Thank you to those of you who were able to join us at the First Kingdom Congress last Friday evening in Everett. What a time we had! More than 150 leaders from government, business, education, ministry, and other spheres gathered to exalt King Jesus over our state and issue a response to the Goliath-sized challenges of our day. Is there not a cause?!

The vision presented at the First Kingdom Congress was one of corporate unity and projected power in the body of Christ. The consensus of those that gathered was, "Why not us, and why not now?" We are on the cusp of a historic new work of cooperation and unity in the Church of Washington State, one that will see the elders return to the gates of our cities, and the watch of the Lord establish a wall of prayer around the state.

For those of you who were not able to come, we invite you to join us on October 3, 2014 for the Second Kingdom Congress, where we will continue to unfold the plan for 1Church1Day (www.1church1day.org), the strategy for linking the body in a continual prayer watch for our state and gathering leaders from each of the seven spheres of society into strategic councils. These two efforts, combined with the communication plan that will link them, will provide valuable spiritual and natural intelligence for how to position the Church for
transformation in our state.

Between now and the Second Kingdom Congress, we also invite you to learn more about the vision at http://www.1church1day.org/and sign up there for the 1Church1Day mailing list to receive updates, articles, and information about upcoming training for the work we'll be doing together.

This Passover will be marked by a very rare heavenly event: a lunar eclipse. Some have coined this a blood moon.  In fact it is the first of four blood moons that will occur on the Feasts of Passover and Sukkot (Tabernacles) in 2014 and 2015. Four lunar eclipses are called a tetrad and there have only been seven recorded since 1 AD.  In the last century the tetrads occurred twice.  The first was associated with Israel becoming a nation in 1948 and the second was in 1967 right after the Six Day War occurred.  That's remarkable don't you think?

Jesus told us about the conditions that would exist before He returns in Matthew 24-25 and  Luke 21.  He says that there will be signs in the sun, the moon and the stars and admonishes us not to allow ourselves to allow our hearts to become weighed down with drunkenness, carousing, or the cares of this life but to rather "watch and pray."  My friends, we are living in amazing times and God still has plans for the nation of Israel.  Israel finds herself in very challenging times once again as peace talks have stalled and are set to expire on April 29th.  Historically tetrads have always marked a time of tragedy followed by triumph for Israel.  

The lunar eclipse (blood moon) is scheduled to begin at 10:58pm PDT as the moon moves into the earth shadow. The full lunar eclipse begins at 12:07am and lasts until 1:25am PDT. 

If there was ever a sign in the heavens that said "watch and pray" these blood moons occurring on Passover and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) in 2014 and 2015 sure do. It is a time to pray first for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122) and then for the salvation of Israel (Romans 10:1).  Then we will pray whatever our Lord shows us to pray for His Church, our community, state and our nation.

We would like to invite you to join us in a "Night Prayer Watch on Passover, April 14th." We'll begin our watch at sunset on April 14th. We are going to invite our Church to join us in our local area and we encourage you to invite your church family to gather together in homes or as a local congregation to watch and pray with us.  Actually, we are going to watch not only in prayer but also with a telescope!  

Here are some of the scriptures we'll be meditating upon and praying too. 

Genesis 1:14 says that God set the lights in the heavens for signs and seasons. Last night (April 8th) Mars, Earth and the Sun aligned one week before the start of the first of 4 blood moons.  It's almost like the planets were aligning to point to the beginning of this unusual heavenly event.  The rarity of this event is off the charts (click here for APOCALYPSE NOW: Why a rare astrological event LAST NIGHT could herald the 'End of Days').

How Should We Respond?

Jesus said in Luke 21:25-36 "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;  26 men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.... So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.... 34 "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.  35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.  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." NKJV

Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 40:3 "Prepare the way of the Lord.... a highway for our God."  John the Baptist "prepared the way" before Jesus came the first time (Matt. 3:3) and the Lord has a people who are preparing the way of the Lord for His second coming as well.  They are spoken of in Isaiah 62.  They are the watchmen who pray in Zion who cry out who never  hold their peace (Isa. 62:1-12).  They are "pre-praying" the way of the Lord and preparing a bride (Church) to meet her heavenly bridegroom. 

Only an hour after I posted Part 2 of What's God Saying for 2014 I saw a sign and a wonder God gave to mark the word about how God intends His light to shine in darkness.  It was two super moons (1st & the 30th) that occur in January.  

Talk about a light that shines in darkness.  Super moons occur when they are closest to the earth.  Hence it is lighter in the dark.  Truly a light shined in darkness.  As I considered Luke 21:25-28 recognizing God uses the sun, moon and stars to communicate in the latter days I asked Him for greater insight into what these two super moons meant.


That's when I heard a "harvest moon is arising."  A harvest moon occurs in the fall on the Saturday nearest the fall equinox.  Its a full moon opposite the sun.  The farmers call it a harvest moon because it provides more light so they can harvest late into the night (click here for more explanation).

God used this sign to mark His word I shared in Part 2 of What's God Saying for 2014; " We will see more decisions for Christ this year as we draw nearer the dawning of a 3rd Great Awakening."  

God is calling forth the sons of light  and giving us a harvest moon so we can work late into the night.  Why?  Because the harvest is not complete.  There is still much work to do.

It's time to prepare for harvest my friends.  January is not the fall.  It's not time for harvest.  But Amos 9:11 teaches us that one of the keys to the harvest is the restoration of David's tabernacle (24/7 prayer, praise and worship in a city).  As it is restored (ie. through strategies such as Operation Rolling Thunder) we will see the plowman overtake the reaper.  The prayer movement that has been establishing houses of prayer throughout the world has been one of the tools God has used to restore David's tabernacle. Therefore, harvesting and planting will begin to overlap.  We will harvest in season and out of season.  In fact now, every season is a season to harvest.

Matthew 9:37-38 (Luke 10:2)
Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.  38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." NKJV

This harvest is so huge we need all hands on deck.  We need to prepare to let our nets (plural) down so we can receive this harvest for our Lord.  This is why we've been seeking to connect churches in cities through our strategies for years.  Join us in praying for but also in harvesting souls this year for our Lord Jesus Christ.  Let Him receive the just reward for His suffering.  

Last night at mid-night I led our local church in our day of 24/7 prayer by taking the first watch.  We are working with other local congregations in our community to raise up a canopy of 24/7 prayer 365 days out of the year.  That's the goal.  We discovered through Operation Rolling Thunder that if churches in a community cooperate together we can do this quickly.  

One of the benefits is God's voice.  He loves to communicate with us.  The challenge is, we often have a difficult time hearing what He is saying.  The question is, how can we position ourselves better to hear what the Lord is saying and see what He is doing or trying to communicate?  

As I began my watch last night I was actually surprised when the Lord began to talk to me about how a watchman can position himself with the best vantage point for my watch.  Higher is better.  The higher you are the further you can see.  So how can a person who is going to stand watch position themselves with the highest vantage point?

Psalm 147:6  The Lord lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked down to the ground.  

Worship!
The way to get higher is to go lower!  As I contemplated that the Lord led me to worship!  Here are some of the acts of worship that involve humility.

• Bowing & Kneeling - Psalm 95:6
• Lying on your face before the Lord - Joel 1:13
• Confessing sin - Daniel 9:20
• Offerings - 1 Chronicles 16:29
• Fasting - Isaiah 58:6-12

These are some of the ways that we humble ourselves.  Humility involves our recognition of our frailty, weakness and limitations and our utter dependence upon the Lord's love, goodness and mercy.  The humility also comes with a strength and confidence.  It is confident in the Lord's love, ability and power.  Our boast and our confidence is in our Lord!  

Therefore, as you prepare for your watch make it your goal to acquire the best vantage point for that watch!  Aim low to go high! 

James 4:10 - Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.   

We are in the process of building a new wineskin.  The truth is, the new wineskin is not really new. It is just new to us.  The new wineskin is an ancient pattern.  The key to taking the Promised Land and the key to David’s kingdom was the Ark of the Covenant.  It was where the presence of God rested.  

The Lord spoke to me some years ago out of Isaiah 4:3-6.   It is about how God will visit Mount Zion with a spirit of judgment and burning so that all who remain in Zion will be called holy.  It goes on to describe how this will be a place of covering and refuge from the storm.  Then this phrase captured my attention in verse 5, “then the Lord will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies…”  That was when I realized that the Church in any city who did what David did could see a tabernacle of David established in their city.

A couple of days ago I received a phone call from my friend Jake, pastor at New Song in PT Townsend and the apostle and founder of the International Kingdom Foundation.  He shared with me a dramatic encounter, a vision he entered into last Sunday. The vision shook him.  When he shared it with me I encouraged him to write the vision down.

Amos 3:7-8  
Surely the Lord God does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.  A lion has roared!  Who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken!  Who can but prophesy?

My strong encouragement to you is do not fear, but WATCH and PRAY.  It is clear in the parable of the five wise and five foolish virgins that the five wise virgins not only watched and prayed but they also had the foresight and discipline to PREPARE.  It is my strongest conviction that these challenging times we enter into are the greatest opportunity for our Lord's Church to shine.  This will be our finest hour, for those who are prepared.

Click here for Vision of a Coming Storm to America