Monday marks one year since a weekly prayer meeting was first held on the courthouse steps in Newton County, Missouri, calling believers to prayer for our nation. Despite the abrupt change brought on the world by the pandemic, back in the summer of 2020, my spirit sensed dark clouds developing over America. A decay in society that began to accelerate as the election drew nearer convicted me that God wanted to use our radio station in this effort.

I believe prayer changes things. I hope our experience will inspire others.

To understand what happened, it’s helpful to know that my journey into the world of radio was not intentional on my part. But I can understand now that what took place over 36 years ago was an assignment “for such a time as this” (see Esther 1:14).

God gave me a voice in the public arena those many years ago, and the 2020 election seemed to be that moment where this platform would be used to awaken the sleeping Christians to the serious trouble looming on the horizon if we did not unite in prayer humbly before the Lord.

In July 2020, I met with the Newton County, Missouri, commissioners to get permission to meet on the Newton County Courthouse lawn each Monday evening prior to the November elections.

With their gracious approval, we held our very first “Prayer on the Square” event Aug. 3 in Neosho, Missouri, with roughly 40 eager believers joining me under the gazebo on the corner of the courthouse lawn. Each Monday, the numbers varied, some of the faces changed—many were always there, but many new ones would come and pray for a good outcome in the election for our nation.

Then what we had prayed for in earnest did not happen. The election went a different direction, and all I could do afterward was drive to that same little corner of the courthouse lawn and humbly seek the Lord.

To my surprise, dozens of people also showed up to pray because we didn’t know what else to do.

I have learned that this assignment, which began with my position at what was once the smallest Christian radio station in Southwest Missouri, now in the top 10 stations in its market, did not get there by my effort but by hitting my knees in trust that He would sustain it for His glory—which He has and more!

I sought Him and knew that He is faithful, and we must remain so as well.

Since that first prayer meeting in August 2020, we have continued each Monday night since to lift our nation humbly before the Lord, seeking His guidance, wisdom and mercy in a time almost foreign to these generations.

The people come from across the four-state area: young, elderly, some with walkers, some with babies in strollers—no matter the rain, the cold or the heat, they come. Some who pray are veterans grieving for the nation that they served and sacrificed so much for in their lives.

One 90-year-old woman sat in the back of a truck bed in a lawn chair; someone pointed to her and said, “Now she is a real prayer warrior, right there!”

I went to her and asked if she would like to pray, and she replied, “If you need me to.”

I asked two men to stand on either side of her to hold her up, and she prayed with the heart of someone who had seen the works of the Lord, knew Him to be true and faithful from her childhood. It was marvelous and humbling.

The next person to pray was a 12-year-old boy from Seneca, Missouri, who had a mohawk haircut and prayed for his school and his fellow students.

They come from all denominations and all walks of life to that little gazebo on the square. Many are afraid for the nation that they love, but we all know that prayer is the greatest weapon we have in our arsenal, a direct line to our Creator God.

One night, I felt convicted to tell the group gathered outside that forgiveness is critical to the Lord hearing us. I reminded them of the terrible murder of a man in Portland, Oregon, shot for wearing a Make America Great Again hat. Then I introduced a woman standing next to me, the sister of the man who had been killed, and she prayed for the shooter, forgiving him, and then she prayed for that man’s family. Despite her own grief, she lifted them up in prayer.

I realize I am only to show up in obedience because God is in charge. We continue to pray each Monday night until He makes it clear what path He directs us down, either national healing or rescuing His sheep from the wilderness. {eoa}

Mark Taylor has been in Christian radio for more than 36 years and is the president of Sky-High Broadcasting. He is also an author and conference speaker and can be reached at mtaylor@. KNEO is a community Christian radio station dedicated to serving its local communities with programming for all, from preaching and teaching to conversation on topics important to listeners, music and high school sports.

Follow breaking news like this and more in our new platform, CHARISMA PLUS.

Spirit-Filled Pastor’s Response to Mackenzie Morgan Calling Out Hillsong, Bethel and Elevation

Here’s a quick summary of the top stories on :

Anne Graham Lotz’s Son Jonathan Out of ICU, Begins Rehab After COVID Battle

Friends of the Billy Graham family across the globe are rejoicing with the news from Anne Graham Lotz that her son and Billy Graham’s grandson, Jonathan Lotz, has moved out of ICU and will begin rehab after a serious battle with COVID-19.

His mother posted her praise on Facebook, quoting a poem her mother, Ruth Bell Graham, taught her along with a photo of her mother and Jonathan.

This past weekend, Graham Lotz requested prayer for her son, a pastor and director of Jonathan Lotz Ministries, who was in ICU at the time. She also shared a note he wrote from his hospital bed: “He is being fruitful in the land of his affliction: ‘I am physically exhausted yet Spiritually overflowing! I am continually pouring over the Psalms of Ascent (120-134) in ICU. I have had the privilege of sharing Jesus with the ER & ICU staff! What a Savior! God is so good!'”

Why Now Is the Time to Pray for Cuba and End Ideology of Communism

As President Joe Biden wrestles over whether to end the United States’ embargo against Cuba—which originated in 1958 but was augmented several times until 1962 when it was extended to include almost all imports—the island nation 90 miles from Key West, Florida continues to see unrest.

Now is the time to pray. In December 2019, I had a vision of the embargo against Cuba ending in the short-term. Remember, most of the people alive today did not choose this government or this rule of law. This is a behemoth spirit spreading the ideology of communism.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said recently “almost all the countries in the world” are against the U.S. embargo.

How God Used Hard Times to Transform This Woman’s Heart—and Change Her Life

“It’s almost like I’m racing home to spend time with Him.”

Crystal Williams couldn’t always say that about spending time with God.

“I never thought I would feel this way about God,” she tells Dr. Steve Greene on a recent episode of Greenelines on the Charisma Podcast Network. “I loved Him and everything. But it’s totally different now.” {eoa}

Read articles like this one and other Spirit-led content in our new platform, CHARISMA PLUS.

Unusual Season of Changes

We are in an unusual season right now where God is supernaturally accelerating all things. As we are drawing near to Rosh Hashannah and to the new Hebrew year 5782, God is getting ready to close doors and to open up new doors of chosen destinies.

Great Exposure and Cleansing

There has been a great shaking of the occult, pedophilia, witchcraft lies, the deep state and of the falsity of the church. God is judging His house and is purifying His bride.

The Lord is testing and cleansing His people from any pride, flesh and the things of the world as He is wanting to promote the Daniels and the Shadrachs, Meshachs and Abednegos of this land.

Watch and Pray

“Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt. 26:41).

Many will be falling and many unlikely things will be happening. We are in a season of unusual things taking place.

The most unlikely people you thought of will fail you, and the Lord will pair you and partner you up with the most unlikely of people.

We are in a season where God is lifting up the humble and pulling down the proud.

“But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” (1 Cor. 1:27).

This is so that we would not trust in our own gifting, thoughts and intuitions but that we would truly lean into the Lord and trust His ways only.

The Remnant Is Rising

As the old generals and fathers are passing onto glory and as some are falling into sin and failure, there is a new generation of voices rising.

And some of these fire brands are some of the most unusual, unlikely of people who God is allowing to rise up in the ranks of society.

We are seeing this take place in politics. Some of the most unlikely of people are now running for Congress in many different counties and states.

We are seeing new voices of influence rise up in social justice and reform, media and arts, science and health, and politics and the church.

Some of the most unlikely, out of the box, unusual, questionable, improbable and untraditional types of people are rising up for such a time as this.

Why? It is to shake the religious system! It is to shake the false foundations of comfort, and it is to awake this nation to a new move of the Holy Spirit.

It is to shake the swampy systems of old that are running peoples’ lives into the ruin and far away from the true move of God’s Spirit and truth.

The Nameless and the Faceless

Many leaders and voices we used to trust are now losing their credibility, their authority, their platforms and their rankings because of undealt with issues and certain mixtures in their own hearts.

They have overstepped their lanes and have falsely represented the heart of God.

As we are seeing this shaking take place, God is raising up a generation of the nameless and the faceless, that prophets Bob Jones and Paul Cain of the Kansas City Prophets once prophesied about!

God is turning the “nobodies into somebodies,” and those who think they are a somebody will suddenly become a nobody.

The Most Unlikely of Things

Expect God to begin to surprise and shock you with some of the most unlikely of things. The most unlikely of people will suddenly fail you, and the most unlikely of people will suddenly come into your life to bless you.

God has a mysterious way of debunking our own traditions and prides and wanting to teach us afresh, by a new childlike dependence and faith in Him, who is the ever-perfect teacher and true rabbi.

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:9).

“But the anointing which you have received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. For as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and just as it has taught you, remain in Him” (1 John 2:27). {eoa}

Dr. Ben Lim is the senior pastor of Open Heavens World, which currently oversees three church plants in Southern California. He is a dynamic Millennial preacher who has traveled to nearly 50 countries in just the past 10 years. He spent his earlier years in the mission fields of Asia and Southeast Asia, preaching the gospel to unreached people groups. He is the CEO of Ben Lim Global and Ben Lim Ministries. His ministry is accompanied with notable signs, wonders and miracles. He holds a doctorate of theology from Next Dimension University.

Read articles like this one and other Spirit-led content in our new platform, CHARISMA PLUS.

Are you increasingly disheartened over the spiritual condition of the church? Are you fervently contending for God to revive His bride? Please keep interceding for revival—we need your prayers—but we also need a hunger in prayer for a spirit of repentance to pour upon the church.

Sin can stand in the way of what God wants to do both individually and corporately. Repentance both prepares hearts for revival and comes as a supernatural consequence of revival. Repentance comes first, then revival—in that order. No repentance, no revival.

Are you familiar with a revival where a church began to publicly repent for sins committed?

Pastors publicly confessed their adulterous affairs, the embezzlement of church funds and murder attempts on their wives. This led to hundreds of other public confessions, which wet the floors with tears of repentance.

The convicting presence of the Lord was so powerful that it was not so much the enormity of the sins disclosed but the agonizing groans of those repenting that shocked the onlookers.

To find out more about this revival, where voices uncontrollably shook under the convicting spirit of repentance, listen this week’s episode of Fire Starter on Charisma Podcast Network. {eoa}

There are many issues confusing Christians today, this is unfortunate. In my last article I shared that the rapture is not designed to be imminent. This appears to be a hard concept for some to accept. In the first episode, I provide biblical support showing the rapture cannot come in secret; it will be a grand worldwide visual statement. The announcement Jesus makes when He comes back in the clouds is “the arrival of the tribulation,” the 70th week of Daniel. The archangel comes with Jesus; his first action as the commander for Jesus during the entire Tribulation is to call believers up in a visual rapture. God’s visual rapture occurs in seven distinct events. I provide details in Episode 17.

In my first 20 episodes, I use hundreds of bible verses to explain issues that have Christianity confused today. For instance, the “thief in the night” is not the rapture! It is God stealing away a false peace that has arrived, per Luke 17:26-36, from the unsuspecting secular world. The “twinkling of an eye” is not the rapture happening and—poof—we are gone. It is the final seventh piece of God’s seven-part visual rapture event. In Episode 23, I show that the Tribulation cannot be happing today. The “mark of the beast” happens after the midpoint of the seven-year tribulation. It must be a visible mark on either a person’s forehead or right hand. It is not a chip or an injection or a vaccine verification card. Finally, The Great Reset seems to be very frightening to believers. God tells us a one-world government must come. It then breaks into 10 divisions with 10 leaders. Then an 11th leader will arrive; this person will become the Antichrist. And yes, we will get to see who he is. He needs to be here to sign a “covenant agreement” with Israel to protect them from something horrible that will have recently arrived on earth, placing Israel in danger. This covenant formally starts the Tribulation period that Jesus will have announced in the clouds mere hours earlier when He also took us in the visual rapture. This covenant is not a peace treaty! This agreement is between the Antichrist and Israel, not Israel and other nations, so the Abraham Accords do not qualify.

We live in an incredible moment in history. God is telling us an amazing story about what has already been fulfilled and what is about to arrive. It is all fantastic news for those of us that love and place all our trust in Jesus the Christ, our Messiah.

I offer two books on God’s 24 end-time prophecies if you might like to know more on this subject. Please visit us at . I suggest starting with my novel The Pastor of the Last Days, as this is a short fun read; the last chapter is exciting! {eoa}

I believe children sometimes see unseen beings that adults can’t see. Do you believe that? You might after you hear this fantastic story of what a 3-year-old saw after his grandmother surrounded her house with tent stakes covered in Bible verses!

I host Battle Plan on the Charisma Podcast Network now. It’s one of the few podcasts focused primarily on spiritual warfare. I think spiritual warfare should be a required topic for all churches to cover. When we are unaware of the enemy’s schemes and plans, then we are really just a punching bag for Satan—and we don’t even know it! We might even think the Holy Spirit is correcting us when it’s really the enemy!

On Episode 33 of my show this month, I share a terrific story about what a little boy saw after his grandmother put Scripture-covered tent stakes in the ground on the four corners of her property, but first, I should explain how this got started.

About a decade ago I was writing my first book on the topic of spiritual warfare, My Search for Prayers Satan Hates, where I intended to just share a great list of prayer success stories. But I prayed that God would give me “something special to put in the book that truly helps people,” and that is exactly what He did.

Soon after that prayer, a Christian friend called and asked me to meet with a friend of his who had never become a Christian. This non-Christian guy had a “serious spiritual warfare problem.”

He looked at me in the eye and said, “I have demons on my property, and I’m getting ready to commit suicide. I just wanted to talk to you first.”

I covered this story in its entirety in Episode 15, Bill Was Planning His Suicide, but to sum it up, he begins to tell me all the reasons he believes he has demons there, while I am frantically praying, “Lord, please tell me what to say to help this man before it’s too late. How do I help?”

As soon as I prayed a strange, Old Testament passage popped into my head from Deuteronomy:

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (NCV) says, “Listen, people of Israel! The Lord our God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. Always remember these commands I give you today. Teach them to your children, and talk about them when you sit at home and walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them down and tie them to your hands as a sign. Tie them on your forehead to remind you, and write them on your doors and gates” (author’s emphasis).

Note that the Jews didn’t say, “Oh, that’s just symbolic. We don’t literally put God’s commands on our doors and gates.” They actually did put it on their door and gates. In fact, they still do. They put them in a small box as a reminder of their connection to God and their commitment to Him. They touch it or kiss it every time they pass it. I even saw Jesus do this in one of the recent episodes of The Chosen.

When this verse entered my mind it was only a split second before I knew what we should do.

“Bill,” I began, “don’t kill yourself. Let’s try something bizarre—the Bible is filled with bizarre stories, right? Walking on water, talking snakes, a virgin birth and resurrections. Let’s put Bible verses on tent stakes and put them all the way in the ground on the four corners of your property. Then let’s read the verses out loud and pray for God to make this weird stuff stop, OK?”

He said, “OK, I’ll try anything.”

We did, and everything changed. He became a Christian and was baptized the next week. Others had been trying to convert him for 25 years.

I don’t have time to tell you all the stories this led to over the next few months and years, so let me just say that I was talked into selling stakes with Bible verses on them. My buddies who talked me into this said, “If it’s from God, you can’t stop it, and if it’s not from God, they won’t sell.”

A plastics manufacturer called and offered to spend $10, to build a mold so that the stakes would have all 16 verses embedded in the plastic instead of just putting them on a sticker. So far, I have ordered 83,500, and we have shipped them all over the world. Most people make their own stakes, but I do have the coolest ones. It’s obviously not the stake; it’s the act of faith and the true power of the Word of God in today’s world. Tune in to Battle Plan for more information.

I got an email from a lady I don’t know. She had heard about these stakes, liked the idea, and shared it with her sister, who lived in Wisconsin. Her sister also liked it and bought some stakes at her local Home Depot. She then downloaded my free PDF, “How to Stake Your Property,” which includes some suggestions and the list of all 16 verses that are on the stakes. She added a few more verses of her own and put them in the ground on the four corners of her home and lot.

About three weeks later, her 3-year-old grandson came over to spend a Saturday. As they were walking down the steps of her front porch to plan in her front yard, the little man stopped suddenly, looking all around with wide eyes.

“Grandma,” he said, “There are big men out there, and they are mad! They are stomping their feet because they are so mad! They are mad because they can’t come in here!”

The grandmother just smiled sweetly and said, “That’s right, honey. God’s Word is powerful, and it keeps us safe here at my house.”

He replied, “OK, let’s play,” and was immediately off and running.

Keep praying because prayer works. {eoa}

Steve Hemphill is an author, speaker, teacher and host of Battle Plan on Charisma Podcast Network. His books include My Search for the Real Heaven, My Search for Prayers Satan Hates, What Are the Stakes and God’s Power for Our Daily Battles. Learn more at .

By a very slim margin, House Democrats have passed a bill to pay for abortions worldwide using American tax dollars. Evangelist Franklin Graham said this must stop.

Graham said on a recent Facebook post, “The Helms Amendment, named for my good friend and pro-life Senator Jesse Helms of North Carolina who passed away in 2008, was put in place nearly 50 years ago to prevent this from happening. This week, Democrats in the House voted to repeal the Helms Amendment and use U.S. tax dollars to pay for abortions internationally.

“This is not only wrong on every level, but it’s not what the American people want. A Marist poll showed that 76 percent of Americans say they oppose using tax dollars to support abortion in other countries, while only 21 percent support it.”

The U.S. House voted 217-12 to fund elective abortions in foreign countries with U.S. tax dollars. But, according to the National Review, “pro-life Democrats have gone extinct in the House of Representatives. … All but three Democrats voted to pass the bill, killing the Helms Amendment on Wednesday night, and the three Democratic ‘no votes’—Cori Bush, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib—didn’t oppose the bill because it would fund abortion.”

The National Review went on to say, “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi may have endangered the Democratic majority by having her caucus vote for taxpayer funding in foreign countries. Multiple studies have show that taxpayer subsidies for abortion increases the number of human lives ended by abortion and the policy is deeply unpopular.”

The vote has yet to go before the Senate, and Graham said we must pray that it doesn’t pass.

“Abortion is murder and has serious repercussions,” Graham said. {eoa}

Read articles like this one and other Spirit-led content in our new platform, CHARISMA PLUS.

Jesus directed us to be discerning. He warned us four times in Matthew 24 that the No. 1 signpost before His return would be deception!

Charles Spurgeon said, “Discernment is not just knowing the difference between right and wrong but between right and almost right.”

Are you developing your power of discernment in these perilous times to safeguard yourself, your family, your church and those you serve?

Take 10 minutes to gain insight and protect those you love with this important video commentary.

Read articles like this one and other Spirit-led content in our new platform, CHARISMA PLUS.

We’ve heard it said, “As goes California, so goes the nation.” But what used to be the “golden state” is experiencing a mass exodus reminding us “all that glitters isn’t gold.”

What is happening in California threatens our entire nation. Here’s a closer look:

Most know of the bipartisan frustration from Californians over the failed policies and overreaching control of Gov. Newsom. A petition to recall the governor has been successful to bring it to the ballot and a special election slated for this coming November. More than 1.6 million Californians signed the recall petition, pushing it well over the million verified signatures needed.

Yet it remains to be seen if Californians will vote Newsom out and vote in a governor actually concerned with turning around the huge issues of homelessness, drugs, violence and economic decline in the failing state—especially if the voting machines are rigged.

As we look at California, we must look at the Los Angeles area. Many don’t realize that the population of Los Angeles County is greater than many states in the nation. According to a 2019 survey, Los Angeles County ranked No. 10 in population among the 50 U.S. states with over 10 million people.

Last week I talked with Derrick Gates, a Republican congressional candidate running against liberal incumbent Ted Lieu for District 33, which covers western Los Angeles.

Derrick explained what the media has underreported:

“Over the last couple of years, Los Angeles is No. 1 in the nation for an uptick of violent crime up 22% from last year, with a 95% increase in homicides; 72% increase in rape; 12% increase in aggravated assault; 40% increase in grand theft auto; and 22% increase in arson.”

Gates shared additional disturbing information regarding the populous county that shines a light as to why people are leaving in droves. “The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has been defunded by $288 million by the board of supervisors which has resulted in the elimination of 1,387 sheriff’s department positions,” he explained.

Does that make anyone feel safer?

Sheriffs are elected by the people and hold the highest constitutional authority in the county. So why are the board of supervisors and mayor able to reduce funding for this office, affecting the sheriff’s ability to do their job? Yet that is exactly what is happening.

The LAPD has also been defunded to the tune of $150 million thanks to District Attorney George Gascon. Gascon ran on a promise to reduce crime; however, his policies have effectively enabled it.

Within three months of taking office, the people of California started a recall petition to remove him. So far he is still in office.

Homelessness is another huge issue in the populous county. Officials have tried to downplay this growing issue. While the county census estimates 70,000 homeless in the county, nonprofits working on Skid Row estimate the actual number to be over 170,000.

“The projection is that the homeless crisis will increase by 84% over the next four years,” Gates explained. “Life expectancy on Skid Row is 49 years old. The Los Angeles governmental answer to this issue was to purchase millions of dollars in RV trailers. After spending the money, they left them abandoned in parking lots and have never used them. Now they want to build homeless units at $700 thousand per unit. And did I mention they have taken donated parking lots and let the homeless set up their tents, but then collect $2,700 a month per tent from taxpayers?” Gates finished. “That is why I am running for office. This has to change.”

“The state and city will tell you the homeless crisis is 20% mental illness and 80% circumstantial. I disagree. As someone that has worked with the homeless for twenty years, I’m confident that it is more like 95% mental illness/addiction and 5% circumstance,” Gates concluded.

Obviously, we need to address the true issue of mental health rather than continuing to throw away money for housing that isn’t even used.

But Los Angeles isn’t the only city with a homeless issue growing by the day. San Francisco’s homeless population literally borders House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s mansion. She’s been in office for over 30 years. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., has also been in office for over 30 years, and Ted Lieu, D-Calif., for six years.

Under their failed leadership nothing has changed regarding homelessness. It has increased. They just keep getting richer and spending money on projects that are obviously not working.

California has been bailed out time and again with federal dollars which pad the pockets of the leaders and never seem to make it to the people. Los Angeles alone pays salaries to city workers assigned to the homeless issue of over $700 million a year. What is wrong with this picture?

The bottom line is if the old adage is true, “As goes California, so goes the nation,” then the state is a threat to the entire nation as they refuse to get their growing problems under control. {eoa}

Karen Hardin is a literary agent and writer. She is the author of Infected: How to Stop the Global Spread of Rage, Deception and Insanity. Her work has been published in USA Today, Western Journal, World Net Daily, Intercessors for America, Charisma, and more. She and Kim Potter, founder of A New Thing Ministries, cofounded the prayer movement to take back our cities and nation.

Read articles like this one and other Spirit-led content in our new platform, CHARISMA PLUS.