those who fought for

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"IT WAS AWAKENING AND ENCOURAGING A PEOPLE TO HAVE ALLEGIANCE TO THE CROWN OF KING JESUS RATHER THAN THE CROWN OF THE STATE."

mother countrie, and enured to ye difficulties of a strange and hard land, which yet in a great parte we have by patience overcome.” Now the definitions of Motherland and Fatherland are as follows; According to azcentral.com a Motherland is defined as a country that has or had a lot of colonies while a Fatherland is the country of one’s birth; a Fatherland is a place of origin. When we speak of origin we speak of identity. During the revolutionary war it is well known that Patriot soldiers fighting for independence from the English were heard in their battle cry saying, “No King, but King Jesus!” In other words, “We are not subjects to a King but we are citizens answerable only to God.” Termed patriots because they were fighting over identity. They were saying our identity is not in the colonies of the motherland but our identity is from our Fatherland. Our identity is in Christ. RESTORING AND RETURNING TO FOUNDATIONS OF ORIGIN AND IDENTITY “And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called Repairer of the Breach, Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.” (Isaiah 58:12) George Whitefield a founding father of the United states, was a key player in forerunning this awakening of iden-

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tity in Christ. George Whitefield was known to be a mighty instrument of God in what is known as the First Great Awakening. His message, salvation through Grace. This message brought a divide between those who believed it was salvation through works. Truly this was an Awakening, an awakening out of religion into the freedom they had in Christ. He was passionate about the separation of Church and State as the State was so corrupt in that day, using religion as a means of political and monetary gain. Even though George Whitefield died years before the Revolutionary war began, it is known He was absolutely a forerunner and catalyst for the birthing of the United States of America that came from the victory won in that war. He forerun the revolution by his opposition of the King being the head of the church and spiritual matters. He passionately preached that God’s people should be under the Headship of God, not a King. This message was imparting identity in a people. It was awakening and encouraging a people to have allegiance to the crown of King Jesus rather than the crown of the State. A people who began to see who the Father was through the extravagant expression of Christs love were a people who began to realise they no longer had to be a slave to a hypocritical tyranny. These

were a people who were restored to their Fatherland, to their place of origin—these were the Patriots. There is a revival in this very message of identity in this day. We will see another GREAT AWAKENING alike in these days to come and surely I believe it is already here. It is a revival where God is releasing men and women of God in this hour who carry and boldly release a message of identity reminding God’s people of who they are before they knew the motherland. Before the fall, before the counterfeit covenant. Returning a people to the Fatherland, Eden, and in that space of restored communion with the Father, through the Son Jesus, they will come forth manifesting a selfless boldness and courage to fight and wage war on that which would threaten that freedom. This is the Rise of the Patriots. PATRIOTISM UNDER FIRE – A WAR ON IDENTITY Many a time has America been judged and slandered by various nations of the earth for its bold and brave patriotism. Even though from the outside looking in, America’s passionate patriotism has been seen as a sense of arrogance and superiority, in these coming days, if preserved, it will serve to be its most powerful weapon against the one world government agenda. However, Patriotism is now under fire, with the

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dom fighters will fearlessly confront those demonic strongholds that pose as spiritual prison guards and set a people free of the shackles that bind them in this demonic deception. THE SOUND OF A SECOND REVOLUTION – THE SONS ARE COMING A fearless few like Gideon’s army are rising, ones who don’t want to play church but actually are sold out to the cause of freedom. Again there is a revisiting of foundations. The sound of the message of identity that was deposited into the New England soil by George Whitefield is surfacing. This sound of freedom is vibrating from the ground and I personally engaged with this sound as I stood on this very soil. The message of identity you will birth in people, the knowledge of who they are and then a mighty army will rise. The sound of a revolution being birthed by a message of awakening to identity. The sons are arising, and the reflection of the face of Jesus they carry will not be what the religious recognise as Jesus. They are looking for Him to come in a different way, preconceived in their own minds. But the sons are coming, they are awakening to who they are and the power that will be released through this knowledge will cause a revolution. A revolt against the principalities and rulers of darkness, deceiving a genera-

tion, whispering lies to them regarding who they are. Yes it’s a time to call to arms and awaken those who are asleep in religion and confusion. It’s time for a sound to cut through the airways that is unlike any other sound and shock and shake awake a people back into reality from their fantasy land stupor and realise this generation is in dire straights and in desperate need of a thunderous move of God’s hand that will cause a people to know Him. As the American revolution is a prophetic picture of what I believe the Lord is prophesying in this time. One nation that was born under God, the same One body of Christ coming forth as sons finding their battle cry “No other King, than King Jesus.” It will be a bride who is fully awake, and fully in love. Totally divorced from any allegiance to the motherland the devil and his counterfeits. The Patriots fighting a war on mixture and perversion that is rooted in the lack of identity. A revolution against the tyranny of the demonic principalities who are lying and deceiving a generation to death and hell. Sons understanding who they are will be the ignition point of this revolt against such demonic darkness of this hour and the Light of the knowledge of the sons will pierce the darkness.

"THE SONS ARE ARISING, AND THE REFLECTION THEY CARRY WILL NOT BE WHAT THE RELIGIOUS RECOGNISE AS JESUS."

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lurking and ever pressing One World Governmental liberal ideas trying to mould a generation with the sole pursuit to steal identity, individualism, national patriotism, and religious loyalties. The enemy would seek for America to implode itself by abandoning the patriotism of its foundations and constitution. I see the Lord is causing a revisiting to the foundations upon which the nation of the United States was birthed. There has been a war over the founding constitution, people wanting to move the landmarks—people wanting to alter the foundation and roots of the nation. But the Lord is saying in this hour, "I am once again raising up the Patriots." The Patriot is a picture of the anointing of identity, freedom and sonship. "In this hour I am causing those with a message of freedom to arise with the brave heart anointing of the likes of William Wallace, who carry the sound of Freedom and Identity. They will fearlessly preach identity to a generation where identity is under war, where the scales weigh unjustly in a society that is grossly confused and deceived, bearing an abomination before the Lord." Gender dysphoria, racism, confusion around sexual orientation, denominationalism are all issues that revolve around identity. These free-

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The Golden Eagle Is Swiftly Moving Over California The Sons are rising in California in 2020

BY CHRISTY JOHNSTON

ONIGHT AS I WAS WORSHIPPING to the song, “Waymaker,” I had a vivid vision of the map of California after being in intercession all day for the State. As the song proclaimed, “you are the way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper, light in the darkness, that is who you are…” I saw a giant Golden Eagle hovering over the entire State, with its wingspan reaching from the Southern most tip of California, to the Northern most tip. It’s eyes were moving swiftly to and fro across the whole State and it’s talons were wide open and ready, as though it were hunting prey. The Eagle was glowing in a blinding gold and as it hovered, the gold that covered it, fell onto the land below it. I then saw a picture of the land below the Eagle. Standing at the most Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western points of California were hundreds and hundreds of Watchman and Gatekeepers. Even though they were standing far apart from one another geographically, they were standing back to back, like a fortified unit facing outwards, defending the land. These were the prophets and intercessors,

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and they were anointed by God to drive out the darkness and protect the land from any other incoming predators. With fire in their eyes, a sword in their hands and royal robes on their back, they began to shout in unison, like a mighty war cry, “We plead the Blood of Jesus over California. We plead the Blood over our land!” Their unified shouts rattled the earth and I then heard the deafening sound of a shofar trumpeting, and at the same time, the Golden Eagle began to shriek in a deafening cry. I could see the sound waves travel up and down across the entire State and wherever it touched, plagues of rats began to come out from the shadows and scurry into the light, confused and bewildered. No sooner did the rats appear, than did the Giant Eagle swoop down swiftly and scoop them

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come forth out of you, California. It is the song of restoration, the song of My protection, a song of joyous salvation and the song of my goodness over you. Today is a new day for you.” A CALL TO STAND GUARD, DECLARE AND INTERCEDE… THE PLAGUES ARE BEING DRIVEN OUT! I believe this vision and prophetic strategy of the Lord holds the keys of breakthrough for the State of California. Where the enemy has been attempting to ravage destruction through natural and supernatural means, through winds and fires, through demonically held government positions, through the homelessness epidemic, through abortion, the persecution of the church, and where he has attempted to seize every mountain of influence, God is moving swiftly to overturn every violation. Through this intentional and unified front of prayer within the Body of Christ, I see divine strategies being released to God’s people that carry the solutions of His heart for each one of these issues. Where the enemy has occupied these mountains, the simple, but effective prayers of God’s sons and daughters is not only driving out the darkness, but He is re-writing the problems that the State is currently facing. I see God’s people receiving divine strategies and instructions in

their sleep, in visions and in impartations of the Holy Spirit. Pay attention to these blueprints, for God is going to lead you, even the least of these, before the kings of the earth to impart Solomon-style wisdom. The prayers of the saints are not only driving out the darkness and releasing His glory, but simultaneously calling down the strategies of heaven. I prophesy over you this day that you will carry the intention and heart of the Father to rebuild the ancient ruins in this hour, and to raise up the former desolations that have been laid waste for many generations in California. In the coming twelve months, I see that divine strategies from heaven will be given to you and emerge onto the scene for the homelessness crisis, there are divine solutions for abortion, for the pornography industry, for the fires, for government and for every desolation. I see the Father strategically positioning and thrusting His people into sudden and unexpected seats of authority and favour. You will stand, representing the King of Kings, before the kings of the earth and they will desire your Wisdom and input in a matter. I see the Father moving His people also into positions of influence in Government and in Hollywood, both with high-seated politicians and also with celebrities, actors and producers.

“CALIFORNIA IS MINE. I WILL NOT ALLOW HER TO GO TO WASTE. FOR THE SAKE OF MY REMNANT IN HER LANDS."

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up in its mighty talons and devour them all. This war cry from the Watchman and the Gatekeepers, along with the sounding of the shofar and shrieking of the Eagle continued until every last rat was forced into the light and devoured. Like a dance of war, God’s sons and daughters voices somehow accelerated the movement of the Eagle. Somewhere in the middle of all this, I began to hear the sounds of worship rising from all over California. It grew louder and louder as the sound of the swarming rats diminished with every second that passed. At that moment, the song, “Waymaker” that I had been worshipping to as the vision played out, automatically switched to, “this is how I fight my battles.” As this song played in the background, the Lord began to speak to my heart: “California is mine. I will not allow her to go to waste. For the sake of my remnant in her lands, I will not allow the winds of perversion, or the fires of adversity to destroy her, for I have called her as mine. I have heard the cries of my chosen remnant, and I am drawing California to my heart, and I am leading her out. I am using my anointed Watchman and Gatekeepers to strategically work with My Spirit to drive out this present darkness and cover her in My Glory. A new song will

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"GOD IS SWIFTLY MOVING IN CALIFORNIA, AND AS WE CONTINUE TO INTERCEDE FOR HER, WE WILL SEE HER HEART TURN."

I also see divine strategies coming to the sons and daughters with how to reach the LGBTQ community. God’s heart is for them and there is about to be a mass exodus from their slavery and into the Kingdom. You will strike the ground in California with His Kingdom, and just as we are beginning to see through the likes of Justin Beiber, and Kanye West, God is about to pour out His Spirit upon Hollywood. Hollywood shall be transformed into Holy-Wood! God is moving mightily in California, and as we continue to intercede for her, we will see her heart turn. This heart change will come as a sudden and unexpected surprise to the world, but it will be no surprise to you and I. The heart change is already well and truly in motion behind what the eyes can physically see. I believe the strategy in this vision is encouraging the Body of Christ to continue to cover the State from every direction, and intensify your prayers over her. We are breaking through. This is a call to arms to the entire church to pray in unity and declare the Blood of the Lamb over this land. As we take our stand of authority and declare that this is a land covered by Jesus, the enemy hordes will be driven out and be forced to ‘passover’ her, just like in the days of Egypt. I encourage you, if you are a Californian or American, cover her in prayer, not judgement. Cover her in interces-

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sion and worship, for this is how we fight our battles. The Way-maker and miracle-worker is on the move. He is brooding over California, looking for His Word to perform it. THE GOLDEN EAGLE When I researched about the Golden Eagle itself, I discovered that it is known for its swift abilities to hunt. It is more aggressive than its Bald Eagle counterpart, and amazingly, it does its best hunting in pairs. Just as I had seen in the vision, the Golden Eagle was on the hunt and it was partnered with the sons and daughters, causing their intercession to be strategic and effective. The Golden eagles have keen eyes and can spot the slightest movement from long distances, I believe the Father revealed to me this analogy to show that His eyes are intently upon California and He is eradicating the darkness through you. A swift driving out of darkness is taking place, as the Glory of God begins to rain down upon her.

"But this is a people plundered and looted; they are all of them trapped in holes and hidden in prisons; they have become plunder with none to rescue, spoil with none to say, “Restore!” (Isaiah 42:22) God is shouting this day, “Who will cry out, ‘restore!’ For California shall not be laid to waste! Today is the day of her salvation and restoration! I

have set her apart as My Golden State and my Glory shall be seen upon her, from the North to the South, to the East and to the West… I have called her by name, she is mine. The days of her Glory Gold-Rush have begun!” Below is the scripture I kept hearing in my heart as I saw this vision and heard the Father’s words. I believe it is his promise over the State of California.

“Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will respond as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt.” “In that day,” declares the Lord, “you will call me ‘my husband’; you will no longer call me ‘my master.’ I will remove the names of the Baals from her lips; no longer will their names be invoked. In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the creatures that move along the ground. Bow and sword and battle I will abolish from the land, so that all may lie down in safety. I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord" (Hosea 2:14-20). Initially published at www.nateandchristy.co

2020

A Bible Revival & God's Lightning Rod

BY JENENE STAFFORD

VERYDAY AS A LEADER, we're called to go places where others wouldn't dare to go, to stand when no one will stand with you, to say yes to the call even when the journey seems relentlessly painful for seasons of time. These seasons will cause you to stand in the face of a big, fat, disgusting, lying spirit who will provide all the evidence that you should throw in the towel because you're on your own and nobody understands the full picture of what you're up against, except for the one that matters most, Jesus. Still regardless of how big Satan and his demonic forces seem, they’re pathetically small in comparison to the Lord Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, Friend and Love. Here’s what I see—2020 the heat is turned up for so many, my beautiful friends, and for me, as I am increas-

ingly challenged and battle for every single magazine issue. I humbly admit only Jesus can help me to rejoice in persecution. I admit it, that I hate how hard it is at times and many of you do as well. But the tide is about to change for many kingdom leaders. Saints, I encourage you to march and keep marching. Jesus forewarned us that He was sending us out as lambs among wolves. We should be grateful for His warning and know 2020 the wolves (false prophets, the religious, controlling and manipulating spirits) are coming in larger proportion. Take heart, the army of the Lord will rise in the face of all of our adversaries and we will be notorious for it—like the early church. The secret place will call our name and we will hear the whisper of the Father to come and dine with Him. Revelation and wisdom will be tools given to learn to maneuver, found only in His

presence. Right now and in the coming few months we're in a bootcamp learning to march together in unity. This bootcamp makes the Marines look like Disneyland, there is no comparison. The enemy doesn't want us unified and in our rightful place knowing where we should be positioned, therefore the battle is more intense than ever. We need to be alert as he prowls around. Hereafter we will constantly be training to be qualified to rise in rank as part of the Army of God. A season where we’ll grow in honor amongst God and men is upon us. The brave saints are the valiant ones who are willing to give up their lives and who are in constant prayer. This is the true Church of Jesus Christ in all her glory. The saints don’t march to the beat of their own drum, they march to the beat of the Father’s heart. They're not out for their own glory, but the Fa-

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2020—A Ground Breaking Year! A No Nonsense Year!

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"THE SAINTS DON'T MARCH TO THE BEAT OF THEIR OWN DRUM, THEY MARCH TO THE BEAT OF THE FATHER'S HEART. THEY'RE NOT OUT FOR THEIR OWN GLORY, BUT FOR THE FATHER'S GLORY."

ther's glory. They’re not out to make a name for themselves, but to make Jesus' name famous once again. They're not out to draw attention to themselves, but to draw attention to God's love, justice and how to heal the land. They're not out to stand alone, but to stand with a holy army—in their rightful position—each one will march. 2020 is a crucial year of changing of the guards and changing ranks—all for the sake of the kingdom coming, the marching and praying saints. We will pierce the dark motives and plans of the enemy. We will have larger gains in businesses, ministries and churches due to being in prayer and hearing from God on how and when to move and build. The saints will be illuminated by the Father and we will battle for souls that are hungry for freedom, truth and healing. Power from the Holy Spirit will manifest through the saints with more miracles than ever before in history, endowed for the humble, compassionate, hearing bride. “Illumination” and “Power” are coming this year to the body of Christ, these are the next two issues of MM for 2020. Governmental secrets that have been hidden will continue to come to light as lies, motives and evidence will

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be available on the big screen for all to see, but keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. Say no to distraction—laser focus and a one track mind focused on Jesus is more crucial than ever before. 2020 the saints will be positioned by God in every social, media, education, creative and government sphere. God will show up with His strong arm and He will not leave His saints. Many will receive 20/20 vision for heavenly strategies, and 20/20 vision will manifest physically as well for many all over the world. I see clarity and vision and a Bible revival is coming to the continents of the world in 2020. Specifically, I see and hear Indonesia, Africa, China, India, Australia, Rome, Ireland and America will experience a lightning rod coming from God’s hand. This rod will cause an abrupt shift in the way Christianity has been perceived for centuries. 2020 is a ground breaking year! A great awakening, rattling and shifting is coming upon the world over the next two years. It will be very disruptive to scientific and educational institutions around the world. Many will beg the question, "Is it possible?" Some will be confused, others will wake up and begin to question what

they believed. In their hunt for truth and proof Jesus will show up magnificently and scientifically in new ways. I see Jesus with a rattle in His hand, waking up the babies that are thirsty for milk. Many baby Christians will be born, but they’ll grow rapidly, almost like they’ve been given a growth hormone from Jesus. This also will happen in the natural—babies will get larger. A cry for the secret place hidden in Christ; and for sacred Christian roots coming up out of the ground, literally, like never before. A return to our first love is coming as more churches are hearing an urgent call to study the book of Revelation. We're going to jump and dance and sing in the river and a revolution of love is coming into the streets and unity is coming to the saints. 2020 is a year where we must escape to be in His presence—just like Jesus did with the Father—in order to stay the victor’s course. It will be absolutely necessary to be with Him to retain the vision, the clarity and the position of leadership where you have been predestined and anointed. This is what I see. This is what I know is coming— prepare yourself to get into the position for which you were born—don’t look back.

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Never has there been a more pivotel time in history for women to RISE and get into their God-appointed position . . .and it's going to require doing some Brave Work.

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BASED ON AN ONLINE COURSE FOR WOMEN: CREATED BY JENENE STAFFORD

THE BRAVE WORK

The truth is, in your life's struggle you've been prepped to be a great leader; and your life—the beautiful, the undignified and even the truly ugly parts are incredibly— are useful to you as you form a new way of thinking about your story.

you there is gold in your story. From this day forward you can use it to propel you forward or to hold you back. The world is filled with people everywhere searching for light and truth, looking in all the empty places the world has to offer. You have the power to choose the hard work of bravery; to lean into grace and trust by the One who gave life to all, and to be a light that illuminates in a world that is covered in the shadow of darkness. The world is in desperate need of women willing to rise up to the call and challenge of doing the brave work, to help set yourself and others free. There are no shortcuts to transformation—the brave work must be done.

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will." + Romans 12:2

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The real you is only found when you're willing to do the brave work.

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t's no shock that this world is in need of leaders; in fact, at first glance, it seems like we have more than enough. All throughout social media, from Facebook to Instagram and YouTube, there are people everywhere wanting to lead, inspire, and be glorified. However, the kind of leaders we need are not any ordinary kind, fixated on the material in a world that is passing away. Leaders who need to rise up are the ones that can champion truth and freedom which comes from a higher source—the only true light in this life, with the power to set people free. Within you is a leader that can rise up, doing the brave work, the kind of work that inspires, sometimes terrifies, challenges, and propels you toward the woman you can become, the woman you want to be, the one that you are meant to be. These snap shot #truthbombs from "The Be Brave Program" created by lil' ol' me (the one on the left of the photo to the left) will provide the real life transforming nuggets to draw out the leader and champion that God has placed inside you, waiting to be cultivated and unleashed. Inside your heart and mind lies a burning passion and a mantra for life—a God mandate that challenges you to venture into the glorious unknown, guiding you into your brave story—one where the REAL YOU, the braver, bigger you, collides with God's will and design for your life. This year, in 2020, it's a pivotel time in history to come out of hiding because you were born to be a gift to this world. And whether you believe it in this moment or not, I assure

TRANSFORMING

YOUR STORY

If you carry the lie that your story doesn't matter then you carry that lie with you and it multiplies. The problem is—your story is a testimony and that's how you, me and the world overcome.

shaped you. Jesus was a leader of positive influence and He was a master storyteller of #truthbombs, meaningful examples of life-changing, light-giving stories. He fully intended to make all of his sons and daughters into great storytellers in our own unique way. That's what I want for you. There's power in transforming your story into something that breathes life into humanity. There's greater influence waiting for you in learning to live out your story from a place of victory rather than defeat.

Your story has the power to heal people, cities and nations. You can do this! 83

"Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That's why for Christ's sake I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

+ II Cor. 12:10

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he process of transformation can at first feel like pain—real change will stretch you, test you beyond what you're accustomed to. The goal of change and transformation is not to shed light on what we can do, but what God can do through us. I feel called to share what God has done in my life, and to share the lessons he has taught me along the way, that your story matters and despite the "ugly parts," you have a unique beauty that can be used, cultivated and transformed. Shame has no place in your story, and therefore must be shed. You must come out of hiding—take authority over your painful past and let it be the fire and substance that sets you apart. Look closely at yourself: can you see where there are deep wounds, or parts that you know deep inside you needs to be brought to light? Are there places where you are holding back, or even parts of yourself you cannot and will not accept? The trials and even trauma we face as humans can have the power to inflict pain and fear, or they can lead to wisdom, healing, growth, and forgiveness. Great leaders who have tremendous impact are often those who have endured great suffering. Stepping forward into your story, sharing your vulnerabilities will empower you, and reveal your "failures" as the truth of what they are—strengths. Confronting your inner demons can be uncomfortable and scary, however your spirit is resilient, and can rise above the circumstances and experiences that have

CONFIDENCE

AND RISING UP

Making yourself small, shrinking in the face of adversity, and even lying to yourself about your potential, are all ways to stunt growth of the leader within you.

under self doubt. The truth is that you have a purpose and a unique gift, and it is waiting to be drawn out as a bold mandate for your life. Imagine as though your life and story are hidden within your own personal toolbox. You have been equipped with experiences that have guided you, taught you, and shaped you. Visualize this toolbox as an asset, which empowers you to go forward with confidenceâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;you are never too broken or beyond repair, to be used for good. The negativity and lies of others (or even yourself) have no place. You are no longer the victim, but a conqueror. Let your mantra and mandate flow from God's never-ending love and strength. The ugliness of your story can turn into a great comeback, and lead you to a breakthrough you never thought impossible.

Confidence doesn't just show up, it happens when we practice being brave! 85

3 "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loves us." + Romans 8:37

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rowing within yourself takes time. It takes grace, and it requires trust in the process of becoming. The journey can often be bumpy, uncomfortable, or appear as though it's "not meant to be," met with road blocks and obstacles seemingly pointing toward failure. These are the rhythms of growth and shouldn't be seen as set backs. Making yourself small, shrinking in the presence of adversity, and even lying to yourself about your potential, are ways to stunt cultivation of the leader within you. Cultivating realness and growing in courage to stand out leads to a deepening of confidence in your role as a leader. Evaluate where you have a true passion for humanity, social justice, or other causes that bring you to life. How do you best give of yourself, and how consistent are you? Committing to improving these areas with progress, however, understand that a leader is not born overnight. It takes diligence, practice, and patience to flourish over time. Leading is often intuitive, almost instinctual and requires one to live out of authenticity, generosity, and conviction. Giving of yourself to your family, community, friends, and even to strangers has impact when you reach inside yourself and give realness; living generously with your work, art, time, and teaching has merit and power. The true test of of generosity lies in the vulnerability of giving without getting back in return, being rejected, and even misunderstood. Through the practice of giving and cultivating your strengths, confidence will begin to rise up. The truth is that deep inside, you know who you are called to be. Though you might not know what it looks like because it may be hidden

FACING

WHATHOLDS

YOU BACK

Remember, someone is waiting to hear a brave story that will give them hope. Be brave firstâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;face what holds you back and others will follow.

4 style that can use improvement. Furthermore, knowing and accepting that others have divine and authentic purpose is pivotal. The key is to find solace and peace in knowing this, understanding that it does not undermine what or who you are. Jealousy of others can be rooted out and overcome with time and commitment. There are many areas that will hold you back and each one must be tackled.

to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed, perplexed but not in despair, persecuted but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed"

+ II Cor. 4:7-9

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Who you're being as a leader is more important than what you're doing.

"We have this treasure in jars of clay

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o you ever find yourself stuck at times when moving toward your goals, or realize that you've gone off on a different path, sometimes without even recognizing you were starting to go astray? The key is consistency in these three areasâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;clarity, confidence and commitment. Keeping yourself accountable in these areas will aid you greatly in the journey of doing the brave work of growing into a unique leader. So many amazing women become disheartened. Therefore, recognizing pitfalls and positioning yourself intentionally are solid strategies that can propel you further into your development as a leader, and ultimately towards your deepest passions and destiny that God has called you to. Ask yourself the hard questions. Where is your time and energy going and does it align with your calling? Are there excuses that you are making which are holding you back? Are you keeping your commitments? Evaluate some of these areas and notice any patterns that might be present. In addition, notice if what may be holding you back is deeper. Do you feel the urge to ask permission to speak freely? Do you fear people may not respect you in a role of influence? Stepping back and noticing where you may fall short is essential. Do you honor you word and communicate with intention, integrity and conviction? Develop these qualities and you will bolster and reinforce your efforts. Feedback from trusted mentors and coaches about how you project yourself can further shed light in areas of leadership and

DISCOVERING

YOUR VOICE

The process of discovering your unique voice is messy, but perfectionism has no place in the Brave Work. The path of perfectionism leads to failure and the desire to just give up.

strikes fear in your heart. When fear becomes the main voice inside, it's not from God. Step back and observe that vulnerability and risk are inherently scary, but also guaranteed in your growth as a leader. In cultivating your own message from spirit, passion, wisdom, and contribution, lean into your spirit-inspired intuition. Imagine if you were being your very best self, how would you authentically speak and express yourself? You will find your voice's authentic edge when you let go of expectation and fear. Anything worth saying, any authentic and creative outlet, project, or cause will be worth the work. Sow seeds of faithfulness and goodness despite the unknowns in your life. Don't be led by fear, but lead by love instead and in so doing you will discover there is gold inside you.

Your voice has an edgeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;it's where the gold isâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;it's what makes you unforgettable. 89

5 "There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear. For fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears has not been made perfect in love." + I John 4:18

MEGAMORPHOSISMAGAZINE.COM

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ne intimidating aspect of being a leader is the call to project your unique voice and vision. There is a message living inside of you waiting to be birthed, which will inspire and equip future leaders. Having belief and faith in God's power to transform your heart and mind is ultimately believing that you posess the power from God to be who He's called you to be, and therefore, accepting greatness is within you. There may, at times, be voices inside you that tell you that you are not enough, or that your voice doesn't matter. These are lies meant to hide you from your empowered self, recognize when they diminish your vision and faith. Fear is the perfect opportunity to step out and exercise bravery in who God has called you to be. The process of discovering your unique voice is messy, but perfectionism has no place in the brave work. The path of perfectionism leads to failure and the desire to give up. To stay motivated and positive, letting go of perfectionism is an absolute necessity. Instead make great strides towards excellence; a voice that has strength, conviction and realnesst at the forefront leaves a mark on people's minds. Think of the leaders and speakers who you believe in and admire and realize you can have the same belief in yourself and your voice with time and practice. Discovering your own unique voice will result in others finding theirs, essentially bringing hope to others. When developing and discovering your voice, notice what

TRANSFORMING

LEADERSHIP

The tough work of bravery lies in our own broken-hearted spirit at times—that gut reaction to what we feel is truly wrong or unjust.

the Holy Spirit. You have the talent, the passion, and the uniqueness to impact the world. Finally, when you begin to have momentum in your cause or venture, and others who share your heart are drawn to you, mobilize your resources and delegate as you expand in whatever capacity that you can. This includes other leaders that you are connected with. Your gifts and talents for communicating, and the areas you have been developing (clarity, confidence, and commitment), will become invaluable. The framework and pillars for your vision will develop over time, but key principles will maintain throughout— authenticity, generosity, wholehearted and honorable conviction to share God's true love and light in a world desperately in need of it.

Authenticity, generosity, wholehearted conviction— and love set leaders apart.

"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depths, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God." which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." + Romans 8:38-39

MEGAMORPHOSISMAGAZINE.COM

SECTION 3: BRAVE

ravery is contagious; it's magnetic. Most importantly, it's influential. Stepping out of our comfort zone, and standing out with courage and vulnerability has massive impact. So many people in this world are hurting, afraid, and are hiding their stories and their scars. There is redemption and freedom in truth, and the only way to get there is to cross the the bridge of bravery. The culmination of every highlight in this article leads to your authentic brand of bravery—and the world needs you to push beyond your own ego and speak the truth that God has put in your heart. The tough work of bravery lies in our own brokenhearted spirit at times, We have a gut reaction to what we feel is truly wrong or unjust, and what should be made right. This intersection of raw authenticity is where you will engage and interact with those around you, and those you are influencing. In doing this you will strike those who are open-hearted too, and pose the question of how others can relate or how they may also become involved. By projecting your bravery, you will begin to find others who share your vision. Because ultimately it's a movement beyond yourself—for something greater, much bigger than you can fathom. The idea of bearing witness to God in our lives lies solely in how HE has transformed US. Not the other way around. The distractions of this world will be incessant at times, but stay steadfast in your ways, in your practices, and you will find that God will empower you through it all. Take a moment to envision what happens if you don't follow the calling God has placed in your heart; recognize you are the hands and feet

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