Renew Your Mind

Dear beloved: I have recently been in deliverance sessions with people who are troubled in their mind and have had their peace stolen by the devil, the enemy of our souls. This we see is a trend that is sweeping across America and the world, the disturbance of our peace and the world's desire to fix or placate that peace with psychotropic drugs, street drugs, alcohol and things of that nature. Many people are lashing out with violence at those even that they love the most; shootings within families followed by suicide are a daily occurrence in the news. What is God's solution to our troubled minds, and our despairing souls? We see in Psalms 42:5 David cries out to the Lord, Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence. v6 O my God, my soul is in despair within me; therefore I remember Thee from the land of the Jordan; And the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.

There are times in our lives when we are going to get rocked to the core of our being, when our souls are going to be in despair. The events of the coming years in America are going to shake even the strongest of us, yes, even those of us who have our feet firmly planted on the Rock Jesus Christ. David's advice is still the best and should be taken to heart: Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence. David says it doesn't matter where I am, from the land of the Jordan, the lowest valley, to the highest peaks of Hermon, I will remember my God and praise Him all the while. From the low to the high and everywhere in between I will praise Him. Psalm 42:10 As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries revile me, while they say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" v11 Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance, and my God.

When you get troubled by the enemy and he attacks your mind, know that the warfare you are going through was the very same warfare that David was writing about in the Psalms. The Psalms are songs of praise and encouragement, but they are also songs and stories of warfare battles. The enemy hasn't changed his tactics since the time of David and before: he still comes to steal, kill, and destroy and one his favorite targets is our mind. The battlefield is the mind! An effective weapon against the enemy is to speak out loud, or read out loud, psalms of praise and thanksgiving, speak it out so the enemy can hear it, and your own ears can hear the testimony coming from your mouth. Put your hope and your trust in the Lord, the help of your countenance. Speak out loud, Psalm 43:3 O Lord, send out Your light and Your truth,let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill, and to Your dwelling places. v4 Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; And upon the lyre I shall praise You, O God, my God. May God bless and strengthen you as you go into battle this day. In Christ, Jim www.gathertheoutcasts.com

Occupy Till I Come

Dear beloved: We are watching the future of America unfold in two events that have exploded across our news screens in recent days. The first is the Occupy Wall Street Movement(or any available park in major cities across America). This Occupy movement is a picture of the prophetic future of America as many in the country are occupiers but they are not contributors, they are very intent on taking but not on giving; all they can see about America is what they perceive to be wrong. This movement is driven by a demonic root of envy and covetousness, they want what others have without having to work and sacrifice to obtain it. I for one am very thankful for banks, I have used the services of my local banks for maintaining savings accounts,for car loans and for purchasing land, and I have used the services of distant banks for credit card purchases. What does Occupy Wall Street even want, ultimately it comes down to a venting of anger and frustration because they see others with more and they desire it.

Jesus spoke a parable to his disciples in Luke 19:12 He said therefore," A certain nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return. v13 And he called his 10 slaves, and gave them ten minas, and said to them, "occupy (do business)with this until I come back." As the parable progresses, the master comes back and receives an accounting of all that was done with the mina that each received. Those that invested their mina wisely, put it to use to make more, were given praise and increased authority over many cities. But the one who was lazy and faithless and kept his mina stashed away in a handkerchief, Jesus scolded and took the mina away from him and gave it to the one who already had ten, saying, v26 "I tell you that to everyone who has shall more be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. v27 But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence." This is Jesus idea of occupy, to be productive and thrifty and make more of what you have been given, the exact antithesis of what the Occupy movement is all about.

The second news story that gives us a glimpse of the future happened last week on the Penn State University campus. The allegations of sexual perversion and child rape against a former coach at Penn State rippled though the campus and brought down several administrators as well as head coach Joe Paterno. The announcement that Paterno had been fired touched off a riot in the surrounding campus area that included a vehicle being torched and other acts of vandalism and mayhem. Paul wrote to Timothy in 1 Timothy v9 Realize the fact that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their mothers and fathers, for murderers v10 and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching.

The spirit of lawlessness released at Penn State was in agreement with the demonic forces that led to the rape and molestation of many young boys; that spirit says it is ok to do those things, cover it up, and riot against it if anyone tries to bring it to light. That spirit says that justice for these young boys isn't as important as the reputation of Penn State football and its coaches. The spirit of lawlessness is being manifested across this country in many ways that would have been unthinkable a generation or two ago. When things start to really break down here due to economic collapse and famine, you will see lawlessness go wild. Pray Psalm 91 over yourself and family and home, it will be a time of unprecedented chaos and you will need the protection of your heavenly Father. Psalm 91:1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. v2 I will says to the Lord," My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!" May you place your trust in Him! God bless you, in Christ, Jim www.gathertheoutcasts.com

the Return of Christ

Dear beloved: Quote from the book "Visions Beyond the Veil", by H.A. Baker, the Return of Christ. "In the midst of all this chaos, everything was interrupted by the sudden return of Christ. The sun became dark and the moon red like blood. The stars fell in showers. The heavens shook and seemed to roll together as a scroll. There was a great earthquake that rent the earth asunder. Great crevices opened and people were swallowed alive. Buildings were shaken down, collapsing like children's toy houses, killing and burying the tenants. While these things were taking place, the Lord appeared in the heavens. Old and young, rich and poor were overcome with deadly fear. They fled in every direction in wild confusion. Men fled from their shops empty handed, without a thought of their valuables that a few moments earlier had seemed of great importance. Families rushed from their homes without even a glance back upon the luxuries that had been their passion. In one moment, all men became one in purpose; they had only one desire; they sought only one thing-to flee from the face of the returning Judge; they sought only a place of refuge to hide from the visible King of Kings. Some who were not killed by falling houses or who did not tumble into the opened earth tried to flee to the mountains for safety; some leaped into rivers and perished; some turned their weapons upon themselves.

Everywhere was wailing and shrieking. Everywhere was riot and terror. Anything to escape from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of His wrath had come. After this there were visions of the great supper of God, where the beasts and birds were bidden to eat the unburied dead that lay scattered over the ruined earth. Dogs and wild animals were seen feeding on the carcasses of men. Birds and scavengers of the air joined in this supper prepared by God."

These were some of the visions given to the children of Adullam orphanage in China back in the 1920's, as they were taken up into heaven in the spirit to be shown by God the future days of the coming of our Lord and Savior. They were also shown visions of heaven and hell, and allowed to taste of the heavenly fruit of the trees of life, and also see the devastation that is coming when the Lamb comes back as a Lion to judge the earth. Revelation 6:12 And I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; v13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. v14 And the sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. v15 And the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; v16 and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; v17 for the great day of their wrath has come; and who is able to stand?" That is the question, beloved, who is able to stand? Are you able, are you ready? Get some oil in your lamp and be ready! God bless you, in Christ, Jim