We are excited to announce details for the Second Kingdom Congress(register below)! Please join us on Saturday, October 4, 2014 at Renton Technical College, where we will continue the historic work we began last month to unite the body of Christ for the glory of King Jesus and the work of transformation in Washington State.

At the First Kingdom Congress, held on August 22nd at Sonrise Christian Center, more than 150 leaders from government, business, education, ministry, and other spheres gathered to exalt the name of Jesus over our state and issue a response to the Goliath-sized challenges of our day. Is there not a cause?!

Together, we made significant strides in the effort to:

• Mobilize 31 churches and houses of prayer to raise a canopy of 24/7 prayer over our state, push back the army of darkness, and exalt the name of Jesus over our cities, counties, and state.
• Gather strategic councils of leaders in each of the seven spheres of society (business, government, education, media/arts, healthcare, family, and the church) and the five-fold ministry (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers)
• Implement a plan by which the councils can inform the 24/7 prayer effort, and by which churches and houses of prayer can report what they are hearing from the Lord. This flow of spiritual and natural intelligence will help leaders in both the church and the seven spheres to implement the strategies of heaven and position everyday believers for a work of transformation such as we have never seen in our state!

For more information about the vision presented at the First Kingdom Congress, visit www.1church1day.org.

For testimonies from those who attended the First Kingdom Congress, click here.

From Inspiration to Activation

At the founding of our nation, the First Continental Congress served to inspire the colonists to action, but it wasn't until the Second Continental Congress that the Patriots began operating in a united, coordinated effort. Key delegates such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson who were not present at the first congress also joined the cause at that time.

On October 4, 2014 at the Second Kingdom Congress, we will... 

Yesterday we learned about the first contributor to blind "I's." That's pride (click here for the article).  What's in the middle of pride: "I?"

Have you ever heard someone use the phrase "blind ambition."  That's the same thing as selfish ambition. What's at the heart of selfish ambition? Once again it is "i" in the middle. Whenever "I" becomes the primary focus our peripheral vision is limited. Peripheral vision is defined as the part of the vision that occurs outside the very center of our gaze.

I played basketball in high school. That's where I learned about how essential it is in team sports to use your peripheral vision in order to find the open man to pass the ball to for the open shot or to see an opposing player setting a pick when you were on defense. Everyone who I ever played had peripheral vision. No one was physically handicapped, however, there were a few who were handicapped by their character. Their selfish ambition which was usually expressed through a desire to score the most points often led to them hogging the ball. Their concentrated focus on their personal performance, seeking glory, fame or a scholarship blinded them to other players who were open and had a better shot than they did. Ultimately this would hurt their team.

My friends, Christianity is meant to be lived and expressed as part of a team. The Bible teaches us that Jesus is supposed to be at the center of our vision.

One of the things I have learned is that most people have a blind spot.  You cannot see a blind spot.  You need assistance.  That's why cars have mirrors.  It is to help a driver manage their blind spots.

Pride is one of the greatest contributors to blind spots.  Lucifer (Satan) suffered from pride and it affected his vision too.

Isaiah 14:12-15 
"How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!  How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!  For you have said in your heart:
'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;  I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north;  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.' Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit. 

This portion of scripture is called the five "I wills" of Lucifer. Pretty arrogant don't you think?  It was that pride that spread through Satan's minions that blinded the ruler's of this world to the mystery of God in Christ's crucifixtion (1 Cor. 2:7-8). Otherwise they would have never crucified the Lord of glory.

The word pride comes from the Hebrew word gavah and means arrogance or majesty; by implication, excellency, haughtiness, highness, pride, proud or swelling.  The problem with pride is that is can make a seeing "I" blind.  

What is the common element found in the middle of pride and blind?  It is "I."  

Psalm 2:12 
Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,  And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him. NKJV

Psalm 2 is such a powerful Messianic portion of scripture that speaks of Jesus.  I love it!  But verse 12 always bugged me.  It seemed out of place to me.  That is, until I looked at what the Hebrew words meant and then I realized just how limited our English language was to fully express all our Lord was trying to say.

Once I saw what God was really saying it not only made more sense, it provides marvelous insight as to how to be equipped for spiritual war.  The word translated "kiss" in verse 12 means....

James 5:16 says that the "fervent effective prayer of a righteous man avails much."  This scripture reveals a few keys that links righteousness with fervency and effectiveness.  Our righteousness comes from the blood of Christ which enables us to come boldly before God's throne of grace that we may find mercy and grace to help in our time of need.  Righteousness sets the stage for our fervency. 

Fervent means to show intensity of feeling or spirit. It can also be described as warm or even a hot passion.  Effective means prayer that works.  Righteousness combined with fervency creates prayer that works.  Verse 17 provides us a picture of what James is saying.  He refers to the prophet Elijah who prayed for rain to break a drought right after he had just confronted and defeated 450 prophets of Baal.  He did this by calling fire down out of heaven to burn up his sacrifice that had been soaked in water. 

If your prayer life lacks results, then maybe it is time to get fired up.  That's what Elijah did.  As he got fired up he brought fire down and demonstrated God's miracle working power in the face of idolatry.  Elijah was a prophet with passion. 

Jesus demonstrated his passion to.  Zeal for God's house of prayer ate him up and caused him to drive out the merchandisers.  Jesus also moved with compassion.  Compassion occurs when the passion of anger comes into the presence of love.   God hates sin and iniquity that hurts the people he loves. For example, Mark 3:1-6 tells the story of how Jesus healed a man with a withered hand when he was angry.  Jesus went on to perform a number of supernatural miracles that was performed through compassion.   That my friends is the key to prayer that works. 

In the book "Developing Aposotlic Strategy" I share this powerful spiritual warfare strategy in "The Principle of Mass."  This is one of the key principles that has empowered so many churches to begin to transform their communities documented in "Operation Rolling Thunder - Revised."  There is truly exponential power generated when we agree.  One can put a thousand to flight and two ten thousand.  I want to encourage you to be like Abraham who trained his household to war for their family members (Genesis 14).  This is critical to your family's destiny in Christ and you can play a very important role in building the wall of prayer in your church which can also help transform your city.

Matthew 18:19“ - Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven." 

Jesus sets the example for us as a king and as a priest.  In Hebrews 3:1 He is called the Apostle and High Priest of our confession. In Hebrews 7:25 we see one of the functions that a priest performs.  It says, " Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."

Intercession means to entreat on behalf of another person, to intercede, fight for or protect another person.  We are all called to be like Jesus.  He wants us to pray and intercede for others.  That practice should start in the home praying for your family first.    Following 1 Timothy 2:1-4 we should then intercede for all men and kings in authority that we may lead a peaceful life because God desires that all men be saved.

Simply put prayer is just communication.  It involves listening and speaking.  The following scriptures provide a great place to begin to learn about the different aspects of prayer.

Luke 21:36 "Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Ephesians 6:18 "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints"

Philippians 4:6-7  "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Jesus admonishes us four times in the New Testament to "watch" and "pray always."  The Greek word translated "watch" litterally means to stay awake.  It also means to... click Read More for the rest of the teaching bottom right.

Matthew 7:13-14
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. KJV

For years the Lord has marked the message I carry with supernatural signs and wonders.  Our Lord of Hosts wants His house of prayer for all nations built, David's tabernacle restored and  His army mobilized as their is a great harvest that our Lord expects as we approach the end of the age. 

God's used many supernatural signs to encourage me often in spite of opposition, criticism, the spiritual dullness that accompanies complacency.   Now the sign in this picture isn't supernatural but I find it very amusing.  God knows me.  He knows how my mind works and He knew where we would live and knew what He called us to do.  Whether the county workers realized it or not, I think God had them place that sign there just to amuse and encourage me.  

This is the sign at the entrance to our driveway; "Road Narrows."  When I first saw it I thought of this as "the gateway to the narrow way."  This is a place where many disciples will begin their walk towards their high call in Christ Jesus.  Matthew 7:13-14 was the first scripture that came to mind because that's the first place in the New Testament where Jesus admonished us to enter by the strait or narrow gate because it was the narrow way that led to life.  I got a chuckle out of it as this was the birthplace of Kingdom League International (KLI) and Christ knew the vision before we wrote it down. (Members of KLI pay attention!  While I find this amusing it is also very serious.)

We (KLI) seek to make disciples, who make disciples, who make disciples unto our Lord Jesus Christ.  We are called to reveal Him for when He is revealed 1 John 3:2 says that "when He is revealed we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is."  We are passionate about inviting Christ's abiding presence personally and corporately within our city and region.  But that requires entering at a narrow gate and following a narrow way.  The Greek word translated "strait" or "narrow" depending on your translation is absolutely insightful and intriguing when you understand the root of the word.

If you know me you know that I love to unpack the in depth meanings of Hebrew and Greek words.  The term league within the name of our ministry is loaded with meaning that expresses an important characteristic we are called to demonstrate.  "League" comes from the Hebrew word "berit."  This word in the Old Testament is usally translated...

Yesterday I shared how fasting and prayer can affect world events click here for Fasting & Shaping History. Today I'd like to talk about the two kinds of fasting described in Isaiah 58.  One is a fast motivated by pride and religion.  The second is the fast that God chooses.

A religious fast that is motivated primarily by pride and works yields works that God takes no notice in.   Their prayers for justice go unheard and their affliction is unseen by God.  Why?  

Isaiah 58:3-4  
'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?'  "In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure,
And exploit all your laborers. Indeed you fast for strife and debate, And to strike with the fist of wickedness. You will not fast as you do this day, To make your voice heard on high. NKJV

God won't hear because the purpose of the fast primarily motivated by pride.  Pride blinds a person from God's righteousness therefore their prayers and actions are misdirected.  They are not right.  Their prayer and actions do not line up with God's word.  This is evidenced by how they exploit or take advantage of people and secondly misdirected justice.  Wicked is the root word of wicker like in wicker furniture.  It's called wicker because it is twisted.  Wicked means twisted or evil.  Therefore justice is misguided and correction is brought in wickedness.  James sheds some light as to why this is.