The song “Day by Day” has become sort of an anthem for ministry leader and author David Bryant. Bryant says lyrics of the song originated centuries ago in England by Robert, Bishop of Chichester, before being popularized by the musical Godspell. The chorus is simple, but the words, he says, are ones that believers should cling to every day of their lives.

It’s the foundation of Bryant’s book, Christ is Now, and his podcast, Christ Today, on the Charisma Podcast Network.

“The song starts out, ‘Day by day, day by day, oh dear Lord, three things I pray,'” Bryant told Dr. Steve Greene on a recent episode of Greenelines on CPN. “‘To see you more clearly. Love you more dearly. Follow you more nearly, day by day.’

“Through my ministry, those are the three things I am trying to teach—believers and non-believers alike, because they are so powerful. If they just see Jesus more clearly, which will turn them into a loving person daily, and that will motivate them to follow him more nearly wherever he wants to take them.

“You’ve got to want to have a deeper relationship with Christ, of course. What I try to teach is who Jesus Christ is today and who He is in your life today. Many of us are laboring for what I call a nationwide Christ awakening movement, where the church comes alive to Jesus in a whole new way. It’s more than just ordinary revival. It is a real awakening to the fullness and greatness and majesty and supremacy of Christ. It will be life transforming for individuals and for congregations. That’s what’s going to bring about spiritual reformation of the whole nation.”

For more about this awakening movement, listen to the entire podcast here.

Dr. Barbara Lowe’s kingdom mission as a psychologist and life coach is to help people move from a life of rejection, pain, weariness, woundedness and disillusionment to one where they live out their dreams.

And recently, God gave her a huge assignment: to help transform 3 million women’s lives into wholeness and legacy living in 2020. On March 6-8, Lowe’s ministry will host a global online conference called World Women’s Wholeness Summit—what she believes is the first of its kind. The three-day event will help women begin to break free from their past hurts, abuse, loneliness and more, and begin their journey of freedom in Christ.

The event’s mission coincides with that of Lowe’s podcast, Dr. Barbara’s Whole Life Podcast.

Speakers for the summit include: Real Talk Kim (Kimberly Jones-Pothier), Cora Jakes Coleman, Kate Battistelli, Katie Souza, Pastor Brady Boyd, Nicole C. Mullen and many others.

“The Lord showed me this is a year of triple blessing, a year of threes,” Lowe told Dr. Steve Greene on a recent episode of Greenelines on the Charisma Podcast Network. “We have about 75 speakers, mostly women and a couple of men, and they will be talking about how women can enter into more wholeness in every area of their lives.

“We have diverse speakers across Christianity. Some are Baptists, some are charismatic, some are Pentecostal, etcetera. We have a tremendous amount of mental health clinicians and we have world leaders in some of these various areas.

“I love to see women coming together not to judge or to compete, but to love and to be this diverse melt. It’s like a fishing net, capturing the last parts of women’s hearts. I, myself, came from a tremendous amount of brokenness. I believe the Lord has shown me that there is a revival coming, but before it can come, women need to take their place, not angry, but holding hands with men. … The Lord showed me how He is now snapping women into place, to take up their weapons of warfare and to do what they’re called to do.”

You can register for the summit here. And for more about the summit, listen to the entire podcast.

Christians are disciples. A disciple is a learner. Learners learn. For disciples, learning is a way of life.

A disciple of Christ never stops developing as a Christ-follower and becoming like Christ. Growing in Christ is not for the faint of heart or the passive follower.

Conforming into the image of Christ is a top priority. We have made Christianity about going to heaven and not going to hell. Those are benefits of being in Christ.

Heaven and hell are not the primary reason that Christ saved you.

Christians are disciples. A disciple is a learner. Learners learn. For disciples, learning is a way of life.

A disciple of Christ never stops developing as a Christ-follower and becoming like Christ. Growing in Christ is not for the faint of heart or the passive follower.

Conforming into the image of Christ is a top priority. We have made Christianity about going to heaven and not going to hell. Those are benefits of being in Christ.

Heaven and hell are not the primary reason that Christ saved you.

“Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1, NKJV).

“Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children. Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God” (Eph. 5:1–2, MEV).

Believers Are Imitators of God

As Christians, we imitate God from our hearts and spirit. The Christian does not mimic behavior but follows the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

Genuine Christ-followers have a relationship with the Holy Spirit. As Christians, we experience daily changes as the Holy Spirit leads us.

The Spirit is our personal trainer and leads us to become more like Christ.

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you” (John 14:26).

The born-again Christian has received the Spirit of Christ, who is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a teacher of the things of Christ and reminds us of the things that Christ said and taught.

Watchman Nee said: “We have the Holy Spirit within as life and without as power and gift. If we are truly filled with the Holy Spirit within, we have the riches of the life of the Lord. If we do not have the riches of the spiritual life, this proves that although we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, we are not filled with Him.”

“I indeed baptize you with water to repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Matt.3:11).

We receive the Holy Spirit into our spirit when we get saved. However, the baptism of the Spirit is an infilling of the Spirit of God in and upon the believer.

The Holy Spirit covers us, empowers us and immerses us in the Spirit of Jesus.

Some have described the Holy Spirit’s presence on the believer as being “in,” “on” and “upon.”

“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. There appeared to them tongues as of fire, being distributed and resting on each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to speak: (Acts 2L104(,

The Promise of the Spirit

Jesus commanded the disciples to receive the Holy Spirit.

“When He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit'” (John 20:22).

This means they were saved. God does not give the Holy Spirit to those who are not born again.

^“Being assembled with them, He commanded them, ‘Do not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, of which you have heard from Me. For John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now'” (Acts 1:4–5).

The essence of being baptized with the Holy Spirit is when a person who is already a believer receives power to exalt Christ and to be a witness, just as the Scripture says.

And there’s more.

The Holy Spirit

Being assembled with them, He commanded them, “Do not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, of which you have heard from Me.^{[a] 5} For John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

So when they had come together, they asked Him, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

He said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or the dates, which the Father has fixed by His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Let’s notice the language “”you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you shall be …” (v. 8). Look deeper. The Holy Spirit empowers us in new become witnesses.

We are in an age that resembles the early church. Have we forgotten the person of the Holy Spirit? Or maybe we have never learned about the Holy Spirit.

While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples and said to them, “Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?”

They said to him, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

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

They said, “Into John’s baptism.”

Paul said, “John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in the One coming after him, that is, in Christ Jesus.” When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all (Acts 19:1-7).

Did you see it?

““Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?’ They said to him, ‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit'” (Acts 19:2).

Is this where we are as the church of Jesus Christ? Have we resisted the Holy Spirit or neglected the Holy Spirit?

Yes, we have.

We see this identical problem in the scripture.

“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant”(I Cor. 12:1).

Notice the word “spiritual” in the verse above. It is the word pneuma in Greek. It means “spirit.” So, the verse can mean; Paul did not want us ignorant about the Spirit of God.

Are we there? For sure.

As a body of people, we need more training about the Holy Spirit. This does not mean we are dumb or ignorant.

It means we have ignored the teachings about the Holy Spirit. Jesus said:

“But now I am going to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ Rather, sorrow has filled your heart because I have told you these things. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you” (John 16:5-7).

If Jesus sent the Holy Spirit, we should receive Him. Right?

And Jesus has his back.

“And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven” (Luke 12:10).

Receiving the Holy Spirit is easy.

Just ask.

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” (Luke 11:13).

Ask now.

Thomas McDaniels is a pastor/writer and the guy behind . He has written for and currently is a contributing writer for Fox News. He is also the founder of and the Longview Dream Center in Longview, Texas. Thomas can be found on social media, on Instagram and on Twitter.

“Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1, NKJV).

“Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children. Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God” (Eph. 5:1–2, MEV).

Believers Are Imitators of God

As Christians, we imitate God from our hearts and spirit. The Christian does not mimic behavior but follows the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

Genuine Christ-followers have a relationship with the Holy Spirit. As Christians, we experience daily changes as the Holy Spirit leads us.

The Spirit is our personal trainer and leads us to become more like Christ.

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you” (John 14:26).

The born-again Christian has received the Spirit of Christ, who is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a teacher of the things of Christ and reminds us of the things that Christ said and taught.

Watchman Nee said: “We have the Holy Spirit within as life and without as power and gift. If we are truly filled with the Holy Spirit within, we have the riches of the life of the Lord. If we do not have the riches of the spiritual life, this proves that although we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, we are not filled with Him.”

“I indeed baptize you with water to repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Matt.3:11).

We receive the Holy Spirit into our spirit when we get saved. However, the baptism of the Spirit is an infilling of the Spirit of God in and upon the believer.

The Holy Spirit covers us, empowers us and immerses us in the Spirit of Jesus.

Some have described the Holy Spirit’s presence on the believer as being “in,” “on” and “upon.”

“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. There appeared to them tongues as of fire, being distributed and resting on each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to speak: (Acts 2L104(,

The Promise of the Spirit

Jesus commanded the disciples to receive the Holy Spirit.

“When He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit'” (John 20:22).

This means they were saved. God does not give the Holy Spirit to those who are not born again.

^“Being assembled with them, He commanded them, ‘Do not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, of which you have heard from Me. For John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now'” (Acts 1:4–5).

The essence of being baptized with the Holy Spirit is when a person who is already a believer receives power to exalt Christ and to be a witness, just as the Scripture says.

And there’s more.

The Holy Spirit

Being assembled with them, He commanded them, “Do not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, of which you have heard from Me.^{[a] 5} For John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

So when they had come together, they asked Him, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

He said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or the dates, which the Father has fixed by His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Let’s notice the language “”you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you shall be …” (v. 8). Look deeper. The Holy Spirit empowers us in new become witnesses.

We are in an age that resembles the early church. Have we forgotten the person of the Holy Spirit? Or maybe we have never learned about the Holy Spirit.

While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples and said to them, “Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?”

They said to him, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

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

They said, “Into John’s baptism.”

Paul said, “John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in the One coming after him, that is, in Christ Jesus.” When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all (Acts 19:1-7).

Did you see it?

““Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?’ They said to him, ‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit'” (Acts 19:2).

Is this where we are as the church of Jesus Christ? Have we resisted the Holy Spirit or neglected the Holy Spirit?

Yes, we have.

We see this identical problem in the scripture.

“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant”(I Cor. 12:1).

Notice the word “spiritual” in the verse above. It is the word pneuma in Greek. It means “spirit.” So, the verse can mean; Paul did not want us ignorant about the Spirit of God.

Are we there? For sure.

As a body of people, we need more training about the Holy Spirit. This does not mean we are dumb or ignorant.

It means we have ignored the teachings about the Holy Spirit. Jesus said:

“But now I am going to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ Rather, sorrow has filled your heart because I have told you these things. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you” (John 16:5-7).

If Jesus sent the Holy Spirit, we should receive Him. Right?

And Jesus has his back.

“And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven” (Luke 12:10).

Receiving the Holy Spirit is easy.

Just ask.

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” (Luke 11:13).

Ask now.

Thomas McDaniels is a pastor/writer and the guy behind . He has written for and currently is a contributing writer for Fox News. He is also the founder of and the Longview Dream Center in Longview, Texas. Thomas can be found on social media, on Instagram and on Twitter.

The Wuhan coronavirus, which has spread from Asia and is now becoming a major health concern in the United States, could very well be a prophesied end-times biblical plague, end-times expert Michael Snyder says.

Last week, the World Health Organization designated the disease as a “public heath emergency of international concern.” The director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious disease told the New York Times earlier this week that it is “almost certainly going to be a pandemic,” defined by the World Health Organization as “the worldwide spread of a new disease.”

“This brand-new coronavirus, never before seen by anyone, as it turns out spreads very, very easily from person to person and it’s starting to spread all over the world,” Snyder told Dr. Steve Greene on a recent episode of Greenelines on the Charisma Podcast Network. “The number of total confirmed cases is to 17,000, a jump of over 20 percent in one day.

“In the United States, we’re in double digits in terms of cases, now up to 11. But we’re still waiting to see ultimately how bad this outbreak will become. This is very, very serious. In China, they’ve locked down entire cities, quarantined approximately 50 million people at this point.

“It’s really become the most concerning new virus pandemic we’ve seen emerge. People are comparing this to the Spanish flu epidemic back in 1918, which ultimately infected approximately 500 million people. Approximately 50 to 100 million people died during that horrible pandemic.

“I’ve brought this up before, but John Paul Jackson warned that in the last days we’re going to be facing pandemics as part of the end-times scenario. He warned that two pandemics were coming. One was going to be fear, and then that would kind of blow over, but then another one would come and that would be really bad and just kill enormous amounts of people. So, the question is, is this the first pandemic or is this the second? It is really a plague, an end-times plague of biblical and epic proportions that is going to cause mayhem.”

For more of Snyder’s thoughts on the Wuhan coronavirus and other world events, listen to the entire podcast.

As I travel around the world teaching, it always amazes me how many Bible believers think that G-D is a vindictive, hateful ogre who sits up in heaven waiting for men to do something wrong so that He can shoot fire out of His fingers and destroy them. And if men were not sufficiently sinful, G-D would manipulate them until they did evil so that He could zap them.

These beliefs are largely based upon really bad understandings of the Scriptures resulting from poor translation of the text. I am often asked, “We have the Bible in English. Isn’t that good enough?” I answer that question in a very Jewish way by asking, “Good enough for what?”

Almost any translation of the Bible will allow someone to find Yeshua (Jesus) and learn how to be born again. But being born again is the beginning of the relationship, not the end. So, if your goal in reading the Bible is simply to “be saved,” then any translation will do. But we are commanded this in 2 Timothy 2:15 (TLV):

“Make every effort to present yourself before God as tried and true, as an unashamed worker cutting a straight path with the word of truth.”

We have been commanded to cut a path with the Word of truth. Another translation says, “rightly dividing the Word of Truth.” This requires more than surface reading. It requires diving deeper into the text so that we not only know how to be saved, but we also know the One who saved us. The Bible introduces us to our G-D and lets us know about Him.

The trouble we come to is that much of that is lost in translation. Let me give you one example that will help you to understand what I am trying to say. Look at Exodus 10:1:

“Then Adonai said to Moses, ‘Go to Pharaoh, because I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, so that I might show these My signs in their midst.'”

This verse and other verses like it in English would lead us to believe that G-D caused Pharaoh’s heart to be hardened so that Pharaoh would not let the children of Israel go. In other words, when we read this verse in English, we conclude that had G-D not forced Pharaoh to have a hard heart, Pharaoh would have released the children of Israel and the destructive plagues would not have come upon Egypt.

Or said another way, G-D was mean and cruel simply to show how strong and powerful He is.

But this is not what the text in Hebrew says at all. The word that is translated “harden” in this verse in Hebrew comes from the root word כָּבַד kevod, which means glory. In context, we find G-D not forcing, but allowing Pharaoh to glorify himself instead of giving glory to the G-D of Israel. What we really see is a series of events taking place in Pharaoh’s life to lead him to a place where he would know that there is only one G-D and only that one G-D deserves glory. The word kevod doesn’t simply mean glory, at least not in the terms we generally use it to mean. Kevod describes glory as a weight or burden to be carried, hence the phrase, “Let the weight of Your glory fall.” Glory involves carrying the burden or weight of responsibility.

So, what we see here is a Pharaoh who believed himself to be a god, being shown that he is not. Pharaoh is not forced to be hardhearted. Pharaoh chooses to be hardhearted each time even though, by G-D’s mercy, Pharaoh is given the opportunity to humble himself before G-D. We know this by reading Exodus 10:3:

“So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, ‘This is what Adonai, the God of the Hebrews, says: How long would you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, so they may serve Me.'”

G-D’s goal is not the destruction of Pharaoh and Egypt; it is the redemption of all mankind, including Pharaoh and Egypt. If G-D was forcing Pharaoh to be rebellious, G-D would not ask him “how long?”

To further make this point, let’s look at Exodus 14:18. This is when the Red Sea is about to part and Pharaoh and the Egyptian army are about to be destroyed when the waters return:

“Then the Egyptians will know that I am Adonai, when I have been glorified over Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.”

The word translated glorified here is the same word translated as hardened in Exodus 10. G-D is not a bitter, hateful, old man being mean and vindictive to men simply in order to show His power and might. G-D didn’t force Pharaoh to be hard-hearted just so G-D could destroy Pharaoh and his people. No, not at all! That is not the nature and character of the G-D of the Bible. The truth is G-D tried over and over to convince Pharaoh to humble himself and be saved. But Pharaoh refused over and over to realize that he was only human and only the G-D of Israel could carry the weight of His glory.

As we read these words today, I hope each of us takes a moment to check ourselves. Are we being like Pharaoh and trying to be the G-D of our lives? Or have we humbled ourselves before Him, realizing that the weight of that responsibility, “that glory,” is too much for any of us to carry, and given those burdens to Him? {eoa}

Eric Tokajer is author of With Me in Paradise, Transient Singularity, OY! How Did I Get Here?: Thirty-One Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before Entering Ministry, #ManWisdom: With Eric Tokajer, Jesus Is to Christianity as Pasta Is to Italians and Galatians in Context.

As we have entered a new decade, the Lord spoke to me in prayer about what He described this coming season to be. He said that it will be a season for the believer of which “eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9).

I believe that the body of Christ has experienced tough times and is looking for a beacon of hope that God is about to come through for them. The Lord says that He is bringing many of you into a place of fulfillment.

The Lord also says that you are coming into your season of unseen breakthrough. What do I mean by unseen breakthroughs? God showed me that in the invisible realm there are breakthrough, prophetic promises, answered prayers, and financial blessings and provision hanging in the balance. Your unseen warfare will produce unseen victories in the Holy Spirit that will result in unseen breakthrough here and now!

Daniel understood how to pray and fast to see what was held up in the invisible to be released in the natural. God says, don’t get distracted or weary in well-doing. In Galatians 6:9, it says it like this: “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not give up.” Reaping time is coming because of what you have sown in the spiritual. There is no time wasted in the presence of God.

Our prayers are not empty words to the Father. They are spiritually sown that in time, it will produce that spiritual outcome and the results that you have been anticipating. However, the Lord said that there are things that He is about to do for His people who have been faithful and pursuing Him with all their heart, mind and strength. He showed me that He has unseen blessings, unseen favor, unseen breakthroughs and unseen victories that He is bringing many into.

What God is going to do for many of you is nothing you even asked or prayed for. He is a good Father who loves to give gifts to those who ask. But this time around, God said that there are divine, unexpected surprises in store for you. I am reminded of the unseen blessings, favor and breakthrough He gave King Solomon.

In the book of 1 Kings 3:3, Solomon is depicted in a positive way and the following terms: “Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David.” It is said that one night, God appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, “Ask what you want from Me” (verse 5). Solomon in response answered and said, “Give Your servant therefore an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and bad, for who is able to judge among so great a people?” (verse 9).

Interestingly, further in the text it is said and noted, “It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this” (1 Kings 3:10). We must understand and know that the Lord delights Himself in giving wisdom to those who truly seek it (Prov. 2:6-8; James 1:5). In direct response to Solomon’s request for wisdom, God does something more than what he asked of God. God promises to give Solomon as king three different gifts.

The first one is what Solomon asked for, and that is wisdom: “I now do according to your words. I have given you a wise and an understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like you in the past, and there shall never arise another like you” (1 Kings 3:12).

We can see that God graced him with wisdom, but also a discerning mind and heart. I believe that as you have faced unseen enemies, resistance and backlash, God is going to give you more wisdom and a discerning heart and mind to overcome every unseen opposition. This is the season that you will receive double for your trouble.

You will have the prophetic advantage when the enemy tries to bring a disadvantage in everything you do for Christ. Moreover, the book of 1 Kings 4:29-34 records the details of Solomon’s wisdom: “God gave Solomon wisdom and great depth of understanding as well as compassion, as vast as the sand on the seashore.”

This supernatural endowment and breadth of mind was like the sand on the seashore, so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. God wants to give us access to supernatural wisdom and knowledge by the Spirit of God that will make you 10 times wiser and better than others. God gave Daniel and his three friends this type of supernatural wisdom and enablement.

In Daniel 1:19-20 it says, “The king spoke with them, and, among them all, none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they served before the king. In all matters of wisdom and understanding which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.”

Again, Solomon was given what he asked for, for he was wiser than all other men. The second gift God gave Solomon was wealth and fame: “I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no kings will compare to you all of your days” (1 Kings 3:13).

Solomon would become known as the wealthiest king of his era. You can see that Solomon never asked for wealth or fame. God bestowed it upon him because God wants to see you blessed and highly favored. However, not everyone is called to be famous and wealthy, but to make Jesus’ name great in the earth through our life and so that our soul will prosper and be in good health.

According to 3 John 1:2-3, “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, even as your soul is well. For I greatly rejoiced when brothers came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth.” Unseen breakthroughs will only come on your life when the wisdom and favor of God is resident. Favor and wisdom will bring uncommon breakthroughs after you pray, fast and remain faithful (obedient) to God and your calling.

Lastly, the third gift God gave King Solomon was conditional—a long life based on his obedience to the Lord: “If you will walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and My commandments as your father David did, then I will lengthen your days” (1 Kings 3:14). After God made these promises, “Solomon awoke and found it was a dream” (verse 15).

Solomon was known as a man of great wisdom (1 Kings 3:28) and as a king with tremendous wealth and influence as king. However, we must ask this question: Was Solomon regarded and acknowledged as an obedient king who experienced longevity in life? Solomon reigned for 40 years by the grace of the Lord (1 Kings 11:42), which is considered a long period of time for one king to rule/reign. However, Solomon’s obedience was mixed.

He had many wives, including foreigners who influenced him to sacrifice and indulge in paganism and idolatrous practices with their deities. His great wealth also contributed to unwise excesses. Solomon started out humble and well-respected, as his inquiry for wisdom was noteworthy, but he later disobeyed the Lord. Solomon was spared more severe punishment for the sake of his father, David (1 Kings 11:11-12).

Keep in mind that when God decides to bless you with an overwhelming blessing of unseen breakthroughs, wisdom, favor and financial liberation that you don’t forget who, what and where it comes from. God wants to bless us with more than enough, but don’t idolize the blessings over the Lord Himself! {eoa}

Dr. Hakeem Collins is an empowerment specialist, respected prophetic voice, apostolic leader, governmental minister, life coach and sought-after conference speaker. He is known for his keen, accurate prophetic gifting and supernatural ministry. Author of bestselling books Heaven Declares and Command Your Healing, he’s been featured on many television shows: Sid Roth’s It’s Supernatural! The Word Network, and Cornerstone TV just to name a few. He is host of Prophetic Breakthrough podcast on Charisma Podcast Network (). Follow him on: and .

It’s Brexit Day—the day Great Britain finally exits the European Union. Keep in mind, Britain is not divorcing Europe. Britain is very much part of the continent and desires strong trade partnerships and alliances in the region. The marriage between the ancient empire and its ancient neighbors just wasn’t God’s will.

More than three and a half years after the landmark referendum that paved the way for Britain to leave the European union—a referendum that had plenty of opposition and brought significant division within the United Kingdom—Great Britain will leave the bloc of 27 remaining countries on Jan. 31.

Back in October, I knew in my spirit the United Kingdom needed to exit before the end of January to stay on pace with her destiny. It’s been delayed long enough. There is a kairos time for all things. Few realize this, but the U.K. has been an EU member since 1973. The degree of oneness merely escalated over the years, and particularly since the adoption of the euro. The U.K. never changed its currency from the pound, demonstrating its sovereignty as a nation.

I received this prophetic word in October and have waited until now—now that the dust has settled on the quarreling—to release this encouragement. I know many pundits and economists are predicting the fall of Great Britain in a post-EU reality. It’s time for the intercessors in the U.K. to rise up, revoke word curses, bless the U.K. nations and pray for God’s will. I heard the Lord say:

Click here to read the rest of this article.

As a life coach and entrepreneur, Michael McIntyre’s mission in life is to motivate and inspire. McIntyre himself has been inspired by the lives and ministry of Bill Johnson and Heidi Baker, and in turn, he wants to pass on the wisdom he has acquired from them to other believers.

Sharing practical advice and biblical principles, McIntyre is using his new podcast, Next Level Podcast, on the Charisma Podcast Network to spark leaders to move not only to a higher plane in their business, but also in God’s kingdom and in their own homes.

“There is no reason to play small in His kingdom because He has blessed you to show up in a big way,” McIntyre told Dr. Steve Greene on a recent episode of Greenelines on the Charisma Podcast Network. “God made you to be a world-changer, to make a difference.

“If you’re married, you need to pray out loud with your spouse every day. Get on your hands and knees and hold hands and be the spiritual leader of your family. And ladies, get in there with your husband and pray out loud with your voice every day.

“It will change everything. Whatever your situation, whether it is financial or health, or maybe you’re struggling in your marriage. Whatever it might be, take advantage of that. God wants you to. Jesus loves it.

“Also, write down three things, three positive affirmations or declarations. Make them short and to the point. Start saying them ad nauseam. Once you’ve mastered those three, do another three until you get up to 10. Have this in your life and keep doing this and you’ll drown out any negative thinking or doubt that might enter in.”

For more of McIntyre’s ministry, listen to the entire podcast.

Note: This is the second of a two-part article. For part one, click here.

In Luke 7, there is a story of a sinful woman who is forgiven. The story illustrates a passionate worship and devotion of Jesus.

Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”

And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

So he said, “Teacher, say it.”

“There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”

Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”

And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace” (Luke 7:36-50, NKJV).

The sinful woman is probably, but we can’t be certain, Mary Magdalene, as Luke 8:2 mentions her just after this story. Mary comes uninvited, and pours an alabaster flask of fragrant oil on Jesus’ feet. She lets her hair down, using her hair to wipe his feet of the oil.

Understand how scandalous this was, for it was shameful for women at that time to let their hair down. Despite the judgment of Simon and others in the room, and contrary to cultural norms, she displays a passionate worship of Jesus.

Simon the Pharisee thinks to himself that Jesus can’t be a prophet; for Jesus should know this woman’s character. Keep in mind that it was also not acceptable for a teacher to be close to women or those considered sinners at the time.

But Simon is the one with the poor hospitality and lack of devotion to Jesus. In the culture of that day, one would greet the person with a kiss, provide a basin of water in which to wash the feet, and provide olive oil to anoint the hair and freshen up. Simon didn’t have much love for Jesus, let alone common courtesy. Anglican scholar N.T. Wright makes this assertion regarding Simon:

He is the one who is guilty of poor hospitality—almost as much of a social blunder as the woman’s letting down of her hair. The Pharisee has never come to terms with the depths of his own heart, and so doesn’t appreciate God’s generous love when it sits in person at his own table. For Luke, true faith is what happens when someone looks at Jesus and discovers God’s forgiveness; and the sign and proof of this faith is love.

This woman, whom I will assume is Mary, is a worshipper at heart. Why? She appreciates God’s generous love for her, and she isn’t ashamed to display her love to Jesus because she has been forgiven. She has discovered God’s love and forgiveness, and the proof of her faith is a passionate love shown toward Jesus. She overcomes shame and religious judgment because she embraces God’s love and peace. She is willing, publicly, to display worship and devotion of Jesus because of the forgiveness and salvation she has received.

Luke further writes in Luke 8:1-3:

Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.

Again, we don’t know for certain, but it seems most probable that Mary Magdalene is the woman in Luke 7. What we read is that Mary wouldn’t leave Jesus’ presence. Mary had received healing and deliverance from the Lord, and she is grateful for her forgiveness and freedom in Christ. Mary, who is just like many of us, starts her relationship with Jesus from a place of brokenness and need.

For many, the journey of intimacy and fulfillment with Jesus begins from brokenness and desperation. As we journey with God, He invites us to deeper levels of relationship based upon love and desire for Him, not simply our need. To grow in our understanding of the depths of God, it requires intimate knowledge of Him that only develops through spending time with Him.

The intentional pursuit of knowing God as a friend moves us beyond superficial worship and relationship into a realm of God’s presence that transcends earthly understanding and living. We begin to live and move and have our being as one with Him!

Mary and these other women traveled and ministered with Jesus. Their worship was demonstrated in being with Him, loving His presence and by helping to spread the Good News of the kingdom. True worshippers carry the heart of revival and awakening!

In John’s Gospel, we read of Mary’s devotion to Jesus at the tomb:

Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”

She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”

She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary!”

She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).

Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ “

Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her (John 20:1-18, NKJV).

Notice that in verse 1, Mary had to be with Jesus. She didn’t know about His resurrection; she just wanted to be with Jesus, even if it was just His tomb and dead body. But when she discovers the tomb is empty, she runs to the other disciples to tell them Jesus’ body is gone and that the tomb is empty.

But notice in verse 10 that when Peter and John (the disciple whom Jesus loved) see that the tomb is empty, they go home. One could infer, they gave up.

Question: How do you respond when it seems God is gone, distant and not there? Like Peter and John, many give up and go home. When promises are delayed, prophecies continue unfulfilled and revival seems distant, don’t give up and go home—continue steadfast in your worship and devotion of Him! When you lose the element of intimacy with God, you begin to lose faith and transcend into religious activity.

But notice in verse 11 how Mary stood outside the tomb weeping? She sees two angels but doesn’t seem to be affected; she just weeps for her Lord. All she can think about is where Jesus is. This is the heart of worship and devotion. This is where revival and awakening begin!

We read in verses 14-18 that she is still weeping, longing for Jesus. Jesus then reveals Himself to Mary, who naturally wants to hug Him for joy, but:

Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God'” (John 20:17, NKJV).

Scholars are divided theologically on what occurred in this moment. But the passage implies that Jesus interrupts the redemption of mankind to minister to the one who would not let go! Let that sink in—Jesus, prior to ascending to the Father, stops to comfort Mary, this devoted worshipper!

God looks for loyal hearts that He can reveal the depths of His love to (2 Chr. 16:9). Those to whom He can pour forth His Spirit upon and through to revive and transform our world. How much do you long for Jesus today? He is whom we are after—not just His gifts, benefits or even revival—we desire Jesus!

As we abide in Jesus and fellowship with the Holy Spirit, we are revived and renewed.

“In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Ps. 16:11). Jesus said He would send us another helper. Another is from the Greek word allos, which means “another just like me.” The Holy Spirit daily wants to revive and renew us; we need to drink of His river continually!

We are empowered.

Jesus said in John 14:12, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” As we abide in Christ, His finished work and ongoing work of the Spirit releases His might through us to do what we cannot of ourselves!

We become a vessel for God to touch others.

You and I were destined to be a river of blessing to others. It is not accomplished in our human effort alone; rather, as we walk with God faithfully and rely upon His Word and the Spirit, we begin to bring life to dead places! We have become the temple of God, and the river of God’s presence is bursting forth through those who are yielded to God’s mission and purpose!

Church, God invites us into another outpouring of His Spirit. He will pour water on a dry and weary land when God’s people worship Jesus with hearts of sincere devotion! {eoa}

Bob Sawvelle is the founding and senior leader of Passion Church in Tucson, Arizona. Passion Church is a vibrant, kingdom-minded church in the heart of Tucson that values God’s love and presence. He is a Doctor of Ministry doctoral mentor for the Randy Clark Scholars cohort at United Theological Seminary (UTS); an adjunct professor teaching master’s-level classes in evangelism, discipleship and church planting with the Global Awakening Theological Seminary (GATS); and an online course facilitator for Global Awakening’s Christian Healing Certification Program (CHCP) and Christian Prophetic Certification Program (CPCP).

Randy Kay spent most of adult life as a devout agnostic. As a student at Northwestern University, he and some friends actually had a mission to disprove all religions, especially Christianity.

But when internal injuries and multiple blood clots, suffered from a near-fatal accident, took him to the brink of death while lying in a hospital bed, there was only one thing Kay knew to do—cry out to the name of Jesus Christ. It simply came out of the blue.

It was then Kay came face-to-face with the one whose existence he had so passionately denied for so many years. The encounter radically transformed Kay’s life and beliefs, and Jesus told him he had much more to accomplish in life.

“The experience was so profound and so real,” Kay told Dr. Steve Greene on a recent episode of Greenelines on the Charisma Podcast Network. “I felt the comfort of this body next to me, a softness. I didn’t look into His eyes at the time, but I remember recalling at that moment that, ‘This is love. This is love.’

“Jesus’ eyes tunneled into me and exposed everything dark within me. He knew everything about me and everything I had ever done in my life. We spent time together, and He told me that now was not my time. He crushed me so tightly. I remember that most, that He never let go.

“And I didn’t want to leave. The Lord told me that I had not yet fulfilled my purpose, and that He was sending me back. He said there were people praying for me. I still had many trials ahead of me [including his daughter’s near-death experience], but I now know that, even through my brokenness that I would later experience, I could trust Jesus. God is love, and knowing that trumps everything else.”

Kay’s book, Dying to Meet Jesus, explains his transformation from a life of doubt to one of genuine joy. His testimony will show readers how God uses suffering and brokenness to build an intimate and indestructible relationship with Him.

For the rest of Randy Kay’s incredible story, listen to this podcast.