SHAWNEE FOREST, NOVEMBER 2, 1988, PROPHESIED TO KENNETH V. REEVES
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. Many are
the problems that face the man of God. But the Lord takes this opportunity to teach man new things that he
does not know, to illuminate his mind and heart as to God and as to the world.

So the things that come are not designed to destroy the man of God nor the people of God, but to give an occasion where lessons can be taught, faith can be built, successes may be had, victories gained and glory given to God, who alone is able to deliver from all the variety of matters that man faces which are new to him, but which are not new to God.

So when you fall into divers temptations, think it not an evil, as far as God’s purpose is concerned. And consider this an opportunity for God to show His power to show forth His wisdom, His knowledge, His ability, to show His love and care, to show His interest in man, who otherwise would not be conscious of this, and realize this. But He points out to man his need of God and God’s interest in man, in every detail of life, and not just what man is interested in.

So remember, these things are occasions where you can mount up above them. Take control over them and force them to obey your voice as you speak to them in the name of the Lord. To give forth the praise of God, for God’s great power and presence; and for the plan that God has laid out for man, that cannot fail, just as God cannot fail. So when you fall into these afflictions that come, and the trials and problems that come, and the variety of problems that have to (be) solved and the questions that have to be answered, remember God is a source of all wisdom and knowledge and of all power. And there is certainly nothing too hard for God. And there is nothing too hard for you in the name of God, to go through, to surmount, and to climb above it, and be a victor over all of these obstacles and oppositions of men and of demons.

Open your heart and your mind to God. Let Him give you the victory. And let Him get the glory for the victory, always praising Him for it.

For everyone wants to have their piece to say. They want to show forth that they really know where they belong and what ought to be done, and how everything should be conducted. Men are always trying to say what they say. And they want to have their piece said. And so they all have a voice in the things that they claim is for God, and they all talk in a variety of ways and then they finally come to a conclusion.

But where is the voice of God?

Where is the Word of God in the counsel of men?

Why do they suppose that His Word is not a part of their counsel of what they organize and what they set up and set forth?

Why do they think that God must have their wisdom to conduct His work?

Where is the voice of God in The “Babel” of voices that are heard, everyone proclaiming that they are doing it for God?

But where does God come in?

It is as if they are all working things out for God, and that God is pleased with their efforts to work things out for Him, without them ever hearing the voice of God, whether He is pleased or not pleased, or whether there is another way. And from time to time they hit upon a solution. (And) then they give God praise for this solution, which is usually partial; when if they would open their hearts and minds to God, and to the Word of God, and to the will and ways and purpose of God, and would wait upon the Lord, they would find answers that really lasted, that solved problems on a permanent type of basis, and not on temporary basis.

But as soon as they get a small answer, they leap and make what progress they can with that until they run out of it into another one. And then they ponder. And then they fret. And then they talk. And then they listen. Then they parlay. Then they negotiate. Then they compromise. And they finally find an answer that is at least partly in the favors of all. But none of it is fully satisfying.

Where is the voice of God in the counsel of men?

Where is the Holy Scripture in the counsel of men?

No, they think they have taken the kingdom over. And they think they are supposed to rule it. And they are to rule under God. But who among them will speak the Word from God that God would have them to hear and to obey?

Where is the voice of God in the counsels of men?

They have in many cases practically nullified the voice of God as they work out their own plans all of which they say is in the name of God, and for the glory of God.

Why haven’t they asked counsel from God’s mouth and waited until He gave them counsel?

Why do they have to rush into things just in order to keep from falling behind?

This is where the voice of men of God of high ranking in the kingdom should speak from the highest down to the least major events and matters to lesser matters until all is covered by the voice of God speaking; all of this to be harmonized with the Holy Scripture, for God does not contradict Himself.

So where do they come off saying that God saith this and God saith that, when they may have read it from a book, or heard it from somebody on the side? And then ran with it, with only these partial answers. By and by they finally arrive at an answer that is better, when they could have known that answer long before. Now they must awaken and there must be someone to awaken them from this kind of sleep. For this is a sleep, this is not being wide awake and alert to the voice of God. This is a sleep, and can be the sleep of death.

Arise, my son and be sure to take advantage of every opportunity to speak. Speak out boldly for God. Speak out in the limits and to the extent of your calling. Speak out to alert and to alarm them. That the voice of God must be heard in the counsels of men. And some must be recognized as speaking from God, and not be reduced down in status below those, who seem to be something, and who before God are nothing apart from God.

So, there must be an intrusion into those, who have monopolized God’s people, and are afraid that someone will rise, who will be greater than they are; and they will have to take up second seats, or fall below. But God raises up one man and setteth down another. He allows them to function in a variety of ways; and He permits them to function in a variety of ways, often times at a low level, and trains them in the details of what it below; then bringing them up to a high place. There are others He teaches more rapidly, and he teaches them more personally and more directly, and moves them into other channels because of His works sake, His Name’s sake.

The way God trains each person is up to God to decide. And the way that God uses people is up to God to decide. For He places each member in his office, and how He uses him and trains him and blesses him and how He determines his entire functions are a matter that God decides for that person, as He understands all the other persons He has called into His service; and who are to function in their office. So there will be a unifying of the body of Christ and not a division. Now this you are to remember. Hold in mind because you are to speak to multitudes.

You are to show no favoritism to anyone on this, because you speak not for the organization. You speak not for the ministers, but you speak for God. And let the others judge; and they can determine. And if they know God, they’ll know the voice of God. If they do not know God, or do not know Him very well, they will fail to detect it, or may easily do so.

So now, gird up the loins of mind and be sober. Let your mind think straight. Let your heart not quiver, nor waver. Let your purpose be forward, because the work is demanding it, and calling for it. And God will supply all your needs of all that you must have. And ye will lack nothing as you step forth into the battle and into the war. The war against all the powers that have sought to diminish the church of God, and variety of tricks and a variety of reasons, and the variety of maneuvers and substitutions.

But now all the way from the first of all commandments, al the way through to the least of the
commandments from all the promises, all the details of His Word – you are to be a spokesman. And your word will be heard by the people of God. This will be around the world. And your message will get out and go, and will prosper because God wants it to prosper. And no one can keep God from prospering His own purpose, will and ways in the earth.

You are not to be restrained by all these limitations that men hae hobbled the owrk of God with. They have done this because they wanted to control. It is not because they are so in favor of God. It’s because that since they are in their place, they want to control without being interfered with, nor losing their positions. They are very urgent about their own promotions, not God’s. So what people say is for the work of God is not always that way at all. It’s for themselves…it is for the kingdom they are trying to establish, even though they claim it is unto God…et it is for themselves. Because people warn or discourage or divert attention away from the very Word of God itself by other matters does not mean that their spirit is above God; but they are very, very concerned about themselves. This is what they are in there for… their own promotion.

You are not to do this. You are not to look for your own promotion. This is what has destroyed so many before you, is that they have looked for reward, and for promotion, and position, for authority, for recognition. You are not to do that. If you have the favor of God, and His only, you have done very well. But God will give you favor with men of God and women of God, people of God. So it is not a matter of finding a position or defending your positions that you take. It is a matter of being a voice of God…for the whole world has become more and more of a wilderness. Somebody must speak out. There are people who are speaking out; God sent, and you are among them.

Go forth, therefore, when the opportunities are open, and speak for God. For there will be those who will hear your voice, as you speak for God. So do not be dismayed because there is not instant recognition and support because this would be a very strange thing to happen in the earth because God’s men have never been admired, and held, and loved by everybody. And even many of the people of God have not loved them because it hurt their feelings. But you are not out to hurt feelings. You are out to reveal to people what God thinks. Show God’s will, and God’s ways and God’s purpose. And God will support that. And those who believe will be blessed. Those who will not believe will not be blessed.

You see, the course is very clear. Your options are God’s will, ways, and purpose. You do not have an option to do otherwise. So, you need not wonder what to do. Go forth and do it. And the Spirit of God will guide and lead you and direct you and inspire you and illuminate you; and also do things that are unknown to you at that time, but sometimes will be known. So you don’t have to worry about what God will do. For God knows what He will do. But He leaves it for Himself to decide and when He will reveal it, that He may hold the whole work in His own hands because IT IS HIS.

It is not going to be all the same as it has in the past. For God has many changes to make in the affairs of men, large changes, vast changes. The life that is lived and the life to be lived – the events that will occur. So you are to look for a vast change in men’s activities, relationships, responsibilities, authority because there will be a breaking up of coalitions that have been formed. And there will be a new order established in the earth. There will be new things things that have not been in the forefront will come to the forefront. For this is also in the plan of God. Many things to occur. And you will be in those big changes, and have a part to play in those events. Be ready for them. Prepare your heart and life for them. Be alert to them.

Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.

It will be! Do not wonder if it will be. It will be!

And many things you have prayed about – there will be an opening and you will see it. And you will realize that God not only plans these things, but He permits it. And he will perform them.. Care not about the things that seem to be contrary-wise, because they will not forever prevail…for God rules in the kingdom of men. And man has no choice when it comes to what God has decreed. And he cannot choose, for God has chosen for Himself.

NO ONE CAN PLAN, OR OUTSMART, OR OUTWIT, GOD. THERE IS NO WAY.

Some years ago, my father, Harry Scism, having heard of problems in our Kolkata church, went unannounced to see what was going on.  When he got to the business where our pastor worked, he found it was an Urdu newspaper (as the pastor had said) but also a Muslim newspaper.  He asked where the man was, and the editors said he was sick that day, and at home, then asked what my father had to do with him.  Harry Scism said, ‘He’s our pastor.’  They were very upset because they understood him to be a Muslim.  Dad said, ‘Are we talking about the same person?  He has a son about that tall, named Abraham’.  ‘Yes, but his name is Ibrahim.’

So my dad went to the man’s house.  The apartment was in a block that overlooked a small grassy area and, as my father approached, he saw a man standing in that grassy area who looked, from the back of his head, as if he might be the same man, but the man was smoking.  Dad walked up to and then around him, saw his face, confirmed that he was the same man, said he’d been to the office and that neither himself nor the editors appreciated the double life this man had been living, that he was therefore no longer a minister with our organization.

So there are times when you need to approach undercover, incognito.

Alexandra Alter in ‘Mystery Worshipper’ in Wall Street Journal, reports on churches using undercover inspectors to check on their own churches, to get an outside view.

For instance, Mr. Harrison, former pastor, now inspector who often says, ‘I was horrified’ of dust bunnies and rude church members, pretendes he’s a first-time churchgoer, sneaks around the bathroom, critiques the sermon, points out imperfections.

Here’s a checklist of things Harrison commented on.  Gives you an idea for creating your own:

CATEGORY: Sidewalks
COMMENT: “The brick-paved island in front of Arena needs attention. Some weeds are growing through the cracks.”
GRADE: Yellow Light

CATEGORY: Tissue
COMMENT: “Tissue boxes are placed at the end of each row. All looked tidy.”
GRADE: Green Light

CATEGORY: Parking-lot greeters
COMMENT: “From the parking lot into the church, I was not greeted by anyone. Upon leaving church and returning to my car, I was greeted by very friendly man who wished me ‘a good day.’ ”
GRADE: Yellow Light

CATEGORY: Greeters in the sanctuary
COMMENT: “I was not greeted upon entering the seating area in either service. In the second service, I even moved to a second area of the auditorium about 10 minutes into the service — but still no greeting.”
GRADE: Red Light

CATEGORY: Sermon
COMMENT: “The message is appropriate and meaningful. It is challenging and inspiring.”
GRADE: Green Light

[That 'green light] probably helped on his fee and the desire of the pastor to have him return.  To be fair, the very fact that the pastor hired him at all probably indicates the pastor really cares, and a higher chance that he would consider the congregation when he speaks.]

I’d love to be paid to come in, sit back, take notes, and fuss at everything about a church.  For some of us, this sort of thing comes naturally.  I’ve got the gift!

Here’s some more on Thomas Harrison’s list:  faded stripes in the parking lot, cobwebs, ceiling panels that leak, weeds growing in the parking lot, loose lighting fixtures, fuse box missing a lid.

If people see him snooping, he has his lie:  Says he’s the pastor’s friend, is tourist to get ideas before redoing his own church.

He’ll call to test voicemail, scroll through the church’s website, ask a clerk at a nearby shop if he knows anything about the church.  He has a ’round, dimpled face, a salt-and-pepper mustache and a talent for blending into crowds’–find that man!  He scribbles notes on a tiny pad in his palm.

How are the hospitality, cleanliness, and worship experience at your church?  Do you use ushers?  Do members ask visitors their name, church background, spiritual condition?  Do they invite them to return? Sure, consultants notice these things.  So do new members.  Get feedback from the new visitors, or, if they don’t get back to you, then from the members who invited them.

Do people reach right over the guest to shake a friend’s hand, without excusing or introducing themselves?  Do congregants complain about the pastor?

He was associate pastor at three churches in Oklahoma, had been a secret shopper for a pizza restaurant, read a book called ‘The Five Star Church’, thought churches could benefit from similar scrutiny, contacted the author and suggested a service based on the book.  The author liked it and offered to be the guinea pig.  The results shocked him. ‘We came in at 3.5.’

I wonder if Harrison could withstand this scrutiny himself if someone checked his house, his car, his life.  If not, doesn’t this nitpicking involve some hypocrisy?

Another pastor, in a booming area, but not attracting new members, asked his opinion, and he suggested changing the church’s name and its 25-year-old wooden sign with Old English-style lettering.  He recommended changing the worship music–have a traditional early morning service with well-known hymns for an older crowd, and a later service contemporary with a lively band.  Same idea I’ve given people.

Some fuddy-duddies who don’ t have to grow a congregation might complain that considering the people is a new-fangled motion, but the shepherd was always supposed to look after the sheep.  One pastor (with 2000 people) said, ‘My competition is Cracker Barrel restaurant down the street.  If they go in there and are treated more like family….then it’s lights out for me.”

Yes, we want the visitor’s view.  But we can get that from regular visitors by contacting them at the contact information on the visitor information cards, or from the friends, our church members, who invited them.

PSALMS

YOU WILL SHOW ME THE PATH OF LIFE;
IN YOUR PRESENCE IS FULLNESS OF JOY;
AT YOUR RIGHT HAND ARE PLEASURES
FOREVERMORE.
PSALM 16:11, NKJV

SATISFY US IN THE MORNING WITH YOUR
UNFAILING LOVE,
SO WE MAY SING FOR JOY TO THE END
OF OUR LIVES.
PSALM 90:14, NLT

I WILL BE GLAD, YES, FILLED WITH JOY
BECAUSE OF YOU. I WILL SING YOUR PRAISES,
O LORD GOD ABOVE ALL gODS.
PSALM 9:2, TLB

THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE LORD ARE CORRECT.
THEY MAKE THE HEART REJOICE.
THE COMMAND OF THE LORD IS RADIANT.
IT MAKES THE EYES SHINE.
PSALM 19:8, GOD’S WORD

SEE IF THERE IS ANY BAD THING IN ME.
LEAD ME ON THE ROAD TO EVERLASTING LIFE.
PSALM 139:24, NCV

TEACH ME HOW TO LIVE, O LORD.
LEAD ME ALONG THE PATH OF HONESTY,
FOR MY ENEMIES ARE WAITING FOR ME TO FALL.
PSALM 27:11, NLT

PUT OTHERS BEFORE
YOURSELF, AND YOU
CAN BECOME A
LEADER AMONG MEN.
IT SHALL NOT BE SO AMONG YOU: BUT WHOSOEVER
WILL BE GREAT AMONG YOU, LET HIM BE YOUR
MINISTER; AND WHOSOEVER WILL BE CHIEF AMONG
YOU, LET HIM BE YOUR SERVANT.
MATTHEW 20:26-27, KJV

WE ARE NOT OF THOSE WHO SHRINK BACK
TO DESTRUCTION, BUT OF THOSE WHO HAVE
FAITH TO THE PRESEVERING OF THE SOUL.
HEBREWS 10:39, NASB

The enemy is Satan.  We fight not flesh, but supernatural hosts of evil in heavenly places.  Kingdoms of the dark side.

We take God’s whole armor to withstand catastrophe, to wage good war and having done it all, to still stand when the battle ends.

Yes, we live in a physical world, but we don’t fight a physical battle.  Our weapons have divine power to destroy Satan’s forts, his castles in the air.  We don’t have a siege mentality—he does!  Happy be my God, my rock of stability, solidity, steadfastness—he trains my hands to fight this battle, this war.

And when it ends, we’ll say as Joshua did when they had taken Canaan, “God drove out before huge enemies who could not stand up to us.  We love our God!”

We fear not Satan.  God fights for us!  And we have fought and will fight this good fight.

God can help tempted people, can rescue us from temptation.  He doesn’t let Satan tempt us beyond what we can take, but also provides an escape so that we can endure it.  Sin has no rule over us,
since we’re not under law, but under grace.

Take God’s whole armor so we can withstand calamity and, when the battle ends, still be standing. 
Above all, the shield of faith quenches Satan’s fiery darts.  And God’s Word is the Spirit’s sword.
God fights with us, and then the battle ends, we shall wear crownds and cheer the victory together.  He in us is greater than he that’s in the world. We can do all things through Him who strengthens us.

I love you, O Lord, my strength.

Dialogue:

God: “Where did you come from?”
Satan: “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down in it.”

Satan prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to eat.

Don’t say, “God tempted me.”  God tempts no one.  Your own desires tempt you.  From inside come evil thoughts.

No temptation comes to you except what also comes to other people.  Our faithful God won’t let Satan tempt you past your strength.  He even provides a way out so that you can endure it.  And when you pass that test, you’ll graduate to the crown of life.

God led Jesus into the desert to be tempted, so Jesus as high priest can sympathizes with our weaknesses.  And since he defeated Satan, he can also lead us to victory.

My father hunted.  I don’t hunt.  I sleep during hunting trips.  Mom would bundle me up in, as Bill Cosby would say, 27 snow suits, until I had so many clothes on that I looked and moved like a teddy bear.  I’d toddle over to the jeep, sit next to my dad, who drove, with my feet tangled up in the gear boxes, and promptly fall asleep.  He’d wake me when the trip ended.  Once I slept serenely while he fired twice from his jeep seat.  Never woke up.

Once, too tired even for a jeep-sleep, I declined a hunting invitation.  That night he shot two leopards, probably husband and wife.

When these heartless hunters return, I see the glass-eyed deer in the net at the back of the jeep, and feel sorry for them.  Of course, after the hunters have winched them up and take off their (the deer’s, not the hunter’s) skin, I’ll willingly slice off some meat and roast it in the fire.  So will I still.  Just invite me over when you’re having venison steak, roast, stew or burgers.
 
Once in Montana I visited several different churches over the space of ten days and EVERY family served venison.  I thought I’d died and gone to Heaven.  Of course, that wouldn’t be a deer heaven.
The song “Peace In the Valley” says “the wolf will be tender…”  Does that mean we wolf down wolf in the New Jerusalem.  I don’t think so.

“The lion will lie down by the lamb, oh yes.”  But that’s a normal lion, not the Lion of Judah or the roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.  That last is Satan, whom we are to resist, firm in faith.

Watch soberly.  When you hunt lion or leopard or tiger, you are also the hunted.  My dad can tell you stories about that—watching the bait from the machaan, and suddenly discovering that the big cat supposed to be eating the bait is instead crouching behind, contemplating you.
Satan, unlike an ordinary lion, can disguise himself as an angel of light.  This wolf in sheep’s clothing isn’t tender, but will just be well-done someday eternally—a rare thing.  So give no medium—no foothold—to the devil.

For starters, don’t love the world system or its components.  Everything in it—bodily and visual desires and human pride, come not from God, but from the world system.  The bad old days produced the bad old order, but God protects and guards us during these times.  On every side evil prowls and vileness preens, but we won’t walk that way even one footstep.  We’ll take another route.
We must watch.  (You can observe a lot just by watching.)  We must pray that we don’t succumb to temptation.  Our inner person wants to do right, but bodily desires get in the way, tempt and entice us.  Provide no way for these desires to reach gratification.  If you say you have no problem with this, take special care that you don’t embarrass yourself by falling in precisely this problem.