The Joy Of The Sunflower

Apostle Colette Toach
The Joy Of The Sunflower

If you watch sunflowers in a field, you will notice how full of life they seem. Yet none of that vibrance and life comes of itself. It is the goodness of the soil and the food from the sun that makes them radiate with such beauty. You should take a lesson from the sunflower my child.

For I am calling you to also shine and radiate my beauty. TO be something of joy that others around you can be drawn to. So just as the sunflower is dependant on the goodness of the soil and sun, realize that you are no different.

You cannot try to find this joy and life in yourself. You cannot try to find the goodness and make yourself into something lovely. Rather it is for you to just stay rooted in the soil and it is I that will bring my beauty. The soil that you must be rooted in is my Word and the sunshine is my spirit. Between these two things your life will begin to have color and will start to attract everyone around you.

You are trying so hard to do things right and to find a way to be an example. You know what you should be doing and often you try to even change yourself. But my child, don’t you realize that you cannot become something lovely without me?

Only with my power and with my word can you grow into something vibrant. So put aside your own striving and trying now and come back to me. Get back into my presence daily and just soak up my anointing. Get back to reading my word and letting the words enter into your heart.

Be rooted like the sunflower that stays in the same place and then blossoms for the world to see. Do not run around trying to fix the things in your own heart. Do not run around trying to make things happen in yourself. Instead stop and let your roots sink down deep into me.

Take the time to hear my voice and to experience my presence. If you can concentrate on this every day, the problems that are around you will begin to fade away. Soon you will find the need in your heart waning and it being replaced with a new strength and authority.

So come to me now. Sink down your roots and then wait as I shine on you and cause you to flourish says the Lord.

Breaking Free From the Spirit of Control

Breaking Free From the Spirit of Control

Wednesday, 11 November 2009 03:22 PM EST J. Lee Grady



Here are six ways to identify an unhealthy leadership style in a church or ministry.

My world was shaken 20 years ago this week. On Nov. 10, 1989, one day after German protesters tore down the Berlin Wall, a Christian ministry I had been a part of for 11 years also fell apart.

Maranatha Campus Ministries was a vibrant outreach to college campuses. It was founded in Kentucky during the Jesus movement by a passionate charismatic couple, Bob and Rose Weiner, who eventually started churches on more than 50 American universities. In its heyday in the Reagan era, students from Maranatha took the gospel around the world.

"Authoritarian leaders know how to control people through manipulation .... In such a church no one is allowed to ask questions."

But with all our good intentions and youthful zeal for evangelism, the ministry did not survive. We had a flawed, authoritarian leadership model, which was made worse by a lack of mature advisers. When Maranatha's young pastors grew up and realized the ministry had an unhealthy and oppressive structure, they voted to disband. The churches either went independent, merged with other groups or closed.

Meanwhile, the many young people who had been discipled in Maranatha had to deal with their own unique form of post-traumatic stress disorder. They woke up and realized that Maranatha had been influenced by the Shepherding Movement, which taught that all Christians should be submitted to personal shepherds who dispense advice and approve all decisions.

The Shepherding movement, which had broad influence in many charismatic churches, collapsed around the same time. Because I lived through that era, I am hypersensitive to the way a spirit of control works in a church. And I can assure you that controlling attitudes will destroy a ministry. Here are six obvious signs that a spirit of control is at work:

1. Little or no accountability. There is safety in the multitude of counselors (see Prov. 11:14). There is much less safety—perhaps even danger—when a leader does not bother to seek counsel from a diverse group of his peers, as well as from gray-haired men and women who have the wisdom that comes with age. If a pastor or church leader isn't open to correction, he is headed for a train wreck.



2. Spiritual elitism. If there is a spirit of control in a church, people are usually told that their group is superior. Supposedly they have special spiritual privileges from God, along with "exclusive" revelation. If people choose to leave, they are shunned or branded as renegades. Sometimes, in extreme cases, people are even cursed if they leave. (Last week when I was in Hungary I learned of a charismatic church that publicly curses people when they quit the congregation.) This cultic behavior inflicts unimaginable emotional suffering and also divides families.



3. An oppressive atmosphere. Authoritarian leaders know how to control people through manipulation. In some cases, this control may simply take the form of subtle suggestions and persuasion. In the most abusive situations, it may come in the form of threats, legalistic demands, unreasonable requirements or false doctrines. In some cases, especially in charismatic circles, it can come through misguided personal prophecies or mystical visions.

In such a church no one is allowed to ask questions. Spiritual heaviness lies like a thick cloud over the congregation, and few believers manifest genuine joy because they are overburdened by feelings of guilt and fear.



4. Angry domination. Tyrants are surprisingly similar. Because they want to control their surroundings, they often blow up when people do not conform to their demands. Yet the Apostle Paul taught that church leaders should not be "violent" or "quarrelsome" but "self-controlled" and "gentle" (see 1 Timothy 3:2-3). Later he instructed Timothy that the Lord's servant "must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone" (2 Timothy 2:24). You will always find lots of anger wherever there is a controlling spirit.



5.. Individual guidance is discouraged. The Bible teaches that every Christian has direct access to God through one mediator, Jesus Christ. Every believer can hear God's voice personally and should expect to receive God's guidance.

In authoritarian church situations, however, members are not encouraged to seek God's guidance themselves. Rather, they are urged to conform to the preferences of the leader or the group. In some cases, leaders have actually taught their congregations to seek counsel and specific approval from a pastor before making major decisions. Thus church members develop an unhealthy dependence on a man in order to function spiritually, and their ability to trust God is diminished.

This kind of control is emotionally crippling. For many who submitted to the philosophy behind the Shepherding movement, it took years to recover from the loss of decision-making ability. They relinquished their wills and lost their identities because they viewed absolute obedience to their spiritual leaders as a Christian virtue.



6. Women viewed as inferior. Some churches today permit the ordination of women, even as senior pastors or bishops, while others maintain that Scripture does not permit women to hold these positions. Apart from these differences of opinion on biblical interpretation, it should be noted that authoritarian churches usually discourage women from pursuing any genuine role in ministry. Women are viewed as useful only in their functions as wives and mothers, and they are not encouraged to step beyond these confines to pursue ministry opportunities.

Such a low view of women leads men to treat them as God-ordained sex objects or drones equipped to perform only menial tasks. Women who have leadership gifts are branded rebels or "Jezebels."

When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, similar walls of communist control fell in rapid succession until the entire Soviet Union broke apart. Yet walls of spiritual bondage still exist today in so many parts of the church—and the ghosts of the Shepherding movement still haunt us. We are called to be emancipators, not enslavers. As we seek to build healthy churches, let's remember these words from Galatians 5:1: "It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery" (NASB).

J. Lee Grady is editor of Charisma.

The Apostolic Ten Commandments

The Apostolic Ten Commandments
By Roger Sapp www.allnationsmin.org

1. Thou shall not make thyself a god to the people that you lead. Thou shall not present thyself as perfect, faultless, or above questioning. Thou shall not allow thy people to adore thee and have an exalted or unrealistic opinion of thee. Thou shall not replace Me as Father to My children.

2. Thou shall not allow prophets and others to flatter thee and mold thy opinion of thyself above thy actual capacity to supernaturally function in thy ministry calling. Thou shall maintain and present to others a realistic view of thyself. Thou shall not vainly call thyself by a ministry title even if others are willing to call thee by that name. Thou shall not be encouraged to self-exaltation through the self-righteous religious example of others. Thou shall not use self-serving logic to avoid humbling thyself before Me and other people. Thou shall take a humble posture before Me and My people and empty thyself of glory as did My only begotten Son Jesus.

3. Thou shall not require an unquestioning loyalty from others before serving them. Thou shall not seek another covenant from them before freely giving thyself to them. Thou shall not forget that they are already in the New Covenant with thee because of Calvary. Thou shall not calculate their capacity to give financially to thee before serving them. Love them as I have loved thee freely without cost or expectation of reciprocation. Thou shall not resort to pragmatic techniques to increase offerings. Thou shall not become a hireling.

4. Thou shall not hide thy humble origins and humble circumstances in ministry and seek to be known among the great and mighty. Thou shall not be a spiritual social climber. Thou shall not walk in the way of least resistance for the honor of men. Thou shall not purchase a theological degree based on experience to impress others rather than earning one by legitimate theological study. Thou shall remember the humble details of the season of thy salvation. Thou shall not forget the day of grace and the mercy of Christ that saved thee.

5. Thou shall learn to rest in thy Savior Jesus Christ about thy calling and purpose and not seek to fulfill thy destiny by controlling other people. Thou shall function in thy present grace and not seek to function in a prophesied future grace.

6. Thou shall not use the darkened wisdom of the world to control and manipulate others. Thou shall not use intrigues and scheming to harm others. Thou shall not pit others against each other. Thou shall not create a police force and spies in the church to enforce standards and to inform on others. Thou shall walk in innocence and integrity in all thy ways not matter what the outcome may be.

7. Thou shall not have two standards of conduct. Thou shall not have a hidden and secret standard that allows for the carnal appetites of leaders and a public standard that encourages righteousness. Thou shall not practice hypocrisy.

8. Thou shall not interfere with or weaken the marriages of others by usurping the covering authority of husbands and fathers by exalting thy fatherly authority over the families of My people.

9. Thou shall not compete with others in ministry for the allegiance of the saints. Thou shall not build buildings and believe that this activity is building the church. Thou shall not think that apostolic work is recruiting other believers and churches into a network. Others have created denominations before and it was not apostolic work then either. Thou shall focus on the numerous lost and build where others have not built. Thou shall plant new churches in new areas. Thou shall expand My kingdom and not just rearrange it for thy purposes.
10. Thou shall be an equipper and releaser. Thou shall not discourage or subtly punish someone from starting a new work or from seeking to fulfill their calling or vision. They do not need thy permission to serve Me from their hearts. Thou shall never assume that I am not sending them or that they are unprepared. Thou shall be a blessing and not a curse to them even in disagreement

The Closer to the Light I Get, The More of Me I See

The Closer to the Light I Get, The More of Me I See
By Alan Smith www.spchristianpub.org
John 3:21: But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. (KJV)

When I began this Christian journey, I thought that each day I would grow and grow until I was truly a righteous and spiritual man. I thought that each time I looked inside of my heart there would be less to deal with because righteousness had come upon me. I thought that my growth would be, "to be more like Jesus". I thought that maybe I would grow into a spiritual giant. If I am to be honest with God and myself, it is obvious that this is not the case.

While on this journey, I have been walking closer each day to "the light". The light becomes brighter the closer I get to Him. The brightness of His truth is so revealing. The revelations from His Word are unveiled and I think I am getting spiritually smarter; but I have encountered a problem. The problem is, "the closer to the light I get, the more of me I see". The view from here is: the evidence of my life this day will condemn me from meeting the perfection or from making the righteous mark. When I take an honest inventory of my life each day, I am more convinced that it will take Him leading me to walk in His righteousness and not my own. It is only by His grace that I can honestly and truthfully make this spiritual journey.

The older I get, the more I realize how much I truly need a Savior. I have lived long enough to exhaust most of my own works of self righteousness and religion. I have discovered in this experience of Christianity that it is not about me being perfect, but about being truthful and honest: honest with myself and honest with God. Have you discovered this last frontier in life? I cannot pull off perfection, but I can live in truthfulness and honesty. I may not be more righteous and perfect, but because of His true saving ability I am more in love with my Savior for His perfection and love that He has imputed to me. Could it be that our growth is to come through experiencing the vastness of His love and faith in His perfection?

The closer to the light I get,
The more of me I see.
The view from here seems sad
But the truth will set me free.

While on this life's journey,
I thought I had the key.
The view from here seems sad
But the truth will set me free.

I thought I would be perfect,
What a crazy need!
The view from here seems sad
But the truth will set me free.

Truthfulness and honesty,
How could it be?
The view from here seems sad
But the truth will set me free.

Evidence of my life
Condemned me can't you see?
The view from here seems sad
But the truth will set me free.

From this place of sorrow
How can I leave?
The view from here seems sad
But the truth will set me free.

God does not condemn me,
Oh what a love has He.
The view from here seems sad
But the truth will set me free.

Could this grace be true?
He tells me to believe.
The view from here says maybe
The truth will set me free.

To love as God now loves,
How can I achieve?
The view from here seems possible
The truth has set me free.

GOOD NEWS from HAITI

GOOD NEWS from HAITI
-by David Servant.

I'm glad that I have some encouraging news to report from Haiti.
He is Alive! Yesterday morning I learned that a dear Haitian friend
of thirty years, pastor Preval Meritil, is alive. He is not only alive,
he is well. He has been using his old Land Rover to transport
believers from Port-au-Prince, where relief efforts are bottlenecked
at the airport, to his church compound up in the mountains, several
hours away. Residents of Port-au-Prince are streaming from the
city to escape scarcity of food and water, the stench of death,
continued aftershocks, and the escalating violence.

Safe Water for 10,000:
HF International Director Chuck King successfully delivered 100
Sawyer Water filters to our primary representative in the bordering
nation of the Dominican Republic ($4,000 worth). Those filters can
provide enough safe drinking water for 10,000 people each day.
Initially, they are being distributed to several field hospitals where
the need is so great.

Food and Meds Delivered:
Area representative James Jones traveled overland into Haiti to
deliver some of those water filters, as well as food, bottled water
and medical supplies provided by Heaven's Family. He has shipped
similar supplies by air. He has also helped set up a MASH unit
on Haiti's border that is treating the injured who are flown in by
helicopter. He is bringing in thirty medical interns and ten surgeons
from the Dominican Republic.

Our Orphanages:
Until I spoke with pastor Preval, the only news we had about our
two orphanages in Haiti was an unconfirmed report that eight
orphans were found alive in Port-au-Prince. We anxiously waited
for more news, but feared the worst. Praise God, however, pastor
Preval reported that all the orphans are alive and uninjured, as
well as the orphanage directors! He said their greatest need right
now is for food. I'll let you know more details as further news comes
in. Please keep praying for them.

Heading to Haiti:
I'm currently in London on ministry business, but will arrive home
this evening. I'll be leaving for Haiti early tomorrow morning along
with HF staff member Jeff Trotter. We're hoping to reach our
orphanage in Port-au-Prince (although that may be too dangerous
at this time), as well as assess where we should focus next.
Thanks so very much for your help once again. Your compassion
is making a difference.

To contribute securely via the Heaven's Family website, click below-

http://www.heavensfamily.org/haiti-disaster-relief

(This is a registered charity).

To contribute by check in the U.S. or from any country other than
the U.K., please write "Disaster Relief" in the memo line and mail
it to Heaven's Family, P.O. Box 12854, Pittsburgh, PA, 15241, USA.

To contribute by cheque in the U.K., please write "Disaster Relief"
in the memo line and mail it to Heaven's Family, P.O. Box 3736,
Ascot, Berkshire, SL57WR.

To call our office during regular business hours (8:30AM - 5PM EST
in the USA) call (412) 833-5826.

God bless you all.

Smokescreen

Smokescreen

The enemy is seeking to divert you says the Lord. But it is a lie! For you have been walking along your path and going in the direction I have planned for you. But now the enemy has thrown a smokescreen into your path. His aim is to divert you and try to trip you up.

But do not be moved my child. For indeed you are continuing to walk on the road I have for you. He is simply throwing smoke along your path, hoping that you will stumble around, not knowing where you are going.

You do not need to fear his tactics though my child. For my Spirit is ready and available to blow that smoke away and to clear the path. You simply need to call on me and let me blow that diversion away.

When these things happen, know that you are actually on the right path! Know that you are actually succeeding, but the enemy is like a loud roaring lion. He tries to make things seem worse than they are. He can do you no harm, for I have you in my hands and I have you safe from harm.

As long as you keep walking with me and as long as you daily walk with me by your side, he cannot divert you. He can only succeed if you let him.

So do not be moved by his roaring noise. And do not be moved if you cannot see your way for a brief while. Simply look to me and I will blow that smoke away. And soon you will see your way clearly once again and move on to victory.