Christmas Rush!

Do you find yourself running around getting ready for Christmas, wrapping presents, baking and spending too much money?  Slow down!

Jesus came in the flesh and to us a savior was born!   We make it so complicated that the real meaning of this season is not our primary focus.

Read the Christmas Story to your loved ones!  Reflect on the real meaning of Christmas.  Help those in need and find out how good it feels to reach out to others!

Blessings,

Shelly

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND 

By Marsha Burns:

Resist the temptation to settle into religious complacency--that place where you are satisfied with what you already know. I have more to teach you. Let Me lead you on an adventure of fresh excitement in obtaining a greater measure of spiritual reality and a closer relationship with Me, says the Lord. Don't get stuck in a rut; keep seeking; keep moving.

Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.

Hidden Treasures School of Ministry

765-444-9486

When your down....When your blue.....Where do you turn?

God should be our first answer...

My mother is going through a tough time at age 82.  She is full care and has difficulty speaking and swallowing.  This is rather challenging to watch her decline, as well as for her.  To console myself I shop! Though I should not, this is what I find is comforting me.  

When circumstances overwhelm us the first place we should turn is to Jesus!  He is our source of help in trouble.    Find a comfortable spot, play worship instrumental music, sit and soak a while in God's presence, and read some scripture.  Now get out your journal and ask God some questions or take a part of scripture that is speaking to you and write it down.  Ask God to speak to about this scripture.  It is in this place of intimate communion with God that we find peace and answers to life's challenges.  Let the glory of His love wash over you.  You will find that stress and problems are minimized in  the presence of Jehovah Rapha our healer.  He loves you and longs to spend time with you.  Will you take the time?

Stress Relievers:

1. Take time for you and do no feel guilty about it!

2.  Read scripture, even if it's just one line or have someone read to you.  Take comfort in God's word.  It is medicine to our mind, body, and spirit.

3.  Pray daily or have someone you trust pray with you. 

4.  Take a walk, exercise, do something enjoyable. 

5.  Laugh!  It's also good medicine!

6.  Journaling 

7.  Take a few deep breaths.

8.  Listen to relaxing music

9.  Time management and make yourself accountable to someone for your new schedule. 

10.  Eat a balanced diet and reduce caffeine intake.

Be Blessed!

Shelly

The Other Judas

Acts 1:13

¹³ And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. (NKJV)

Judas the son of James was one of the 12 disciples, he is also referred to as Thaddaeus, Jude of James, Jude Thaddaeus, Judas Thaddaeus or Lebbaeus.  He is sometimes identified with Jude, "brother of Jesus", but is clearly distinguished from Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus.   It seems there is a lot of confusion about this apostle.  What about this other man named Judas?  He is only mentioned a few times in the New Testament, no words he spoke or acts he performed are attributed to him.  Some scholars attribute the book of Jude to him.  Historically there is little information regarding this apostle,  he is believed to have taken the gospel to  Judea, Samaria, Idumaea, Syria, Mesopotamia and Libya.   Some accounts have him crucified and other accounts say he died of natural causes after a long life of healing and preaching.   Catholics consider him the patron saint of lost causes.  So, again I ask what about this other Judas?  What does his life have to show us?

In this day of fame for fames sake, reality TV, YouTube, paparazzi, and celebrity worship our culture promotes the idea that you and I are worth little without fame or recognition.  This attitude is even finding a place among churches and Christians.  Make no mistake, this is a seductive spirit which causes ministers and saints alike to be self-promoting and prideful.  It can lead churches to focus on numbers of members and cutting-edge programing, while neglecting our Savior. It can also cause us as children, to pridefully believe that we deserve the seat on the right or left hand of Jesus or to feel inferior if we are not recognized among the people as a member of the fivefold ministry.   Judas Thaddaeus was not the “famous” apostle of his day.  He was no Paul or Peter, if he wrote any epistles other than the epistle of Jude we no longer have those letters.  Here was a humble servant of Jesus who fulfilled the great commission in his day, a faithful servant.  This is what we are called to be.  It is inevitable that some people, especially in this media rich age, will become “famous” and well known among the body of Christ but this can never be our focus or our goal.

Luke 14:7-11
When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: "When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."(NIV)

To fulfill the heart and intent of this verse we must choose to humble ourselves, never expecting to be moved up to the better place but to be content in who we are.  True humility and authority go hand in hand whether or not it is recognized by people, it is recognized in the spiritual realm.  

Philippians 2:3  Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; (NASB)

Matthew 23:11 But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. (KJB)

Examine your motives because God looks on the heart.

Consider the words of Andrew Murray on humility:

Humility is perfect quietness of heart. It is for me to have no trouble; never to be fretted or vexed or irritated or sore or disappointed. It is to expect nothing, to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me and when I am blamed or despised. It is to have a blessed home in the Lord where I can go in and shut the door and kneel to my Father in secret and be at peace as in a deep sea of calmness when all around is trouble. It is the fruit of the Lord Jesus Christ’s redemptive work on Calvary’s cross, manifested in those of His own who are definitely subject to the Holy Spirit.

With true humility comes real Kingdom authority.  Humility is the recognition of our total dependence on Jesus Christ our redeemer.  

John 5: 19 So Jesus answered them by saying, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the Son is able to do nothing of Himself (of His own accord); but He is able to do only what He sees the Father doing, for whatever the Father does is what the Son does in the same way [in His turn].( AMP).

Jesus humbled himself and left his rightful place in the heavenly realm to become a man for our sakes.  He operated in Kingdom authority as a man.  And now through salvation we also must rely upon our relationship with Him to do the same.  Knowing that all glory goes to the Father!

It has been prophesied that a nameless, faceless generation (anonymous generation) will rise-up and do great Kingdom exploits, healing the sick, raising the dead, proclaiming the good news, and doing all kinds of miracles.  In order for this word to be fulfilled in our day the church must return to humility - the art of believing what God is saying, leaning fully upon Him, and seeking not  our own fame. 

Judas Thaddaeus was a servant of our King and apostle of the first church.  We no longer know much about him – he is in effect a forerunner of the nameless and faceless generation. Many have said the church in America is so far from Christ it is a lost cause.  I am not Catholic and I don’t pray to saints, I also don’t believe in coincidences.  So, what is Judas Thaddaeus’ life saying to us today?  There are no lost causes in Jesus, it has also been said that humility is agreeing with what God is saying about you. You may be called to be in the limelight or you may not, but each of us must be willing to be overlooked and forgotten in this life to gain eternal victories. 

 2 Chronicles 7:14  If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (NKJV)

Linda Beard

Linda Beard

Advent Dates for 2011

• November 27 - First Sunday of Advent 
• December 4 - Second Sunday of Advent 
• December 11 - Third Sunday of Advent 
• December 18 - Fourth Sunday of Advent

What is Advent?

Advent is a spiritual season of preparation before Christmas celebrated by many Christians. In Western Christianity, the season of Advent begins on the fourth Sunday prior to Christmas Day, or the Sunday which falls closest to November 30, and lasts through Christmas Eve, or December 24.

Advent is a period of spiritual preparation in which many Christians make themselves ready for the coming, or birth of the Lord, Jesus Christ. During this time, Christians observe a season of prayer, fasting and repentance, followed by anticipation, hope and joy. Many Christians celebrate Advent not only by thanking God for Christ's first coming to Earth as a baby, but also for his presence among us today through the Holy Spirit, and in preparation and anticipation of his final coming at the end of time.

Sources:

http://christianity.about.com/od/christmas/qt/adventdates2011.htm

http://christianity.about.com/od/christmas/tp/allaboutadvent.htm

One night long ago a mother was crying out with severe back pain.  Her little girl was ten years old.  She had been to Bible school and church a few times, so she said a prayer.  Now remember the little girl did not know any better at the time of this prayer. 

 God, if you are real take away my mother's back pain and give it to me.  Amen!

The next morning when the little girl woke up, she found her mother had no more back pain! She believed God was real! He did not give her the back pain as she had requested in her prayer, instead He healed her mother! 

The prayers of all are honored but on that night, God honored prayer that made ME a believer! 

Shelly

Characteristics of Godly Wisdom

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy (James 3:13-17)

Characteristics of Earthly Wisdom

If you have bitterness, envying, and strife in your hearts, this is earthly wisdom. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

We all need wisdom.  Simply as God for his wisdom in all you do!

Wisdom and Knowledge!

Source: How Do You Know? by Mark and Patti Virkler

Christian Leadership University

Hidden Treasures School of Ministry

Clint and Shelly Short

http://www.kingswayvoice.org/Schedule_Page.html

Directions to KingsWay Fellowship

KingsWay Fellowship meets in the Middletown Indiana Civic Center, Upper Level, located at 529 Locust St. Enter through the ramp side entrance. Stairs are immediately to the right; elevator is through the first door and immediately to the right.

GRAHAM COOKE:Find your community, your church family. Go through the Scriptures, go through the New Testament, ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you about what New Testament prophesy is and then look for people who have that kind of message. Go join yourself there and build a relationship with those people who will want to set you free. Go and find your tribe and then go to a place where you can be celebrated and you can grow and develop. Don’t stay in a place where you’re merely tolerated and not really wanted. I do believe that the Lord is digging out prophetic wells in various regions around the country. Go join yourself to fathers in the prophetic who can develop you into real sonship.

HTM School of Ministry will offer prophetic ministry courses and "Four Keys to Hearing God's Voice".   Watch our blog and website for more info.   

Our goal is to disciple and mentor people.

What should we be doing as prophets in this time?

GRAHAM COOKE: Well, first of all there is a biblical link between apostles and prophets laying foundation in the church. The role of a New Testament prophet primarily is not to prophesy. It’s to teach people how to hear the voice of God themselves because Jesus said “My sheep know My voice.” We actually need millions of Christians released to hear the voice of God for themselves. 

New Testament prophets therefore are essentially prophets of confirmation. They bring new words and so forth, but their role is to teach people how to hear the voice of God, to teach people how to live, find, discover, and live in the will of God and create a church as a prophetic community. In the process of all of that prophets teach people how to handle the different levels of prophecy, like edification, exhortation, comfort, words of revelation, words of warning and so on. Prophets should model how people should prophesy; they model who Jesus is. So we produce this prophetic community that really understands about grace, mercy and reconciliation.

I’m seeing a lot of curses and judgment being pronounced in prophetic circles. What’s your view on that?

GRAHAM COOKE: John the Baptist was the last of the Old Testament prophets. Jesus was the first of the New Testament. But John had to come and bow the knee, which is the Old Testament model bowing the knee to the New Testament model. So think of it this way: Do you think Jesus was punished enough for sin? Do you think the Father judged Jesus thoroughly? Did He spend every last ounce of anger and wrath on Christ on the cross?  So then there’s no judgment left, no anger left, no punishment left. God is fully satisfied. Between Calvary, which was judgment on Christ, and the Judgment Day when all the books will be opened, there is no place for judgment in this world. What does judgment look like? We’re not judging humanity. We do sit in judgment on authority over the demonic. We cast out devils. But when it comes to a sin sick world, we are ambassadors of reconciliation. We’re saying a price has been paid. You cannot say on the one hand the price has been paid and be reconciled to God and then be judging people for their sin on the other hand. If all the judgment has been put on Christ, there is no judgment for us to enter into. It’s the goodness and kindness of God that brings people to repentance. We’re ambassadors of reconciliation and we have to move in the grace and mercy of Christ. When we look at a person who’s in sin we are assessing them not about their sin, we are assessing them in terms of Father. We are asking how much grace and mercy do we need to show to this person in order for them to be reconciled? As the Church we are stepping into the gap with Jesus and we are praying for mercy, not judgment. We want God to rain down mercy so the love that covers a multitude of sin can come into the community and people can see what God is really like and fall in love with Him. That’s our job and I think that’s a huge part of prophetic ministry in the earth. What if the biggest problem in America is the lack of goodness? The Bible says we overcome evil with good. What if the biggest problem in America right now is that the Church does not understand the true Gospel message? And it doesn’t understand the true nature of God. So she is not positioned to pull down favor from heaven because we’re in this other mindset, which is God is wrathful. And He’s not. He vented all of His anger on Jesus.

  I’ve had people tell me I’m a fool for saying similar things. Do you get backlash for this stance?

GRAHAM COOKE: Yes, it’s a good fight though. The fight is to move away from the whole religious mindset and to see ourselves as the beloved of God, that we have favor and God wants to push His favor through the Church to a hurting world. That’s the fight we’re in and that’s what we’re contending for in the prophetic.  

Do you see a time coming when prophets are going to relate to the Lord differently? 

GRAHAM COOKE: Yeah...I do know a handful of prophetic people like myself who have been living this stuff for a long time now, but what I see right now is that the tide is turning. There are more and more prophetic people coming under this kind of influence and we’re actually cutting the ground away from the cowboy prophets who are just out there doing all the usual doom and gloom stuff. I’m still waiting for a bunch of prophets to apologize for the Y2K nonsense. Those guys they were so visible and made so much money and then suddenly it’s like they are denying they had that revelation. The numbers are starting to grow and there is a measure of accountability coming to the prophetic ministry. We need to get our act together and really look at whom and how are we disciplining and mentoring people. That’s the reason really why I’m rewriting “Developing Your Prophetic Gifting.” Whether or not I get killed, this is what I’m teaching. This is what I believe. This is what I want to be known for.  That religious spirit is a murderous spirit.

GRAHAM COOKE: Have you ever seen that film “The Apostle”? It came out years ago and some guy was the star of it. He actually grew up in Pentecostal religion. In order to study for the role he attended loads of Pentecostal churches throughout the country. He brilliantly acted and did an astonishing job, but I hated the premise of the movie because it was just all the usual religious nonsense. The deceptions. I remember sitting in the cinema and hating it so much I wanted to climb on the screen and punch his lights out. I was so annoyed. In fact, I got up to leave and the Lord said to me, Sit down. I want you to see this and I want you to come back tomorrow night and the following night because I want you to know. I want you to see your enemy. I want you to see the religious spirit because that’s what I’ve raised you up to fight.” Then I went back and took notes. I want to fight this thing so badly, I can taste it. I don’t want to fight it the way that it fights. I want to fight it by living in the opposite spirit. I don’t want to judge it because there’s no judgment. I want to say that there is a more excellent way and this is it. I want to move in the opposite spirit instead because you overcome evil with good. 

  Your words are so refreshing. Why don’t we see more watchmen prophets, more prophets to the nations who are really standing in the gap and making up a hedge?

GRAHAM COOKE: I meet a lot of new people on the prophetic scene and I honestly believe that most of them won’t last the distance because they have no eternal rest, they have no place of inner peace or rest. Some of the guys who have been my mentors over the years, the first things they taught me were not about the prophetic. 

They taught me how to live with God. They taught me how to live from the inside out. One of them taught me that if you want longevity in the ministry you have to spend 80 percent of your anointing on God, in intimacy, in worship, in waiting on Him and in meditation. 

Now this is my 33rd year in the ministry and I spend four months of my year in meditation. I look at some of these people coming through and some of them are incredibly busy and they’re marked for ministry, but in the end I’m more about doing than being. I think that there’s no patience in them, all their prophetic stuff is about quick, quick, quick. I think, too, that there is a huge difference between blessing prophets and building prophets. Right now we have way too many blessing prophets and not enough building ones. All the blessing prophets, unless they have adequate training and mentoring, always root their prophetic ability in the Old Testament and not the New. So that’s something we need to correct. I’ll still say I’m excited; it’s a fight, it’s a good fight and it’s one that we’re going to win.   

What would you say to young or unknown prophets to encourage them?

GRAHAM COOKE: Find your tribe. Go through the Scriptures, go through the New Testament, ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you about what New Testament prophesy is and then look for people who have that kind of message, who may be ahead of you. Go join yourself there and build a relationship with those people who will want to set you free. Go and find your tribe and then go to a place where you can be celebrated and you can grow and develop. Don’t stay in a place where you’re merely tolerated and not really wanted. I do believe that the Lord is digging out prophetic wells in various regions around the country. Go join yourself to fathers in the prophetic who can develop you into real son-ship.

Source: http://fathersheartministry.net/graham-cooke-interview-about-the-prophetic/

Ministry can be to multifaceted for one person to accomplish alone. That means the first critical step to success is building the right team.

Hearing God’s voice is foundational to our spiritual life and learning how to work with others, how to think deeply, how to seek people who are great in other areas without being intimidated in that and build teams to work together.

Competition is not what God has in mind for us as we build the ministry.  Competition usually means you try to outperform the other person instead of working together. Webster’s Dictionary states competition is the act or process of trying to get or win something (such as a prize or a higher level of success) that someone else is also trying to get or win: the act or process of competing rather than cooperating.

To collaborate Webster’s Dictionary meaning is to work with another person or group in order to achieve or do something.  I believe collaboration with encouragement is contagious!

With HTM Ministerial Licensing you will be encouraged to ask questions as we work together to build the Kingdom in your ministry.  God and you are in charge of your ministry, we simply provide a ministerial covering for you and a safe place where you can come with questions as we journey this road together.  Teamwork, collaboration!  Working together is an apostolic way of doing ministry!

At HTM School of Ministry we encourage you to look at the student to your left, look at the student to your right. Our goal is to make sure all of you succeed in these courses and in ministry. 

I want you to keep dreaming about the possibilities. Nothing is impossible with God! Hearing God’s voice and carrying out His instructions go hand in hand in ministry, church, missions, etc.  Nothing takes the place of hearing His voice, hard work, positive attitude, and getting support from each other. And that's what this is all about.

Connect, Discover, Become with Hidden Treasures School of Ministry, licensing, and ordination.  We are here to work with you and provide you spirit anointed tools for successful ministry! 

HTM School of Ministry, Licensing, & Ordination

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