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By Drenda Keesee 14 Feb, 2024
Reading Time 2 mins 59 secs – A stuffed toy laid in the road at the scene of the accident. As we passed, the Lord spoke to me, “ Okay, this is your last warning. Are you going to continue this? You know you are opening the door to the enemy.” Gary and I had had a disagreement just before we had left the house for our family road trip. And there we were six hours in and we’d barely said a word to one another. Six hours. You think driving from Ohio to Tennessee is a long stretch of highway? Try doing it while giving someone the silent treatment. One word: torture. Then we passed the accident. Gary and I both felt the same conviction when we passed it, especially because it clearly involved children. But... pride. We knew what we were doing wasn’t good. (What kind of example is it to your children to ignore each other?) But neither of us wanted to lay down our pride. I kept hearing the voice of the Lord, and I’d think, No, I’m not going to fix this thing, because then I’ll have to talk to him. It was almost a competition to see who could hold our grudge for the longest. But strife is dangerous stuff. What is strife? Drama, conflict, friction, disagreement, bickering, arguing, bad blood, disputes… whichever words you use to describe it, it’s dangerous. Whether it’s between you and your spouse, you and your child, you and a friend, you and a family member, or you and a coworker, you don’t want to let strife remain in your life. The Bible says that where there is strife, there is confusion and there is every evil work (James 3:16). Our small argument between Gary and I had gone unchecked and had escalated, and neither one of us were listening to the voice of the Lord. And there were consequences for our strife and outright disobedience. About an hour after we passed the accident, a car pulled out in front of our vehicle, and we were in what could have been a very serious car accident. I started yelling the name of Jesus, and God supernaturally protected our entire family. Initially, it looked as though there were going to be serious issues. They told us our son’s spleen might rupture. I was pregnant, and the doctors worried that I might lose the baby. Through all of these things, we stood on the Word of God, and we all came out unharmed, including the young preacher’s son who had pulled out in front of us (he was in disobedience at that moment too). Even in the midst of this difficult situation, through our prayers, standing on God’s Word, and our children’s words to the medical personnel, we had opportunities to minister and impact the little county hospital we had to visit. The enemy tried to take us out, but he lost. We were responsible for opening the door to the enemy. But the name of Jesus is more powerful than our mistakes and circumstances, and that is what kept us protected. You MUST stay on guard and not allow strife in your life, with anyone. How? Here are just three quick tips: Bite your tongue. You don’t have to say everything you think. Don’t lash out or give the silent treatment. Work on communicating with others in a healthy way. Repent quickly and forgive quickly. Take responsibility; admit when you’re wrong. Say you’re sorry and ask for forgiveness. Don’t hold onto hurts. Forgive as you’ve been forgiven by Jesus.
By Faith Life Now 10 Jan, 2024
Reading Time 4 mins 7 secs – Are you saved? Have you forgotten how that happened? Think about it. Did someone preach hellfire and brimstone to you, or did someone show you they loved you? Did they hand you a Bible and send you on your way, or did they spend some time with you? Did their example make you want to run or make you want what they had? Which of these people are YOU for other people? It’s easy to forget that WE have what the world needs. It’s easy to get focused on ourselves, on our busy lives, and on just doing life and church. It’s very easy to forget what we’re here for. As “The Church,” we’re called to live lives of worship and of service and to show Jesus to others. We were made to glorify God, know Him, be involved with others in the church, and to go out into the lost and dying world, sharing the love of Jesus, and making a difference. I talk about “marketplace ministry” often, because God didn’t create everyone to work and do ministry in a literal church building. No, He created each of us to minister to others in the marketplace—in places like our jobs, our businesses, our neighborhoods, and our schools. Look at Matthew 28:18-20. Jesus is talking to His disciples. He had spent three and a half years investing in their lives, and He had something important to say. He told them to GO and make disciples of all the nations. He told them to reach OUT. That’s the same directive you have as a modern-day disciple of Jesus. That makes a lot of Christians uncomfortable. After all, we’re not all evangelists, right? Studies tell us that only 2-3% of the body of Christ are actually evangelists. And the Bible only mentions it twice. So, most of us aren’t evangelists. But there is a difference between a gift and a role . The gift of an evangelist is a gift from God where you’re anointed to be and do something, but we’re ALL called to fulfill the role of evangelism. So, how do we do it? How do we avoid all the uncomfortable, awkward moments? It’s very simple. You invest your time and you invite . Invest your time in people. Spend time with them. Invite them to have a cookout or get coffee. Invite them to come to church. Invite them to join a small group. Invite them to meet you at the playground with their kids or to bring their kids to VBS at your church. Investing in someone else takes intentionality and effort. We’ve got to invest some time in people’s lives. Sure, cold turkey evangelism works some of the time, but what works ALL of the time is when people find genuine love and concern. Think about it. What might happen if you began to invest in those relationships that you already have and reach the people you already know? What might happen if you started to really pay attention to the people where you live, shop, play, and eat? When was the last time you invited someone to church? When was the last time you sat down with someone that doesn’t go to church and had a coffee and mentioned God? Do you even know anyone who doesn’t go to church? (Are you starting to sweat?) Friend, we HAVE to show people that they matter, and we HAVE to show people that we’re normal. We’re here building families, doing life, and overcoming struggles by the grace of God, and people need to see it. Otherwise, they’re completely entitled to think Christians are weird. Seriously. Most people out there in the world think that we’re nuts. They think we don’t have any answers. There’s usually one quack “Christian” out there at their school, their job, or in their family—somebody that’s crazy, that doesn’t honor God, or love people—and that’s the only example they’ve seen. The world needs to see Jesus. The woman at the well knew this. After she talked to Jesus, she went back to the city and told the men to come and see the man who told her everything she ever did. She told the guys, and they headed to see Jesus. At the same time, the disciples were talking to Jesus. He told the disciples to lift up their eyes and look because the harvest was white right now. It was ready, and He wanted them to stop waiting. Right then, a flood of men with white turbans on their heads was coming out of the city. They were coming to see Jesus. They were the harvest. But they were Samaritans—they didn’t get along with the Jews. The disciples saw them as problems. Who do you see as a problem? See, too often, we’re blind to the harvest. That’s why Jesus said, “ Lift up your eyes. ” Don’t live blind to the harvest, or focused on yourself, or too busy, or just “doing” church. Lift up your eyes. SEE the overlooked, underappreciated, hurting, rejected people around you. And get busy investing and inviting.
By Gary Keesee 12 Dec, 2023
Reading Time 3 mins 51 secs – When was the last time you failed at something? Was it something small or something big? Was it fun? Of course, it wasn’t. Failure is never fun. Here’s the thing: it’s not just a cliché to say you can always learn from failure. It’s true. In fact, having a proper understanding of failure is vital to your success. I’m sure you’re familiar with the Honda Corporation. Honda has a proper understanding of failure. I read that their engineers spend 95% of their time studying their failures—why the lawn mower wouldn’t start the first time or why the gas mileage is higher on their new car model than on the old one. Why? Because they know that their success lies in those failures. You have to look at failures the same way. We’re all going to make mistakes. Most of us come into God’s Kingdom, and we don’t know how to live life, so we fail. And the enemy loves to pervert our failures. He wants us to hesitate in moving forward, so he tries to get us to rehearse our failures over and over again, or he paints a vivid picture of the risks. He tells us that our failures are permanent. And, all too often, we believe him. Then, we stop. We don’t move forward because we’re afraid we’ll fail again. Or the enemy has another tactic—blaming the failure on God . That’s one of his favorites. Why? Because it makes us question God. The enemy used this tactic on Joshua. In Joshua 1, Moses died and God put Joshua in charge. Joshua led the people to Jericho, and the walls came down. Things were working just like God had said… until chapter 7. That’s where failure happened. There was a guy named Achan in chapter 7. Achan had stolen some of the spoils from battle, and Joshua had no clue. Unaware of Achan’s failure to follow God’s instructions, Joshua sent men on to the next battle at Ai only to see his men killed. Everyone has a chapter 7. We’ve all had those moments when we begin to follow Christ, and something happens that doesn’t match the picture, or the promise, in the Bible or what we know God has said. And if we don’t understand how to deal with failure, those moments may make us lose our courage. We might hesitate, or we might set up camp and never try again, or we might just try to run back to Egypt. So, we have to understand failure and how to deal with it. Joshua had to learn. At first, like we all do, Joshua reacted . The enemy’s plan to have him blame God worked. Joshua questioned God. Ever done that before? Ever blamed God or questioned Him? We all have. But God wasn’t having it. He told Joshua to GET UP! See, people say that they wish Jesus would just show up. Trust me, you DON’T want that. Jesus isn’t going to show up and say, “Let’s have a group hug.” When the disciples freaked out that they were going to drown in the storm at sea, Jesus didn’t get up and coddle and comfort them. No, Jesus said, “Where is your faith?” In the same way, He’s probably not going to baby you if you experience failure. He’s going to say, “GET UP! Have you not read MY WORD? I already paid the price!” He will correct you. That’s exactly what God did to Joshua. He told him to get up . Then, He told Joshua exactly what had happened. See, the failure wasn’t just on Achan’s part. It was also on Joshua’s. Joshua hadn’t sought instruction from God before he engaged Ai. If he had, God could have told him about Achan before they went to battle. Instead, Joshua just assumed . You can NEVER assume things in the Kingdom. You can’t do anything based on your past victories. The enemy is already wise to them, and he’s already changed strategies. You don’t have to fail. If you go to God first, failure doesn’t have to happen. But even if you do fail, there are steps you can take to overcome the failure and move forward: 1. Ask God what happened. If the Word says it, it’s God’s will. There are a lot of variables—things like unbelief and wrong expectations—that mess with the heart and can short-circuit faith. If it didn’t happen, you need to ask God why. 2. Pinpoint the short circuit. Know who, what, why, when, where, and how so it doesn’t happen again. 3. Ask God how to fix it. 4. Get the plan from Him on how to restore the loss. 5. GET UP and take action. Sure, you’ll probably feel afraid. Ignore your feelings. God commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous. You will have to be too. You can feel afraid, but don’t act like it. Remember, if you’re not doing the hardest thing in your life, you’re not growing. God has already prepared a way for you to go and succeed in a big way. Be confident and let the Holy Spirit teach you, train you, and reveal unique strategies to you. Keep your vision in front of your face. Write it down! Believe it’s possible; otherwise, you’re destined to stay right where you are. God wants to advance His Kingdom in the earth through you. He’s depending on you to overcome failure and take territory for Him.
By Gary Keesee 08 Nov, 2023
Reading Time 5 mins 22 secs – No, This Isn’t Actually About Fish Imagine this. You’re sitting in an auditorium with hundreds of other people getting ready to listen to a speaker, and someone walks out on the stage and tells the audience that they’ve hidden a treasure underneath one of the seats. Would you jump up and look under your chair? Would you start looking under the chairs around you? Would you crawl around on the floor, under multiple rows? Would you keep looking for the treasure until someone yelled they found it, or until you found it? Here’s the thing: Your treasure is already out there. You just need a Word of Knowledge from God to uncover it. No, I’m not talking about under some chair in an auditorium. I’m talking about something you don’t know before it is revealed to you, so you can move on it and do whatever it takes to capture it. Look at Luke 5. Jesus borrowed a boat from some fishermen. He sat in the boat and taught the people on the shore. Then, He gave the boat back to the fishermen and told them to go out into the deeper water and let down their nets. And they caught so many fish that their nets began to break and their boat began to sink. The fishermen hadn’t caught any fish that day. It wasn’t due to their lack of knowledge or experience. They were professional fishermen and had grown up on the lake fishing, but they had labored all night and caught nothing. I love this story and reference it often—because something significant happened on the lakeshore that day. The fishermen—Peter, James, and John—went from catching nothing during what was probably an exhausting all-day or night fishing trip to filling TWO boats with fish in a matter of minutes. They filled two boats so full of fish that they almost sank! So, how does that apply to you? How are you supposed to know where your “big catch” is? Colossians 1:12-14 say, “giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Do you see that? God rescued us and brought us into the Kingdom of His Son—His Kingdom—His realm of power and authority, and He’s given YOU citizenship, legal rights, and authority in His government. Ephesians 2:19 says, “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household.” As a son or daughter of God with the Holy Spirit living inside of you, you have the ability to tap into the secret wisdom and knowledge of the Kingdom and to find the fish (treasure) you need, too. And “treasure” doesn’t just mean monetary things; treasure is anything you find valuable, like great health, a happy marriage, a stable family, or success. Just like Peter, James, and John, you can find YOUR hidden treasure. As part of the Church, the hidden things—the things God knows that you don’t know—are supposed to be revealed to you. One of my favorite examples of “hidden” things being revealed is in Daniel 2. King Nebuchadnezzar had some disturbing dreams that really upset him, and he couldn’t sleep. When he called in his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers, they expected him to tell them the dream so they could interpret it. But King Nebuchadnezzar threw them all a curveball and told them they needed to tell him what he had dreamed and the interpretation. And, if they didn’t, he would have them “cut into pieces and their houses turned into piles of rubble.” How’s that for an impossible demand? I mean, really. Can you imagine someone saying, “Tell me what I dreamed and what it means or I’ll have you killed”? Clearly, King Nebuchadnezzar wasn’t rational. The guy wasn’t getting any sleep, and he was losing it. When the guys couldn’t do what he demanded, he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon—which included Daniel and his friends. Daniel asked for more time. Then, he went to his friends and told them to pray so they wouldn’t be killed. Daniel wasn’t just in a hard spot. He was facing a death sentence! But Daniel knew there is NOTHING that is hidden from God; he knew NOTHING is too hard for God. Daniel 2:19 tells us that the mystery was revealed to Daniel during the night. In verses 20-23 Daniel praised God, saying, Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. I thank and praise you, O God of my fathers: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king. Daniel went to the king and asked that he not execute anyone. He revealed the dream and interpreted it. And King Nebuchadnezzar honored Daniel and promoted him. Stop here for a second. Because I need you to realize that this isn’t just a great Bible story— this applies to YOUR life. See, Jesus made our access to the Kingdom legal, yet most people read the stories in the Bible much like our ancestors viewed things like electricity and lightning—acknowledging that, yes, the events happened, but never envisioning the POWER of those things for themselves. You may not be facing a death sentence like Daniel was, but you still need powerful answers from God; you need Him to direct your steps. That’s your victory—your secret weapon. Jesus said that the same things that we see Him doing, we have the ability to do as well. The Kingdom of God has already been given to YOU. You just have to understand its laws. Because it’s the Kingdom in you that gives you access to the secret knowledge—the hidden knowledge. I’ll say it again: your treasure is already out there. You just need a Word of Knowledge from God to uncover it. You just need something you didn’t know before to be revealed to you, so you can move on it and do whatever it takes to capture it.
By Gary Keesee 11 Oct, 2023
Reading Time 3 mins 7 secs – Wherever you are in your life, know this: you’re not stuck. You have before you a great opportunity with great rewards. You may not feel capable or strong enough, but with God, change is possible. It will take some work. There is a price involved. It may take some time, but it will be worth it. So how do you get there? How do you move from where you are to where you want to go? Look with me at Judges 6 and the story of Gideon. There, you’ll find five simple steps to improve your life. 1) Recognize where you are. Gideon was an Israelite. The Israelites had done evil in the sight of God, and He had turned them over to the hand of their enemy, the Midianites, for seven years. The Israelites had resorted to living in caves in the mountains. They were in survival mode. They were impoverished and oppressed, then, finally, they cried out to God. Is there a gap between what the Word of God says you should have and what you actually have? Are you living the promises? Or are you missing it? Have you been accepting dysfunction as normal? It’s amazing how many people put up with living in lack and with dysfunction. Stop and figure out where you really are, because if you don’t recognize where you are, you can’t recognize it’s not where God wants you. 2) Ask God for help. The Israelites asked God for help. Cry out to Him. He’s your answer and your source. 3) Listen. God sent a prophet to the Israelites when they cried out to Him. The prophet told the people they hadn’t listened to the Lord. If you’re going to change things, you’re going to have to trust God with your whole heart. You can’t lean to your normal understanding anymore. You need new direction. This is where you’re going to have to let Him teach you and tell you where you need to change things. Gideon was in a winepress threshing and hiding wheat. He had learned a system. He was oppressed and impoverished. He wasn’t where he was supposed to be. He had learned to cope. The people knew the promises of God, but they weren’t living it. So, the angel of the Lord came and spoke to Gideon. Gideon was the smallest in his family, and his family was the smallest in the clan. But the angel of the Lord said he was a mighty warrior and told him to, “ Go in the strength you have .” 4) Go in the strength you have. No matter how impossible it seems, do what God directs you to do. Recognize He’s with you. God told Gideon to tear down his father’s altar to Baal. That was a big deal for Gideon. It was personal and difficult. But notice that God didn’t tell him to take on the whole army. Gideon didn’t need strength to win the battle by Himself; he only needed strength to make the decision to do what God said. 5) Change your allegiance and adjust your priorities. What has no place in your life? What do you need to change? Anything that’s not prospering you or is deceiving you needs to be destroyed. Realign and reestablish your foundation and your heart. Once Gideon tore those things down, he was positioned. Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. See, it’s never God’s intention that you have to do this yourself. He has a plan. You just need to posture yourself so that you can receive the anointing. Get your home right and get your heart right so that when you face the battle, the anointing of God will come upon you and give you the victory.
By Gary Keesee 13 Sep, 2023
Reading Time 3 mins 7 secs – “This is killing me!” “I'm never going to be able to do that.” “I'll never get over it!" Take a few minutes to think about what has come out of your mouth in the last 24 hours. Now, what if I told you that your words hold the same power as God’s? Pause for a second. Did you get that? Your words hold the same power as GOD'S. I'm serious. Look at Romans 10:10. “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” In Luke 15, we read the story of The Prodigal Son. The father runs to him, kisses him, hugs him, has his best robe put on him, and puts a ring on his finger. That ring is significant. It had the father’s seal on it. In those days, kings and leaders stamped their seal onto documents to make it legally binding—to decree something. By giving his son his ring, the father gave the son the same authority he held. This is a picture of God and YOU. This is a picture of the authority God gave YOU. Revelation 1 tells us we are kings and priests. Jesus is the King and you’re His body. You’re supposed to represent God’s government in the earth realm. You’re supposed to be making things right. You’re supposed to be decreeing what God said. Have you been stamping documents with your signet ring that are unrighteous? ( Whoa .) Step back and think about the things you say. Don’t say, “Well, I’ve tried that ‘faith stuff’ but it hasn’t worked.” Don’t say you don’t trust God, or you’re not seeing results. Make sure that you’re not decreeing junk! See, it doesn’t matter if you go to church and sing and say, “In Jesus’ name.” What are you saying at 3:00 a.m. when they’re coming the next day to shut off your electricity? What are you saying about that sickness when it tries to come against you? What are you decreeing and declaring about your marriage, your children, your job, your finances... your life ? Proverbs 18:21 (MSG) says, “Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit— you choose .” Jesus showed us this in Mark 11 when He cursed the fig tree and it died. Your words are just as binding as His. You HAVE to be careful. You will walk in EXACTLY what you decree. God gave YOU the keys. The authority is in YOUR hands. James 3 tells us that we are setting the course of our lives with our words, but most people have no clue how this works. They’re trying to get to one place and end up somewhere else and they wonder why. It’s like setting out for London and ending up in the Philippines! You’re the one steering the ship! If you end up shipwrecked on shores you didn’t intend to go to, it’s because YOU decreed it! The Bible tells us that we have the crown and that we are seated with Christ in heavenly places. But with that authority comes responsibility. The Bible also tells us that we will have to give an account for every careless word we have spoken. Whoa again. Did you get that? You will have to give an account for EVERY. SINGLE. CARELESS. WORD. you have let come out of your face. That’s a sobering thought, but think of the other side of it—think of what you can decree! Don’t fear that authority. Rejoice in it! Speak the good things. Say ‘yes’ and ‘amen’ to every one of God's promises. Decree provision, healing, direction, wisdom, and health. Use your words wisely. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ How can you change your life by changing your words? Get this download now .
By Gary Keesee 09 Aug, 2023
Reading Time 3 mins 18 secs – Grab a sheet of paper and write down these two words somewhere: strategy and timing . They’re both essential to every area of your life. In my opinion, The Mystery of Strategy and Timing is one of the greatest mysteries in the Word of God, and it’s one you have to understand if you expect to capture the valuable opportunities God will show you. We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. —1 Corinthians 2:6-8 (NIV) So, we read here that if Satan had figured out the plan of God, he would have never killed Jesus. Do you see that? The devil would have adjusted his strategy if he had picked up on the plan of God. This is true for you too. Satan will adjust his strategies against you if he can pick up on God’s plans for your life. God’s primary tactic against the enemy is to surprise him with unusual strategies, which God gives a man or woman in the earth to bring His will in any given situation. Read 1 Samuel 17 and you can clearly see that David’s victory against Goliath was accomplished by using an unusual strategy. David had a plan that caught the enemy off guard. Many Christians don’t understand this vital law of spiritual warfare. We also procrastinate. Most of us get an idea from God, and we procrastinate. As a result, we lose valuable time, AND we risk tipping off the enemy. Then, by the time we move on the idea, we run into all kinds of issues and problems because the enemy has had time to line up interference against it. Because it isn’t just the unusual strategy that makes you successful, it’s the timing. Timing is key. David ran to meet Goliath. So, two of your key weapons against the enemy in any area of life are: 1. Use a unique strategy that the Holy Spirit gives you. 2. Act quickly (timing) once the plan is revealed to you. Friend, get the strategy from God and act quickly so you don’t give Satan the chance to figure it out. When I was in severe debt, I was the poster child of what not to do with money . Then, Drenda and I made a commitment to the Kingdom and began to gain knowledge of how it worked. But we didn’t suddenly have more money. I still needed to create or capture money from the earth realm. ME. Not God. Because God doesn’t have any money. He does know where the money is and can give you a plan to capture it. In my case, He gave me a dream one night to start a company that would help people get out of debt. He gave me that plan while I still had plenty of debt of my own to pay off. It didn’t make a whole lot of sense—me helping people get out of debt—but God was using the foolish to confound the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27). When God uses the foolish, it also confounds the enemy, who isn’t anticipating that strategy. The devil never had a clue that I would someday be out of debt and declaring the Good News of the Kingdom in the area of money. Neither did I. But as we followed God and let God show us how to proceed, it worked! To win in life, you need a plan, a unique path to run on, a niche that God will give you to own and occupy as your own. At first, the plan probably won’t make sense. You may have never thought of doing what God shows you to do. That’s the point: The devil has never thought of it either. ________________________________________________________________________ The Mystery of Strategy and Timing is just one of the money mysteries you need to know and understand. I’ve shared everything I’ve learned about the mysteries of the Kingdom of God in my book Money Mysteries from the Master: Time Honored Financial Truths from Jesus Himself .
By Gary Keesee 12 Jul, 2023
A picture is worth a thousand words. So every so often I share this powerful image: PHOTOGRAPH BY EARTH SCIENCE & REMOTE SENSING UNITY, NASA JOHNSON SPACE CENTER This is a night image of the Korean Peninsula taken several years ago. Look closely. What do you see? North Korea is almost completely dark compared to neighboring South Korea. In North Korea, where there is an ongoing shortage of electricity, the streets become too dark for people to walk at night. Lights aren’t on in homes, let alone televisions. But South Korea has light. They have prosperity. You can plainly see how drastic the difference is between the two. Why? Government. Government will affect your life greater than anything else in the earth realm. Government decides how you live and the benefits and opportunities you have. Government ensures your freedom, or takes it from you. But too many Christians don't talk about government. And that's just what the enemy wants—because if we won't even talk about government, we definitely won't get involved enough to change anything. And his plan has been working. Think about it — how many times have you held back on sharing your opinion in just the last few months? How many times have you bit your tongue at a family gathering, with a group of friends, or on social media? That’s exactly what the enemy wants. He wants us to be too worried about upsetting an opinionated coworker, or an opposite-leaning family member, or all of the people that “like” us or follow us on social media, to speak up. The fear of persecution has silenced The Church for long enough. We’re politically correct or culturally correct. We’re afraid to speak up. We don’t want to talk about or give our opinions about politics, or religion, or who uses what bathroom, or say the name of Jesus, because we don’t want to cause trouble, or bring trouble on ourselves. So, we’ve been putting up with everything. We’ve been clapping our hands in worship, while Satan has been working behind the scenes to change our laws and enforce his legality and authority in the land. We’ve become complacent. We’re being lulled to sleep by the low standards of the world. They’ve told us not to judge them and we’ve listened. And all the while, those that don’t want righteousness are continuing to take our freedoms. And they will continue to take our freedoms until we have none. If there were an army from another nation attacking one of our cities right now, we would all be mobilizing ourselves, preparing to fight a battle. But what many don’t realize is that an army IS attacking our country right now—not a physical army, but one that is steadily and deceptively using our technology, and carefully placed people, to strip us of our freedoms little by little every day. Oh, and the enemy has done a great job of keeping you silent. He wants you to be easy to get along with. He loves that you’re afraid to rock the boat—afraid of confrontations, and afraid of being persecuted. But Matthew 5:10 says, “God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” Whether you like it or not—whether you want to be or not—you are already in a battle. This conflict is no different than other conflicts that have faced our nation. It’s not too late to fight. This isn’t about political parties or ideals. This is about right and wrong. This is about the standards set for us by the Word of God. This is about valuing freedom, and the price that is paid for it, because true freedom is never free. There is no freedom without responsibility. We must stand against everything that is against Christ. We must rise up for the souls of men and declare righteousness and be willing to engage conflict—even physical. We’re here right now for such a time as this. Souls are at stake. Your freedoms are at stake. America is at stake. So stop trying to be comfortable. Don’t say, “Whatever happens happens.” No. Know the facts, and SPEAK UP! Take a stand. Vote. Don’t be afraid of being politically incorrect. Stop shying away from conflict so you can be liked. Embrace and honor the Word of God. Teach your children to stand for truth, righteousness, and honor. Be willing to intercede and fight the good fight. Be bold and courageous. Don't let the threat of persecution silence you. Jesus defended freedom and truth with His LIFE. Will you?
By Gary Keesee 14 Jun, 2023
Reading Time 4 mins – I couldn't even afford to buy a postage stamp. Then, everything changed. We finally had rest. We could think about our future and not just about paying the bills. We could dream again of good things instead of worrying how we would survive one more week. Do you know my story? Many years ago, well before we were in ministry, we lived hand-to-mouth. We lived in downright poverty. We were believers, and we had a great family life. We enjoyed our marriage and our family, but we were struggling. Really struggling. We went to a church that taught us how God loves us and that He has great things planned for our lives, but we weren’t living it. We weren’t experiencing God’s promises in our lives. We were barely surviving. Pawnshops were a way of life. We didn’t own anything new. Everything we had was used, very used. The carpet on my kids’ bedroom floors had been retrieved from a trash bin. Their mattresses came from a nursing home. We had two cars that each had more than 200,000 miles on each of them and had definitely seen better days. The floorboards in both of them were rusting out; they were beat up and the frames were bent. The little, 1800s farmhouse our family of seven lived in had also seen better days. We had weeds growing through any cracks that could be found in the window frames. For years, our finances had been on a slippery downhill slope. Working on straight commissions in the insurance industry had left us with too much month at the end of our money time and time again. And while I always intended to pay off our debts, or whatever we may have borrowed each month, we only ended up further behind. For nine very long years, we were in financial chaos. Not only did we owe on our broken-down farmhouse and two rusted-out, bent up, high mileage cars, we also had ten maxed out credit cards, three finance company loans at interest rates of 28%, more than $13,000 owed in back taxes, more than $26,000 owed to relatives, and judgments and liens filed against us. Intense financial pressure anyone? I remember one specific time I had to mail an envelope. Not a $10 envelope. A regular envelope. A letter. But I couldn’t even afford the stamp. We had borrowed money from anybody and everybody we could. We had exhausted all of our options. In fact, we owed money to nearly anyone you could imagine—hospitals, dry cleaners— everyone. I had to call my dad to ask if he had change I could have to buy a stamp. Let that sink in: I couldn’t even afford to buy a stamp. “Do I have breathe for you, too?” my dad asked me. Ouch. My dad was funding everything, and he wasn’t a believer at the time. Drenda and I were the believers. But for nine years we lived like that. I was sick during those days, too. I was miserable. I lived in stress. I was anxious and fearful. The doctors put me on medication to deal with the panic attacks I was having, but that only seemed to make things worse. Fear consumed my life. I even got to the point of not wanting to leave my house. You can imagine how much that was helping my sales business. Everyday life became a game of survival, and I was constantly looking over my shoulder, waiting for the next thing to go wrong or blow up. I had no joy, no peace, and no rest. I reached the end of my rope when an attorney called our house one morning and warned me that his firm was going to file a lawsuit against me if I didn’t give them $1,900 within three days. I was desperate. I had exhausted all of my options. I knew it was over; I had nowhere to turn. I clearly remember collapsing on my bed, desperately crying out to God. To be honest, I was shocked that God spoke to me immediately. He told me that I had trusted in debt to meet my needs and that I had never taken the time to learn how His Kingdom operated. He then went on and told me that most of His body, the Church, was in debt and that He wanted them free financially. He said, “Take the time to learn how my Kingdom operates.” My life completely changed after that. Drenda and I began to learn how the Kingdom operated, and what we learned was amazing. When we discovered and began to apply Kingdom principles, it was like a light switch came on. We truly began experiencing the promises of God in our lives. In less than three years from that day, we were completely out of debt. We started new businesses during that time that kept growing. We paid cash for our cars, cash for our 55 acres of land, and built and paid for our new home. We were extremely excited, and still are! In fact, we’ve been on a mission ever since to help others experience the Kingdom of God. Of course, all of those things were really exciting, but the best thing about our journey was that we finally had rest. We could think about our future and not just about paying the bills. We could dream again of good things instead of worrying how we would survive one more week. Friend, that is real rest, and that’s what I want for you this year. You may find it hard to believe right now, but I assure you that what Drenda and I discovered is just as much available to you as it was to us. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The power of rest is a law of God’s Kingdom that frees you to stop chasing after money. It’s one of the most life-changing principles God has ever taught me and I share it in my book Your Financial Revolution: The Power of Rest . I really believe the Holy Spirit has given me a message that is going to change the way you work forever! Get your copy of Your Financial Revolution: The Power of Rest today!
By Gary Keesee 10 May, 2023
Reading Time 2 mins 30 secs – What have you been battling this week? Anger? Grief? Fear? Anxiety? Insecurity? Depression? Sin? Or have you been battling bad habits like complaining, or gossiping, or watching too much TV, or eating too much sugar? We all have something, or some things, we’re battling or trying to overcome. Especially right now when there are so many things going on in our world, so many external battles. But here’s the thing: You HAVE to win the internal battles before you can win the external battles. You have to win the battles within FIRST. When God called Moses to become a great leader in Exodus 3, we see that Moses had an internal battle. But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” —Exodus 3:11 (NIV) Who am I, God? I can’t do something like that! You can bet Moses was afraid. It’s clear he was insecure. He doubted his ability, and he doubted that anyone would listen to him. And those battles didn’t just go away because God spoke. Moses still battled himself even after God said HE would be with him and gave Moses instructions on how to move forward. Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?” —Exodus 4:1 (NIV) Look at what happened next: Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied. The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.” Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. —Exodus 4:2-3 (NIV) Did you catch that? Moses RAN. He RAN AWAY! And he didn’t just run away from the snake. He ran away from what God was calling him to do! But then God told Moses to reach out his hand and take the snake by the tail. And Scripture doesn’t tell us, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a pretty long pause after God told Moses to do that. Moses might even have told God, “No way, God. I don’t want to. I’m not touching that thing.” It may have taken a few minutes, but Moses ended up stepping into the position God had called him to. He grabbed hold of the snake and subdued it. He brought it under the authority of the Kingdom of God. Listen, I know what it’s like to face things that seem so much bigger than you. And I know what it’s like to want to run away. But, friend, you need to know that God leads you to the battles for your promotion, not to harm you. So, know from this point on that you WILL have days when you will have to fight your emotions and your flesh—when you will have to battle yourself. That’s when you’ll have to remind yourself WHO you are and WHOSE who are, no matter how the situation looks.
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