Gather the Outcasts

Check out our web site www.gathertheoutcasts.com for upcoming events, audio messages, pictures of mission trips, and other contact information.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Sexual Immorality: Intercede for Your Loved Ones

Dear beloved: Just about everyone in America has been touched with the consequences of the sexual immorality in America today; nearly all of us have friends or family that have been or are now living in immoral relationships, whether cohabitating, adulterous, or homosexual relationships. The Lord has been having me to preach on this at the prison also, as it is so prevalent among the men there and has played a major role in many of their life's stories. God has a better plan for us, and He calls us to be Holy as He is holy. If you are reading this today and you have loved ones living in immoral relationships, know that God wants you to cry out for their repentance and salvation, or their redemption and cleansing if they are already saved.

God gives us an example of intercessory prayer in Genesis 18 when the Lord was ready to deal with Sodom and Gomorrah. He says in verse 17 And the Lord said, shall I hide from Sodom that thing which I am about to do, v18, since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth shall be blessed? v19 For I have chosen him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice; in order that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him." Then in verse 20 the Lord makes His charge against Sodom, And the Lord said, "The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave." And so the Lord knew that he must judge Sodom for the wickedness in their midst, but because Abraham was a righteous man, the Lord let Abraham know what His plan was, and then He went even further and let Abraham intercede and bargain with Him for the lost souls in Sodom. In verse 23, after the angels were sent on to Sodom, it was just the Lord and Abraham left to discuss the fate of Sodom. v23 And Abraham came near and said, "Wilt Thou indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? And so Abraham bargains with the Lord and asks the Lord to spare Sodom if there were only fifty righteous found in the city, and the Lord said He would spare if fifty righteous could be found, He would spare the whole city on account of those fifty. As Abraham continues to bargain with the Lord, the Lord said, verse 32, He would spare Sodom if only ten righteous could be found among all those wicked. God is a God of mercy and lovingkindness, to set aside His judgment on the wicked on the account of only 10 righteous in their midst. Archeology and historical records indicate that the 5 cities in the area of Sodom and Gomorrah may have had a population of as much as 1.5 million people, so this was a magnificent act of mercy that God was showing to be willing to set aside His judgment for such a small minority.

Of coarse we know the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah, the Lord could not find even ten righteous, even righteous Lot had been vexed by the corrupt spirit in Sodom; but the example for us is to pray without ceasing for our loved ones caught in lifestyles of sexual immorality. Your prayers may bring one of those ten to a place of righteousness. 2 Peter 3:9, the Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you (and to your loved ones), not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. So be diligent in your prayers for your loved ones, do not give up. Just when you think nothing is happening, the Lord can break through and move the biggest mountains on your behalf. Be encouraged as you pray today. God bless you, in Christ, Jim

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Plans for Kenya 2012

Dear beloved: I am currently in the initial planning stages for a return trip to Kenya in August 2012. I have been talking to various people and it looks like a worship team and possibly some other indiviuals will also be going with me. I have one committed crusade on the schedule, that will be in Mumias in western Kenya. We will be there for about a week, with a 5 or 6 day crusade and pastor training conference included in the schedule. We will also be looking to add another week of crusades and teaching in Nairobi area with another pastor association.

Please be in prayer for the planning of this mission trip, with the main focus of prayer to be in the following areas: 1. for the members of the team to be fully committed to their walk with the Lord and this evangelism outreach, 2. for provision to come in and we would not be lacking in anything that we need to successfully complete the mission, 3. for safe travel and good health for all, 4. that many would be saved and come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior, 5. that signs, wonders, and miracles would follow each of us and many would receive a miraculous touch from the Lord, 6. that the Lord would give us all specific revelation so we can more effectively minister in every situation. For those of you who feel a special burden to pray for this mission, to be an intercessor, please let me know at www.pureprairie@hotmail.com and I will keep in touch with you and keep you abreast of developments before we leave and as we are in the country of Kenya.

I would like to come visit your church or men's group and share about this ministry and the exciting opportunities in Kenya as we go forward. If you would like to have me to come speak to your group, please contact me through the email address given above. The Lord wants me to expand the territory and build a bigger team of support for the end time harvest. Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost; v20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Sexual Immorality:A Choice

Dear beloved: Since marriage between one man and one woman is a pillar in God's kingdom, it is not surprising that sexual perversion is on the rise here in America and around the world. Paul says in Phillipians 2:15 that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, v16 holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may have cause to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. Nothing has really changed much in the world, we who are called Christians are still lights in this perverse world. I fully expect in the days ahead a decree will come from the courts or an administration that will declare the preaching and teaching of the gospel in regards to sexual perversion to be held illegal, and those who violate that decree will be subject to state persecution and prison sentences.

When the Pharisees asked Jesus in Matthew 19:3 if it is lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause at all, v4 He answered and said, "Have you not read, that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female (from Genesis 2:24), and said v5, and For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh? v6 Consequently they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate." It is interesting to see that cultures that are not Christian hold to the model of man and woman coming together in marriage and see the perversion in homosexuality, that it goes against all that is natural. Recently a celebrity has come out as a lesbian and declared that her desire to be a lesbian is strictly a matter of her own choice, that she was not "born that way", nor is it a matter of DNA or other genetic determination. Predictably she is under fire from the homosexual establishment who have worked tirelessly to cultivate the idea that homosexuality is predetermined, and those that adopt it as a lifestyle have no choice in the matter. I grant that some are bent that way due to upbringing and generation curses, but by the grace of God many who are inclined in that direction and even those who have practiced it have come out of that lifestyle, and there are thousands in Christian ministries who have come out that are reaching out to minister to those still trapped.

I once led a prayer and fasting vigil in a church when a young lady came up and asked for prayer. I laid hands on her and prayed for the devil to go from her and that the Holy Spirit of God come into her life and lead her to victory. Little did I know what all was going on in her life! She told me months later that the prayer pierced her (the word of God is quick and powerful) and she went home and packed up her belongings, moved out from her 8 year long lesbian relationship, and moved in with an elder of the church for protection and nurturing. Just like that the Spirit of the living God set her free; obviously the time was right for her and she was hungry for the truth to set her free, a precondition for any of us to find and keep a walk of freedom with Jesus Christ.

Continue to pray diligently for those family members and others who are trapped in immoral sexual behavior. Jesus said in Luke 4:18 "The spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are downtrodden." May God bless you this day as you pray. In Christ, Jim www.gathertheoutcasts.com

Monday, February 6, 2012

Sanctity of Marriage

Dear beloved: The second kingdom pillar that is being shaken to its foundation (Psalm 11:3, if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?) is the pillar of marriage between one man and one woman. Since this is a kingdom pillar, it is not surprising that the enemy would try his best to destroy it. Genesis 1:27 And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. v28 And God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea, and the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Notice two things of importance from this scripture, one is that God blessed the union of male and female, and second that He told them to be fruitful and multiply. So the coming together of male and female in a blessed union by God's design, was God's way of populating the earth with the next generation of Godloving children; it's no wonder all the forces of hell are lined up against one man-one woman marriage.

The attacks from the enemy come in many forms and seem to be relentless in their persistence to destroy God's defintion of marriage: adultery, fornication, and cohabitation among many people shying away from marriage, pornography, and perversions such as homosexuality and bisexuality. The homosexual agenda in particular has found an easy target in the young people of this country, many of whom do not know the word of God nor have the foresight to see the ramifications of wholesale adoption of this lifestyle choice for themselves or for others. When God created Eve as a wife for Adam, He blessed their union in Gen 2:24 For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. v25 And the man and the wife were both naked and were not ashamed. It is interesting to note the man and his wife were not ashamed; just a generation ago few homosexuals in America were openly touting their sexuality, and now we have homosexual gay pride parades in many cities as well as the seventh state of Washington prepared to adopt passage of a bill to legalize homosexual "marriage". God declared in His word in Leviticus 18:22, "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination." Many other passages in both the old and new testaments, including the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, warn against this sin and God repeatedly states that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6:9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate(male prostitutes),nor homosexuals, v10 nor theives, nor the covetous, nor drundards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

So what can the righteous do? If you are living in sin (you are not righteous), in some kind of lifestyle that is sexually immoral, get out of it immediately. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside his body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. If you have family members trapped in homosexuality or other immoral behavior, know that God has not given up on them, that He loves them and does not wish for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance and the knowledge of salvation. Pray for them unceasingly, bind and loose in the name of Jesus, and then watch and wait for the Lord to move. Some may choose to stay in that lifestyle and therefore suffer eternal condemnation, but let it be said that you or I never gave up praying for them. I have seen the Lord move in mighty ways in men in the prison to set them free from all types of immorality, with God anything is possible. So keep praying and believe! God bless you, in Christ, Jim