Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Call 2 Fall



On this upcoming Sunday, June 28th, an estimated 2 million believers will observe the 7th annual Call2Fall. This time of united prayer is based upon 2 Chronicles 7:14 and other important calls to pray from America's history.

We are joining with Believers in thousands of churches in all 50 states, who will spend at least 5 minutes on our knees in prayer for our nation.

As we prepare for this special time of prayer, we will take you back into our email/ blog archive and share a message from 2012 that is a powerful confirmation of this weekend's call to prayer:


The Signs of the Times

Last week we saw a disturbing news posting. It stated that the President of the United States of America refused to meet with the Prime Minister of Israel. 

We’re not sure if you understand the significance of this and we don’t have the time or space to get into all of that in this email/blog, but please know that it would signal the final blow for America if America turns its back on Israel. 

It is profoundly true that an enemy of Israel would become an enemy of God. No amount of singing, "God Bless America" would change the outcome. Judgment would be swift and decisive.

Can you see the signs of the time? More than ever, there is no peace in our sleep. Every night we're awakened to pray. 

In just the last few months, we have seen a massive drought sweep across America's farmlands. New volcanic eruptions and earthquakes are breaking out across the globe. A river in China turned blood red. Two tornadoes hit New York City on the same day. Another hurricane hit New Orleans on the exact same date as Hurricane Katrina. Nature itself is announcing judgment on the world.

Meanwhile, our nation continues to push for abortion on demand, gay marriage, and now a new movement has risen to the surface and that is the push for open marriage (multiple partners within a union). Waiting in the wings are those who want the right to express their sexual orientation to legally engage in physical relations with children. There is even a push to legalize incest. 

Also, there are staggering numbers of young girls who are trapped as slaves in human trafficking, right here in America. 

At the same time, we continue to see random shootings and bizarre acts of violence. Homes and schools are now included as some of the most dangerous places for children.

Then the most alarming reality is that we came across a chilling report from over three years ago. The Department of Homeland Security released a report to all local law enforcement agencies, stating that conservative groups (people who oppose abortion or gay marriage) are now considered to be domestic terrorists. The hatred against Christian Believers is at an all-time high in America. 

We could go on and on, but we’re not trying to depress you or scare you. However, we are trying to stir you into action. And that action is to join us in PRAYER.  

2 Chronicles 7: 13-15 reads, “When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, 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. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place.”

The Lord has put it on our hearts to meet every Sunday for nothing else except worship and prayer. We’re cancelling all of our plans and schedules. We’re just going to meet for prayer every Sunday until further notice. Just like we did three years ago, we’re going to start leading prayer sessions with you guys and with all who will join with us across the nation.

This prayer is not about politics. We’re not praying about Obama or the White House. We’re not praying against liberals, conservatives, Republicans or Democrats. Our prayer is far more desperate than that. We’re responding to God as a church family. We’re seeking God’s face and turning from our own wicked ways.

We just feel that we’re at a place where your personal issues and our national problems are beyond Chris and Carol Green’s sermons. Your personal situation is beyond private consultation and counseling sessions with us, as your pastors. Many circumstances are beyond motivational speeches and fund raisers. We can see the signs of our times. It’s time to PRAY!

We are bold and honest enough to tell you that whatever you’re going through, your pastors cannot help you in the way you really need it. 

However, we can certainly lead you to the throne of Grace. We don’t intend to sound cruel or insensitive, but the prayer sessions are going to be far more effective than a private, personal conversation with us. 

Now is the time for each one of us to seek God, like never before. The times are so desperate now, that your pastors, alone, cannot help you get through it. But we know the ONE who can!
  
So that’s why your pastors are calling upon all of us to humble ourselves, forgive one another; release people and seek God. 

Let’s go for it! 

LET'S COME TOGETHER AND PRAY!

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Daddy, Where are You?



This week's word of encouragement is a replay of an email/blog that we originally released in the summer of 2008. Seven years later, we find this word to be incredibly appropriate for us today:

"Carol and I have found ourselves unable to sleep the past few days and we know that it’s connected to spiritual warfare against the people of God in this hour. We feel that true shepherds, all over the country, are engaging in this same kind of intercession for the sheep. Our prayer is not for God to answer all your petitions and requests, but it is for God to answer the true cry of your heart. Deep in the heart of God’s people, there is a cry for God Himself.

As I’m writing, prophetically I see children who are lost in a toy store. Have you ever been in a store when a child suddenly realized that their mom or dad is not standing next to them any longer? They ignored the gentle command, “It’s time to stop now. Let’s go.” They were caught up in the moment because they were surrounded by so many toys. They’ve been playing with the stuff for a while, so they didn’t notice that daddy is not in the same aisle. The child’s first call is a casual, “Daddy?” They don’t hear a response so they ask again, “Daddy?” 

That’s when they drop the toys and start looking around. They see strangers all around them and the panic sets in. Where is my daddy? The world is huge and nothing is familiar. The toys are forgotten as the temporary distraction disappears. The all-consuming thought is, ‘Where is my daddy?’

That’s when the cry comes up out of the child’s heart and they don’t care who sees or hears them. The only thing that matters is finding daddy. So they scream with all of their might and at the top of their lungs, “DADDY, WHERE ARE YOU?” They search aisle after aisle and they don’t see the video games, the bicycles, or the coloring books. Even though all of these things are still at their finger tips, they begin to run past all that stuff and cry, “DADDY!”

There is a cry in the heart of God’s people in this hour. No, God has not abandoned us, but He’s had to allow us to experience what it’s like to find ourselves caught up with our toys. I realize more than ever, that I’d rather have my Daddy, than having all of the stuff He can give me. The toys, games and gifts are okay, but nothing replaces Him.

It's difficult to express how important it is to fight against the distractions that are increasing all around us. I once heard a preacher say that the biggest hindrance to a believer can sometimes be the last victory or the last success they just had. They get settled with that moment and don’t want to keep moving with God. 

I was just thinking, this week, that there is always a strong wave that comes against God’s people after they cross over into the land of promise or receive an answer to prayer.

The distractions, after a major victory, can range from our little toys and fleeting pleasure, to nagging thoughts of regret because of those things that could have been. There can also be fear of things that are yet to come. 

Through the years, one of the things that always intrigued me was the wave of depressing thoughts that I would have to fight against, immediately after God had given me a victory. Has anyone experienced what I’m talking about? There seemed to be a let down after the initial rejoicing. Sometimes I was thankful for the triumph, but I was also disappointed that the results were not all that I had expected. The present wasn’t exactly what I had pictured. So even though I was grateful for the outcome, I wasn’t exactly thrilled about it either.

In many ways, it came down to trusting God. I wasn’t trusting God that these results were according to His plan and His timing in my life. I feel like we (the Church) are up against some kind of mental and emotional stronghold. Carol and I cannot stress enough, how important it is to abandon the ungodly image that is set up in your mind about the future. God will not have another god before Him. When we hold on to our expectations and imaginations, even after God clearly displays His power and will, we are guilty of nothing short of idolatry.

This letdown or disappointment could possibly mean that idolatry is so strong in our lives that even when God does what He said He would do, we are not really glad about it.  O’ God! Deliver us, Your people, from this secret and hidden bondage!

We call it a secret, hidden bondage because we are able to lift our hands outwardly, but inwardly we’re angry with God. We’re able to smile outwardly, but inwardly we’re disappointed.

We know we’re writing to many different people, in many different stages of life. From teenagers to senior citizens, many of us have so many regrets and unsettled issues in our memories that it makes it difficult to believe God in our present circumstance. That’s because we can recall the prayers we have lifted before the Lord and the requests for Him to change our situations. 

Yet, everything seems to remain the same or it’s not changing the way we envisioned. However, Carol and I boldly declare to you that the ultimate prayer of sincerity and trust is not a request for God to do something for us, but it is the prayer for God to do something within us."

We are Overcomers, Under orders, 

Chris and Carol Green

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Pray, Prepare, Proclaim



We started our summer campaign with last Sunday's prayer room gathering in the United Church Center. It was powerfully prophetic topic and the discussion that followed was very encouraging for all.

We're still in the posture of prayer and preparation, even as we proclaim the word of the Lord over our families and households. God is moving all over the world and it still blows us away that He has us in step with His drumbeat (or we should say, heartbeat) that is being heard and felt by His people.

A few days ago, we did a check on our website analytic and saw that somehow, we are still being accessed from all over the United States and the world. So far in 2015 we can report:

United States:           2,485 page views and 6,481 hits 
Russian Federation:      364 page views and 703 hits
Ukraine:                              34 page views and 38 hits
Vietnam:                              20 page views and 34 hits
China:                                   19 page views and 105 hits
Saudi Arabia:                     17 page views and 51 hits
Germany:                            16 page views and 22 hits
Great Britain:                      15 page views and 133 hits
Philippines:                            8 page views and 165 hits
India:                                       6 page views and 143 hits

Other nations on the list include: Spain, France, Finland, Trinidad and Tobago, Austria, Canada, South Africa, Israel, Australia, Ghana, Italy, Sri Lanka, Turkey and Denmark.

We don't know how this is happening, but it is amazing.

We have a private suspicion that some of these connections just might be house churches, especially since some of these nations do not allow the public practice of Christianity. If so, we might actually be able to claim that we already have an international house church network. We probably won't know until we all stand before the Lord and He shows us how our obedience to Him, in one part of the world, was having an affect on another part of the world.

We are excited and yet, very sober as we continue to make intentional steps this summer to prepare each of you to successfully lead a home church gathering with your families and friends.

By the way, we received an invitation for Pastor Chris to speak on the subject of FAMILY, during Healing Tree International's  weekly Prayer Watch. If you can, please join us on Thursday evening, June 18th at 7:00PM at the Londonderry Inn, in Campbelltown, Pennsylvania.

We have a prophetic command to pray, prepare and proclaim; and that's what we are doing. We only ask that you continue to follow us, as we follow Christ. No matter what the future holds, we want you to be able to move forward in the purpose of God. 

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Brotherly Love



We start our summer campaign with THIS Sunday's prayer room gathering in the United Church Center. 

The reason we're so excited about this summer is because the Lord has shifted us into a place where we must trust Him for every single step that we take and every move that we make.
My job came to an end in March and Carol's job just ended in May. Now we face an unknown future, but we face it with the God of the universe speaking to us daily.

In the midst of all of this, the Lord continues to unite us with the right people at the right time. Just last week I had lunch with a very dear friend and brother, whom God has used greatly in our lives. He and his wife have been what Barnabas was for the apostle Paul. Barnabas was the one that brought Paul into the confidence of the early church elders. This couple brought us into the confidence of many elders in this region. We've been in fellowship, friendship and covenant relationship with them for ten years, now.

For both of us, this lunch was a time to reconnect and get brought up to speed. In the midst of our conversation he asked some very sensitive questions, of which he felt that I was the only person he could direct them to and get honest answers, without being offended. He's White. I'm Black. We are worlds apart in life's experiences and therefore, our views can be vastly different.

He asked if it was true that the police stop and pull over African Americans for no reason.

I responded, "O' YES! I've been stopped by the cops just about all of my life. It's just a normal part of life where I grew up."

I gave him that response even as I recalled being stopped as early as 8 years old for merely walking down the street. All through my teenage years, young adult years, and right up until we moved to Harrisburg, being stopped by the police was just a normal part of life in St. Louis, Missouri.

I watched my dear friend's eyes become filled with tears as he observed the casual, matter-of-fact manner in which I answered him. In that moment, I knew why God had brought our lives together. My friend and brother was genuinely touched by the experiences of my life. He did not minimize my experience. He did not rationalize it away. He did not dismiss it with over-spiritualization. He did not try to offer any answers, reasons, or excuses. He simply absorbed my life's experience into himself and he was visibly moved by it.

He asked a couple of more questions, based upon my first answer, but those were matters
of statistics and trends that neither of us could explain or substantiate. The key moment had already come upon us, though. I felt it was another one of those historical moments that happens in an obscure setting, but has powerful implications in the spirit realm.

Across this state, many are praying for brotherly love to sweep across Pennsylvania.
Well, this conversation was a manifestation of how that prayer is being answered.

Last week, we wrote to you guys about being unified in purpose and how coming together had to be much more than corporate gatherings that yield no fruit or change in our hearts and homes. Little did I know that the vey next day, after sending that email to you, that I'd be sitting in a restaurant, experiencing another divine connection that would make a tangible impact.

I will forever be deeply touched by the look in my brother's eyes as I answered his sincere questions. What happened between us, in that moment, was the level of brotherly love,
I know, that God will bring all across this region and state.

So, I encourage you today, to not only look to the huge corporate gatherings to experience these kind of moments, but look for God to invade your conversation with a co-worker or friend. God is going to set up one-on-one meetings like this, to break down barriers and flood our hearts, homes and communities with this kind of love and understanding.

Let His love flow through you this week. You never know who needs to drink from the overflow of your life.


It's all for the harvest,

Chris and Carol Green