#SHINE

Dear Word Alive,

I am so excited today. I am so hopeful today. My heart runneth over. I know this is the Lord's heart, and I am so happy to see that people are catching on to this concept. I got an email earlier this morning from a friend, and member of our church that has me fired up. So, with his permission, I am keeping the word alive today by sharing his email with you. This is OUR time to SHINE our Father's light, Word alive! Let's make it luminous, brilliant, magnificent...lets make it glorious!

Dear Friend or Family members,

I am sending you this email because in the past you have traditionally given me a Christmas gift.  A gift that I am very grateful for and humbled that you would want to get.  Because of this, I thought I would go ahead and let you know what I want this year!  Yeah I know that seems pretty forward on my part, but what the heck, if you're going to take the time, and spend the money, to shop for me, you might as well get me what I want!  Makes it a lot easier huh?

Truth is, I want for nothing!   God has blessed me with way more than I could ever want, need or imagine.  Yet for most of the world this is not the case.  Hundreds of millions of people are waking up all over the world today looking straight at death because they don't have food to eat or clean water to drink.  So, why not give them a gift instead!

My church, Word Alive International Outreach, has a ministry called "Project 58."  The very simple purpose of this ministry is to feed those who are hungry, and get clean water to those who are thirsty.  Last year Project 58 sent thousands of meals all over the world and provided 21 wells in places where there is no clean drinking water.  On December 14th, I will be gathering with my church family to pack 100,000 meals to send throughout the world, to those who are hungry.  You can read all about Project 58 at www.project58.com.

While at project58.com go ahead and buy my Christmas gift and be done shopping for me!! Click on the "Donate" tab and then click on the "One-Time Donation" and go through the steps to donate.  Or, if you really want to show me the love, go through the simple steps of setting up a reoccurring gift!

I sure hope you are not offended by me telling you what I want for Christmas.  Regardless of what you decide to do, I do hope you will take the opportunity to serve those in need and be Jesus with Skin to the hungry and thirsty! It's really what Christmas is all about!

MONTH OF KISLEV—THE MONTH OF BENJAMIN (NOV/DEC)

Following is an excerpt from Chuck Pierce’s book “A Time to Advance.” This revelation will help you and your groups discussion during Rosh Chodesh as you prepare for the month ahead.

-Kent 

Month of Kislev—The Month of Benjamin (Nov/Dec)

Kislev at a Glance

Kislev (30 or 29 days-Nov/Dec)

Feasts: The beginning of Chanukah

Alphabet: Samekh—trust, support, coming full circle

Tribe: Benjamin, the most gifted with the art of the bow; the only child born in the Promised Land, so watch Israel this month.

Characteristics:

A month to develop your warfare strategies: to have prophetic revelation for war.

A month to enter in to a new level of trust and rest

A month to declare your life experiences to be filled with tranquility and peace—ask for the rivers of life to flow

Constellation: Sagittarius (the archer)—a time to fight against empires and cultures.

Color/Stone: Multicolor (like the rainbow)/ Opal or Rainbow Jasper

Kislev is the ninth of the twelve months of the Jewish calendar.

Kislev is associated with the Hebrew letter SAMEKH, which pictures trust, support, and coming full circle. We should be coming full circle in developing our trust and confidence. By examining our hearts and motives during Kislev each year, we will break up and out of old patterns of mistrust that hinder our walk with the Lord and others in our circle of influence.

The name Kislev derives from the Hebrew word for “security” and “trust.” This is the month to enter in to a new level of trust and rest.

Kislev is associated with the tribe of Benjamin, the most gifted of the tribes with the art of the bow, as you develop you warfare strategies this month, you can tap in prophetically to gain revelation concerning the war season ahead. This connects with Head of the Year so that you can start the year right.

Benjamin was also the only child born in the land of promise, so this is a month to watch Israel. Things happen during this month, which chance the course of Israel.

Kislev is associated with the constellation Sagittarius (the archer). This month is a time to fight against empires and cultures. This is a month to shoot straight and move quickly. Think of the archer, Cut your losses and move on.

I believe that if we participate in the covenant holiday of Thanksgiving we have in the United States, we will come into a new place of rest. God gives us cultural holidays to help us enter our covenant holidays, With Thanksgiving, as we pull aside and give thanks, we can regroup.

Review your support system during Kislev, including who is supporting you and who you are supporting. Consider who your friends and associates are and why you are connected with them.

Last month was the month of the flood, so this is the month of the rainbow. Examine what you have warred through in the past year to come into a place of peace. God makes a covenant with us so that we will not have to war with those things again, which was the symbolism of the rainbow. God says, “You have come through the flood and it did not overtake you. Now I will make a covenant with you that you will not war with that again” (Gen. 9:13-17 paraphrased). There are certain things every year that you want to make a spiritual locator and say, “I am not going through that again.”

In this month of tranquility and peace; even in the midst of warfare, you will have peace. Many people do not understand this aspect of warfare. This simply means that in the midst of the warfare, you are on the offensive so that you have peace in the midst of the conflict. When we get tangled up and get out of our abiding place, we get into trouble.

This is the month of dreams and night visions. Through the year the Lord has been pouring things into you, then all of the sudden He draws them out through dreams. Sometimes that is the only way He can communicate with you. You have pressed through and pressed through and then you fall asleep. That is when He can begin to stir up revelation. This is also a month to review your sleeping patterns so that you will be healthier in the year ahead.

One of my big problems came because of trauma growing up. My sleep patterns were all messed up. Most traumatized people have irregularities in their sleep patterns. Memories of the trauma came up in the night and caused me to have to stay awake. I had to go through a process of letting God heal me so I could sleep. At the same time, He was purging me of trauma.

I took a prayer journey to Vietnam; when I got back, I had a dream about a certain situation. Some dreams are just a replay of something that has happened. The Lord will replay your memories so that he can heal you. He replayed a traumatic memory in me, which I had not forgotten but had just never dealt with. I woke up soaking wet and having to deal with the trauma. Pam got up and prayed for me. She said, “Will you ever get healed so I can get a good night’s sleep? Your trauma is affecting my sleeping patterns.”

We have to deal with what God brings up during the night. Ask Him if there is anything else and go ahead and deal with what He shows you while you are awake. That way He won’t have to wake you up again.

This month is a time to let the river of God flow from your innermost being. There is a great relationship between tranquility and fullness. If we don’t relate to our inner being correctly, we cannot enter into fullness. When your river starts flowing, you can enter into your next measure. That is the whole principle of Ezekiel 47. The water starts out ankle deep, then knee deep, then waist deep, then over our heads. That is the way you should be processing revelation throughout the year. The revelation in this book is deep water. You have to process each level of revelation by swimming and deal with old traumas and issues at each level, before moving to the next.

Kislev is the month that Hanukkah begins. Hanukkah is the only holiday in the Jewish calendar, which connects two months, beginning in the month of Kislev and concluding in the month of Tevet.

The message of Hanukkah is that in the midst of destruction there is mercy. The issue with Hanukkah was that the light will not go out. In the midst of any destruction, God will find a way to impart mercy to you. No matter what aspect of destruction you are dealing with—external, internal, physical or spiritual—God has a way to impart mercy to build the future. His grace is sufficient and His love is everlasting. 

REST and the Watches of the Lord

I feel that the message we shared this past Sunday is of upmost importance. I want you to catch this notion and get in line with it because I believe that this is how we will allow the Lord to reorder our day, and get our bodies in sync with Him. We believe this is the way we can enter His many blessings, including healing and prosperity, in the midst of this hurried society we live in. Darkness will continue to cover the earth, but as Gods people, we will gain knowledge in the night to rule in the day by radiating His presence.

Our new series “R.E.S.T.” is an acronym for:

Reordering our day

Exchanging the natural for the supernatural

Sabbath cycles

The simple life

The Lord said in His word, “Keep a sharp lookout! For you do not know when I will come, at evening, at midnight, early dawn, or late day break.” (Mark 13:35-37 TLB) Because I think this is so important, I want to share with you a small excerpt from last week’s sermon so that you can have it readily available when you wake in the night, and so you are ready for the task at hand.

1.    THE FIRST WATCH: The Evening Watch (6pm-9pm) or The Meditation Watch

Try to find 30 minutes you can meditate before going to bed. From your meditation, find time to release your anxieties to the Lord in prayer! This positions your spirit for the night ahead!

2. THE SECOND WATCH: The Midnight Watch (9 pm-midnight)

"At midnight I will rise to give thanks to you!" (Psalm 119:62) This is a time of thanksgiving and visitation! This is also the time when God deals with the enemies that are trying to keep us from entering His perfect plan for our lives.

3. THE THIRD WATCH: The Breaking of Day (cock crowing) Watch (midnight-3am)

Much spiritual activity happens during this time. Most spiritual dreams occur during these hours.

If you are struggling with doubt, unbelief or the direction of your life, do this watch for 21 days.

4. THE FOURTH WATCH: The Morning Watch (3am-6am)

This watch is linked with the morning light approaching and the day breaking. Most of Israel's watches in the bible were developed so that protection would be established for God's people. None was more important than the fourth watch. A lot of times the enemy would attack at first light when they could see. Thousands if not millions of spells are cast around the night hours. Many demonic ceremonies and expressions are released in the night, so rather than just tacking it up to another attack of the enemy, we should be wise to recognize the "attack of the enemy" and rely on the Holy Spirit. If we are awakened to watch a pray to counteract this activity with our prayers, we must answer!

I have great faith in this new revelation. We have already been hearing great testimonies! Make sure you tap into it as well. The Lord says, “you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13-14) What a great promise! I am claiming it for myself, for my family, and for you!

The Prayer of Blessing/Sanctification of the Month

Birkat HaChodesh

May it be Thy will LORD, our God and God of our fathers, that You begin for us this month for good and for blessing. May you give us long life, a life of peace, a life of goodness, a life of blessing, a life of sustenance, a life of physical health, a life in which there is fear of heaven and fear of sin, a life in which there is no shame or humiliation; a life of wealth and honor, a life in which we love Torah (the Word) and fear God; a life in which the Lord fulfills the requests of our hearts for good. Amen. Selah.

Celebrating Rosh Codesh

ROSH CHODESH

Rosh Chodesh (head of the month) or for us the beginning of a new month was a very important festival in Israel and a significant event on the Jewish calendar.  According to Jewish custom ‘the sanctifying’ of the New Moon was the first commandment given to Israel (Exodus 12:1, 2) after being delivered out of Egypt.  The Jewish calendar being lunar (of the moon) was how all Jewish holydays and festivals were determined.  It was very important that that the new moon be declared every month to determine the date of Israel’s festivals.

The first time that the waxing crescent (new) of the Moon is visible from Jerusalem marks the beginning of Rosh Chodesh (head of the month).  The moon disappears into blackness at the end of each month and the reappears and grows into its fullness beginning in the new month.  The moon changing from darkness to light is symbolic of our salvation and deliverance.  The disappearing and reappearing of the moon are symbolic of renewal and blessings from the Lord. The word for month ‘chodesh’ is etymologically related to ‘chadash’ which means ‘new’.  Rosh Chodesh teaches us that we can have new beginnings, fresh anointings, restoration and abundant blessings because of the goodness of God.

We have just left the month of September which is Tishrei on the Jewish calendar.  The month of Tishrei is related with the tribe of Ephraim which means ‘fruitfulness in affliction’.  Ephraim was a son of Joseph who received “a double portion inheritance” teaching us that even in our afflictions God can bless and prosper us.  October which is Cheshvan on the Jewish calendar is tied to the tribe of Manasseh who was Ephraim’s older brother whose name means ‘I will forget’.  These two names are indicative of the redemptive plan God had for their father Joseph.  In this case one child is connected to letting go of the past and the other child with moving into the future! That is the theme of Rosh Chodesh, moving with faith and expectation for glorious things in the new month.

Rosh Chodesh is an expression of the ‘first fruits’ principle.  In life there is something very special about the ‘first’! The best way to honor God is to give Him the first of everything! So at the beginning of the month celebrate by doing some of the following:

•          Have a meal with your family or life group
•          Ask the Lord to show you someone to bless
•         Give the first time of the day to Jesus by prayer or reading
•     Declare that good and glorious blessing are coming to you this month
•         Celebrate the joy of new beginnings!

Feast of Tabernacles Declarations

Breaking into Gods Cycles

Today I align with heaven, choose life and walk into new cycles of God’s blessing. I declare that now I am moving with the momentum of the New Year and the head waters of God’s Spirit is propelling me forward into my purpose which is God’s will. I am forgetting those things that are behind me. Mistakes, failures, bad choices, and missed opportunities which have been atoned for by the blood of Jesus. I am free now to see by faith the doors God is opening up for me in this New Year and I walk into this blessed new season under grace!

Celebrating God’s Glory

I celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles and rejoice in the Glory of God today. According to John 11:40 I confess, I believe therefore I will see the Glory of God this year. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word is God. All things are made through Him, and without Him nothing is made that is made. In Him is life, and the life is the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not overtake it. Just as the word (Jesus) was made flesh and tabernacle among us I declare this year I will see the word manifest and become reality in my life. I believe the promise of Psalm 84: For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. So now I arise and shine for my light has come and God’s glory is rising up on the inside of me!

First Fruits

In faith, obedience and with a willing heart I honor The Lord as I bring him a first fruits offering knowing God loves a cheerful giver.  By doing this I declare before heaven that I believe there is plenty of everything I need already provided for through the salvation of Jesus Christ. God promises me in Proverbs 3:9-10 if I honor the Lord with my possessions, and with the first fruits of all my increase; my barns shall be filled with plenty, and my vats shall overflow with new wine. I break all ties to the spirit of the world which is mammon, Satan's strategy which is lack and debt, and I align myself with heavens economy where there is more than enough. I am seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness therefore my God shall supply all my needs according to his riches in Glory. I am moving now into a place of abundance so that I might be a channel of God’s blessings to others. This is my season to Prosper!

Feast of Tabernacles Part II: Celebrating Firstfruits, and God's provision.

In 1 Kings 17:8-16, we come upon Elijah who instructed the poor widow to give him them last of her food (vv.11, 13), he appeared to be selfishly and arrogantly saying, “Put me first.” However, he was really demonstrating a concept that is foundational in God’s economy—put God first. Note that the promise that Elijah gave to the widow with his request in verse 14 said that if she obeyed, she would not lack food during the drought.

Dear reader, God’s ways are not our ways; His economy is not the world’s economy. When we put God first and are obedient to His Word (Matt 6:33), not only will our finances will be in order, but also we will experience God’s provision when in need!

When we give, we must give something out of our need. That is the kind that involves faith. This woman had need for herself and her family, but she gave anyway, but then God multiplied her giving back to her. Moreover, this woman gave first, which activated the miracle supply of God flowing back into her life.

This is how prosperity works. It occurs when we enter into the fullness of God’s plan for our lives. Matthew 6:33 says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” As we celebrate the Feat of Tabernacles, this is the principle that we are following. The beginning of the month is an expression of the first fruits principle. When Israel entered the Promised Land and received their first harvest there, they were to put the first portion of that harvest in a basket and take it to God’s sanctuary. God promised if they would honor him by giving Him some of the first of all the crops they produces, He would set them high above all the nations for praise, fame and honor; and they would be a people holy to the Lord. First fruits, which is different than tithe, is a major key to living in the favor and prosperity of God.

Why? Because giving first fruits honors God as your source; it makes holy the rest of your income; it releases the fullness of God’s blessing; and it opens us to receive God’s overflowing provision.

Many complain that they don’t see much fruit in their lives, but in reality, it’s all about understanding God’s cycles, and radically changing our won mentality. I truly believe that God is positioning Himself to do miraculous things in our time. It’s in the air. It’s in the time. Yet, it is also time that we go beyond our current levels of celebration and religious ritual. WE must follow the Lord in obedience and expectancy, for he is, above all else, good and ever ready to bless us. We must also go beyond our debt mentality, and KNOW beyond knowing that that the Lord is more than capable to free us to accomplish His purposes. We must position ourselves in a multiplication mentality, and see what HE sees and not what we see in the natural. For our ways are not His ways, and our thoughts are not His thoughts! Dear reader, it’s time we break free from the claws of the spirit of Poverty. It’s time we enter into his promised blessing.

I want to invite you today to join us in our Feast of Tabernacles and Firstfruits celebration this Sunday at 9 and 11am. We are preparing to honor and worship the Lord. He is worthy.

Keeping the Word Alive,

Kent