A few weeks ago, a video surfaced on YouTube called, “I Got Kicked Out of an LGBTQ Church.” What it revealed was even more shocking than a simple disconnect between the LGBTQ community and Christianity.

Bo Dittle, a Christian and conservative YouTuber went to Unity Church of the Cumberlands in Tennessee to listen to the sermon and ask questions, aware of the fact that the church was strongly aligned with the LGTBQ community. During the interview with the church’s pastor, a very simple question arose: “What do you believe as a Christian? Are you biblically born again?”

“We interpret what Jesus actually meant, not what’s been misinterpreted,” the pastor said.

This was an interesting point to bring up, especially since the answer in Scripture is pretty clear. During his meeting with Nicodemus, Jesus said, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God,” (John 3:3). Nicodemus didn’t fully understand this principle either, which led to the most famous lines in all of Scripture:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that world through Him might be saved,” (John 3:16-17).

To be born again means to know the Son.

As the video continued, phrases like “The truth will set you free,” were used without the acceptance that Jesus tells us “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me,” showing a clear twisting of Scripture. It was also not uncommon to hear “We are all part of the same Christ-consciousness,” “We just interpret it differently,” which revealed the comment that the story of Christ is about finding the story within “me.”

This exposed something much deeper than an LGBTQ agenda. That is merely a blanket. The deeper root of the issue is steeped in universalism and a “me-centered gospel.” People genuinely believe they have found a way to receive love without understanding what love actually is. Love isn’t just something which permits us to hold tight to sin, but rather it is the acknowledgement that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. We did not give the ultimate sacrifice for ourselves or for all of mankind, but rather He became sin who knew no sin that we might become the righteousness of God.

This universalist LGBTQ agenda doesn’t only cover up sin, but allows people to cling onto the pain of their past. When Dittle was asked if he was a “fundamentalist” by a man in the church, the man expressed the hurt he experienced growing up in the Baptist church.

And this might exactly be why universalist, LGBTQ churches are so appealing to many. Vision Cathedral, whose flagship church is located in Atlanta with two other properties in L.A. and Raleigh, recently spoke with NBC about their mostly LGBTQ church. The male bishop is married to another man, and Vision Cathedral’s “about page” describes more of their activism than their doctrinal values about the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and there certainly is no mention of sin and the reason for Christ’s atonement on the cross.

This is a group of people who are desiring more of the kingdom. However, the concept of crucifying the flesh, picking up the cross and following Him are either presented by many pastors so as not to hurt anyone’s feelings. If nearly half of all LGBTQ people are religious, then they need the truth of the gospel just like the rest of us. We all have sin issues, and all of us need the same Jesus. There’s no point in watering something down for one group of people just because it seems pleasing to those who don’t want to know about Jesus.

The church is meant to be a place of healing for the sick, not a meeting spot for the healthy. Healing can only come through the form of laying everything down in front of Jesus with a repentant heart, willing to give up doing things our own way and start allowing them to be Lord over their life.

At the end of the video a woman volunteers to show Dittle the “rainbow room,” and the members rise up in fury, one man pushing Dittle out the door, saying “I’m not the minister,” and “I’m not the church.” This action and statement put together is revealing in more than one way. A true church doesn’t cling to sin, but realizes that we are Christ’s body; we are the church. Now it’s time to step up, shed the truth of the gospel to those who are searching for it and refuse to fall for the apostasy of a watered-down version of truth. We all have fallen short of the glory of God, but there is a place of real healing, redemption and eternal life which only comes through Jesus Christ.

Bring home a subscription of Charisma magazine today! 

Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator and Staff Writer intern for Charisma Media.

Have you ever put your trust in someone who ended up disappointing you or hurting you? Maybe you put your trust in your money but then something happened and suddenly you didn’t have it anymore. Or maybe you’ve wasted years of your life trusting yourself.

There are many things people put their trust in that are not stable. But God loves us so much, and He wants us to understand that we can’t keep our trust in other things and simultaneously have a great relationship with Him. The truth is, God is the only One we can really trust all the time, in every situation.

I remember how I learned this lesson. Many years ago when my ministry was just beginning, there was a group of ladies helping me that I considered to be my best friends; I thought they would never hurt me. But eventually, I found out they were talking about me behind my back and telling lies about me. I was devastated and heartbroken.

My world was shaken and I didn’t understand what was going on. The pain in my soul was so deep. But looking back, I understand now that God was getting ready to promote me to a new level of ministry, and I couldn’t take those people with me. I also learned that we set ourselves up for a lot of pain if we think there are people in our lives who will never hurt us.

You know, we’re all human and we make mistakes. I don’t believe those women were intentionally mean; they were just imperfect people who made their own mistakes.

Two Ways You Need to Trust God

Another thing I learned is that it’s one thing to trust God for something—such as changing something or someone in your life—but it’s another thing entirely to trust God through something. I’m talking about continuing to trust God when He’s not doing what you think He should do and everything around you is shaking…when you don’t understand why.

I can tell you from personal experience that when everything in your life is shaking, the only real answer is to trust God and keep on trusting Him. I know it’s difficult to do this when you don’t understand what’s going on and the situation is not fair. It’s hard when you feel like you’re doing what you should be doing and you’re not getting a right result. And it’s especially hard when you see someone who is not doing the right thing, yet they are seemingly getting a better result than you are.

But I want to say it again: When you get into trouble that you don’t understand, that’s when you have to choose to keep trusting God—no matter what you think or feel, and no matter what your circumstances look like.

Let Go of Everything That Can Be Shaken

Hebrews 12:26-27 (NIV) says, “…[God] has promised, ‘Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.’ The words ‘once more’ indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.”

God wants to shake things in our lives until only the things that cannot be shaken remain. He wants to work with us until we let go of all the unstable things so we’re only hanging on to the rock of our salvation—Jesus Christ—who cannot be moved or shaken.

It’s difficult when something is stripped out of your life that you’re not ready to give up, like a relationship or a position at work. But if you will trust God when hard things come, you’ll find later on that situations you thought were terrible were actually good in the end. All things are possible with God, and He can take things that aren’t good and work them out for our good. (See Matt. 19:26 and Rom. 8:28.)

The key is understanding that you are a partner with God as you walk out His purpose and plan for you. He doesn’t just automatically work things out for good; we choose to trust Him and do what He shows us to do, and He works on our behalf so we come out on top when all is said and done.

If you feel like everything in your world is shaking, there are probably things in your life that you don’t need or that aren’t good for you and God wants to remove them. If you will trust Him and let Him do what HE wants to do, He will give you something stable. He’ll give you more of Himself!

I want to encourage you to make a determined decision to trust God with every single part of your life. Pray: “God, I invite You to shake everything in my life that can be shaken so only the things of You will remain in me.” He loves you, and no matter what condition your life is in right now, with God’s help, you can trust Him. You can relax and be at peace, not anxious, worried or frustrated. Choose to believe God is taking care of your situation, and simply let go of it and let God be God!

Bring Charisma magazine home with a subscription today!

Joyce Meyer is a New York Times bestselling author and founder of Joyce Meyer Ministries, Inc. She has authored more than 140 books, including “Battlefield of the Mind” and “Loving People Who Are Hard to Love” (FaithWords). She hosts the Enjoying Everyday Life radio and TV programs, which air on hundreds of stations worldwide. For more information, visit .

Please note: The views and opinions expressed throughout this publication and/or website are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Joyce Meyer Ministries.

Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:18-20

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.”

Matthew 5:11-12

The ‘prosperity gospel’ has flourished in the Western world in recent years, promoting a life of happiness and tranquility, free from want and trouble, as a sign of God’s blessing. This ‘gospel’ ignores the present-day persecution, imprisonment and martyrdom of faithful Christians worldwide.

Voice of the Martyrs, an organization founded by formerly-imprisoned missionaries to Romania, encourages and equips believers who live in areas where being a follower of Christ is socially discouraged or outlawed. Their website lists 23 countries that are hostile to Christians and 41 others where the practice of Christianity is restricted or illegal. Artur Pawlowski, a Canadian pastor, fears Canada might soon be added to this list.

Born in Poland during the Cold War, Pawlowski grew up in a town with World War II prison camp ruins; he remembers bullet holes in the walls of SS bunkers where he played as a child. His family emigrated first to Greece, then to Canada, in pursuit of freedom. He became a Canadian citizen in 2004 and almost immediately drew the attention of the Calgary government when he began a ministry of street preaching and feeding the homeless.

Since then, he has received 340 citations, been arrested 16 times and fought 100 court cases brought by the municipality. All of this is in direct contradiction of the Canadian Charter of Rights which expressly guarantees the fundamental freedoms of conscience and religion; of thought, belief, opinion and expression; of peaceful assembly; and of association.

He has risen to international prominence in the last two years for refusing to abide by social distancing, restrictions on gatherings and other so-called health measures required by local authorities, saying these are tactics of the Gestapo, not of a free society.

After settling in Calgary, Pawlowski found success as a businessman, complete with the status, wealth and accoutrements that the prosperity gospel often promotes. As he followed the leading of the Holy Spirit, he became involved with the Street Church of Calgary, ministering to drug addicts, prostitutes, and homeless people outside of government buildings and in downtown parks.

His first arrest in August 2006 earned him an overnight jail stay and charges of obstruction, trespassing and disturbing the peace for reading the Bible publicly; legal battles with the state nearly bankrupted him over the next ten years. Still, he felt called not only to keep ministering openly, but to stand in defiance of government encroachment on individual liberties guaranteed to all Canadian citizens—the very reason his family fled there from Poland.

This time of testing, while difficult, increased his reliance on God to provide for and keep him safe. Pawlowski now says it prepared him for ‘something bigger’: the Canadian response to the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020. While most pastors complied with government orders to cease holding services and gathering to worship, the Street Church continued to meet in person and minister on the streets. Pawlowski was, by this time, accustomed to defying the rules of men to obey the commands of God, and was unintimidated by threats of temporal consequences.

The arbitrary nature of the pandemic rules—allowing chain stores to remain open to hundreds of patrons, deeming liquor stores ‘essential’, all while prohibiting even small religious gatherings—compelled Pawlowski to resist the many attempts by the police to inspect or impede the ministry of Street Church.

A video recording of him expelling police from the church Passover service went viral during in April 2021; he yelled repeatedly “Gestapo is not allowed here. Get out of this property!” He has been arrested multiple times since then, served 51 days in prison (part of that in solitary confinement, part in a terrorist holding facility) and been under house arrest since last spring.

He is currently awaiting sentencing for preaching at the trucker convoy that blocked the US/Alberta border in Coutts last year in protest of vaccine mandates.

A 2013 YouTube documentary entitled “Street Advocate” details the birth of his son Nathaniel in 2000. His lungs and heart were not fully developed, properly situated or functioning, and doctors encouraged the Pawloskis to remove him from life support.

After days of asking God “why?”, Pawlowski suddenly understood Romans 8:32: “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”

In that moment, he prayed for God to either heal or take his son. Hours later, the team of doctors reported that Nathaniel’s lungs and heart had inexplicably begun to function perfectly, even shifting into their proper places within his chest.

Pawlowski is not afraid of another possible jail term; he has preached and led Bible studies for inmates each time he’s been detained. He says God has never let him down: “I don’t have to fear anything. My Jesus raises the dead.”

He remains resolute, doing regular interviews with news outlets, exhorting others to peacefully resist the policies of totalitarianism that have become the ‘new normal’ in many countries in the Western world.  He points to the solidarity movement, a peaceful but resolute protest of Communism in Poland, which spread to Central and Eastern Europe, eventually leading to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain.

“What kind of nation are we leaving to our children?” he asks. “We need to be lions, not sheep.”

Bring Charisma magazine home with a subscription today!

Jennifer Glass Stefaniak is a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill School of Communication Studies. She works as a flight attendant but has an insatiable desire for answers and a penchant for searching out truth wherever it may be found. Visit her website at

This article first appeared on Curt Landry Ministries.

*Note: This is the first of a two-part series.

There is a key weapon in spiritual warfare that many believers don’t know. This weapon activates alignment in the spirit. It releases blessings and favor in the Courts of Heaven. You find the key weapon in Genesis 12:3:

“‘I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'”

Your Position with Israel Always Goes Back to Alignment in the Spirit

There is a secret spiritual warfare weapon that believers in Christ don’t understand. Anytime you’re standing or dealing with Israel, you have an alignment issue–you can either be in or out of alignment, depending on your position with Israel. I’ll explain to you what I mean by that.

1. Should You Stand with Israel?

Where does it say in the Scriptures that standing with Israel is important?

Let’s go to Genesis 12:3. Before looking at the verse, let me briefly explain how we get to Genesis 3. First of all, humanity had a covenant with God, and that first covenant was in the Garden. That covenant was with a man named Adam and a woman named Eve.

They broke the covenant, and when God chose to restore it, He did it with a man named Abram, who became Abraham. And so when God makes a promise or covenant to Abraham (Abram), this is what He says…

• “‘Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed'” (Gen. 12:1-3).

Understand that this is a covenant statement.

Think of it this way: You’re doing a title search on a piece of property, and you want to get a clear claim deed on the property to make sure that the ownership you have is clear, free from any mechanics liens or free from any legal problems. You go to the courthouse and go back to statehood on a piece of property.

You pay an escrow company, and a landman or a woman will go out and they will research it to make sure that the title is clear. The title given in the beginning is how it is in the end.

I’m bringing this up because I used to do land work. I was a landman working for oil companies. I’d go into the courthouse and look at the property at statehood—when it was deeded over as a state (for Oklahoma, it was 1907), the covenant began.

And then if it changed, if the land was divided for whatever reasons, it always has to link back to the original, to where it was.

The Garden of Eden Covenant Was Broken

So that’s what you must understand, we go back to the Garden. The Garden covenant was broken. We lost all our legal rights. So then, Satan comes in and he becomes the prince of this world (2 Cor. 4:4), and now he has legal rights.

God Chooses to Restore the Broken Covenant through Abraham (Abram)

God chooses this man, Abram, but something is mentioned when He chooses him. This is what’s important.

Think of it this way: So if you’re going through the court documents in the spirit, you find there’s an interruption from Satan, and he took the authority from Adam and Eve. And now the Lord said to Abram in Genesis 12, “Get out of the country from your family and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you.” So God is saying, “I’m going to make a covenant with you, but not in a familiar land. You’re not going where you want to go. You’re going to come to the place where I’m going to make a covenant with you in this land.”

So now he’s having to leave where his family’s from and go to Israel. God says, “And I will make you a great nation there. And I will bless you.”

In other words, He says, “Listen, if you want to be great and you want to be a blessing, then you’re going to have to move to where the blessing is so I can make a covenant with you.”

He says, “I’ll make you a great nation. I will bless you. And I will make your name great. You will be a blessing, and I will bless those who bless you, and I will him those who curses you, and in you,” listen to this, you’ve got to get ahold of this if you’re going to understand Israel and why you bless Israel, “In you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

How You Position Yourself with Israel Is All About Alignment

So you will either be blessed or cursed based on your position with Israel. But why in this event in Genesis 12?

See, the Lord says, “I am the Lord; I do not change.” So the Lord is the Alpha and the Omega. When God restored the ability for man to come out from under the curse of what happened in the Garden, the process started with Abraham. And so then He made a covenant with him, which was between Abram/Abraham and his seed, the Jewish people.

Jesus Makes Alignment Possible for All

So now, when Jesus comes. The blood of Jesus removed the middle wall of separation, creating in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace. So now Jesus comes and makes the covenant available to us through the atonement and the redemption of all who call in the name of the Lord, not excluding or replacing the Jews, not excluding or replacing this covenant act.

And so what happens is once a covenant is made—if you can get kind of in that courthouse like what I used to do as a landman—you can understand that if you’re going to redeem what is yours, you have to be able to enter into the courts.

So it’s something you must understand: If you’re cursing Israel, it’s difficult to go into the Courts of Heaven. Cursing Israel positions you as an anti-Semite or as one curing God’s covenant, making it difficult to ask Him for covenant favor.

You can see that if you’re cursing Israel and going into the courts with a curse on you, you can’t ask for a blessing that comes through that which you’re cursing.

2. Did God Change His Mind About Israel?

Did God change His opinion of standing with Israel after Jesus died?

Jesus said he didn’t come to annul the law but fulfill it. If we go into Romans 11, that pretty well answers some of these things. And let’s read what the apostle Paul wrote. The apostle Paul is a Jewish rabbi’s rabbi, and he’s speaking to the Romans who are Gentiles.

And so they asked the same question, did God change his mind?

And Paul says in Romans 11:11-15,

• “I say then, have they stumbled that you should fall? Certainly not. But through their fall to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall is riches to the world and their failure riches to the Gentiles, how much more their fullness? I speak to you Gentiles in as much as an apostle to the Gentiles. I magnify my ministry. If by any means I might provoke to jealousy who are my flesh and save some of them. For their [being the Jewish people] being cast away was reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life for the dead?”

This is what you are seeing with me. I’ve got Jewish blood, a Jewish mother and I wasn’t raised Jewish. I was an orphan. But I’m a Jewish believer in Jesus, and I’m preaching the gospel. And so this is bringing fullness to you.

The warning in Paul’s words is this: If it is possible for God to change His mind about Israel, then He could change His mind about you. But this goes against what the Bible says. God is not a man and cannot lie. He doesn’t change His mind or go back on His covenants.

Click here to view Rabbi Landry’s book on spiritual warfare!

Bring Charisma magazine home with a subscription today!

Curt Landry, founder of Curt Landry Ministries, and his wife, Christie, travel extensively, preaching and teaching about the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. Together, their passion is to empower families to live and leave Kingdom legacies and understand their own personal heritage.

Believer, you are tasked with the incredible ministry of reconciliation known as the Great Commission.

Jesus tells us to make disciples of all nations, heal the sick, raise the dead and cast out demons, but first, we are told to wait until we are endued with power from on high through the gift of the Father, the Holy Spirit. These are Jesus’ last words to His disciples before He returned to heaven and must be heeded still today.

Freely we receive everything from God, including the power of the Holy Spirit, so that we can freely give to those in need today.

Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,  and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.  And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,  and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen. Luke 24:46-53 NKJV

Pursue the Gift of the Father

The gift of the Father, the Holy Spirit poured out on Pentecost, is still moving among the earth today. Those who wish to be Jesus’ witnesses to the ends of the earth must be endowed with the power to do the work of the ministry. The gift of the Father is not given to make us famous but to empower us to meet the needs of a hurting world.

We must pursue the power of God with great humility, knowing that we could never earn such a gift and that He is freely given because of the finished work of another, Jesus. Your heavenly Father is pleased with the work of the Son, and He sent the Holy Spirit so that we might continue the ministry of reconciliation.

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”  Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.  But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight” (Acts 1:4-9 NKJV).

Divine Invitation for More

The Holy Spirit of God longs to be with us more than we long to be with Him. This was the design of God before the beginning of time. The Godhead works in perfect unity with man, walking, talking, and living together. History is wrought with men and women who were not satisfied with a religious Christian experience, they cried out for more, and perhaps your frustration is a divine invitation for more.

These things are not hidden from you but concealed like treasure to draw you into much more than your heart or mind can imagine. The Bible declares that no eye has seen and no ear has heard the things God has planned for those who love Him.

But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Cor.2:9 NKJV

Your Father Loves to Give

Your heavenly Father is the greatest giver of all time. The Father so loved the world that He gave the Son, and now He has given the Spirit to continue drawing those estranged home. Beloved, if you have not been endowed with power from on high,  I would love to pray for you to impart the Spirit today. In Acts 19, the apostle Paul asks the Ephesian believers if they had received the Holy Spirit when they believed.

And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”

And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?”

So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”

Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”

When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied” (Acts 19:1-6 NKJV).

For more on receiving the Holy Spirit baptism and a prayer of impartation, listen to this encouraging podcast episode with the pastor of Celebration Church and author of Your Divine Invitation: Access the Holy Spirit to Complete Your Assignment, Frankie Mazzapica, will inspire you to pursue power from on high, the gift of the Father, the Holy Spirit.

Bring Charisma magazine home with a subscription today!

Christina Perera is a passionate five-fold minister who lives to exalt Jesus in every area. She is passionate about unity in the Body of Christ and bringing Christ out of the scriptures to reveal Jesus and His finished work. She is the author of Fire In Unity and the founder of Christina Perera Ministries, Inc.  She hosts Revealing Jesus on Charisma’s Podcast Network. For more information on her ministry, visit .

Inflammation is your body’s immune response to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens (viruses, bacteria), toxic compounds and more. It has long been known to be the root cause of virtually every chronic disease that comes through a doctor’s office door, including arthritis, heart disease, most cancers, most all autoimmune diseases, Parkinson’s disease and especially Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Why is inflammation so powerful?

Suppose you have a water leak behind your upstairs shower. On the floor below, a watermark appears on one wall, and you paint over it. Problem solved. It’s nothing that another coat of paint every few months can’t cure!

But behind the drywall, the water damage spreads. Over time, you may have wood rot, ruined walls and mold. And if the mold affects the health of those in your family, you could be looking at costly medical bills, remediation of the home and maybe even needing to sell your home.

Clearly, it would have been better to fix the problem.

In the very same way, inflammation goes on below the surface. It slowly but surely causes more and more damage. The symptoms appear small and may even be in one specific area at first. We may try to treat them, but if the treatment is not a true fix, then it’s just a patch.

Inflammation leads to disease eventually, not immediately.

To be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia, patients are almost always in the moderate to severe range. They could have done so much more to fix, repair and reverse it had they started working on it earlier.

Don’t Let Your Symptoms Go Unchecked

Let me share a little personal example (it wasn’t “little” at the time, but in comparison to the brain, you could call it little.) Many years ago, I had terrible psoriasis all over my body. I tried every lotion, potion, treatment, cream and pill under the sun.

Nothing changed until I figured out, by food allergy tests and the process of elimination, that I was very sensitive to gluten, peppers and tomatoes. These three, which I ate almost daily and actually craved, were causing incredible inflammation in my gut. For me, that translated into psoriasis on my skin.

It took me about five years to finally figure it all out, including repairing leaky gut and restoring beneficial bacteria in the gut, but I did! When the symptoms finally cleared up, it was an incredible relief! I’ve had no symptoms for many years, but I still make it a practice to avoid or very infrequently eat gluten, peppers and tomatoes.

In the same way, when you fix whatever has been causing your inflammation, the symptoms will usually eventually clear up. They have to because you removed the point of inflammation. You went to the source and fixed the problem. You remove the thorn, and you will eventually heal.

For the sake of your brain, quenching any inflammation is always the best plan of attack. Elevated blood sugar and insulin resistance are also associated with inflammation.

Dr. Colbert’s Top Tip for Inflammation

I highly recommend a healthy keto diet. A healthy keto diet not only slows or stops inflammation, it also helps heal your gut, feeds your good bacteria and protects your brain from plaque buildup. Basically, a healthy keto diet does it all!

On a side note, one very common sign of inflammation is the presence of belly fat. Usually, the more belly fat someone has, the higher their inflammatory markers and the smaller their hippocampus (the brain’s memory center). A shrinking hippocampus is not a good thing!

Also, belly fat itself is highly inflammatory. Inflammation may be caused by diet (as was my psoriasis), infections, toxins, a leaky gut, medications or something else. Sugar and trans fats are inflammatory to everyone, and gluten and dairy are inflammatory to many.

Everyone agrees that inflammation must be stopped because it leads directly to disease and often to Alzheimer’s and dementia, but will they do anything about it? Sadly, not many will.

Most causes of inflammation are self-induced, and changing a habit, especially if it is a food and lifestyle habit, is not the easiest thing to do. But when it comes to the brain and the very real risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia, making new habits is easy!

For every cause of inflammation, there are options and answers. If you have inflammation, don’t ignore it, don’t see how it is next year, and don’t give it the band-aid treatment. Find its root cause and fix it now. You will be very glad you did.

This excerpt was taken from chapter 19 of Dr. Colbert’s Healthy Brain Zone. For more information about the book,” visit . {eoa}

Bring Charisma magazine home with a subscription today!

Don Colbert, MD, has been a board-certified family practice doctor for over twenty-five years in Orlando, Florida, and most recently in Dallas, Texas. He is also board-certified in antiaging medicine through the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and has received extensive training in nutritional and preventive medicine. He is the author of three New York Times best-selling books: “Dr. Colbert’s Keto Zone Diet,” “The Seven Pillars of Health” and “Dr. Colbert’s ‘I Can Do This’ Diet,” along with best sellers “Toxic Relief,” the Bible Cure series, “Living in Divine Health” and “Stress Less.” He has sold more than 10 million books and treated more than 50,000 patients in his years of practicing medicine.

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

Decoding the Nashville School Shooter’s Tragic Message

“I’m planning to die today.”

That’s how 28-year-old Audrey Elizabeth Hale began a private Instagram message to her friend Averianna Patton on Monday morning of this week.

“THIS IS NOT A JOKE!!!!” Hale continued. “You’ll probably hear about me on the news after I die. This is my last goodbye. I love you. See you again in another life.”

The Prophetic Significance of Palm Branches This Sunday

It’s Palm Sunday, and you enter the church doors, dressed for the occasion. With a smile, a cheerful greeter hands you a palm branch before you enter the sanctuary.

If you are like me, you have probably wondered what the actual significance is behind the palm branch for this particular celebration day. While we all may be aware of the role that palm branches played in Jesus’ crucifixion, there are a lot of historical truths surrounding this important topic: the palm branch. So, why the palm branches? I would like to help answer that question and explain how it can be applied to our lives today.

The book of Zechariah describes how the King of the Jews would come onto the scene as the triumphant, victorious leader.

Book on Deliverance Sparks Popular Documentary

What if the blueprint for the temple, laid out in numerous places across the Bible depicted a clear understanding of how demons can affect the life of a Christian? The topic of whether a Christian can be demon possessed has been permeating social media channels with commentary in every direction.

I interviewed Alexander Pagani the author of “The Secret to Deliverance,” on my “Strang Report” podcast to talk about the word picture painted in the Bible. Most Christians don’t acknowledge that Satan is influencing them and their circumstances.

Bring Charisma magazine home with a subscription today!

It’s Palm Sunday, and you enter the church doors, dressed for the occasion. With a smile, a cheerful greeter hands you a palm branch before you enter the sanctuary.

If you are like me, you have probably wondered what the actual significance is behind the palm branch for this particular celebration day. While we all may be aware of the role that palm branches played in Jesus’ crucifixion, there are a lot of historical truths surrounding this important topic: the palm branch. So, why the palm branches? I would like to help answer that question and explain how it can be applied to our lives today.

The book of Zechariah describes how the King of the Jews would come onto the scene as the triumphant, victorious leader.

“Rejoice greatly, o daughter of Zion! And cry aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King is coming comes to you; He is righteous and able to deliver; He is humble and riding on a donkey, a colt, the offspring of a donkey” (Zech. 9:9).

It is no secret how the Jewish people would see their newly revealed king one day. As Jesus was preparing to enter Jerusalem, the Jewish people were looking for the one who would deliver them from the Roman Empire. They no longer wanted the corrupt Roman rulers to dictate their Jewish lives; they were looking for the coming Messiah.

When you connect Zechariah 9:9 to the Feast of Tabernacles/Booths (Sukkoth), which normally happens sometime in late September or October, we discover an even greater reason for some to wave and throw branches before Jesus while riding the colt. It was common practice during the Festival of Tabernacles/Booths (Sukkoth) for Jewish people to celebrate by living in temporary booths, performing animal sacrifice and rejoicing with leafy branches (palm branches). This specific festival was a reminder of God’s faithfulness in the wilderness and also God’s soon promise for the Messiah to come. It was during this celebration (Feast of Tabernacles) that they would declare aloud the following verses from Psalm 118: “Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you” (Ps. 118: 25-26, NIV).

“Lord Save us” translates to “Hosanna.” When you apply this to the passage below, you get a greater picture of what was really happening that triumphant day Jesus arrived in Jerusalem.

They brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments on it. And He sat upon it. Many spread their garments on the street. And others cut down branches off the trees and scattered them on the street. Those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest!” (Mark 11:7-10, MEV).

To set the stage for Jesus’ entry, remember that some of the Jews had already witnessed the profound miracles that Jesus had performed, while there was a growing outcry by the Jews against the increasingly strict Roman rules being enforced. Now Jesus comes in the exact way that Scripture had prophesied through Zachariah, and although it was not at all near the time for the Feast of Tabernacles, so already-cut palm branches were not readily available, people turned wherever they could to find palm branches from nearby trees and bushes (Matt. 21:8) to wave before the Lord and throw on the ground before Jesus while shouting, “Hosanna! Hosanna! Lord, save us!” What they were really saying was: “Jesus, You are our Jewish king, our deliverer from Rome. Take Your rightful place now and free us!” The Jews were looking for an earthly emperor to take the seat of power once and for all, enabling Jewish people to destroy the yoke of Rome.

Palm branches were a symbol of power and victory over enemies. In Roman athletic competitions, the winners were awarded palm branches as a symbol of strength. Though the palm branches were part of the common practice for the Feast of Tabernacles, it was not a common practice to have palm branches at the time Jesus came rolling in at the triumphal entry. The people were waving the palm branches toward Jesus because of their connection to the regulations for the Feast of Tabernacles celebration. Once they started waving them toward Jesus, it became clear that they wanted Him to be their next leader. The people were trying to make Jesus as “the warrior King”, but Jesus was arriving as “the King of peace,” not taking up a battle against Rome but instead, a war against the wages of sin and death.

Do you see how the crucifixion would later play out? An all-powerful king (Jesus) now making His grand entry at such an event like this triggered the Roman Empire to imagine that a revolting war was about to start soon. This is why the political tension between the Romans and the Jews (Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes and so on) along with other dilemmas created a governmental situation to where it was best, politically speaking, for Jesus to die a most humiliating death (Isa. 52:14). There were several “powers that be” during this time who, in the natural, were making a statement with Jesus’ death that proclaimed loud and clear that if anyone ever tried to be a Jewish deliverer again, they would be punished with a horrible death just as Jesus was, crucified on a Roman cross.

Keep in mind that the Jewish leaders were already infuriated with Jesus because of the claims He made, the miracles He performed and the lack of respect Jesus gave for their man-made traditions. Bottom line, Jesus was a serious threat to many! This is the political background and why so many later turned on Jesus at the cross. Their once “forthcoming king” was now being strung up in complete humility, totally naked, for all to see. Anyone who willingly connected themselves to Him while He was on the cross would, more than likely, be searched out, captured and killed as well. Empires in that day didn’t take lightly to those who were treasonous or rebellious.

What the Roman and Jewish people didn’t realize, however, was Jesus had a completely different plan when He showed up that day on the donkey. He arrived to destroy the bondage of sin from all mankind forever (John 1:29). He didn’t come to build another earthly kingdom that would one day fall or collapse just as so many others in times past; instead, Jesus was opening the door to eternal life, now only found through Him and Him alone (John 14:6). It wasn’t just a kingdom that was being established that day; it was the kingdom, the kingdom of heaven whose ruler will have no end.

“And he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end” (Luke 1:33, NIV).

Palm branches played an important part of Jesus’ crucifixion, and similarly, the symbolism still plays an important part of living with Jesus Christ forever. In Solomon’s temple, we find that images of palm branches were present throughout.

“On the walls all around the temple, in both the inner and outer rooms, he carved cherubim, palm trees and open flowers” (1 Kings 6:29).

Later on in the book of Revelation, we see that the righteous will hold palm branches while proclaiming eternal victory to our Savior, the one who saved us from sin. It’s here that we get to celebrate Christ’s eternal victory as King.

“Then I looked. And there was a great multitude which no one could count, from all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands” (Rev. 7:9).

Palm branches: a symbol of victory, triumph and eternal peace. This is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. So when you are handed a palm branch on Palm Sunday, wave it with honor!

Bring Charisma magazine home with a subscription today!

Andy Sanders has been a public speaker for over 20 years. He has traveled extensively around the U.S. and other parts of the world. He is a prolific writer who carries both a prophetic and leadership-type message to the church. Sanders has a B.A. from Central Bible College and a master’s and doctorate in Christian education from Freedom Seminary, graduating with honors. He is married to Cathy, and their family resides in Syracuse, New York.

There is one subject not mentioned in many churches today, and that is the fear of the Lord. What is the fear of the Lord?

It’s an attitude of respect and awe for Almighty God to the point where we will obey His Word. David said in Psalm 119:63, “I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.” We know we can call God our “Daddy” or “Father.” We all want to have a loving and close relationship with Him.

But first, we must have a healthy, reverential fear of Him. Martin Luther said, “You must know God as your enemy, before you can know him as your friend.” Proverbs 16:6 states, “By the fear of the Lord, men depart from evil.”

It’s the fear that causes us to refrain from sin. In the book of Acts, after Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit and fell dead, it states that great fear fell on all the church. Then immediately there were great miracles done by the apostles for the people, and many of them were saved. It is interesting to note that great miracles happened when the church walked in the fear of the Lord. Deuteronomy 6 and Deuteronomy 17 explain that the fear of the Lord is a desire to read and obey His Word daily.

How do we obtain this reverential fear? Psalm 34:11 states that we have to be taught to refrain our tongue from evil, and to depart from evil. Proverbs 2:2 says, “Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God.” We won’t really understand it until we have searched the Bible the way we would search for hidden treasure.

God wants us to fear and obey Him because this is the way He rewards us in this life and thereafter. In Deuteronomy 5:29 God said, “Oh, that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever.” God wants to protect and bless us and our families. Proverbs 22:4 says, “By humility and the fear of the Lord, are riches, and honor, and life.”

The wisest man that ever lived, except for Jesus, was King Solomon. After a lifetime of astounding achievements, he looked back and summed up life in one statement. He said in Ecclesiastes 12:13, ”Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”

Many won’t adhere to his insightful advice. Matthew Henry said in his commentary, “We must always have in our minds a reverence of God’s majesty, a dread of His displeasure and an obedient regard to His sovereign authority over us. This fear will quicken us to our duty, and make us circumspect in our walk.”

Some of us think that the fear of the Lord is oppressive or restrictive. Billy Graham said, “God’s commandments were given to protect and promote man’s happiness, not to restrict it.”

In Psalm 34:9, David said, “There is no want to those that fear him.” We will attain the good things God has planned for us and eliminate so many of our problems by walking in the fear of the Lord. The more time we spend in God’s Word, the more we fall in love with Him. Just as David said in Psalm 119:127, “I love thy commandments above gold.”

It won’t be a burden to obey Him, but a delight. Proverbs 8:13 states, “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil.” We don’t just shun evil, but we grow to the point where we actually hate it.

Search the Bible as for hidden treasure, and truly walk in the fear of the Lord. Choose to please God and then you will enjoy the blessings that He has for you.

Bring Charisma magazine home with a subscription today!

Bill Wiese is the author of New York Times best selling book, “23 Minutes In Hell,” the story of his life-changing visit to hell in 1998. Bill has since authored six additional book titles, and continues to share his experience around the world. He and his wife Annette founded Soul Choice Ministries in late 2006 and have dedicated their lives to reaching the unsaved.  For more information about Bill Wiese and Soul Choice Ministries please visit us at:

 You can find more of Bill’s teachings at:

As I sought the Lord, I saw a vision of a pregnant mother. She was near the end of her third trimester. I watched her carry the weight of this baby with grace, but I also saw how painful each step was.

She took a deep breath, looked at Jesus beside her, and said, “How much longer?”

Jesus smiled, put His hand on her belly, and replied, “Soon. You need to carry her just a little longer.”

The vision shifted. I stood in a labor and delivery room. The mother lay on her bed, pushing with each contraction, and again asked, “How much longer?”

Then Jesus knelt beside her, took her hand, and said, “Just a little longer. She’s almost here.”

I asked the Lord what the vision meant. He said the mother was the prophet He’d commissioned to birth the prophetic move. She faced warfare, opposition, and rejection, but the time is now.

The Lord says:

“It’s time to birth. You’ve carried this baby long enough. I watched you pick up the burdens of the prophets before you. I stood beside you as you fought to keep the call on your life.

I covered you when the church said you were crazy. Now, birth! Don’t hide from the warfare. Press in. Let the circumstances and people around you break you, so My prophetic move may be born.

“You’re not alone in this travail. I’ve called other prophets to birth. This prophetic move won’t be one color or one nation. This move will happen worldwide, and this is your part to play.

“Rejoice in the warfare and rejection. My church may never know your name, but because of you, My prophetic children will find their voice.

“My prophets will find a place to belong. They’ll meet their king David. They’ll encounter Jezebels and train up other prophets. They’ll stand before kings and queens to speak on My behalf.

“Push through. Birth this baby. Intercede, travail a little longer. Don’t leave your prayer closet until I say, “it is finished.” The ring of fire is upon you, and the release of My power is not far behind,” says the Lord.

Jesus called you to birth a prophetic move. You have untapped potential to bring change. Release that untapped prophetic anointing with Apostles Craig and Colette Toach with this episode from the NextGen Prophets Podcast: The Ezekiel Mandate: The Prophet Commissioned to Spiritual Birthing (Ep. 264)

Deborah-Anne Velthuysen is a powerful member of Apostles Craig and Colette Toach’s NextGenProphets team in Toach Ministries International. She is the co-principal of the Prophetic School. Sharp and to the point, Deborah-Anne is one of our most invested trainers, having trained prophets into office, internationally. Your progress is her dinner conversation and your success her success. She and her husband, Michael, are parents to a true miracle boy who’s just as lively and passionate as them