​What is the central issue of our warfare with the demonic realm? This question can be answered with another question: "Whom will you worship?" Will we be faithful to worship the one true God or will we allow Satan's distractions, diversions, and attacks to pull us toward him and his way of life? Let us be reminded that we were created to have fellowship with the Lord, so we were made in His image. (Genesis 1:27) All of us were designed to have intimacy with God and as His image bearers we were given specific characteristics. A footnote to Genesis 1:26 and 27 in The Passion Translation defines God's image in us like this: "It includes personality, the capacity for worship, the ability to make moral decisions, and the ability to reflect God.”
 
We are three weeks away from Passover. If we looked back in history, we would find Moses and Aaron trying to convince Pharaoh to release the children of Israel. God instructed Moses to say to Pharaoh, "The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to say to you: 'Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the desert...’" (Exodus 7:16) Why would God want to take His people into the wilderness for this purpose? Perhaps God's desire was to teach His children what true worship looks like. It is true worship that protects us from the enemy of our souls. The Israelites would have a long journey to the Promised Land, one fraught with difficulties and enemy attacks. The soul that is not protected by true worship of the Lord is prime territory for the enemy. True worship of God, not based on circumstances, sets up a barrier against the demonic and gives us victory in warfare.
 
As we draw closer to end times, we can count on increasing warfare. What or who will we worship during these times? Worship is a part of the culture of heaven, and it is God's desire, as expressed in the prayer taught to the disciples, that His "will would be done on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10) Revelation 7:11,12 describes what takes place in heaven. "All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God saying: 'Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!'" But there is a worship that blesses God more than what comes from thousands of angelic hosts. It comes from earth through those who are faithful to worship the Lord amid trials, tribulations, and suffering. When our spirits worship God during our battles, we give God pleasure, and He is drawn toward us.
 
The purity of our worship will dictate its fragrance. I have long desired to have a deeper understanding of the verse in John 4:23. "Yet a time is coming and has now come when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks." May I suggest that when we give God glory in the middle of pain and suffering, our love comes forth as true worship. We must look at every difficulty as an opportunity to become the kind of worshipers God desires.

​If you have not checked out the cam of the eagles Jackie and Shadow at Big Bear Valley, you must do so. This couple has been together since 2018. They are called a mated pair since they have nested at Big Bear each year. Only two chicks successful appeared in this time period and were named Simba and Spirit. They grew up and left Big Bear Valley. This year Jackie laid three eggs, all of which successfully hatched the first week of March. Now the light gray, fuzzy hatchlings are being cared for by their mom and dad.
 
As I have been watching the interaction between this mated pair, I have seen how they cooperate with one another in building their nest, incubating the eggs, and caring for their young. I read that their ability to work together indicates a strong bond between them. Now Jackie and Shadow have the challenge of protecting their babies while a heavy snowstorm covers the nest area.
 
The couple shares nest duties. When Jackie is covering the babies with her feathers, Shadow keeps vigil on a perch next to the nest. The view of the valley below is stunning with Big Bear Lake and its tree-lined hills visible through the branches where the nest sits. Looking at Shadow dutifully caring for the family shows me how well he carries out his responsibilities as a father as they are spoken of in the Bible.
 
While sitting on his perch, Shadow watchfully protects his family. Jesus prayed to His Father about his disciples: "...Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one." (John 17:11) Shadow is an excellent provider for his family. I love it when the cam captures him flying into the nest with a huge fish in his mouth that he slaps down next to Jackie. Matthew 7:11 asks, "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him?"
 
As the three little eaglets grow, they are beginning to develop their own personalities. It seems that one of the three is a rebel and wants to poke his head out from under the wings of Jackie or Shadow. That little one is gently disciplined and taught by his father with a push of the beak. The Bible says, "Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not turn from it." (Proverbs 22:6) Hebrews 12:6 tells us that our Father "disciplines those He loves..." and we can see how wonderfully Shadow cares for his young ones.
 
We know that Shadow will never leave or forsake his children. He has loyalty and purpose built into his being. As the eaglets are raised, the parents will give them examples of how to thrive so that when they grow up, they too can parent their own young ones. Proverbs 20:7 tells us, "The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him."  
 
There we have it—a godly example of how to be a good father from our national bird, the eagle. Father God loves us unconditionally, and we see selfless love in the eagle parents. "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God." (1 John 3:1a)

​God has a position and destiny for every individual on the face of the earth. We are positioned for the purpose that God ordained for us. He consecrates us and sets up apart to influence those around us. The Bible gives us examples of individuals who have had "mantles" placed upon them. A mantle is a calling, an anointing, or transference of spiritual power and authority given to someone by God. We can look at the lives of Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Elijah, David, and Esther, to name a few.
 
One of the great modern-day prophets, Kim Clement, who is now in heaven, made a statement about the ways our lives unfold in alignment with our destinies. He said, "Your destiny dictates your present circumstances." He points to Joseph, Israel's favorite son, and reminds us that his destiny lay in Egypt. Joseph even named his second son Ephraim as a reminder of his call. He declared, "God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering." (Genesis 41:52) Had Joseph not been in Egypt, he would not have been able to rescue his family from the seven-year famine that came upon the land.
 
Since Purim will be celebrated this week with the telling of the story of Esther, let's investigate how she was called to suffer for the salvation of her people. She and her people had been exiled to the Babylonian empire. Having lost her parents, a cousin named Mordecai took her under his wing to care for her. Esther's birth name, Hadassah, was changed to the Persian name, Esther. In changing her name, Esther's nationality and family background were concealed. God made Esther "lovely in form and features" (Esther 2:7) so that when the king was looking for a new queen, she was chosen as one of the candidates for consideration. As Joseph's destiny lay in Egypt; Esther's destiny lay in the citadel of Susa in the Persian empire. She was positioned for a purpose.
 
The call of Esther was one that would require humility and sacrifice. She would live in the king's palace as part of his harem. For one year she would undergo beauty treatments to prepare for one night with the king. Esther won his favor and was chosen as his queen. But, just as Esther received a promotion, a test would come. The enemy saw her destiny and plotted to destroy her promotion. Candice Smithyman wrote in her book, 365 Prophetic revelations from the Hebrew Calendar, "We are never truly promoted until we are faced with a situation where we have to stand for righteousness."
 
Stand for righteousness Esther did as she was faced with the possibility of death for herself and every Jew in the kingdom because of an evil decree from the king's chief noble, Haman. Mordecai said to her, "...If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish, and who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14) Esther determined to go before the king to save her people.
 
We can see how Esther served God and those around her so that she could attain her God-ordained destiny. She had been appointed by and established in her position by man so that God could use her in her calling at the right time. It was not until Esther had been tested that she received her spiritual promotion, her mantle was secured, and a miraculous turn of events occurred. We too can walk in miracles when we embrace God's call on our lives, live by faith even during times of testing, and position ourselves in the presence of our Lord. We have been commissioned to carry Christ's love. This is confirmed in Ephesians 2:10. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (NKJV)

​God is for us and not against us. (Romans 8:31) He even encourages us through each month on the Hebrew spiritual calendar. The first day of the last month on this calendar occurred at sunset on Friday night. Its very name, Adar, means strength and shows us that God wants us to finish the year with strength. Nehemiah 8:10 lets us know that "The joy of the Lord is our strength." Psalm 16:11 tells us that it is the presence of the Lord that brings this joy. A footnote in The Passion Translation explains that in Hebrew there is no word for "Presence," so the passage uses the word face. "For You bring me a continual revelation of resurrection life, the path to the blessing that brings me face-to-face with You." 
 
Can you imagine being face-to-face with Jesus and what that would do to our feelings of joy and peace and our growth in faith? Isaiah 61:2 and 3 instructs us to comfort those who mourn by bestowing on them "a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." While it is the intention of the Lord to lead us into joy and blessings, we must be aware that our enemy is always attempting to remove us from God's timing so that he can destroy our strength.
 
The Jewish people will be celebrating the festival called Purim on the 13th and 14th of this month. Every year on these dates they remember the plot of Haman the Agagite against the Jews who were moved into the Persian Empire, which is modern-day Iran. Haman's ancestors were enemies of Saul and the nation of Israel. Their hatred for the Jews was manifest through Haman who cast the lot (called Pur) to select the 13th as the day when those in the Persian kingdom could kill the Jews according to a royal decree.
 
None of this caught God by surprise. He already had a plan to raise up a young orphan girl named Esther (meaning star) to save her people. To do this she had to become part of the royal harem. After twelve months of beauty treatments, she would be called to the king, probably much older than her, to please him in whatever way he desired. Her sacrifice is unthinkable! She would lose her virginity and become the possession of the king.
 
After her night with the king, Esther was named queen but was only permitted to see him if called upon. Becoming aware of Haman's evil plot against the Jewish people, Esther became an advocate for them and fasted and prayed with them for three days. The plan was for Esther to go to the king without being summoned which could mean death for her unless he extended his golden scepter. Knowing this, Esther sent a message to her people: "...I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish." The favor of the Lord was with her, and the king gave her permissions to write another decree that allowed the Jews to "attack those seeking their destruction." (Esther 9:2) "This happened on the 13th day of the month of Adar, and on the 14th, they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy." (Esther 9:17)
 
Ester 9:23 says, "The Jews agreed to continue the celebration they had begun..." The celebration continues to this day. In Israel, the Jews party in the streets, dressed in customs of the characters in the story and "booing" when Haman appears. Sadly, the anti-Semitic spirit lives today through Hamas. I would imagine that the joy meant for this season will be tempered by the sorrow of the great losses that have been inflicted on the people of Israel. May I suggest that we pray for comfort, peace, and strength for the Israelis, especially during this season? Perhaps God will raise up another advocate for His people.

​Included in the short list of animated films up for an Academy Award is a thirteen-minute film called "The 21." It was put on the Internet for free screening on February 14 - 17, 2025 as a way to honor those who were martyred by ISIS ten years ago. After I viewed the production, I wanted to learn more about the cinematic approach to telling this story.
 
Producer of faith-based Hollywood films, Mark Rodgers, desired to create a film with three objectives: (1) Those who view the film would have "a deeper understanding of our own Christian heritage in this region." (2) "It would be wonderful to see this film be promoted widely so that people inside the Church can see the courage and the faith of the martyrs and be encouraged in their own faith." (3) It is hoped that the film would "promote a freedom of religion that people can practice whatever they want to believe without persecution." He and his team also desired to produce a truthful account of the events from the time the Coptic Christians were captured until they were martyred on a beach in Libya that would counter the propaganda video produced by ISIS.
 
Because of the gruesome nature of the story, Mark Rodgers and his partner Mandi Hart did not think a typical documentary would be appropriate. Through prayer, God gave Mark an idea to make a short, animated film. The animation is done using Egyptian iconography; iconography being the use of visual images, figures, or symbols to represent certain action or objects. One of the benefits to using this type of animation is that its producers could project the spiritual images of angels and Jesus that ISIS terrorists saw intermixed with their captives. It says on the film's website (the21film.com) that seventy artists and animators from over twenty-four countries worked on the film. 
 
The word Copt is an ancient Greek word meaning Egyptian. Copts declare John Mark, author of the Gospel of Mark, as their founder and first bishop sometime between AD 42 and AD 62. They tend to emphasize meritorious works in salvation along with liturgical rituals rather than salvation through a personal relationship with Jesus. They believe that Jesus is God Himself, the Incarnate Word. Copts are the largest Christian denomination in Egypt and the Middle East.
 
When ISIS began their reign of terror their goal was to cleanse North Africa of Christians. In December 2014, they captured twenty-one Copts and placed them in an underground prison. Initially they were offered money to deny their faith. When this did not happen, ISIS began torturing them by making them pull heavy bags of wet sand down the beach. If they fell, they were beaten. Cold water was poured on them regularly so that they could not sleep, and their skin was cut with sharp knives. Their methods of torture only drew the men closer together, and they prayed, "Lord have mercy." When they did this the earth shook, and the terrorists were fearful. Every Copt was fitted with an orange jump suit and marched down the beach. It is reported that the terrorists saw angelic figures with the men and that the sky seemed to change color. One by one every Coptic Christian refused to deny Christ, and one by one they were beheaded.
 
Psalm 116:15 says, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His faithful servants." The Passion Translation says it this way: "When one of God's holy lovers dies, it is costly to the Lord, touching His heart." We know that God's heart was touched on this costly day. Pray that the death of these men will not be in vain and that the film will impact many. May we be faithful witnesses to the unbelieving individuals around us and never be tempted to deny our Lord no matter what the consequences.

​Every season of the year has its own unique beauty and purpose in life. This truth came to visit me on Monday morning when I looked out the window and saw the trees around our property encased in ice. Every tree branch was covered in crystal and shown like diamonds as the sun rose in the sky. God used these trees to speak to me of His splendor and remind me that "there is a time and season for every activity under heaven." (Ecclesiastes 3:1) He works in our lives in unique ways according to the season we are living in.
 
In the plant kingdom, winter is a season of rest. Without rest the trees would not be able to go through another year. Winter is a time of restoration from the year before and preparation for the year to come. Dormancy is part of the normal growth cycle. Arborists say that cold winters are better than warm ones for trees, because the cold is effective in killing insect eggs or diseases. This allows the trees to emerge in the spring ready to sprout new growth without hindrances from prior year's problems.
 
How have you experienced the winter seasons in your life? You may ask, "What does that look like for me?" These seasons are when we feel stripped of security or the familiar. This could happen through the death of a loved one, a breakup of a friendship, the loss of a job, financial difficulties, the completion of a major project, or confusion over the purposes in our lives. This is a time when it is wise to drive our spiritual roots deeper into the soil of God's presence by reading His Word, being still before Him, worshiping, and praying. God frequently uses winter seasons to give us dreams and visions and inspirational thoughts. Like the tree, we must use the winters of our lives as a time of rest. It is time to reset our focus on God's plans for our future and to shake off the difficulties of the past.
 
God never wastes a season. The Holy Spirit uses winter to teach us lessons from the past and help prepare us for what He may be doing in the next season. A winter activity for those who grow trees is pruning. Without its leaves, the structure of a tree is clear, and the pruner can see how to remove excess growth and unhealthy branches so that the tree is well shaped and strengthened. A Biblical passage in John 15 compares Jesus to a vine and explains how Father God prunes Him. "I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit while every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful...No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15 1-5)
 
Like the trees encased in ice, when the Holy Spirit uses the winters of our lives to train us and give us revelation, we become more beautiful. That is because the light of our Lord begins to shine from us as we draw closer to Him, and we radiate His beauty to others. In the quieter seasons of winter, it is important for us to draw close to the Lord and focus on what He is doing with us. As He draws us closer to Himself, we must let the Holy Spirit do His work. He will blow through our limbs and the caverns of our minds to cleanse and refresh and prepare us for a fruitful future.

​God speaks through the fire! An article published in "All Israel News" and written by their reporter Jo Elizabeth reveals the miraculous hand of God in the Los Angeles, California fires. The "Eaton fires" burned 14,000 acres in the Pasadena area. Homes, houses of worship, and stores were decimated. The Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center was in the path of the fire, and the roof and three walls crumbled to the ground. However, one wall remained standing.
 
Before the fire hit the Temple, some of the congregants were able to save thirteen Torah scrolls. After the fire, these people returned to the synagogue to find it completely destroyed except for one wall. The fire burned the sheetrock and stucco off the standing wall but left a mural of what looks like a Biblical scene from ancient times in Israel. A member of the synagogue and professor of Hebrew history, Kristine Garroway, was "stunned" by the mural. She estimates that it dates back to the 1920s and said, "It feels like this is a phoenix that's risen up out of the fire."
 
For me, the interesting part of the story is that no one in the Synagogue was aware of the presence of this mural. It lay hidden behind the wall and depicts Middle Eastern men and women along with animals and trees. A large palm tree is etched in the center of the picture. The Biblical meaning of this tree did not escape the congregants. According to The Prophet's Dictionary, written by Paula Price, Ph.D., a palm tree is a symbol of victory and triumph over death. It also signifies resurrection and ascension. Palm branches were used in the celebrations of military triumphs in Biblical days. Jesus rode a colt into Jerusalem as the Son of David and King of kings and as a proclamation that He is the One who conquered sin and sickness. The people laid their cloaks at his feet and waved palm branches as He went by and praised God by declaring, "Hosanna! Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord..." (Mark 11:9)
 
Psalm 118:26 and 27 recounts a Passover celebration in Jerusalem. "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord, we bless you. The Lord is God, and He has made His light shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession." Revelation 7:9 and 10 refers to the saints of the Lord at His throne celebrating their victory over the devil. "After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in loud voices: 'Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.'" 
 
The revelation of the mural on the Temple wall has been a great encouragement for the community of the Jewish faith in Pasadena. One member believes that this mural is teaching them a lesson that they can overcome hardship. Another called the discovery "a miracle." Still others think that the picture portrays Israel's 40-year wandering in the desert and believe that the time of their discovery is "profound." Like the Israelites, the Jews from Pasadena Temple have been displaced and are wandering until they can find a new home. Their leader, Rabbi Joshua Levine Grater says, "We're a people of history. We know in Jerusalem and the land of Israel that you find murals on top of murals and stones on top of stones. The fact that this was a hidden mural...is a very Jewish idea."
 
Those of us who belong to The Church need to be praying for the Jews in this season. God has a home for them in heaven with Him, but they have not yet discovered the way to find it. Will you join me in praying for the salvation of the Jewish community? Let us pray that their blind eyes would be opened to the truth that their Messiah, Yeshua, is waiting to introduce them to Father God in heaven.

​This past week we entered the eleventh month on the Hebrew calendar called Shevat. The focus this month is on trees and water. In the Scripture humankind is likened to trees. We, like trees, are called to be life-giving by bearing fruit. In fact, when God created Adam and Eve, He told them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it." (Genesis 1:28)
 
On the fifteenth of this month there is a celebration called "Tu B’Shevat" or the New Year for Trees. During this celebration new trees will be planted. They, like us, need to be planted where they will be watered, and their roots can take hold in rich soil. Psalm 1:1-3 gives us a key to God's blessings: "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers." 
 
Jeremiah 17:7 and 8 has a similar message to Psalm 1. "But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."  Trust comes from the heart, and our confidence in God is what allows us to touch the living stream of God's presence so that our lives will be fruitful.
 
Zechariah tells us about "The Day of the Lord" when He comes as a warrior to fight for Israel. "On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem..."  (Zechariah 14:8) The prophet Isaiah says of God's people, "I will extend peace to her like a river and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream." (Isaiah 66:12) Joel 3:18 also talks about living water that will flow from God's house. "In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the Lord's house and will water the valley of acacias." 
 
All who dwell by the living water that God provides are destined to be healthy, happy, and fruit-bearing. It is no coincidence that the constellation that appears in the sky during this month is Aquarius, “the water carrier.” God intends for His river of life to touch us and for our roots to awaken to His ever-flowing stream. We must ask ourselves where we have rooted and how we are being watered.
 
When Jesus stopped at Jacob's well and met the Samaritan woman He explained, "Whoever drinks the water I give to him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water, welling up to eternal life." (John 4:13, 14) Jesus is the source of everything that we need. Let's root ourselves in His living Word and allow His Holy Spirit, the River of Life, to saturate us so that our roots are strengthened, and we bear abundant fruit.

Humility is the virtue that attracts God's transforming grace according to Pastor Francis Frangipane. Scripture makes it clear, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6) If we want to become more Christlike, we must allow humility to do its work, because it is the basis for transformation. Meekness or humility must become a way of life.
 
The root of all sin comes from pride. We must ask ourselves, "What spirit am I rooted in, pride or humility?" Pride is our fleshly nature, and Satan is all about going after it! He is very familiar with pride, because this is the sin that reared its ugly head in him when he lived in heaven and led to him being expelled. Isaiah 14:12-15 describes Satan's fall:  "How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthrone on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the top of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit." Ever since his fall, Satan's goal has been to neutralize our walk with God. He wants to make us ineffective for the Kingdom of God. Keeping this in mind will help us to surrender our souls to the Lord.
 
There are two verses in the Beatitudes that address our need for humility. "Blessed are the poor in spirit (those who recognize their need for constant help from God) for theirs is the kingdom of heaven...Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." (Matthew 5:2, 5) Jesus is our source of humility and holiness. Our goal while we are on earth should be to become more like Him. It is pride that gives us hard hearts so that we cannot see our needs. If we are full of self, we cannot be filled with God. That is why, "God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him." (1 Corinthians 1:27-29)
 
Jesus uses the parable of the wheat and tares to teach His listeners about two types of people who co-exist. The enemy comes to sow tares in the Lord's field of wheat. Jesus, representing the farmer, explains that the tares cannot be uprooted until harvest time because the wheat may be uprooted with them. Both must grow side by side. (Matthew 13:24-30)
 
The wheat represents the Believer whom God is growing in Christlike character, while the tares represent unbelievers. As the wheat and tares grow, it is difficult to discern the difference between them. Yet, one is producing grain in its head while the other is barren. It is through the tares that the wheat learns how to live in a Christlike way. These godly behaviors include forgiveness, compassion for others, humility, and love. At harvest time, when the Lord looks at His field, it becomes evident who is humble. The head of the wheat, heavy with grain or the fruits of the Spirit, bows before its Creator while the tare stands straight with nothing to offer Him.
 
Psalm 25:9 says, "He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way." Our goal in life should be to become like Christ. When we humble ourselves before Him, He guides us. Our prayer should be that we will grow into the full stature of Christ. (Ephesians 4:13) Humility is the key!

​On Wednesday morning, as I was listening for God's quiet voice, I heard a sentence that led me to do more research on what was said. I heard, "Brokenness is the key to revival."  Our church has been contending for revival for quite some time, but this aspect of our pursuit has not been articulated before. Of course, the individuals who make up a church and the way they walk out their faith has an influence on what happens to the entire body. God knows how He made us and our potential for the future. His love for us compels Him to break off areas of our lives that compete with our focus on Him. God wants to be our first priority, so He actively targets for removal areas of our lives that keep us from being completely submitted to Him. He strips away and breaks off anything that hinders our intimacy with Him.
 
Moses is one that was transformed by the breaking that God sent his way. He went from a position of prestige and privilege, power and pride, to one of humility as a lowly shepherd who lived in a tent. It took God forty years to mold Moses into a God-reliant individual who would follow His directions to bring the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt. When we look at the large picture, we should see that God had to break off and remove from Moses all that was Egyptian. Then He would do the same thing to the Israelites that Moses would oversee. God's intent was to liberate His people from bondage so that they could live in the fullness of HIs promises.
 
Spiritual maturity comes after we have been broken. Surrender, change, and growth are a part of being broken. This process is demonstrated beautifully in the life of Peter, the fisherman. Jesus chose him to be part of His inner circle. On numerous occasions Jesus poured into Peter's life to help in his preparation for what was to be his life of supernatural ministry after the ascension of Jesus. Peter needed to be broken of his desire to have everything go his way. He was chastised for his declaration that the Lord would not have to suffer and be killed. Jesus said, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns." (Matthew 16:23)
 
In another Peter refinement moment, Jesus warned him that he would fall away in fright. Peter makes a vow, declaring, "'I never will!'  'Truly I tell you,' Jesus answered, 'This very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.'"  (Matthew 26:34) We know that Peter went on to deny Jesus three times as he sat in the courtyard when Jesus went before the Sanhedrin. Scripture says that after the rooster crowed, Peter "wept bitterly." (Matthew 26:75) Other situations in the life of Peter contributed to his transformation and made him into a God-fearing, powerful man of God who was able to walk out his destiny of bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to earth.
 
Why would God tell me that brokenness is the key to revival? I believe we must look at the components of revival to see the results. They include all the fruits of the Spirit:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22, 23) But the foundation for all of these is humility, and in humility we place the Lord in His proper position as head of our lives, and we yield to His plans and purposes for us. Our heartfelt prayer needs to be, "Father, break us and revive us so that you can mold us into Your image." Here is God's Word to us: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." (Psalm 51:17)