^“9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: ¹⁰ To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

¹¹ And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.” Acts 8:9-11

The art of the Magi continues to this day bewitching the people.  Such sorcery attempts to manipulate the righteous spirit world and the unlearned Christian equates these practices with Biblical Christianity.  The devil has no controversy with such ritualism because he is the father of this wickedness.  The professing Christian has no controversy with these sorceries because it is cloaked in Scripture to appear “good”.  Eve didn’t eat that apple because it appeared rotten.

^“3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; ⁴ And they shall turn away their ears from the Truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4

These bewitching sorceries have turned many an ear away from the Truth and caused the people to unknowingly resist the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is not commissioned to circumcise our heart and remove those things which are not of God when we have heaped unto ourselves sorcerers and our ears have turned from the Truth of the Cross of Christ.

The Plan of God for all who have believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior is to CONTINUE in that belief.  No, we don’t get Saved everyday; that’s ridiculous.  However, when the storm clouds rage, of which they will; we don’t turn to the art of the magi for our deliverance but to the One Who has defeated death, hell and the grave…Jesus.  There are entire ministries given to the art of the magi that go under the banner of “Spiritual Warfare”.  Just as Simon the Sorcerer attributed his works to the power of God, they too attribute their works to God.  These are those who cast out devils in the Name of Jesus, prophesy in His Name and do many wonderful works; yet Jesus does not know them and they shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. They are lukewarm and He would prefer them be cold because they profess His Name and bring much harm to the Kingdom of Heaven in spite of their many good works (Revelation 3:15-16).

^“21 Not every one that says unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that does the Will of My Father which is in Heaven.

²² Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your Name? and in Your Name have cast out devils? and in Your Name done many wonderful works?

²³ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, you who work iniquity.” Matthew 7:21-23

Those who follow such sorcerers reject the Will of God because they have resisted the Holy Spirit when they turned their ears from Truth.  One cannot learn obedience to the Will of God by resisting the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is not going to superintend the Will of God in our heart and life if we are not looking unto the Cross of Christ as the Source and the Means by which our victory comes but instead seeking the art of the Magi for the method to invoke the power of God.  Again, the devil has not controversy with these vain methods.  They do not hinder his wickedness but instead allows his wickedness.

Those who have been bewitched by such sorceries have been sent a strong delusion because they received not the love of the Truth.  After their own lusts; their greed has overtaken them and their hearts are hardened. There are untold thousands who attend these religious abominations weekly and they are perishing. The preaching of the Cross of Christ is foolishness unto them.  One of the main sorcerers, Kenneth Copeland, has even claimed that the Cross of Christ was the greatest defeat in history.  His teachings proclaim that Jesus was saved in hell as the devil and his minions beat and tortured Jesus and supposedly God said that’s enough 3 days later. Friends, if that is your understanding of the Atonement, you are so very wrong and your Salvation is false.

Jesus Christ came to die on Calvary’s Cross as the Sacrificial Lamb of God to pay sin’s debt, which is death, for whosoever chooses to believe.  Sin’s debt was paid in full to God when Jesus said on the Cross it is finished.  The handwriting of ordinances which was against us, is nailed to His Cross as Jesus Christ spoiled principalities and made a show of them openly (Colossians 2:13-15).  While in hell, Jesus went to “Paradise”, not the burning part of hell but “Abraham’s Bosom” where the Old Testament Saints were held captive but not tortured by Satan until their promised Messiah would come, and He took captivity captive!  There was no fight in hell over these captives (the Old Testament Saints).  Jesus snatched what belonged to Him from satan’s bondage because the price had now been paid when Jesus died on Calvary’s Cross.

Knowing this, Who Jesus is and what He has done on Calvary’s Cross, there is no doubt as to His Resurrection.  We know that every sin has been paid in full for those who accept Jesus’ death as the only payment God will accept to fulfill the penalty of sin on our behalf and break the power of sin in our lives.

This is the Truth of the Atonement. Our victory is found only in the Cross of Christ as the object of our faith.  The mighty power of the Holy Spirit is then performed in our hearts and lives as we give Him the latitude to do that which He is commissioned to do…free us from the Law of Sin and Death which breaks the power of sin in our life.  The art of the Magi cannot do this.  No matter the amount of faith given to our incantations, our vain attempt at manipulating the righteous spirit world with our wisdom of words, makes the Cross of Christ of no effect.

^“17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the Cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

¹⁸ For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are Saved it is the power of God.” 1 Cor. 1:17-18

Many today are perishing.  You will know them by their fruit.  They may not have objected to the preaching of the Cross of Christ but neither have they accepted the preaching of the Cross of Christ and they are perishing because they have not come out from among the sorcery.

It is time for those who claim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified to come out from among their religious institutions and contend for the faith of which we have been given.  There is a lost and dying world out there who need to hear the Good News that Jesus came to save them; that there is deliverance in the Cross of Christ.  Many are sitting in the pews waiting on another to stand before they will stand but as you sit there, you are perishing…and so are others.

“¹⁷ Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

¹⁸ And will be a Father unto you, and you shall be My Sons and Daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:17-18

We can’t take our cars, our money or our homes with us to Heaven…but we can take souls.  Who are you taking with you today?

-Donna Clark Warren

^“My son, fear you the Lord and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change: For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knows the ruin of them both?” Proverbs 24:21-22

Fear of the Lord is no longer taught in the modern church.  This other Jesus being proclaimed among the congregation is one who condones sin and meddles with the world under the guise of “love”.  Sin is sin whether we agree or not.  Sin has been judged by God and it’s penalty is eternal death in a devil’s hell.

Jesus Christ came to die on Calvary’s Cross to pay the penalty of sin for whosoever will believe.  When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are declared innocent of sin.  Submitted unto Him, we are baptized into His Death and born again; a new creation in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:3-4).  Now being spiritually alive unto God, we are afforded the ability to live unto God as we should…to partake in His Divine Nature.

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of God’s Divine Nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” 2 Peter 1:4

Partaking in God’s Divine Nature, allows us to resist the devil and he must flee.  Fully submitted unto God by faith in the Cross of Christ, we fear God and not man.  We fear stepping out of God’s Will and into man’s will because we have tasted and we have seen that God is good.  We are determined to know nothing else among the religious except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Those who fear the Lord have come out from among those given to change and are separate.  They are peculiar.  Their numbers may be few, about the size of a man’s hand, but it’s not what we see that matters, it’s what we hear…the abundance of rain.  We hear the sound of an abundance of rain and we know, that we know, that we know that the Book of Acts is still the same.

^“17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: ¹⁸ And on My servants and on My handmaidens I will pour out in those days of My Spirit; and they shall prophesy:” Acts 2:17-18

Fear ye the Lord.  The rain is coming.

-Donna Clark Warren

^“2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; ³ Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.

⁴ And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

⁵ And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

⁶ Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I you: In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

⁷ And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

⁸ And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.” Acts 3:2-8

When you’ve been touched by God, you may just leap up and start praising God.  When Jesus Christ is lifted up to the people, that mustard seed of faith given to all who believe, is watered and then suddenly when you least expect it, as that seed is being watered by the preaching of the Cross of Christ, the power of God for those who have believed, God gives the increase…your blessing comes forth and you, leaping, stand up, walk in the new light which has been revealed and praise ye the Lord!!

“And His Name (the Name of Jesus) through faith in His Name has made this man strong, whom you see and know: yea, the faith which is by Him (Jesus) has given him (the lame man) this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.” Acts 3:16

Such is the faith authored and finished by the Lord Jesus Christ which gives you perfect soundness in the presence of you all.   Such is the faith which give the Holy Spirit latitude to superintend the work of God in the heart and lives of the Believer.  Faith in Jesus Christ and Him crucified has a powerful impact of the powers of darkness because it commissions the Holy Spirit to move.  Let me say that again, WE don’t commission the Holy Spirit to move.  Sorry my word of faith friends, we have no power over the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit does not do as we command but as God the Father commands.   Looking unto the finished work of Christ Jesus for God’s supply of all that we need according to His riches, we are made whole.  In the midst of life’s storms, there is perfect soundness.

-Donna Clark Warren

^“7 Who in the days of His (Jesus) flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared;

⁸ Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered;

⁹ And being made perfect, He became the Author of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey Him;” Hebrews 5:7-9

Jesus, being made perfect, learned obedience NOT to be obedient.  Being led by the Holy Spirit while here in His flesh, Jesus learned God’s perfect Will.  We, on the other hand, must learn to be obedient before we can learn obedience.

“And He said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23

Before learning obedience, we must learn to be obedient.  In order to go after Jesus and learn obedience, we must learn to deny ourselves and learn to be obedient.  Our self will, efforts, talents, education, intellect and motivation hinder our learning of obedience because we have not yet learned how to be obedient through denying ourselves. The learning of God’s perfect Will through the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit  is the learning of obedience and can only be found as our faith is placed in the Cross of Christ where the Holy Spirit is commissioned to work in us this learning.

^“3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: ⁴ That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:3-4

Once we learn to be obedient by denying ourselves, we can learn obedience through picking up our cross.  Precept upon precept and line upon line, our faith is authored and finished as we follow our Lord Jesus Christ.

^“6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

⁷ And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

We learn obedience through much prayer and supplication…but only after learning to be obedient.

-Donna Clark Warren

The failure to object the Cross of Christ to break the power of sin in the Believer’s life does not constitute one’s acceptance of the Cross of Christ.  The power of God IS the Cross of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:18).  It is the devil’s intent to have the Believer swept to and fro by every wind of doctrine that comes down the pike as he feeds ours flesh one nibble at a time.  Never understanding that our lack of objection to God’s Plan for victorious Christian living (faith solely and exclusively in the Cross of Christ) does not in anyway constitute our acceptance of God’s Plan for victorious Christian living.   Many have construed their lack of rejection as acceptance while they go about their daily living following schemes of man as doctrine.   Humanistic psychology has corrupted the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified making the Cross of Christ of no effect in the Believer’s life.  The modern church has become so bound by apostasy, the religious continually seek more and more worldly ways to feed their carnal flesh.  We call them “seeker sensitive” churches but in reality they are a hungry, carnal church which needs more and more of their fleshly lusts fed because they have become desensitized and hardened to the Truth.

“³ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; ⁴ And they shall turn away their ears from the Truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4

Recognize whether or not you have simply not objected to the Cross of Christ as the Source and the Means by which we receive everything from God or whether you have fully accepted Jesus Christ and Him crucified for all that you need for life and living.  Consider the fruit.  Not the fruit in the good times…but the out of season fruit.  Joy when the world is falling in around you.  Peace when the storms are raging.  Are you bearing fruit or putting on a show for the religious?  Have you accepted the Cross of Christ for daily living or merely failed to object to His finished work?

Prayerfully consider.

“For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2

-Donna Clark Warren

^“10 Then said Pilate unto Him (Jesus), speak You not unto me? know You not that I have power to crucify You, and have power to release You?

¹¹ Jesus answered, you could have no power at all against Me, except it were given you from above: therefore he that delivered Me unto you has the greater sin.

¹² And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release Him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend: whosoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.” John 19:10-12

The pagan Pilate had more sympathy toward Jesus than the religious Jews.  The sin of the religious is greater than the sin of the lost.  The sin of those who claim Christianity yet reject God’s Statutes according to His Word and walk in the ways of the world because of the harlot’s seduction, is a much greater sin than the pagan’s…those who don’t claim Christianity.

“²¹ With her much fair speech she caused him (a young man void of understanding [vs. 7]) to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.

²² He goes after her straightway, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; ²³ Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hastes to the snare, and knows not that it is for his life.

²⁴ Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.

²⁵ Let not your heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.

²⁶ For she has cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.

²⁷ Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.” Proverbs 7:21-27

The harlot’s fair speech seduces those who lack understanding of the Word of God and many have declined to her ways.  While remaining under the banner of Christianity they will quickly crucify those who rightly divide the Word of Truth and lay waste the error of their vain philosophies being declared as doctrine in their synagogues.  40 days of purpose, soul ties, family curses, positive confession, 21 days of fasting are just a few of the heresies presented as “the Gospel”.  The truth is their’s is another gospel and another Jesus and it is accursed (Galatians 1:8-9).

Jesus Christ broke every curse held against the believing sinner and nailed it to Calvary’s Cross.  The lukewarm; the religious who claim Christianity, worship Jesus with their mouth yet their hearts are far from Him.  Their sin is greater than the sin of the world because they bring reproach to the work of God.

“¹⁵ I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot: I would you were cold or hot.

¹⁶ So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My Mouth.” Revelation 3:15-16

God would rather spew the lukewarm out of His Mouth than have them be lukewarm.  The “pagans”, those who are lost and do not claim Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, do not bring reproach to the Name of Jesus because they never claimed Him in the first place.

Jesus is standing at the door knocking.  He is calling His Children out from among the religious.  Even the world can see the hypocrisy of man made religion and will often sympathize…yet the blind remain blind, the hearing do not hear and are void of understanding.

Beware of the harlot.  Many a strong man have been slain by her.  She’s on every street corner seducing the unlearned down her evil path to destruction.  Try the spirits.  In season and out of season, be ready to give an account. Preach the Word.  The Lord has given us His Word and the Holy Spirit to guide us into all Truths…not some but all.  Search the Scripture.

“I charge you therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, Who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His Kingdom; ² Preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

³ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; ⁴ And they shall turn away their ears from the Truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” 2 Timothy 4:1-4

If it doesn’t point to Jesus as the Source and His Cross the means for life and living, turn away from such.

-Donna Clark Warren

^“5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His Death, we shall be also in the likeness of His Resurrection:

⁶ Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Romans 6:5-6

The Believer is afforded Resurrection power, not because Jesus lives but because Jesus died.  At Calvary’s Cross, Jesus paid the penalty of sin for the believing sinner and broke the power of sin for Saint.  Our faith that Jesus’ work was and is sufficient is what gives the Holy Spirit latitude to superintend the work of God in our life…to give us Resurrection power.  It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to remove that mountain before us or strengthen us to climb the mountain when our faith remains in the Cross of Christ.  This is the Resurrection power afforded us by Jesus Christ and Him crucified and it is only given when our faith is properly placed in the Cross of Christ.

Jesus IS alive.  He is sitting at the Right Hand of the Throne of God.  His Resurrection is proof that EVERY sin is atoned for and it’s power broken for whosoever chooses to believe upon Him.  Knowing this, Who Jesus is and what He has done, there is no doubt of His Resurrection.

“Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the Right Hand of the Throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

-Donna Clark Warren

^“7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you.

⁸ And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of Righteousness, and of Judgment: ⁹ Of sin, because they believe not on Me; ¹⁰ Of Righteousness, because I go to My Father, and you see Me no more; ¹¹ Of Judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.” John 16:7-11

Jesus Christ came to die on Calvary’s Cross to pay the penalty of sin for believing sinners and break the power of sinner for Believers.  The official business of Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, was to become the Savior of men.  Jesus accomplished His Purpose and God’s Will when He gave up the Ghost on Calvary’s Cross.

The mission and ministry of the Holy Spirit was dependent upon Jesus’ finished work as the Savior of men.  With the official work of Jesus finished on Calvary’s Cross as the Savior of men, the Holy Spirit has now come to the Church (Believers) as the power of the Church.

The Holy Spirit is now given to the Church as the power of the Church.  The Holy Spirit convicts the world of rejecting Jesus and His Righteousness.  The lost are not lost because they reject Jesus; they reject Jesus because they are lost.  Without the conviction of the Holy Spirit when the preaching of the Cross of Christ is lifted up to the lost for remission of sin, the lost would remain lost.  If only the seeker sensitive church would get that truth.  No one can be saved without the conviction of the Holy Spirit to reprove them of their sin.  The ministry of the Holy Spirit is not executed under the guise of vain philosophies as bait to unite with the world and make them feel comfortable behind religious doors.

The Holy Spirit will convict of satan’s judgment which has already been rendered to him and all who follow him.   The devil and all who die lost have already been judged as sinners and condemned to the Lake of Fire for all eternity.  Once the gates of hell close upon death of the lost, all opportunity for Salvation is lost as well.

^“Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all Truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come.” John 16:13

The Holy Spirit, given to each and every Believer upon Salvation, does not speak of Himself but of Jesus Christ, Who He is and what He has done for whosoever will believe. The Holy Spirit is only commissioned to perform His ministry and mission as the Believer looks unto Christ…not Him (the Holy Spirit) for power to overcome the world, the flesh and the devil.

Upon Salvation, the Holy Spirit baptizes the Believer into Jesus’ death.  Being convicted of sin, Righteousness and Judgment and having now chosen to accept Jesus as our Savior, we are buried with Christ.

^“3 Know you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His Death?

⁴ Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the Glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

⁵ For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His Death, we shall be also in the likeness of His Resurrection:

⁶ Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Romans 6:3-6

The penalty of our sin paid and the power of sin broken, we walk in newness of life through the power of the Holy Spirit…not because our faith is in the Holy Spirit but because our faith is in the Cross of Christ.  This is HIS ministry and mission, not ours.  Our faith in the Cross of Christ gives the Holy Spirit latitude to do that which HE is commissioned to do – circumcise our hearts and remove anything that is not of God.  The world and the religious will try to rehabilitate that which the Holy Spirit wants to remove.  Sometimes this removal is painful but in the end is always for our good and the sincere religious can’t bear the offense this causes because they themselves don’t know the power of the Holy Spirit to remove the dead and replace it with life…life more abundantly.

^“7 The Angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear Him, and delivers them.

⁸ O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusts in Him.

⁹ O fear the Lord, you His Saints: for there is no want to them that fear Him.” Psalm 34:7-9

This is the Lord’s plan for victorious Christian living, not man’s vain philosophy.  Taste and see that He is good.  Trust in Him.

-Donna Clark Warren

^“4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the Vine; no more can you, except you abide in Me.

⁵ I am the Mine, you are the branches: he that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5

That mustard seed of faith in the Cross of Christ which is planted in each and every Believer when we willingly choose to accept the completed work of Christ Jesus as enough to keep us from a devil’s hell because we have come to the understanding that we are indeed a sinner in need of a Savior, is the same mustard seed of faith which grafts us into the Vine.  To be sure, Jesus Christ is the Vine.  This understanding of being a sinner doesn’t come from religious condemnation as some would like to believe in order to justify their rejection but is a revelation from God through the conviction of the Holy Spirit when Jesus Christ, Who He is and what He has done on Calvary’s Cross, is lifted up among the people.

This mustard seed of faith in the Cross of Christ brings forth much fruit because God gives the increase…not man.  We cannot bear much fruit when the mustard seed is not watered by the Word of God rightly divided.  This mustard seed of faith can be swept away with the cares of the world (Mark 4:18-20) if the Truth is not heard.  Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17).

This branch, rooted with the mustard seed of faith given upon Salvation, is the branch which abides IN the Vine.  The branch rooted with the mustard seed of faith in our ability to overcome, our intellect or will power is not rooted in the Vine but in vain philosophies from the minds of man.  This is the leaven which leavens the whole lump; the poison in the pot which corrupts our faith in the Cross of Christ.

^“If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” John 15:6

This branch is eventually cast forth and is withered.  This branch does not understand it is no longer in the Vine which brings forth fruit unto God because the world accepts this branch as their own.  The devil’s goal is to corrupt one’s faith and direct it to another source and another means for victory over power of sin.  Being dominated by sin, with the Grace of God no longer moving and operating in the Believer’s life, they slowly wither.  This does not take place all at once but one compromise at a time.  Eventually, just as the prodigal son left his father’s house and found himself dining with the swine, so too does the withered Believer.

When the withered are cast forth, where will you be Jonah?  What will you do?  Some seemingly can’t wait for the withering to be burned. Will you cast the first stone? Or will you point them back to the Vine…the Cross of Christ?

Prayerfully consider.

-Donna Clark Warren

This morning I awoke in the middle of a dream singing a song of which I have never heard.  All I remember is the chorus “They’re coming home…”.  The dream was so vivid and this song seemed to come forth from the depths of my soul in a joyful groan.  When I woke up in tears, I heard the Lord say to me “Arise”.  As my normal routine, I got up, fixed my bagel and picked up where I left off in the Word of God.

In this dream I was going with some friends on a “field trip”  as we like to call our trips to see and support those pastors who feed us spiritually.  Normally these field trips are to Family Worship Center in Baton Rouge, LA or another nearby conference where the pastors are holding services.  On this field trip we were packed in the car like sardines and at the last minute my dear friend Amy decided to join us.  We only had enough money to stay one night but in my heart, we were staying for a while.  I remember being so excited that we were going to “camp meeting”.

As dreams go, we came upon a funeral of a man I once knew whose name was Thomas.  The man I knew died several years ago and sadly, to my knowledge he died lost.  Here at this funeral, as I was looking around I saw two mature black ladies who I knew were mighty women of God dressed in their Sunday best.  Dancing in the isle, I saw a dear Saint who was very special to me, Sister Martha Burford.  Just over my shoulder to the left was my dear friend Amy.

A side note on Amy, she is forever laboring in the work of God.  It seems as if, no matter what, she can’t help but declare the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. In my dream and in real life, she is one for which I pray but I also know in Whom she believes and to Whom she belongs, Jesus Christ.  That being said, when thinking of her in my dream and real life, it is never worry for her but love…love as a dear Sister in Christ.

Back to the funeral of Thomas where mighty Saints of God, Saints who are still among us, others who have gone on to be with the Lord and still others whom I have not yet met, began to rejoice and sing the song “They’re coming home..”.   Oh how I wish I knew the rest of this song and prayerfully one day I will.  As I lie there fully awake, rejoicing as well…singing a song I do not know but bore witness to my spirit, the Lord told me to “Arise and go read His Word”.  Here is the Word I read.  Here is the song I sing.  Here is the Promise I believe.

“Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in Me.

² In My Father’s House are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

⁴ And where I go you know, and the way you know.

⁵ Thomas said unto Him, Lord, we know not where You go; and how can we know the way?

⁶ Jesus said unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man comes unto the Father, but by Me.

⁷ If you had known Me, you should have known My Father also: and from henceforth you know Him, and have seen Him.

⁸ Philip said unto Him, Lord, show us the Father, and it suffices us.

⁹ Jesus said unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet have you not known Me, Philip? he that has seen Me has seen the Father; and how say you then, Show us the Father?

¹⁰ Believe you not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? the Words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself: but the Father Who dwells in Me, He does the works.

¹¹ Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: or else believe Me for the very works’ sake.

¹² Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believes on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father.

¹³ And whatsoever you shall ask in My Name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

¹⁴ If you shall ask any thing in My Name, I will do it.

¹⁵ If you love Me, keep My Commandments.

¹⁶ And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever;

¹⁷ Even the Spirit of Truth; Whom the world cannot receive, because it sees Him not, neither knows Him: but you know Him; for He dwells with you, and shall be in you.

¹⁸ I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

¹⁹ Yet a little while, and the world sees Me no more; but you see Me: because I live, you shall live also.

²⁰ At that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.

²¹ He that has My Commandments, and keeps them, he it is that love Me: and he that loves Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.

²² Judas said unto Him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that You will manifest Thyself unto us, and not unto the world?

²³ Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me, he will keep My Words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

²⁴ He that loves Me not keeps not My sayings: and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s which sent Me.

²⁵ These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

²⁶ But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, Whom the Father will send in My Name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

²⁷ Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

²⁸ You have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If you loved Me, you would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for My Father is greater than I.

²⁹ And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, you might believe.

³⁰ Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world comes, and has nothing in Me.

³¹ But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave Me Commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.” John 14:1-31.

Arise.  Let us go hence.  They’re coming home!!

-Donna Clark Warren