With wars brewing between countries and conflicts dividing people of different ethnicities, Pastor Jack Hibbs says that these circumstances “should bring you comfort.”

“Two thousand years ago, Jesus said that there would be wars and rumors of wars,” says Hibbs, the founder and senior pastor at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino Hills, California. “My dear friends, the Bible announced this in advance.”

Hibbs does not rest on Matthew 24:6’s “wars and rumors of wars” to prove that God’s Word is true, however. He refers to Isaiah 66:7-9 and recounts the prophecy, “Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment?” (v. 8, NIV).

Hibbs then points to May 14, 1948, the day Israel’s rebirth happened in one day. “It happened exactly as Isaiah said it would, in a mere moment, in one day,” Hibbs says. “That verse alone should dispel any doubt about the veracity and the ability of the God of the Bible to keep His Word.”

Hibbs believes at this point there’s no way to escape wars surrounding Israel. He says that Ezekiel predicted the current friendship between Israel and Egypt, Israel and Jordan, and also between Israel and Saudi Arabia. “Not only are the right nations lined up to invade; the right nations, for the first time in history, are lined up that support Israel in the region,” he says. “That’s not a coincidence.”

While Hibbs is sad that war has to occur, he also rejoices because it confirms that God always fulfills His Word. Because America isn’t directly mentioned in Bible prophecy, Hibbs doesn’t claim to know what will happen to our nation. But regarding war and conflict, he points back to Jesus’ words.

In Matthew 24:6, Jesus says, “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass” (NKJV).

For more from Jack Hibbs on this subject, watch this video. {eoa}

Rob Vischer is a freelance writer for Charisma Media.

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Don’t believe we’re headed for a one-world government soon? Cultural commentator and political activist Charlie Kirk, along with Jack Hibbs, founder and senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino Hills, California, warns you not to be deceived.

Kirk, 28, who founded Turning Point Ministries USA, says that the World Economic Forum, founded and led by Klaus Schwab, is on a mission to destroy Western values—biblical values—and to drive the Ten Commandments out of our culture.

“They are doing everything they possibly can to break the Ten Commandments,” Kirk says. “It’s broader than that, but I think that’s a good way to frame it. The Ten Commandments are a really good starting point. They are morally transcendent, and any person that lives them out will be flourishing and grow closer to God. But when they say they want to break those, they’re going to try to do it not just through the laws but also through trying to make the opposite acceptable and, in fact, glorify it.”

The World Economic Forum has seven predictions for nations around the globe that they hope will take hold by 2030:

• You will own nothing and be happy.
• The U.S. won’t be the world’s superpower.
• You won’t die waiting for an organ donor.
• You’ll eat less meat.
• A billion people will be displaced by climate change.
• You could be preparing to go to Mars.
• Western values will have been tested to their breaking point.

“The West did not create these values (the Ten Commandments); these are biblical values,” Hibbs says. “Those values are from the Middle East, from Israel and the God of Israel. It’s the West that adopted those values. Any nation, any continent, any person can adopt those values. The West chose to do that.

“Our Founding Fathers believed the Scriptures and made sure the First Amendment was the first amendment and the Second Amendment was the second amendment, because they understood two things: No matter what laws you passed, God has put it within a human being to speak his mind. You can’t outlaw that, and our Founding Fathers knew that. And second, you must recognize that a family will do everything it can to protect itself from destruction from an invader, and that’s what believers need to do to protect their country.”

Kirk reiterates, “Western values are an extension of the Judeo-Christian construct, specifically New Testament teaching. Western values are a belief in God-granted natural rights, separation of powers and consent of the governed. Western values reject this idea that a singular individual has a mandate to rule over you without question.

“Western values are the fruits of the Enlightenment blended correctly with the truths of the Bible. Western values are why we are able to have the technological advancements, the medical advancements, the communication advancements that we enjoy. Western values, they are really saying biblical values. What they are trying to do is to break, by 2030, biblical values—more specifically, they want to break every single one of the Ten Commandments. Every single one.”

For the rest of this intriguing discussion, please watch this video. {eoa}

Shawn A. Akers is the online editor for Charisma Media.

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Consumer inflation came in much hotter than expected. According to The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the May consumer price index increased 8.6% above year ago levels — the highest inflation since December of 1981and much higher than the 8.3% anticipated.

Inflation was broad-based, with many components seeing significant price increases. Energy prices increased 34.6%, the highest since 2005. Food prices increased 10.1%, the highest since 1981. Shelter costs increased 5.5%, the highest since 1991. Airline fares increased 37.8%.

The root causes of inflation have both demand and supply roots. Increases in aggregate demand and/or decreases in aggregate supply increase inflation. Rapid growth in aggregate demand occurred because the Fed increased its balance sheet to nearly $9 trillion, the federal government increased stimulus spending by $1.9 trillion when the economy was already starting to improve, and consumers returned to spending as they emerged from pandemic restrictions.

Decreases in aggregate supply occurred because of the administration’s war on fossil fuels, the Russian-Ukrainian war and related embargo and general increases in administrative costs faced by businesses. The war on fossil fuels has been particularly harmful, and U. S. average gasoline prices have set record highs for 17 straight days.

To control inflation, two approaches should be taken—demand and supply. On the demand side, the Fed must be more aggressive in reducing the money supply, and the federal government needs to reduce the size of the deficit. Inflation will force the Fed to be more aggressive even with the threat of a slowing economy. Political pressure from voters at least appears to be slowing the appetite of politicians for increased spending.

Increasing aggregate supply will be more difficult to achieve because of the political philosophies of those in power. For example, even if the future of automobiles is all-electric, the U. S. and the world do not have the resources to do it immediately. The electrical grid is not sufficient to support an all-electric fleet. In some sections of the country, the all-electric vehicle is being fueled by coal because of how the electricity is produced. It is difficult to imagine a booming economy until energy costs become more economically viable. Other growth-oriented policies will also be difficult to implement politically.

The Bible is not silent on inflation. Samaria was besieged by Ben-hadad, the king of Aram. As a result, food was in short supply. The people were starving and were even practicing cannibalism. Food prices increased dramatically. But the Lord spoke to Elisha and assured him that by the next day, food would be abundant, and prices would be low. If the Lord can handle mass starvation, He will have no problem handling our 8.6% inflation.

“Now it came about after this, that Ben-hadad the king of Aram gathered all his army and went up and besieged Samaria. So, there was a severe famine in Samaria; and behold, they kept besieging it until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a fourth of a kab [about two quarts] of dove’s dung for five shekels of silver” (2 Kings 6:24-25, NASB).

“Then Elisha said, ‘Listen to the word of the Lord; this is what the Lord says: About this time tomorrow a measure [6.7 quarts] of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two measures [13.4 quarts] of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria'” (2 Kings 7:1).

Inflation hurts the poor and middle-class the most. It is like a cruel tax which has not been approved by voters, but nevertheless increases government revenues while draining the finances of the unsuspecting. Workers can get raises while the purchasing power of their salaries continues to fall. In addition, the higher incomes increase their tax liability. Since much of our Lord’s teaching involves helping the poor, we must conclude that inflation is never God’s perfect will.

The devil comes to steal, kill and destroy. Uncontrolled inflation, steals, kills and destroys. It steals finances, kills dreams and has destroyed entire economies. Inflation is an enemy that must be stopped. Fortunately, our Lord came so that we might have life and have it abundantly. He has overcome all and has all authority.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).

We follow these biblical principles to overcome inflation (or anything else). Specifically, we:

— Seek His kingdom and His righteousness first (Matt. 6:33). Our priorities are correct. Our loyalty is with Him. We seek His righteousness. We seek to be holy because He is holy. He promises us provision.

— We store up treasures for ourselves in heaven where it is protected (Matt. 6:20). The moths and rust of inflation cannot destroy our kingdom treasures. Our treasures consist of doing His will. Preaching the gospel in word and deed, helping the poor and unfortunate, giving our monies and ourselves, and being a light of the kingdom.

— We exhibit biblical righteousness, regardless of society’s mores. We walk in His peace, regardless of the turmoil around us. We walk in His joy, regardless of our situation or environment. We accomplish this be being empowered by the Holy Spirt.

“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:17). {eoa]

James Russell is a professor of economics at Oral Roberts University.

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“And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over” (2 Kings 2:14, KJV).

A New Breed of ‘Sent Ones’

The hand of the Lord is upon a new breed of “sent ones” in this hour. Yes, indeed, for I hear the Lord saying, “I am raising up a new breed of apostolic and prophetic ones who will emerge upon the forefront for such a time as this. A new breed and a new generation will pioneer and build a new legacy, as well as a new dynasty in the earth, for the advancement of My kingdom,” says the Lord.

“Yet once more, I will do a new thing through this new breed of fire ones, who have accepted their assignment without any hesitation, but with open arms and with participation, they have yielded themselves unto Me. For I am no respecter of persons, nor am I looking for those who feel as if they have it all together; but with great obedience and a heart yielded unto Me, I have found a new breed who will soon lead My people unto a place of victory and glory.

“They will emerge on the scene, strengthening the body of Christ and giving the world new strategies and solutions that will shape cultures and societies in new ways, which many can only imagine.

“These new ‘sent ones’ are those who have been forgotten—the underdogs—and those whom many have written off. But I, the Lord thy God, will cause favor to come upon them, and cause My hand to lead them into a place of greatness and success as they carry out My plans for all humanity. For, in fact, I have consecrated them unto Myself and have marked them in a time when the world needs them most. Make no mistake about it, this new breed will succeed,” says the Spirit of the living God.

“Now it happened after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ servant (attendant), saying, ‘Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise [to take his place], cross over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel'” (Josh. 1:1-2, AMP).

Forging Paths—Where No Man Has Gone Before

The definition for the word “breed” (according to ) is “to produce (offspring).” Other words for breed are “beget,” “bear,” “generate,” “promote,” “occasion,” “foster,” “produce,” “induce” and “develop.”

I believe that we are in an era where we will begin to see an uncommon breed of leaders hit the ground running, as much work needs to be done to bring forth the end time harvest. They will be innovators who will generate new ideas and skills that will set the tone for the generations ahead.

Just as the early fathers and mothers paved the way for many of us in years past, I believe the Lord is now raising up a new breed for this hour who will have the grace to run within their society and forge something that has never been created. They will have the mindset (mentality) and desire to lead with excellence, and will be trusted with greater responsibility, wisdom, knowledge and understanding.

Just as God raised up Joshua, sending him to the promised land in Moses’ place, God is now raising up Joshuas to lead the people across this present “Jordan.”

The Lord says, “The new breed will operate with extraordinary strength, power and grace, and will not deal with the failures of old. I have given them boldness! Yes, they are bold and cannot be bought. They are sold out to the Father and will carry out the load which has been given unto them for this day and age. A new breed will emerge from a place of obscurity and will shine for such a time as this.”

Passing the Baton

Recently (on June 2, 2022), I experienced an open vision at work while doing my normal duties. Things were a little slow that day, so I took out time to go into the back office. While there, I noticed a shiny, cherry-red baton sitting in our mail bin. I asked my boss where the baton had come from, and she responded by saying that she had no idea but was informed that we had a track team staying at our hotel.

Immediately, I went into a vision concerning the same baton I had seen. In this vision, I found myself running with the exact baton I had glanced at in the natural. As I watched myself running, I heard these words: “Run the race I have set before you.” Then, quickly, the vision ended. {eoa}

For the rest of this article, please visit .

Dontrell Green is the founder and senior leader of King of Glory International Ministries and the author of the book “The Prophetic Manual: Cultivating A Prophetic Community.” He is an emerging apostolic prophet who carries the glory of God and operates in a strong seer’s gift through dreams and visions. He also carries a burning fire and a passion for revival in regions, cities and nations as he proclaims the Good News of Jesus Christ. Prophet Dontrell Green is a writer, blogger and has the word of the Lord in his mouth for this end time. He is also a husband to his lovely wife, Faith Green, and a father of five. He is from Donaldsonville, Louisiana, but currently residues in Clovis, California. He is a city-shaker, world-changer and a Jesus-lover.

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“You have the DNA of city transformation!” That proclamation by Doug Stringer shocked Marlene Yeo, who had been serving as youth pastor at her church for several years.

Everything she had been doing was to build up her local church, with no thought of what God might want to do on a broader scale. “Then God wrecked me,” she says.

Yeo stumbled across a Transformations video that documents various miraculous moves of God around the world, and she began to see His bigger plan. As she pondered what she had seen, He asked her, “Are you a church person or a kingdom person?”

Stunned, she realized she was no longer satisfied with the status quo. She yearned to see God moving outside the four walls of her church. The Lord quickly connected her with Doug Stringer of Somebody Cares America, and others, to help her define what God was saying. It was no longer “my church, my denomination, my friends.” Instead, she understood, “it’s His world, His people and His church!”

God birthed in Yeo’s heart a vision for her city to be changed by the power of God. She began mobilizing corporate prayer as well as outreach and evangelistic activities that brought believers together across racial and denominational lines. She also brought them together to serve the needs identified by city officials. And the city took notice! Where once there was resistance and suspicion, now there is cooperation and favor. Little by little things are changing in her city. People are coming to Christ and growing in their faith as believers come together for His kingdom purposes.

Matthew 6:33a (MEV) tells us to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.” We are also told, “this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matt. 24:14). That is certainly what Jesus did when He was incarnate. He preached about the kingdom over and over again!

Of course, local churches are needed. They are needed “to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature” (Eph. 4:11-13a, NIV).

It is good to serve in a local church, as long as you don’t elevate its importance above God’s kingdom—which includes the whole body of Christ! Be willing to lay down your local church’s agenda for God’s greater purpose when called, and transformation will begin in your community, too.

Dr. Jodie Chiricosta is vice president of Somebody Cares America/International. She teaches and consults on a variety of Christian living and leadership topics and is a host of the Charisma podcast “Her God Story.” Please visit her website at

The beginning of a new season, especially a new sports season, brings an excitement that runs through us from head to toe. We don’t know what will happen as we prepare for the start of a new season, but we have an eagerness to become the best we can and do everything possible to put ourselves in the best position to succeed.

New beginnings aren’t only possible in sports. Our own lives also have new beginnings, each one reflecting the incredible work of the Lord that renews our hearts and lasts beyond our lifetimes.

When we surrender to Jesus’ lordship in our lives and acknowledge His saving work on the cross, we’re ushered into a new kingdom family and a new way of living. We have the chance to know Him deeper, dive into His Word and let Him transform our hearts and minds to think, speak and act in new ways that reflect our growing relationship with God.

A new life lays before us — a wide-open road! It’s exciting to think that God is doing something brand new in our lives.

We are given a breath of fresh air in our spirits so we become new in life-altering ways. Through Jesus Christ bringing salvation from His death on the cross and resurrection, we are invited to live in new and powerful ways.

When Jesus saves us from the snare of sin, we are cleansed from any unrighteousness and given a new standing before God as His son or daughter. We have a newfound status before Him; our old ways are gone, and we are filled with new ways of living. We’re transformed from the inside out, by God’s Spirit, as He refines us from where we’ve been and how we’ve thought and acted. We become more like Jesus.

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun.” (2 Cor. 5:17).

Through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, we have a prime example of what it looks like to fulfill our days living for God. Jesus loved people, cared for the marginalized, defended the meek and stood firm on the Word of God. We look to Jesus to live and love like Him. Where can we stand up for others seen as weak? Live out this example and show them the care of Christ.

“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20).

God has transformed our hearts and minds so much, there is no way we can go back to the way things were. Sure, we might try hanging with the same friends, but if they’re doing things that aren’t wise or healthy, we may feel uncomfortable and notice a difference.

It’s the Holy Spirit moving in us to remind us that Jesus has called us into a different way of living that glorifies God — a way of life that is good. Pay attention: If there are people you need to step away from, take courage. If there are habits you need to stop, pray for God to give you the strength needed to let go.

Look to Him every step of the way as He guides you in the life of Christ.

“For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.” (Rom. 6:4).

God has good plans for your life. He sent His Son to bring you back into His family from a fallen world. We can honor Him as we learn to navigate a new great life within us and a new life to live.

“For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like You, who works for those who wait for Him!” (Isaiah 64:4).

This is a wonderful adventure you never expected. He has begun something great in you and wants to work it out every day in every way — we need to get used to new. {eoa}

Sarah Freymuth is the Communications Manager for Fellowship of Christian Athletes and writes content for blogs, articles, Bible reading plans and devotionals that share God’s heart with coaches and athletes. She played softball for Concordia University Wisconsin, is in their Hall of Fame, and has led FCA Huddles since high school.

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Dr. Steve Greene was a great leader and a great man. I had the privilege of working closely with him for seven years through a period of significant change in the media world and Christian community.

When he resigned last fall to pursue other opportunities, I tried to talk him out of it, but he felt that season had ended. He was in the process of moving back to Missouri when he came down with COVID-19 and went downhill very fast. He died June 8 at age 69.

His death was a day before I flew to California on business. But while out there I recorded a podcast sharing my personal feelings that you can listen to here. I didn’t want to wait until I got back to put it on the Charisma Podcast Network.

I’ve received many emails and calls from friends who were touched by what I said. However, it was one of the most difficult podcasts I’ve ever done—even though I’ve paid tribute over the years to many people including my own mother who passed away recently. It was difficult because I was so close to Steve Greene for so long and because his death was so unexpected and so tragic.

Dr. Greene worked beside me at Charisma Media as our executive vice president over the media group. I gave him the title of publisher of Charisma magazine. He’s the only one other than me to hold that title in 47 years. He also was the visionary for our Charisma Podcast Network. And, while he was here, he wrote his only book: Love Leads. I saw how he led and how he was loved by his staff. I am the one who encouraged him to write the book which has helped many people.

Before he came to work for us, I got a prophetic message from a man whom I respect. The man told me that God was going to send us someone who would be like a brother to me, even though I hadn’t previously known him. The prophetic message proved to be true.

In the wake of his passing, it would be easy to tell you about the long resume he built or about his many accomplishments, but we listed his accomplishments in an obituary we put online a few hours after he died. This is my tribute to him as a professional and my opportunity to share my personal memories as his friend.

Steve Greene brought not only a level of business sophistication to our organization from his years of working in corporate America and in academia but he also brought a sense of style. He loved to wear tailored suits with handkerchief puffs and cuff links. Everyone who knew him saw he was dapper.

He was also generous. When gift giving times rolled around, he would often give me cuff links. He just had a knack for finding special cuff links. I like dressing up and I’ll remember him every time I wear one of those cuff links.

More important than that was his leadership and his knack for finding the unique strengths in other people. I remember he hired a few young people right out of college. I watched as he mentored and developed them, and I saw how much they respected him. Even our more seasoned staff benefited from his mentoring and leadership style.

He was a good example of a man with a strong work ethic. And he didn’t just talk about it. He led by example. No one worked harder than Dr. Steve Greene. He was also focused and I saw the results of the hours he called “deep work” where he closed the door of his office for a couple of hours to focus on important projects or strategies. Because of his effectiveness, I began to build time for “deep work” into my own schedule.

A couple of weeks ago a reader who loved his book Love Leads sent Dr. Greene a very nice email and he forwarded it to me. He wanted me to know he was still pushing his book and I appreciated knowing how it blessed this reader.

Charisma Media continued to use him as a consultant for the Charisma Podcast Network. We were trying to set up a meeting to discuss steps ahead. Then we heard he was sick. Before we knew it we were told he had pneumonia and had been taken to the hospital. We learned later the pneumonia was caused by COVID-19.

I was in the hospital a week ago visiting a friend who is going to have open-heart surgery. While I was there, I ran into Steve’s wife, Anette. I inquired about him, and I wanted to go visit him. But by then, we knew he had COVID-19 and I couldn’t see him. I never dreamed that in a couple of days he’d pass away.

I am left with so many memories like when he went with me to interview Donald Trump in 2016 during the presidential campaign. I remember my first podcast in June 2015 when we launched the Charisma Podcast Network. Dr. Greene interviewed me for the first few podcasts to show me how it was done. Now I’ve recorded over 900 podcasts and have had millions of downloads. After all that time people still listen to that first podcast on June 4, 2015, including three listeners last month. That’s amazing when you consider it was recorded seven years ago.

I remember he and I had lunch together nearly every week. A couple of times we attended spring training baseball games to watch his beloved St. Louis Cardinals. We went boating a few times on the St. Johns River and even played a couple rounds of golf, a game which he dearly loved.

Listen to my podcast in which I share other personal memories and feelings. And share it with friends who knew him or would be inspired by his life and legacy.

A few weeks ago, Dr. Greene probably had no idea he had only days to live. None of us know how long we will live. Each of us will face death one day and stand before God. The question is, are we ready and what legacy do we leave?

A time like this reminds me of the famous poem by C.T. Studd:

Only one life, twil soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Dr. Steve Greene was an example of a man whose life counted for Christ. I know God is saying to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord.” {eoa}

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It is no coincidence that revival in the greater Coffeyville, Kansas, basin has taken a turn toward mainstream Protestantism.

The newest pastor of Coffeyville, Rev. Yves Kinangwa of the First United Methodist Church, has come from Central Africa embodying the fear of the Lord, preaching on the power of the Holy Spirit. His parishioners have been crying out to God each Sunday morning in fear and trembling, repenting of sin, seeking holiness in the old-fashioned way and pleading for God’s mercy upon them.

The Methodist Church was birthed in the Holiness Movement, which gave rise to the Pentecostal Movement of 1906. Interestingly, in Coffeyville these two movements continue to exist side by side. In fact, the leader of the Latter Rain Movement of America, Rev. Franklin Hall, and his sister, Charisma author and evangelist Verna Hall Linzey, were reared initially in the Methodist Church and eventually in the Pentecostal Church of Coffeyville, which their stepfather, Rev. Francis L. Doyle, pastored and brought into the Assemblies of God in 1928.

From 1940 to the 1970s, Rev. Hall took the message of holiness, tongues, prayer and fasting to the university campuses and churches of West and Central Africa, and the churches there distributed his literature widely. In turn, Rev. Kinangwa has recently come to Coffeyville out of Central Africa with Rev. Hall’s message of holiness, where the Methodist Church is experiencing a mighty move of the Holy Spirit with packed-out services.

“At First United Methodist Church, we are experiencing spiritual renewal and tremendous unity in the Spirit. We connect with the Holy Spirit before we connect with one another,” Rev. Kinangwa said. “There is a pattern in our church members’ lives. It always begins with the Holy Spirit. As our members fully submit to the Holy Spirit, they are able to experience unity in and power of the Holy Spirit.”

The visionary behind the ongoing revival in the Coffeyville basin is Rev. James Feltner, pastor of Emmanuel Chapel of South Coffeyville, Oklahoma, who has spearheaded many revival services in Coffeyville and northern Oklahoma. Rev. Feltner invited Rev. Randy DePriest, pastor of the Coffeyville Assembly of God church, to rotate with him in the speaking schedule in early June.

From Arizona, I contacted Pastor DePriest and asked what happened. “Thank God for the last two nights of revival where signs and wonders were witnessed by many! Monday night, six individuals testified about notable healing miracles that they received in the Sunday evening service,” said Rev. DePriest. “People healed of 30 years of impairment. Another one was a 15-year disability that was instantly healed! The testimonies kept coming.” He continued, “Many other people received the Holy Spirit for the first time in their lives!”

He stated, “Miracles happened and walls of division were destroyed! God is so good to us. One friend testified with tears that God has confirmed his calling and work during the Sunday evening service. Souls were saved and people were set free by the will of God!”

Dr. Doug Stringer, founding president of Somebody Cares America/International, said in his article “4 Things All Revivals Have in Common,” dated June 10, 2022, “Every revival is unique. … When the fear of the Lord comes, people are terrified! They see the truth of their condition in relation to the holiness of God.” This resonates with what is happening at First United Methodist Church of Coffeyville.

Rev. Kinangwa added that at the First United Methodist Church, “the Holy Spirit is seen in the reception of the Holy Spirit, in the people’s experience with the Holy Spirit, and this results in their unity with one another. This is a miracle.”

And unity in the body of Christ is always a result of revival.

Rev. Feltner said, “There were signs and wonders. The whole audience came forward to be ministered to. All were receiving from the Lord.”

And as Jesus said, “These signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16:17-18, MEV). {eoa}

James F. Linzey received a Bachelor of Arts degree in biblical studies at Vanguard University of Southern California (1979) and a Master of Divinity degree at Fuller Theological Seminary (1983), where he studied church growth under C. Peter Wagner and signs and wonders under John Wimber. He hosted Operation Freedom television and radio programs on the baptism with the Holy Spirit around the world. He authored The Holy Spirit and A Divine Appointment in Washington D.C. and is the chief editor of the Modern English Version Bible translation. He served as an Air Force and Army chaplain for 24 years, attaining the rank of Major, and authored “The Space Force Hymn (Creator of the Universe).” Listen to the full episode, “The Holy Spirit in Acts with Chaplain James F. Linzey,” on the Charisma Podcast Network here.

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Enemies of Israel attempt to convince us that Israel is an illegitimate, colonialist project in which foreigners moved in, took land and forced a state upon the locals. The truth is that Israel’s founding has a firm basis in international law and was established through the same legal process behind the founding of every other country in the Middle East.

To question Israel’s legality one must question countries like Jordan, Syria, Kuwait and Iraq, to name a few.

Continual Jewish Presence in the Land

A quick overview of history will reveal that Jews have maintained a continuous presence in the land of Israel for more than 3,000 years. Their connection to Jerusalem goes back almost as far. The city is mentioned close to 700 times in the Hebrew Bible and has been the Jewish people’s capital since the days of King David.

Under the Roman Empire, however, the city of Jerusalem and the Jewish temple were destroyed. Many Jews were killed, others fled, and more were forced out. This was the beginning of an exile that lasted 1,900 years, during which more than 100 generations of dispersed Jews prayed three times a day to return to Jerusalem. Even so, a small number of Jews had remained and maintained a presence in the holy city and other areas of the land. Israel’s founding, therefore, was by the descendants of an indigenous people joining those who had maintained a presence in their ancient homeland.

Palestine

After its destruction in AD 70, the Romans rebuilt Jerusalem as a pagan city, renaming it Aelia Capitolina. They also changed the name of Judea to Palestina. Their goal was to remove all Jewish connection to the city and the land. The Roman Empire eventually became Christian, and the region of Palestine became peppered with churches.

In the seventh century, however, Islamic forces took the area, and for the next 1,300 years Palestine was in the very center of one Islamic empire after another, ruling from India in the east to Spain in the west. The last Islamic empire was the Ottoman Empire, whose rule lasted from 1517 to 1917.

Palestine was a small, insignificant region that these empires ignored and neglected. When the famous travel writer Mark Twain visited the Holy Land in the 19th century, he wrote, “Palestine sits in sackcloth and ashes. … It is a barren, desolate land.” Other writings of that era confirm this desolate situation—Palestine was not just barren and undeveloped, but it lacked a population.

Breakup of the Ottoman Empire

In World War I the Ottomans sided with Germany and lost, so their empire was divided among the British, French and Italians. Borders were drawn and leaders put in place to govern the new nation-states. The borders, however, were drawn with no regard to the people on the ground, which has resulted in many a skirmish to this day.

The Hashemite Arabs of Arabia had helped the British defeat the Ottomans—as depicted in the movie Lawrence of Arabia—and when the war was over, the British owed them favors. They were given territories outside of Arabia as payback.

British Mandate Over Palestine

The area of Palestine fell under the British mandate, and the 1917 Balfour Declaration had already stated Britain’s intention of establishing a homeland for the Jews there. In 1920 the San Remo Conference transformed the Balfour Declaration from a letter of intent to a legally binding foundational document of the mandate. In 1922, 52 nations of the brand-new League of Nations formalized the British mandate, including the Balfour Declaration.

Hashemite Emir Feisal, the premier leader of the Arab world, also supported a Jewish homeland in Palestine. He acknowledged the Zionists would enhance the economy of the entire Middle East. In return for his backing, he asked for his own state in Syria. When the French reneged, he withdrew support for—and even opposed—the Zionist endeavor.

In 1922 the British betrayed the Jewish people, and 78% of what the League of Nations had designated as “the national home of the Jewish people” was broken off and presented as a gift to Abdullah (Feisal’s brother) for an Arab state. The remaining 22% designated for a Jewish homeland was inhabited by both Jews and Arabs, and tensions were increasing between the two populations as Arabs opposed Jewish sovereignty.

United Nations Approves Statehood

The League of Nations morphed into the United Nations in 1946 and was soon given the responsibility of finding a solution to the problem of Palestine. In November 1947, they passed a resolution to partition the area, with one part designated for a Jewish state and the other for an Arab state. The Jews accepted this plan and declared statehood in May 1948. The Arabs rejected it and declared war.

In 1949, Israel was admitted into the United Nations with a majority vote, thereby placing a stamp of approval upon her founding and acceptance into the governing organization.

Same Legal Process Created Entire Middle East

Every country existing today in the Middle East was founded after 1920 and according to this same legal process: Following the 1918 breakup of the Ottoman Empire, the League of Nations sanctioned mandates to the British, French and Italians, authorizing them to establish independent nation-states, and those new states were then ratified and accepted as members of the United Nations.

Therefore, we can boldly support the existence of Israel because its founding was completely legal and formulated by the community of nations. {eoa}

Dr. Susan Michael is USA Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem and host of the Out of Zion podcast. Subscribe today to listen to her Israel Answers series on the Out of Zion podcast. Visit Israel with ICEJ Tours.

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With the deluge of news reporting instances of scandals and abuse committed by lead pastors, I thought it necessary to balance this by showing how shepherds (pastors) are also occasionally abused by the sheep (church members). (To be clear, this fact does not justify any scandalous behavior by spiritual leaders.)

Over the past five decades, the overwhelming majority of pastors I have worked with have been sincere Christ followers who have paid an enormous price and suffered much while walking out their sacred calling. Satan, the accuser of the brethren, will target lead pastors since he knows that when the shepherd is struck, the sheep will scatter (Zech. 13:7).

Based upon my own experience as a pastor and the thousands of pastors I have co-labored with while serving movements and networks, the following are 11 ways that sheep abuse their shepherds. (I am not referring to any particular pastor or church but am speaking generically.)

1. Pastors are criticized for taking time off to go on vacation. I will never forget when my wife was criticized for having a tan after coming home from a family vacation. As young pastors, that put us both on edge and made us leery of sharing anything regarding our personal lives. Evidently, some people think pastors are superhuman and never need a break from work and ministry. This, in my opinion, is a form of shepherd abuse.

2. Pastors are often criticized for having nice things. I have heard of pastors being criticized for having a home, a nice car, nice clothes, nice watches, etc. Some people have a religious spirit and expect pastors to take a vow of poverty! Besides, most people don’t know the backstory of how and why pastors have nice things. Often things such as clothes, watches and even cars are given to them by people in the church, or a family member may have given them money for a home. (Every watch I have and all the clothes I wear have been given to me by people who desire to bless me.) True, there are high-profile pastors who receive excessive compensation and/or live lavish lifestyles (although much of their income can be from their book sales or legitimate business deals not related to the church). However, in my opinion, the vast majority of sincere pastors are underpaid. It is a form of abuse to accuse a pastor of misusing church funds because he or she has nice things without knowing the backstory.

3. Pastors face constant violations of private and personal boundaries. I cannot remember how often pastors have told me that their vacation was interrupted and/or personal family time disrupted because somebody had a need and desired prayer, counsel or comfort. When people in a congregation fail to respect the personal family time of their pastor, it is a form of shepherd abuse.

4. Everyone’s emergency has to be their emergency. Most pastors eventually learn that when an immature person in their church is hurting, they go into self-preservation mode and expect their emergency to be the pastor’s emergency. They expect the pastor to drop everything and come to their aid, irrespective of the circumstances of their pastor’s life and family. When this continually happens, it is a form of shepherd abuse.

5. Pastors face gossip and slander regarding leadership decisions. Every pastor has had people in their congregation slander and second-guess decisions without understanding the context or investigating the reason behind their choices. When a church culture develops a critical spirit toward its pastor and leadership, this is a form of shepherd abuse.

6. Pastors experience consistent betrayal. Betrayal is perhaps the most challenging part of a pastor’s job. Every pastor I know has been betrayed by people who they thought were loyal to them but forsook them without notice or explanation. Often, they feel used by people in the congregation who turn on them if they don’t get what they want. It can be an overt form of betrayal, like a close associate splitting the church or a friend leaving the church without a legitimate reason. When this happens, it can be a form of shepherd abuse.

7. Pastors are expected to give without receiving anything in return. Most pastors constantly pour their lives and energy out to their churches without anybody pouring life back into them. They preach, teach, pray for people and give godly counsel. Many pastors are burned out, stressed and trying to put out fires. Despite this, most people take them for granted, and very few people take the time to pray for them, bless them and pour life back into them. This is a subtle form of shepherd abuse.

8. They are expected to work insane hours. Many pastors work 12-14 hours every day without an entire day off. Sometimes this is the pastor’s fault for not honoring a personal sabbath, but often it is because of the pressure they feel to fulfill the intense demands of the ministry. When a congregation expects their pastor to work 60-80 hours per week, it is shepherd abuse.

9. Many pastors do not receive retirement benefits. Most founding pastors of nondenominational churches have no one on their board that ensures they receive retirement benefits. I have heard of countless pastors who have nothing saved in their later years, which forces them to work way past their prime. When a financially established church doesn’t provide for its founding pastor’s retirement, it can be a form of shepherd abuse.

10. Many pastors are used for their influence and lack true friends. Many pastors are lonely and lack true friends in their church. (I am not one of them.) Often, they don’t know who to trust and confide in because so many people desire to use them for their influence. When few people are willing to cultivate true friendship with their pastor, it can be a corporate form of objectifying their shepherd. This is abuse.

11. Pastors are expected to be experts in everything as well as theologians. Many pastors are expected to have all the answers related to financial challenges, real estate issues, people challenges and strategy. On top of this, they are expected to be theologians who give in-depth weekly messages. No wonder so many pastors burn out and leave the ministry! When a congregation expects too much of their pastor, it may be a sign of shepherd abuse. {eoa}

Dr. Joseph Mattera is an internationally known author, consultant and theologian whose mission is to influence leaders who influence culture. He is the founding pastor of Resurrection Church and leads several organizations, including The U.S. Coalition of Apostolic Leaders and Christ Covenant Coalition. Dr. Mattera is the author of 13 bestselling books, including his latest, The Purpose, Power, and Process of Prophetic Ministry, and is renowned for applying Scripture to contemporary culture. To order his books or to join the many thousands who subscribe to his newsletter, go to .

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