We are about to step into new territories, revisit some old ones, initiate new paths and plans in 2013. But this year is not over.
In Exodus 12 we read that God is about to deliver the children of Israel from 430 years of bondage.
On this night before they leave, God through Moses is instituting a new calendar so Israel and the world can know God’s prophetic plan.
This for Israel is a NEW beginning, a fresh start. They are about to leave bondage into DESTINY.
And so are we. But since we are still in 2012 make the best of what is left.
But Pastor what can I expect in these last few days of 2012?
You can expect everything that is in line with His will.
This year will not end in failure no matter what.
Renounce your set back and recommit to the Lordship of Jesus.
Doors can still open, you do have keys.
The year is not over yet.
Whatever you resolved to do this year, it’s not to late, the year in not over, the Lord can do more in one hour than the whole year combined.
God can and will perform His Word. It can be accomplished.
It CAN BE DONE!
How many believe that? Even in these last few weeks.
He anointed my head with oil and my cup run’s over.
He has anointed me with the oil of gladness above my FELLOWS.
He has anointed me with FRESH OIL.
God say’s “I will accomplish, I shall accomplish what has not yet been accomplished.” The year is NOT over yet.
God can still do it. So ask Him, “Lord are You going to do it? Because I believe you are. I believe.”
Listen that final month in Egypt they came out healthy and with wealth.
Ps. 105:37
He also brought them out with silver and gold,
And there was none feeble among His tribes.
They may have been sick in Egypt and they may have been broke, but when they crossed from the border of Egypt en route to the Promised Land:
They left their sickness BACK THERE
They left their weakness BACK THERE
They left bad memories BACK THERE
They left poverty BACK THERE.
The Bible says they took the spoils of Egypt with them.
They took most of their silver.
They took most of their gold.
They took the finest of fine garments.
They DID NOT leave Egypt sick.
There was not one weakling or sickly among them.
Let me tell you what you can get ready to step into for 2013.
You can leave poverty behind.
You can leave your sickness behind.
You can have your sorrow behind.
You can leave your sadness behind.
God is going to bring your out of the year with a mighty hand.
He is ready to bring you out:
With great strength.
With great power.
With great wealth.
In good health.
Walking in Kingdom authority and order.
Walking in Governmental order.
Anointed
Appointed
Stepping into purpose and destiny God is here and with you now. Oh give Him praise.
In Egypt they were afflicted.
They were oppressed.
They were in bondage.
They were sick/afflicted.
They were slaves.
But God brought them out with His mighty hand. On eagles wings. Pharaoh could no longer RESTRAIN them.
The power of Egypt could no longer hold them.
Are you ready to come out?
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
Music I'm Listening to: Jesus Culture with Martin Smith: Live From New York
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Learning The Value Of Praise
2 Chron. 20:12&17
12 O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”
17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”
This story about Jehoshaphat is powerful. He knew the enemy was coming in great numbers against him.
He knew that in the natural he was in trouble, so he went to the Lord with a problem that he knew was too great for him.
2 Chron. 20:12
O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”
We don’t know what to do, BUT our eyes are on you.
Would to God that the church could get this!
Lord, I’m in trouble but my eyes are on you. The doctor says cancer, but my eyes are on you. My bank says broke, but my eyes are on you.
Then the word of the Lord came to Jehoshaphat.
2 Chron. 20:15, 17
15 And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”
Think about God saying, “This is not your battle but mine, you don’t have to fight this battle, I will, so don’t worry about it, JUST PRAISE ME!”
So He appointed Praise/Worship. Watch. Without one visible sign of victory they sang praise – RIGHT IN THE FACE OF THE ENEMY.
Praise God, right in his face. And while they were praising, God was setting up ambushes against the enemies and they were defeated. (Vs. 22)
Two of the opposing armies began to fight the third and when they demolished it, then they turned on each other until the valley was full of dead bodies and NO ONE ESCAPED.
Their praise brought not only victory but also great reward.
2 Chron. 20:25
When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away their spoil, they found among them an abundance of valuables on the dead bodies, and precious jewelry, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away; and they were three days gathering the spoil because there was so much.
They had added riches and reward they never dreamed of and the way of the wicked was turned upside down.
There were two songs in this battle.
1. A song of praise
2. A song of deliverance afterward
Remember, if you choose to deal with your pain and your past God’s way, then THE BATTLE IS THE LORDS. And you can know both victory and reward by praising Him.
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
12 O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”
17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”
This story about Jehoshaphat is powerful. He knew the enemy was coming in great numbers against him.
He knew that in the natural he was in trouble, so he went to the Lord with a problem that he knew was too great for him.
2 Chron. 20:12
O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”
We don’t know what to do, BUT our eyes are on you.
Would to God that the church could get this!
Lord, I’m in trouble but my eyes are on you. The doctor says cancer, but my eyes are on you. My bank says broke, but my eyes are on you.
Then the word of the Lord came to Jehoshaphat.
2 Chron. 20:15, 17
15 And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”
Think about God saying, “This is not your battle but mine, you don’t have to fight this battle, I will, so don’t worry about it, JUST PRAISE ME!”
So He appointed Praise/Worship. Watch. Without one visible sign of victory they sang praise – RIGHT IN THE FACE OF THE ENEMY.
Praise God, right in his face. And while they were praising, God was setting up ambushes against the enemies and they were defeated. (Vs. 22)
Two of the opposing armies began to fight the third and when they demolished it, then they turned on each other until the valley was full of dead bodies and NO ONE ESCAPED.
Their praise brought not only victory but also great reward.
2 Chron. 20:25
When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away their spoil, they found among them an abundance of valuables on the dead bodies, and precious jewelry, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away; and they were three days gathering the spoil because there was so much.
They had added riches and reward they never dreamed of and the way of the wicked was turned upside down.
There were two songs in this battle.
1. A song of praise
2. A song of deliverance afterward
Remember, if you choose to deal with your pain and your past God’s way, then THE BATTLE IS THE LORDS. And you can know both victory and reward by praising Him.
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
The Day Everything Changes
The Day Everything Changes
Luke 21:34-36
34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.
35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
We understand that we are to occupy until He comes.
Yet we are being thrust by time itself into the time of prophetic fulfillment, which will end the age. It’s like warnings about an approaching storm.
The signs are clear. We are racing down the information superhighway at breakneck speed without even asking, “Where are we headed?”
Yet people from every nation, race and creed are asking this question.
Environmentalists are sounding alarms about the earth (some false).
New diseases, resistant to medicine. Trillion-dollar debt.
Wars and rumors of wars.
People working around the clock to pay bills to enjoy a life they don’t enjoy. Increased credit-card debt.
IS THERE HOPE? YES, The hope is in Jesus and His promise to take away those of us who believe in Him.
We are living in the days when the Holy Spirit is lighting up the prophetic scriptures and darkness is fleeing.
Matt. 24:3-7
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.
5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
All these are happening NOW at breakneck speed.
Matt. 24:8
All these are the beginning of sorrows.
Labor pains start slow then increase in intensity as they continue, so it is with last days.
So we know spiritual deception will increase.
1 Tim. 4:1
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
The point is that the birth pangs are growing closer and closer together and greater and greater in intensity. The earth is crying out. JESUS IS COMING.
We have spiritual deception, national disruption and physical destruction.
How should we respond? It’s not to excite us or scare us.
People will travel to prophecy conferences and study it etc. but they NEVER CHANGE.
Won’t come to church and don’t live differently.
Stop trying to get RIGHT and GET RIGHT.
What shall be the signs of Your coming? The labor pains are a minute apart and the world is dilated to 10 but Christians want a spiritual epidural.
We MUST WAKE UP and get to work while it is YET DAY.
The TIME IS NOW, the altar is HERE and Jesus is calling YOUR NAME.
He is calling you to live differently while there is time.
If you are NOT saved or not sure if you are, He is calling your name while there is hope and time.
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
Luke 21:34-36
34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.
35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
We understand that we are to occupy until He comes.
Yet we are being thrust by time itself into the time of prophetic fulfillment, which will end the age. It’s like warnings about an approaching storm.
The signs are clear. We are racing down the information superhighway at breakneck speed without even asking, “Where are we headed?”
Yet people from every nation, race and creed are asking this question.
Environmentalists are sounding alarms about the earth (some false).
New diseases, resistant to medicine. Trillion-dollar debt.
Wars and rumors of wars.
People working around the clock to pay bills to enjoy a life they don’t enjoy. Increased credit-card debt.
IS THERE HOPE? YES, The hope is in Jesus and His promise to take away those of us who believe in Him.
We are living in the days when the Holy Spirit is lighting up the prophetic scriptures and darkness is fleeing.
Matt. 24:3-7
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.
5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
All these are happening NOW at breakneck speed.
Matt. 24:8
All these are the beginning of sorrows.
Labor pains start slow then increase in intensity as they continue, so it is with last days.
So we know spiritual deception will increase.
1 Tim. 4:1
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
The point is that the birth pangs are growing closer and closer together and greater and greater in intensity. The earth is crying out. JESUS IS COMING.
We have spiritual deception, national disruption and physical destruction.
How should we respond? It’s not to excite us or scare us.
People will travel to prophecy conferences and study it etc. but they NEVER CHANGE.
Won’t come to church and don’t live differently.
Stop trying to get RIGHT and GET RIGHT.
What shall be the signs of Your coming? The labor pains are a minute apart and the world is dilated to 10 but Christians want a spiritual epidural.
We MUST WAKE UP and get to work while it is YET DAY.
The TIME IS NOW, the altar is HERE and Jesus is calling YOUR NAME.
He is calling you to live differently while there is time.
If you are NOT saved or not sure if you are, He is calling your name while there is hope and time.
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Twilight Season
Exodus 14:24-25
24 Now it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the Lord looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He troubled the army of the Egyptians.
25 And He took off their chariot wheels, so that they drove them with difficulty; and the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.”
The breaking of a new day is called twilight.
The sun going down at the end of a day is also called twilight.
Change is upon us. Twilight is breaking in the life of the church in this season.
We are moving from our NORMAL mentality of church on Sunday to unlocking God’s plan in the earth. The Kingdom of God is within us but must be unlocked.
We, as the church, are called to accomplish something; we are called out for a purpose.
The church is moving FROM just a group who fellowship TO becoming a victorious war instrument in the earth realm. We are building. We are learning to BIND and LOOSE.
We are seeing what God has stored in heavenly places for this season and calling it from heaven to earth. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done.
We are starting to look up to heaven and seeing the IT that the Lord wants us to agree with and declaring IT will manifest in the earth.
We are moving from “CONFUSED NOISE” to becoming a “SURE SOUND” in the earth. Worship is changing. Sound produces change.
Judah is leading us into NEW PLACES. Sound creates movement.
The wind in the mulberry trees is blowing.
Hear the wind and go with the flow.
As the twilight breaks, the wineskin of the church is changing.
Let’s look at Gen. 32:24
Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day.
This confrontation would be Jacob’s salvation. The best way to describe the breaking of a new day or twilight is “WE WRESTLE”.
The breaking of a new day (twilight) always entails a changing of one nature into another.
To wrestle is to CONTEND in a struggle. It produces a breakthrough into NEW TRUTH and strength within us.
The breaking of a new day (twilight) is really “the eyelids of the morning to open over our life.”
Moving toward the light through a visitation of the Lord that breaks us through to our future.
Jacob finally has his last crossing over. A NEW DAY BREAKS (TWILIGHT).
If you are willing to wrestle through the night, you must also learn to watch for the day.
Twilight means to be in a place of transition, that’s where Jacob was.
There is also a transition taking place in many of you, it’s really a changing of the wineskin.
The new wine is God pouring into you the power, understanding and wisdom for breakthrough.
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
24 Now it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the Lord looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He troubled the army of the Egyptians.
25 And He took off their chariot wheels, so that they drove them with difficulty; and the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.”
The breaking of a new day is called twilight.
The sun going down at the end of a day is also called twilight.
Change is upon us. Twilight is breaking in the life of the church in this season.
We are moving from our NORMAL mentality of church on Sunday to unlocking God’s plan in the earth. The Kingdom of God is within us but must be unlocked.
We, as the church, are called to accomplish something; we are called out for a purpose.
The church is moving FROM just a group who fellowship TO becoming a victorious war instrument in the earth realm. We are building. We are learning to BIND and LOOSE.
We are seeing what God has stored in heavenly places for this season and calling it from heaven to earth. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done.
We are starting to look up to heaven and seeing the IT that the Lord wants us to agree with and declaring IT will manifest in the earth.
We are moving from “CONFUSED NOISE” to becoming a “SURE SOUND” in the earth. Worship is changing. Sound produces change.
Judah is leading us into NEW PLACES. Sound creates movement.
The wind in the mulberry trees is blowing.
Hear the wind and go with the flow.
As the twilight breaks, the wineskin of the church is changing.
Let’s look at Gen. 32:24
Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day.
This confrontation would be Jacob’s salvation. The best way to describe the breaking of a new day or twilight is “WE WRESTLE”.
The breaking of a new day (twilight) always entails a changing of one nature into another.
To wrestle is to CONTEND in a struggle. It produces a breakthrough into NEW TRUTH and strength within us.
The breaking of a new day (twilight) is really “the eyelids of the morning to open over our life.”
Moving toward the light through a visitation of the Lord that breaks us through to our future.
Jacob finally has his last crossing over. A NEW DAY BREAKS (TWILIGHT).
If you are willing to wrestle through the night, you must also learn to watch for the day.
Twilight means to be in a place of transition, that’s where Jacob was.
There is also a transition taking place in many of you, it’s really a changing of the wineskin.
The new wine is God pouring into you the power, understanding and wisdom for breakthrough.
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
The Blessing Of Atonement
Have you ever noticed leading up to the fall of the year trouble starts to come? Because it’s atonement time, the devil fights.
Let me give you some examples because God’s people have historically been attacked this time of year, leaving them challenged, confused and suffering financial woes.
It was this time of year that the spies came back from the Promised Land with a bad report causing the people to question God and wanting to backslide.
Herod, during this season, murdered more than 60,000 boys 2 and younger.
More wars start in this season than any other.
WW2 started September 1939.
Pearl Harbor was bombed in September.
On Day of Atonement 1973 Egypt/Syria attacked Israel.
Then there was 9.11.
More earthquakes occur in August, September, and October than any other time.
It’s Hurricane season.
Many of the worst volcano eruptions happen in this season.
September 2010, Hurricane Igor hit Newfoundland.
September 29, 2003, Hurricane Juan hit Canada.
September 2, 1998, Swiss Air disaster.
I could go on and on.
So why would there be such monumental, supernatural battles rage throughout history during this recurring short season? There is something unusual about this season.
Could it be that satan knows that the most important season of the year is the latter or time of Tabernacles, specifically the Day of Atonement?
Because satan knows that God declares blessings on His people for the next year on those who honor Atonement. THESE ARE GOD’S FEASTS. His appointment with us.
If the greatest struggle is at this time, it’s because God has the greatest blessings.
This is a new season – what was will not be anymore.
And God gives us the “extra measure” to do it.
According to the Jewish calendar the latter rain corresponds to the autumn Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles.
So based on this, Joel speaks of the blessings of this time.
Joel 2:19, 21
19 The LORD will answer and say to His people,
“ Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil,
And you will be satisfied by them;
I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations.
21 Fear not, O land;
Be glad and rejoice,
For the LORD has done marvelous things!
1st Atonement blessing is – A double Portion.
“He will give you the former rain FAITHFULLY. He will cause the rain to come down for you. The former and the latter rain”.
2nd Atonement blessing – Financial Abundance
Floors full of wheat, vats overflow with new wine and oil
3rd Atonement blessing – Restoration
Years locust has eaten
4th Atonement blessing – Miracles
- Eat plenty
- Deal wondrously with you
- Never put to shame.
5th Atonement blessing – God’s divine presence
Know He is in our midst.
Never put to shame
6th Atonement blessing – Blessings on your family
Sons/daughters – prophesy
Pour out Spirit
7th Atonement Blessing – Deliverance
Whoever calls on His name shall be saved
Are your ready for this?
Then tell the devil enough is enough. Step out of the boat.
Make sure you are ready, do not sabotage yourself.
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
Let me give you some examples because God’s people have historically been attacked this time of year, leaving them challenged, confused and suffering financial woes.
It was this time of year that the spies came back from the Promised Land with a bad report causing the people to question God and wanting to backslide.
Herod, during this season, murdered more than 60,000 boys 2 and younger.
More wars start in this season than any other.
WW2 started September 1939.
Pearl Harbor was bombed in September.
On Day of Atonement 1973 Egypt/Syria attacked Israel.
Then there was 9.11.
More earthquakes occur in August, September, and October than any other time.
It’s Hurricane season.
Many of the worst volcano eruptions happen in this season.
September 2010, Hurricane Igor hit Newfoundland.
September 29, 2003, Hurricane Juan hit Canada.
September 2, 1998, Swiss Air disaster.
I could go on and on.
So why would there be such monumental, supernatural battles rage throughout history during this recurring short season? There is something unusual about this season.
Could it be that satan knows that the most important season of the year is the latter or time of Tabernacles, specifically the Day of Atonement?
Because satan knows that God declares blessings on His people for the next year on those who honor Atonement. THESE ARE GOD’S FEASTS. His appointment with us.
If the greatest struggle is at this time, it’s because God has the greatest blessings.
This is a new season – what was will not be anymore.
And God gives us the “extra measure” to do it.
According to the Jewish calendar the latter rain corresponds to the autumn Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles.
So based on this, Joel speaks of the blessings of this time.
Joel 2:19, 21
19 The LORD will answer and say to His people,
“ Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil,
And you will be satisfied by them;
I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations.
21 Fear not, O land;
Be glad and rejoice,
For the LORD has done marvelous things!
1st Atonement blessing is – A double Portion.
“He will give you the former rain FAITHFULLY. He will cause the rain to come down for you. The former and the latter rain”.
2nd Atonement blessing – Financial Abundance
Floors full of wheat, vats overflow with new wine and oil
3rd Atonement blessing – Restoration
Years locust has eaten
4th Atonement blessing – Miracles
- Eat plenty
- Deal wondrously with you
- Never put to shame.
5th Atonement blessing – God’s divine presence
Know He is in our midst.
Never put to shame
6th Atonement blessing – Blessings on your family
Sons/daughters – prophesy
Pour out Spirit
7th Atonement Blessing – Deliverance
Whoever calls on His name shall be saved
Are your ready for this?
Then tell the devil enough is enough. Step out of the boat.
Make sure you are ready, do not sabotage yourself.
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Place of Fishing
Mark 6:45.
Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida,
Very clear instruction: Jesus had told them to go over to BETHSAIDA; they had just finished feeding 5,000.
Where did Jesus tell them to go? BETHSAIDA. Now watch!
Bethsaida means “place of fishing.”
But a problem arose. They are in the middle of the lake, Jesus is on land praying, and a STORM arose. Now they are straining for the wind was against them.
So, Jesus had sent them to Bethsaida, He’s on a mountain praying.
He sees them straining as the storm comes up. So Jesus goes to help them, right? No, He just starts walking right past them.
So, imagine you’re in a bad storm, thinking, “I might die”.
Then you think you see a Ghost.
You find out it’s Jesus walking by and He says “Cheer up”. OK, what is going on here? Let me show you.
Listen to John’s account of this story.
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are known as the Synoptic Gospels because they basically all say the same thing.
John 6:16-17
16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,
17 got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.
Here it says they were heading toward Capernaum.
Now they are in the same area, but not the same place.
Bethsaida means – place of fishing
Capernaum means – village of comfort!
Jesus said “Follow Me, you’re now fishers of men”. “Now go to the place of fishing and I’ll meet you there.”
But no, they want to go to the place of comfort where it is easy.
Jesus was walking by because He was headed in another direction.
“You want to get back on track, to get Me in your boat.” “But I’m not getting in with you until you change course and go back in the direction I told you to go to in the first place”.
Jesus only obeyed His Father who said, “Send the disciples to the place of fishing.” He told His disciples to go to the place His Father told Him to go.
Jesus won’t get into your boat of disobedience. Because you perceive a certain course might be easier, you often take the wrong direction.
Could there be storms in your life because you are off course and going to the wrong place? You started off heading in the right direction. Then you veered off until you found yourself in the midst of a storm, straining – because you're not where you're supposed to be.
Are you fed up of constantly straining against the will of God?
Then change your course.
The distance between Capernaum and Bethsaida was 6.15 K or 3.82 miles. Not very far but still off course.
Heading in the general direction is not good enough.
Fishing is our calling; it’s hard work yet our flesh wants comfort.
I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be constantly straining against the will of God and wonder why He is not in my boat.
“Why does it seem everything I do is such a strain and such a labour?”
Because you got off course! You didn't go where He told you to go.
But everything changes when you cry out to Him.
If you're heading in the wrong direction, TURN AROUND!
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
What I'm Reading - When Nations Die by Jim Nelson Black
What I'm Listening to - Vertical Church Band
Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida,
Very clear instruction: Jesus had told them to go over to BETHSAIDA; they had just finished feeding 5,000.
Where did Jesus tell them to go? BETHSAIDA. Now watch!
Bethsaida means “place of fishing.”
But a problem arose. They are in the middle of the lake, Jesus is on land praying, and a STORM arose. Now they are straining for the wind was against them.
So, Jesus had sent them to Bethsaida, He’s on a mountain praying.
He sees them straining as the storm comes up. So Jesus goes to help them, right? No, He just starts walking right past them.
So, imagine you’re in a bad storm, thinking, “I might die”.
Then you think you see a Ghost.
You find out it’s Jesus walking by and He says “Cheer up”. OK, what is going on here? Let me show you.
Listen to John’s account of this story.
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are known as the Synoptic Gospels because they basically all say the same thing.
John 6:16-17
16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,
17 got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.
Here it says they were heading toward Capernaum.
Now they are in the same area, but not the same place.
Bethsaida means – place of fishing
Capernaum means – village of comfort!
Jesus said “Follow Me, you’re now fishers of men”. “Now go to the place of fishing and I’ll meet you there.”
But no, they want to go to the place of comfort where it is easy.
Jesus was walking by because He was headed in another direction.
“You want to get back on track, to get Me in your boat.” “But I’m not getting in with you until you change course and go back in the direction I told you to go to in the first place”.
Jesus only obeyed His Father who said, “Send the disciples to the place of fishing.” He told His disciples to go to the place His Father told Him to go.
Jesus won’t get into your boat of disobedience. Because you perceive a certain course might be easier, you often take the wrong direction.
Could there be storms in your life because you are off course and going to the wrong place? You started off heading in the right direction. Then you veered off until you found yourself in the midst of a storm, straining – because you're not where you're supposed to be.
Are you fed up of constantly straining against the will of God?
Then change your course.
The distance between Capernaum and Bethsaida was 6.15 K or 3.82 miles. Not very far but still off course.
Heading in the general direction is not good enough.
Fishing is our calling; it’s hard work yet our flesh wants comfort.
I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be constantly straining against the will of God and wonder why He is not in my boat.
“Why does it seem everything I do is such a strain and such a labour?”
Because you got off course! You didn't go where He told you to go.
But everything changes when you cry out to Him.
If you're heading in the wrong direction, TURN AROUND!
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
What I'm Reading - When Nations Die by Jim Nelson Black
What I'm Listening to - Vertical Church Band
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
It's Dew Time
Numbers 11:9
And when the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it.
God will allow a desert to grow up around you just to get you to Him.
He will allow famine to hit you just so you will hunger for Him.
God will do whatever it takes to get you to Him.
We are in a TWILIGHT season, between two lights.
In Hebrew it means “MOVING TOWARD THE LIGHT.”
It’s a time when you stand between the challenge and the breakthrough.
Let’s deal with the DEW.
It’s a type of the anointing or the presence of the Lord.
Unity is depicted as precious oil running all over from the head down.
Unity is like the dew upon the mountain of ZION.
And at that place the Lord commands blessing.
When the 120 were in the Upper Room, in one accord, THE DEW FELL.
When 2 or 3 are gathered together in His Name, the DEW falls.
When 2 or 3 touch and agree, things happen because the dew falls.
When Gideon put a fleece out to God (a piece of wool) the DEW fell on the fleece.
The 2nd night, the dew fell on the ground.
O Church, when the dew falls it covers you and the ground you walk on, you then walk in the blessings. It’s COMMANDED!
Remember our text “When the dew fell on the CAMP (the people) heaven’s supply fell on it.
Remember manna was from heaven NOT earth.
They were seeing what no one else was. They were tasting what no one else was tasting.
Now watch:
Zechariah 8:11-12
11 But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ says the Lord of hosts.
12 ‘For the seed shall be prosperous, the vine shall give its fruit, the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew— I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these.
The 3-fold blessing to the last-day Church:
1. The vine’s fruit (reward)
2. The ground’s increase (wealth)
3. The heaven’s dew (covering)
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
And when the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it.
God will allow a desert to grow up around you just to get you to Him.
He will allow famine to hit you just so you will hunger for Him.
God will do whatever it takes to get you to Him.
We are in a TWILIGHT season, between two lights.
In Hebrew it means “MOVING TOWARD THE LIGHT.”
It’s a time when you stand between the challenge and the breakthrough.
Let’s deal with the DEW.
It’s a type of the anointing or the presence of the Lord.
Unity is depicted as precious oil running all over from the head down.
Unity is like the dew upon the mountain of ZION.
And at that place the Lord commands blessing.
When the 120 were in the Upper Room, in one accord, THE DEW FELL.
When 2 or 3 are gathered together in His Name, the DEW falls.
When 2 or 3 touch and agree, things happen because the dew falls.
When Gideon put a fleece out to God (a piece of wool) the DEW fell on the fleece.
The 2nd night, the dew fell on the ground.
O Church, when the dew falls it covers you and the ground you walk on, you then walk in the blessings. It’s COMMANDED!
Remember our text “When the dew fell on the CAMP (the people) heaven’s supply fell on it.
Remember manna was from heaven NOT earth.
They were seeing what no one else was. They were tasting what no one else was tasting.
Now watch:
Zechariah 8:11-12
11 But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ says the Lord of hosts.
12 ‘For the seed shall be prosperous, the vine shall give its fruit, the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew— I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these.
The 3-fold blessing to the last-day Church:
1. The vine’s fruit (reward)
2. The ground’s increase (wealth)
3. The heaven’s dew (covering)
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Revival
From July 1-20 we had services every night with several day services. We did not do this just to have a conference but to spark a revival and did it ever spark!
For 20 days and nights we saw people healed and delivered, people were repenting and souls were saved every night. People travelled from many places, including the United States because they were hungry.
It seemed like you could feel a river flowing nightly. And now, as I write this on July 26, the revival has not stopped as people continue to be healed and delivered.
We are in a new normal at Third Day Worship Centre and more addicted to His presence than ever before. He has opened up things in the Spirit that no man could open. This revival is perpetual, irrevocable and unique.
Revival has awakened us to our purpose.
Thank you Tracy Stewart, Jan Painter, John & Caroline Wilkinson, and Dustin Smith for helping us stoke the fire!
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
For 20 days and nights we saw people healed and delivered, people were repenting and souls were saved every night. People travelled from many places, including the United States because they were hungry.
It seemed like you could feel a river flowing nightly. And now, as I write this on July 26, the revival has not stopped as people continue to be healed and delivered.
We are in a new normal at Third Day Worship Centre and more addicted to His presence than ever before. He has opened up things in the Spirit that no man could open. This revival is perpetual, irrevocable and unique.
Revival has awakened us to our purpose.
Thank you Tracy Stewart, Jan Painter, John & Caroline Wilkinson, and Dustin Smith for helping us stoke the fire!
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
What I'm Reading:
The Journey of a World Changer - Banning Liebscher
What I'm Listening To:
You Are the Fire - Dustin Smith Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Culture of Revival
From the book, “Culture of Revival”
Amy Sollars’ Vision
July 7, 2010
“As I waited on the Lord, I was given an encounter and message from the Lord where I saw a heavenly messenger dressed in clothes like those worn during the colonial period in America.
In my spirit, I knew he looked like Paul Revere. He had a messenger bag and he said that he represented a people that would bring a message. “They will ‘ride’ through the night to declare and prepare the way for a revolution that will lead to reformation.”
He said that in the bag were documents related to this and were about the release of glory. He said that there were people who were to go and sound an alarm – an awakening alarm.
Next he said that the Lord was releasing “circuit riders” again. I saw these different circuits and this wild-eyed revivalist declaring the gospel. I saw these lines of fire igniting wherever they rode.”
I believe God is saying revival is upon us. Now rise up and declare the Gospel.
Join us, July 1st - 21st, for our Raise the Standard Conference. This will be 3 weeks of the Supernatural power of God lead by a host of powerful and anointed speakers including Jan Painter, Tracy Stewart, John Wilkinson and Dustin Smith as well as myself.
It is a move of God you simply do not want miss. Mark it on your calendar and make sure to be a part of this powerful Nation changing event.
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
What I'm Listening to:
On the Shores - Melissa Helser & Jonathan David Helser
What I'm Reading:
Culture of Revival - by Andy Byrd & Sean Feucht
Amy Sollars’ Vision
July 7, 2010
“As I waited on the Lord, I was given an encounter and message from the Lord where I saw a heavenly messenger dressed in clothes like those worn during the colonial period in America.
In my spirit, I knew he looked like Paul Revere. He had a messenger bag and he said that he represented a people that would bring a message. “They will ‘ride’ through the night to declare and prepare the way for a revolution that will lead to reformation.”
He said that in the bag were documents related to this and were about the release of glory. He said that there were people who were to go and sound an alarm – an awakening alarm.
Next he said that the Lord was releasing “circuit riders” again. I saw these different circuits and this wild-eyed revivalist declaring the gospel. I saw these lines of fire igniting wherever they rode.”
I believe God is saying revival is upon us. Now rise up and declare the Gospel.
Join us, July 1st - 21st, for our Raise the Standard Conference. This will be 3 weeks of the Supernatural power of God lead by a host of powerful and anointed speakers including Jan Painter, Tracy Stewart, John Wilkinson and Dustin Smith as well as myself.
It is a move of God you simply do not want miss. Mark it on your calendar and make sure to be a part of this powerful Nation changing event.
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
What I'm Listening to:
On the Shores - Melissa Helser & Jonathan David Helser
What I'm Reading:
Culture of Revival - by Andy Byrd & Sean Feucht
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Make Way For Repentance
Acts 3:19
Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.
In revival, large numbers of people who have been indifferent to spiritual things, suddenly become aware of them.
Charles Finney said “We can expect revival when the sinfulness of sinners grieves and distresses Christians.
Frank Bartleman, the journalist of Azusa Street said, “The depth of your repentance will determine the height of your revival.”
Church, the world won’t cry out until the church does first.
God wants us to prove His promises.
Remember Jonah, even the sailors knew he was running from the presence of the Lord and asked him, “Why did he do it?”
Jonah confessed God, but his CONDUCT was inconsistent.
Repentance gets bad press, but repentance is about FREEDOM, VICTORY and walking in the presence of the Lord.
Repentance cancels the dark, oppressive strategy of darkness over your life.
Listen, you’re wired for Signs and Wonders. Your destiny includes the invasion of the impossible, the emptying of wheelchairs, the banishing of cancer and the opening of deaf ears.
But before all this can happen and make a comeback, personal holiness needs one also.
In 1953 a revival broke out in CONGO, Africa. One of the leader’s wives had an encounter with God and God told her “I want to do a great work here but there is much hardness.
If you want to light a good fire, do you get one by laying wood among ASHES? I want a clean place for my fire.”
So she knew the ashes had to be removed. Ashes suffocate fires and put them out.
The Levites were commanded to keep the fire burning, which meant taking the ashes out DAILY!
Lev. 6:11-13
11 Then he shall take off his garments, put on other garments, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place.
12 And the fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not be put out. And the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order on it; and he shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings.
13 A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out.
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.
In revival, large numbers of people who have been indifferent to spiritual things, suddenly become aware of them.
Charles Finney said “We can expect revival when the sinfulness of sinners grieves and distresses Christians.
Frank Bartleman, the journalist of Azusa Street said, “The depth of your repentance will determine the height of your revival.”
Church, the world won’t cry out until the church does first.
God wants us to prove His promises.
Remember Jonah, even the sailors knew he was running from the presence of the Lord and asked him, “Why did he do it?”
Jonah confessed God, but his CONDUCT was inconsistent.
Repentance gets bad press, but repentance is about FREEDOM, VICTORY and walking in the presence of the Lord.
Repentance cancels the dark, oppressive strategy of darkness over your life.
Listen, you’re wired for Signs and Wonders. Your destiny includes the invasion of the impossible, the emptying of wheelchairs, the banishing of cancer and the opening of deaf ears.
But before all this can happen and make a comeback, personal holiness needs one also.
In 1953 a revival broke out in CONGO, Africa. One of the leader’s wives had an encounter with God and God told her “I want to do a great work here but there is much hardness.
If you want to light a good fire, do you get one by laying wood among ASHES? I want a clean place for my fire.”
So she knew the ashes had to be removed. Ashes suffocate fires and put them out.
The Levites were commanded to keep the fire burning, which meant taking the ashes out DAILY!
Lev. 6:11-13
11 Then he shall take off his garments, put on other garments, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place.
12 And the fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not be put out. And the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order on it; and he shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings.
13 A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out.
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
Books I'm Reading
"The King Jesus Gospel"
Scot McKnight
"Invisible Chains"
Benjamin Perrin
Scot McKnight
"Invisible Chains"
Benjamin Perrin
What I'm Listening To
"Above All Else"
Paradise Band
"Kingdom"
Bluetree
"The Great Awakening"
Leeland
Paradise Band
"Kingdom"
Bluetree
"The Great Awakening"
Leeland
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
A New Sound For A New Day
Acts 2:2
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
Every move of God that has ever hit this planet carried a SOUND with it.
Today is a NEW SEASON and therefore it demands the release of a NEW SOUND!
The Welsh revival saw over 300,000 souls saved. Moriah Chapel packed with songbooks from spontaneous songs sung at the revival as a new sound was released.
The Moravians started a prayer meeting in Herrnhut, Germany that lasted 120 years.
It was a new sound. With a new sound comes a new season with revival and the power of God.
I have often wondered what the sound must have sounded like.
Could it be, come July, God is about to unleash a new sound again?
Listen to Acts 2:6
And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.
It was this SOUND that captivated a lost generation and called them into beholding this new frequency from heaven.
I believe we are in another season with a new sound where DEEP is calling to DEEP.
It is the shout of a generation’s Praise rising from the depths of our beings to give glory, honor and praise to God.
It’s a sound that is calling those things that do not exist as though they did.
It’s a sound that is louder and stronger than the pessimistic and negative noise of this age.
It’s a sound to the barrenness of men’s souls. Church, this is our season to sing over the barrenness of the land and watch it come to life.
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
Every move of God that has ever hit this planet carried a SOUND with it.
Today is a NEW SEASON and therefore it demands the release of a NEW SOUND!
The Welsh revival saw over 300,000 souls saved. Moriah Chapel packed with songbooks from spontaneous songs sung at the revival as a new sound was released.
The Moravians started a prayer meeting in Herrnhut, Germany that lasted 120 years.
It was a new sound. With a new sound comes a new season with revival and the power of God.
I have often wondered what the sound must have sounded like.
Could it be, come July, God is about to unleash a new sound again?
Listen to Acts 2:6
And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.
It was this SOUND that captivated a lost generation and called them into beholding this new frequency from heaven.
I believe we are in another season with a new sound where DEEP is calling to DEEP.
It is the shout of a generation’s Praise rising from the depths of our beings to give glory, honor and praise to God.
It’s a sound that is calling those things that do not exist as though they did.
It’s a sound that is louder and stronger than the pessimistic and negative noise of this age.
It’s a sound to the barrenness of men’s souls. Church, this is our season to sing over the barrenness of the land and watch it come to life.
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
HOPE IS HERE
It does NOT take a prophet or a prophetic word to see that the North American church is struggling to maintain a vibrant spiritual life while being salt and light to a world in darkness.
There is plenty of reason to be discouraged with sliding morals, demonic laws and humanism celebrated.
Now, knowing what we are up against, let me say that the Kingdom of God WILLNOT BE STOPPED.
Despite what I just shared, HE IS WINNING. So what is HIS strategy for change?
How will we turn this thing around? How do we fulfill what Jesus said about us?
You are the light of the world. One word. HOPE.
Hope is what we need.
Hope in a heaven that has NEVER lost a battle but only knows breakthroughs and coming breakthroughs.
Hope that when Jesus said the gates of hell would not prevail against His church, He really meant it. So what is missing?
It’s His GLORY. We, His church, gazing at glory and being transformed into glory.
Church we need to start to dream again. We need to see the possibilities and NOT be consumed with the limitation, temporary setbacks and difficult circumstances.
IT’S TIME TO COME FULLY ALIVE!
So what needs to change? EVERYTHING. We have settled for too little.
We give the Lord a short, sweet Sunday morning as the reward for His suffering.
Radical has been defined as loud. Devotion is a loose set of do’s and do not’s.
Oh but there is HOPE. The bride will and is waking, she will rise up and she will walk in her fullness because there is a remnant.
The lost can be found, the hardest heart can soften, the most addicted can experience freedom and our nation can turn back to God.
We must live in HOPE, we must live in breakthrough.
Anything else cheapens the victory of the cross.
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
What I'm Listening to:
Kingdoms - Sean Feucht
What I'm Reading
Let It Go - T.D. Jakes
There is plenty of reason to be discouraged with sliding morals, demonic laws and humanism celebrated.
Now, knowing what we are up against, let me say that the Kingdom of God WILLNOT BE STOPPED.
Despite what I just shared, HE IS WINNING. So what is HIS strategy for change?
How will we turn this thing around? How do we fulfill what Jesus said about us?
You are the light of the world. One word. HOPE.
Hope is what we need.
Hope in a heaven that has NEVER lost a battle but only knows breakthroughs and coming breakthroughs.
Hope that when Jesus said the gates of hell would not prevail against His church, He really meant it. So what is missing?
It’s His GLORY. We, His church, gazing at glory and being transformed into glory.
Church we need to start to dream again. We need to see the possibilities and NOT be consumed with the limitation, temporary setbacks and difficult circumstances.
IT’S TIME TO COME FULLY ALIVE!
So what needs to change? EVERYTHING. We have settled for too little.
We give the Lord a short, sweet Sunday morning as the reward for His suffering.
Radical has been defined as loud. Devotion is a loose set of do’s and do not’s.
Oh but there is HOPE. The bride will and is waking, she will rise up and she will walk in her fullness because there is a remnant.
The lost can be found, the hardest heart can soften, the most addicted can experience freedom and our nation can turn back to God.
We must live in HOPE, we must live in breakthrough.
Anything else cheapens the victory of the cross.
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
What I'm Listening to:
Kingdoms - Sean Feucht
What I'm Reading
Let It Go - T.D. Jakes
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
The Just Shall Live By Faith
Heb. 10:38
Now the just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him.”
We live in a society that lives for the moment.
Lives for the Now.
A great love for the temporal things of the world.
Even one of Paul’s hand picked protégé’s was like this.
2 Tim. 4:10 “Demas, having loved this present age has deserted me”.
See! He loved this “PRESENT” age, for the now. But for the Christian, we walk by faith not what we see NOW!
Listen to what Paul wrote to Timothy. He spoke of those who “denied the faith” or “suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.”
“Wandered away from the faith”. Those who “fall away from faith.”
Four times we are instructed to live by faith. It’s the way to the Higher Law of blessing and if we don’t apply it we will go right back to living in the LOWER LAW!
The “JUST”. You and I are the just if you have come out of darkness and into the LIGHT!
So we should LIVE different than the world. Yet Christians don’t know how to LIVE.
We are to do everything by faith. From birth through childhood, teens until adult we are trained to learn how to LIVE in society.
If you’re sick you go to a doctor. Do you think it’s important that he be trained? Or a lawyer? A house contractor?
So why do Christians think we don’t need to be trained?
We get saved and want to lead a major ministry the next day.
We need to be trained how to LIVE by faith so we don’t wander from it like Damas.
Faith’s power to change your circumstances is not going to operate in your life until you decide you are going to live by faith.
And to do that you need to be a student of His Word. Then you begin to see that FAITH is a NOW thing. FAITH is NOW, present tense.
Heb. 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Yours for revival,
What I'm Reading:
What I'm Listening To:
Heal Our Land - Planetshakers
Heb. 10:38
Now the just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him.”
We live in a society that lives for the moment.
Lives for the Now.
A great love for the temporal things of the world.
Even one of Paul’s hand picked protégé’s was like this.
2 Tim. 4:10 “Demas, having loved this present age has deserted me”.
See! He loved this “PRESENT” age, for the now. But for the Christian, we walk by faith not what we see NOW!
Listen to what Paul wrote to Timothy. He spoke of those who “denied the faith” or “suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.”
“Wandered away from the faith”. Those who “fall away from faith.”
Four times we are instructed to live by faith. It’s the way to the Higher Law of blessing and if we don’t apply it we will go right back to living in the LOWER LAW!
The “JUST”. You and I are the just if you have come out of darkness and into the LIGHT!
So we should LIVE different than the world. Yet Christians don’t know how to LIVE.
We are to do everything by faith. From birth through childhood, teens until adult we are trained to learn how to LIVE in society.
If you’re sick you go to a doctor. Do you think it’s important that he be trained? Or a lawyer? A house contractor?
So why do Christians think we don’t need to be trained?
We get saved and want to lead a major ministry the next day.
We need to be trained how to LIVE by faith so we don’t wander from it like Damas.
Faith’s power to change your circumstances is not going to operate in your life until you decide you are going to live by faith.
And to do that you need to be a student of His Word. Then you begin to see that FAITH is a NOW thing. FAITH is NOW, present tense.
Heb. 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
What I'm Reading:
What I'm Listening To:
Heal Our Land - Planetshakers
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Go & Do Likewise
Luke 10:30-37
Who is your neighbour? ANYONE HURTING.
27 million are caught in the human trafficking world with no hope.
More slaves now than ever in HISTORY ON OUR WATCH.
You and I can give them hope. We can do something.
380 thousand orphans in Guatemala with NO HOPE. We can give them hope.
I am determined to build this church in the centre of darkness to bring a great light.
It is for FREEDOM that Christ has set us free.
Every one of us knows someone that is wounded.
Will we be too busy with our religious activities or will we be a vessel that pours IN oil and wine?
Notice, the Samaritan paid for the wounded person’s immediate and ongoing care.
Will we put our money out, to help the hurting?
I hear the Spirit of the Lord saying, “3rd Day, GO & DO LIKEWISE.”
In Philippians 3:10 Paul wrote, “That I may know Him and the POWER of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death. If by ANY MEANS I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”
Most unbelievers are going through life and they never think that they are ONE BREATH away from eternity. If we don’t tell them, who will?
Paul has an urgency in him when you read this verse, “THAT I MAY KNOW HIM AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION.”
Can we go find some darkness? And let it know YOU WILL NOT prevail, not on my watch!
Hell says NO but heaven says YES!
Where do you think the term, “Good Samaritan” came from? THIS VERSE.
Bandage wounds, pouring in oil and wine, transporting someone, paying for them, all require TIME.
And TIME is running out. How will the Lord characterize our current Christian generation?
Will it be we were TOO BUSY?
Will it be “I’ll do it tomorrow”?
Today is the acceptable day of salvation.
The earth is telling us Jesus is coming.
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
Who is your neighbour? ANYONE HURTING.
27 million are caught in the human trafficking world with no hope.
More slaves now than ever in HISTORY ON OUR WATCH.
You and I can give them hope. We can do something.
380 thousand orphans in Guatemala with NO HOPE. We can give them hope.
I am determined to build this church in the centre of darkness to bring a great light.
It is for FREEDOM that Christ has set us free.
Every one of us knows someone that is wounded.
Will we be too busy with our religious activities or will we be a vessel that pours IN oil and wine?
Notice, the Samaritan paid for the wounded person’s immediate and ongoing care.
Will we put our money out, to help the hurting?
I hear the Spirit of the Lord saying, “3rd Day, GO & DO LIKEWISE.”
In Philippians 3:10 Paul wrote, “That I may know Him and the POWER of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death. If by ANY MEANS I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”
Most unbelievers are going through life and they never think that they are ONE BREATH away from eternity. If we don’t tell them, who will?
Paul has an urgency in him when you read this verse, “THAT I MAY KNOW HIM AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION.”
Can we go find some darkness? And let it know YOU WILL NOT prevail, not on my watch!
Hell says NO but heaven says YES!
Where do you think the term, “Good Samaritan” came from? THIS VERSE.
Bandage wounds, pouring in oil and wine, transporting someone, paying for them, all require TIME.
And TIME is running out. How will the Lord characterize our current Christian generation?
Will it be we were TOO BUSY?
Will it be “I’ll do it tomorrow”?
Today is the acceptable day of salvation.
The earth is telling us Jesus is coming.
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Ascend
For 7 years Midian ruled Israel, attacked them, destroyed their crops.
They finally cried out to God. And God said, “Come up here, get higher.”
God always sends His Word and if we apply it to our lives, trouble must flee.
He sends forth His Word and heals us. No one else can save you.
Your wisdom can’t save you.
Your own works can’t save you.
Your money can’t save you. Every decision must be based on God’ Word.
God wants us to rise (ascend) and that’s why we face challenges. Take the Word and correct our lives so we can ascend.
God sent Israel a word for them to obey so the situation could change.
If you are oppressed and pushed down, God has a higher place for you to go.
I don’t what 7 more years of bondage, do you?
ENOUGH I SAY!
Listen, sometimes we are frustrated with the storm outside but God Is frustrated with the storm inside of us. What is in your heart?
The only way to ascend is with His Word. Why does God want us to ascend? Because He wants environments and situations to change.
We ascend so we can come back down and help people.
The higher we go the more people we can help.
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
They finally cried out to God. And God said, “Come up here, get higher.”
God always sends His Word and if we apply it to our lives, trouble must flee.
He sends forth His Word and heals us. No one else can save you.
Your wisdom can’t save you.
Your own works can’t save you.
Your money can’t save you. Every decision must be based on God’ Word.
God wants us to rise (ascend) and that’s why we face challenges. Take the Word and correct our lives so we can ascend.
God sent Israel a word for them to obey so the situation could change.
If you are oppressed and pushed down, God has a higher place for you to go.
I don’t what 7 more years of bondage, do you?
ENOUGH I SAY!
Listen, sometimes we are frustrated with the storm outside but God Is frustrated with the storm inside of us. What is in your heart?
The only way to ascend is with His Word. Why does God want us to ascend? Because He wants environments and situations to change.
We ascend so we can come back down and help people.
The higher we go the more people we can help.
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
The Blank Page, It's Time To Fill It In
Isaiah 42:8-10
Change leads somewhere. It can be difficult at times, but it does take us somewhere.
Change leads to something NEW! Any new thing is intimidating at first.
When something is NEW it can bring the freshness back into our lives.
We get excited, invigorated, energized, passionate. Something ignites in our hearts. We are FIRED UP! Especially when the new thing is from God.
Our new experiences bring life back when only a short time earlier we were desperately searching for it, trying to satisfy our spiritual hunger.
When Joshua became the leader after Moses died, suddenly everything was NEW!
The bondage of the wilderness was about to end. NEW LAND. A fresh mandate. A blank page. Now they needed a new attitude and skills.
No longer just talking, they were now doing. THIS was their NEW DAY. Canaan was within sight.
They were about to conquer the land that had seemed so impossible to conquer.
Suddenly these former slaves were now landowners.
Caleb shouted ,“GIVE ME MY MOUNTAIN!”
Caleb waited 45 years for this day. He was 85.
Joshua was about 100.
Now the time had come, new energy surged through their bodies. Their WAIT WAS OVER.
Their desperation was rewarded, their faithfulness paid off. VICTORY was assured.
So what is your mountain? What new and fresh territory has God led you to conquer? IT IS TIME.
Your long wilderness trek is over. Oh praise the Lord!
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
Change leads somewhere. It can be difficult at times, but it does take us somewhere.
Change leads to something NEW! Any new thing is intimidating at first.
When something is NEW it can bring the freshness back into our lives.
We get excited, invigorated, energized, passionate. Something ignites in our hearts. We are FIRED UP! Especially when the new thing is from God.
Our new experiences bring life back when only a short time earlier we were desperately searching for it, trying to satisfy our spiritual hunger.
When Joshua became the leader after Moses died, suddenly everything was NEW!
The bondage of the wilderness was about to end. NEW LAND. A fresh mandate. A blank page. Now they needed a new attitude and skills.
No longer just talking, they were now doing. THIS was their NEW DAY. Canaan was within sight.
They were about to conquer the land that had seemed so impossible to conquer.
Suddenly these former slaves were now landowners.
Caleb shouted ,“GIVE ME MY MOUNTAIN!”
Caleb waited 45 years for this day. He was 85.
Joshua was about 100.
Now the time had come, new energy surged through their bodies. Their WAIT WAS OVER.
Their desperation was rewarded, their faithfulness paid off. VICTORY was assured.
So what is your mountain? What new and fresh territory has God led you to conquer? IT IS TIME.
Your long wilderness trek is over. Oh praise the Lord!
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
2012 – Year of Governmental Order
Opening Text: Exo. 3:1-5
New Year’s Eve service I said this would be the year we stop just standing at the mountain of God.
I mean, don’t get me wrong, standing and watching God do stuff is great but we can’t do that forever, we have a job to do.
This was not the first time Moses was stuck at a mountain.
In Deut. 1 God spoke to him and said, “You have dwelt long enough at this mountain.”
Then He tells him to “TURN and SEE the land I have for you.”
What made Moses was his willingness to TURN ASIDE.
Now remember, Moses is the one whom God revealed his name,
Moses is the one who stands before Pharaoh and says, “LET MY PEOPLE GO”, he leads the people out of bondage.
Moses is the one whom God gives the 10 Commandments to.
I mean Moses is a giant of the faith.
I wonder …. What if Moses had been talking on his cell phone or texting?
Would he have walked right by the burning bush without even noticing it?
What made him Moses was his WILLINGNESS to TURN ASIDE.
Moses was a long way from home, way out in the boonies at Mt. Horeb, the mountain of God.
By the way, it’s this mountain that he would later receive the 10 Commandments.
So here is Moses, family, ordinary guy. A GUY not leading people but SHEEP.
Was he lonely? Hungry? BORED? We know he was a long way from home.
He was an Israelite raised an Egyptian.
But his life was about to change forever.
All because he chose to TURN and SEE.
Church, we will never SEE what God wants us to SEE until we are willing to TURN!
It’s in turning that you see what God has for you, so you can, like Moses, say, “Here I am”.
When God tested Abraham, he said, “HERE I AM”.
When the Angel of God showed up to Jacob, he said, “HERE I AM.”
When the Lord called Samuel, he said, “HERE I AM!”
Jeremiah said, “HERE I AM.”
In Acts 9 when God called Ananias, he said, “HERE I AM.”
Isaiah said, “HERE I AM.”
All through scripture, when men of God responded to God’s call, Governmental authority came upon them for the ministry God called them to.
God wants a key of authority on you and I but we have got to stop stargazing and standing at the mountain, we must TURN TO SEE!
A boldness came on Moses. A new level of anointing came on him and he delivered a nation.
God has people set up for you to bring you out of the bondage of sin but you must be willing to TURN.
A new level of authority will come on those who TURN.
Psalm 8:3-6
3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
4 What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?
5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
You see church, the Governmental authority of Jesus will rise up to command the prophetic promises for healing, financial overflow, Signs and Wonders to be released.
To be ordinary we don’t have to do anything.
We are called to do extra ordinary things for God, all it takes is ordinary people to TURN and SEE!
Will you? Will you now?
Yours for Revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
2012 - The Year of Governmental Order
Isaiah 22:22
The key of the house of David
I will lay on his shoulder;
So he shall open, and no one shall shut;
And he shall shut, and no one shall open.
It’s talking about Eliakim - vs. 20
His name means “God establishes, God raises up.”
2012, you’re about to be established by God and He Himself will raise you up.
And the KEY of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder. Key here means the official right to be a part of David’s dynasty and authority.
David’s house was house of praise; new keys in praise are coming in 2012, with new levels of authority on them.
This authority is to open. OPEN What?
The Hebrew tells us.
It will open in 2012 the windows of heaven.
In 2012, new storehouses.
It means to open a grave – dead things coming back to life.
It means it will cause RIVERS TO RUN.
It refers to drawing out a sword.
It means to open the ground.
Job 32:19
Indeed my belly is like wine that has no vent;
It is ready to burst like new wineskins.
It means unopened wine, wine still under pressure.
The pressure (transition of 2011) will and is causing the CORK to pop for the New Wine of 2012. Praise the Lord.
What you open through His Governmental authority in 2012, no one shall shut.
But you will also have authority to SHUT, to close, and to stop!
The word shut is SAGAS and it means to close up a hole in one’s flesh.
I hear the bleeding will stop in 2012. You have authority to help the wounded. You are anointed to heal the broken-hearted.
So what you shut in 2012 under Governmental authority, NO ONE CAN OPEN!
And no one can open. Praise the Lord.
Yours for Revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
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