Easter 2024 has given us an exclamation point on a defining moment in the history of our nation, and perhaps the world!

On the same day we celebrate the most important event in human history, the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, our country has decided to dedicate this precious day to recognize transgenderism.  Our President has forbidden ALL Christian symbols from celebrating this day at the White House.  In addition, the Governor of New York has ordered that Niagara Falls and some high-rise office building be lit up with rainbow colors to celebrate LGBTQ+++.

Our once great nation, founded upon Judeo Christian principles has moved from one of the most special and godly countries the world has seen to what many believe may now be the most evil nation the world has ever known.  But Vince, what about Sodom and Gomorrah, you might ask.  As bad as those evil nations were, they did not have the ability to export their evil literally to the whole world like we are doing.  We are literally polluting our entire planet with moral filth.

This place we find ourselves did not happen overnight.  It has taken many decades and careful planning by many evil people bent on our destruction.   What we call wokeness has simply accelerated this process in our culture, and sadly even in many of our churches.  As the goal of wokeness in our nation is to abandon all of our founding documents and principles, its slow acceptance within many churches will ultimately necessitate removing the Bible.

The only redeeming value of this exclamation point is its ability to help us define which team we are on.  I am sorry to say this but if your church is not speaking out in powerful godly ways about the evil that has befallen our country—you are on the wrong team.  But Vince, my church is dedicated to not speaking about politics and just get people saved and discipled.  Spare me friend—I am maybe just one person, but I am fed up with that lame and unbiblical excuse.

Jesus warned us of this in Luke 12:49-53.  Verses 51-52 say Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth?  No, I have come to divide people against each other! 52 From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against—or two in favor and three against.  It has never been as easy to determine who the teams are.    What team are you on?

Now, for the more important question—why should any of this matter to me?  The answer might surprise you—it shouldn’t.  Now, before I go any further, please understand that I am not suggesting a cavalier or nonchalant stance on what is happening.  As I said earlier, we need to be bold and speak up about these things.  We also need to fight diligently at the ballot box.

However, at the end of the day it shouldn’t matter because God is still on the throne and knows everything that is going on.  He has seen this day since the beginning and trust me, He is not wringing His hands as so many of us are inclined to do.  Rather, He is looking for a people, His people, who are serious about putting their entire faith in Him.

On Easter Sunday we hear this chant around the world, He is risen—He is risen indeed!  Dear friends during this special Easter season here is how we must think:

People want to remove anything that has to do with honoring God from our culture—it doesn’t matter…He has risen.  Our children are being indoctrinated with all kinds of sexual filth—it doesn’t matter…He has risen.  The disgusting practice of homosexuality and other deviant sexual practices, including pedophilia are being normalized—it doesn’t matter…He has risen. 

I could go on with this list for pages, but I think you get the idea.  Of course these things matter to God and they should be of concern.  However, they need not defeat you and me.  The problems I encounter with many Christians, including myself, is that they matter to us in unhealthy ways.  They tend to bring about anxiety and fear when they should not. 

You will never have a greater understanding of God’s perspective until you first experience a greater awareness of His presence.  –Vince D’Acchioli

The only way they will not, is if we cultivate a godly perspective.  And here is my very real and serious message in all of this.  GET HIS PERSPECTIVE!  Decide this Easter season to double down on your commitment to get closer to Him.  Two things will happen.  You will experience incredible inner peace as you encounter Him. 

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.  John 14:27

In addition, you will be a much more capable instrument in His hand as He guides you toward His intended purpose in this incredible battle.

An old seaman once said, “In fierce storms we must do one thing, for there is only one way to survive: we must put the ship in a certain position and keep her there.” And this, dear Christian, is what you must do.

Sometimes, like Paul, you cannot see the sun or the stars to help you navigate when the storm is bearing down on you. This is when you can do only one thing, for there is only one way. Reason cannot help you, past experiences will shed no light, and even prayer will bring no consolation. Only one course remains: you must put your soul in one position and keep it there.

You must anchor yourself steadfastly upon the Lord. And then, come what may—whether wind, waves, rough seas, thunder, lightning, jagged rocks, or roaring breakers—you must lash yourself to the helm, firmly holding your confidence in God's faithfulness, His covenant promises, and His everlasting love in Christ Jesus.

-Richard Fuller

Draw near to Me and I will draw near to you.  James 4:8

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine dresser.  Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.  Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.  I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.  John 15:1-6

As we study John 15:1-6 we often focus upon the vine-to-branch connection.  For a moment I want us to see the larger flow implied here in perhaps a different way that may bring about a more contemporary application.  I do not think it would be a theological mistake to consider the root of the plant as representing God the Father.  In doing so consider this—The Father is the root and beginning of everything.  From Him comes the Son who is the Vine.  Here Jesus, the Vine, is calling us His people, who now also have access to the Holy Spirit, to be connected as His branches.  Then, the very natural by-product becomes righteous fruit affecting our world.

 For me this is a powerful picture of the kind of flow that will ultimately produce the right kind of fruit.  So, at this point let me ask a question.  How do we evaluate the fruit of a person’s life?  Maybe this is a better question, is it possible to misdiagnose the fruit?  We have all heard the term, “Rhino”.  It stands for Republicans in name only.  I heard someone say recently that we have “Chrino’s”, Christians in name only.  Even Jesus tells us that there are many who call themselves Christian, yet he suggests, I never knew you. 

The cheaper the internal quality…the more external gloss is required.  Dr. Edwin Louis Cole

The above quote by Ed Cole is unfortunately so true.  Today we have turned fake appearance into an art form.  Much of this, of course, is made possible by our infatuation with all things social media.  I can portray myself any way I want. As believers it is, of course, very important to look for this kind of superficiality in all who profess to be Christian, however, that is not the main reason for my writing this article.

I want to address perhaps the greatest problem facing our country, and perhaps the entire world, certainly in my lifetime.  We are caught up in great theatre.  Those in leadership today have done a masterful job of drawing your attention to fruit that is not real…at worst, poisonous.  Our entire education system has moved from teaching our kids how to think, to what to think.  We have been indoctrinated into a sense of reality that is not what it appears.     

The Bible warns us in Matthew 7:15-17 to beware—look at the fruit of a person.  But what if it’s a wax apple.  They look authentic but I would not suggest trying to eat one.  Dear friends I believe we are putting our trust in people whose message sounds and looks good but whose roots are dead, or worse, demonic.  That is how the devil works—we know it—but for the sake of convenience and time we fail to examine the root. 

Do we need to look any further back than what we have been force-fed for the past seven to eight years about Russia collusion, Covid, vaccines, racism, global warming, the war in Ukraine, insurrection, the border crisis?  Most of us were not encouraged to examine any alternative conclusions to any of narratives around these important issues—we were told what to think and shut down if we did not go along with the prevailing messaging. 

Who is at fault here?  We are.  Too many of us fell for it because we did not examine the root.  Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills just released a new book titled, Daze Of Deception.  Brilliant title—we are literally living in a fog of purposefully misleading information.   I am so very proud of him as he believes as I that the job of a Christian leader today is to help believers out of the fog.

All the ways of a person are clean in his own sight, but the Lord examines the motives.  Proverbs 16:2

The above Proverb is one of my favorites and very profound.  It reminds us that man will always try to manipulate but God knows better—He examines the motives of our heart.  My friend, that is what we are called to do.  What is at the root of what we are hearing and seeing?  Money, power, control?  Before you buy into what anyone says we need to take the time to check it out.

I want to close with a classic example I encountered just today.  A commentator on a network I will not mention actually said that people who are for Joe Biden tend to be more likely to have a college education, live in the big cities and tend to be wealthier.  In response another commentator said, so the ones voting for Trump are stupid.  Let that sink in.  This is not an endorsement of any candidate, just a sad commentary on where we are today.

A non-thinking person will tend to accept this, especially if it is coming from their trusted news source.  A thinking person might ask, college education…or college indoctrination???

Two takeaways—first, the only real source of truth is found in the person of Jesus Christ.  The way to be enlightened in anything related to this life is to be grafted into His.  We need to make sure we are in His word every day.  Second, and only after we have been in the word, get to the root (motive), challenge everything you are being fed—I mean literally everything!

IF THIS ARTICLE HAS BLESSED YOU, PLEASE LET US KNOW.  YOU CAN COMMENT BELOW OR EMAIL VINCE AT VINCE@OTM.CO 

Please enjoy the teaching below from Vince about how to find God’s purpose for your life.

https://youtu.be/v4C6hrPyeHg

Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time, they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.  Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy. While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.” But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.   Matt 27:15-20

Could it be that the story of Barabbas holds some powerful illustrations that can shed some light on what is going on in our world today?  I think so.  Let’s examine five different people here.  Pilate represents our political leaders today.  Barabbas represents the criminals who live among us, and Jesus represents truth and justice, that which all of us need and seek.  The chief priests and elders represent the elites of that day, and they are still among us today.  Finally, the crowd gathered in this scene represent the multitudes, you and me. 

Now let’s draw some similarities from what is motivating these people and their counter parts today beginning with Pilate.  Placed in this position of authority by Rome, his main concern was keeping the peace at any cost.  If he failed, he would have been replaced.  The people he governed were not important to him—just maintaining his position.  Think of any similarities today—who would Pilate represent? 

Barabbas represents our modern-day criminal.  This could be an illegal alien, someone who robs, steals, or kills and just wants to get off.  Jesus represents everything good—He is the same for us now as He was back then and ever will be—ultimate Truth.  That brings us to the elites.  These are who possess their own “truth” and are against any idea of absolute truth.  They are people who want to control and will do anything to enslave us. 

Finally, we have the crowd, you and me.  Normal people whom God loves, in search of true meaning and purpose.  Now let’s look at what is happening in this scene.  What preceded the crucifixion of the Truth was nothing less than mass manipulation.  You can visualize it, the elites, spreading themselves throughout the crowd whispering, and then yelling, crucify Him.  Let’s go into the Capitol!  Sorry, couldn’t resist.

My friends, this has been going on since the temptation of Eve, and it is alive and well today.  The only difference is the availability of communications tools that have made it possible for the elites of our day to turn this type of deceitful manipulation into an art form.  What saddens me is how many of us have fallen prey.

So, you might ask, why am I sharing this? I am largely persuaded that many of us may be pawns, unaware that we have been nurtured and developed by small minorities with motives we often do not perceive. As we go into what might be the most important election year in our nation's history, I want to give you some things to think and pray about. I also want to say that deception is not associated with any political party or group—it is practiced by all.

If I were an elite with evil intentions to destroy our nation, I would:

• Sexualize and indoctrinate upcoming generations of young people with information designed to create a negative attitude toward our nation, established moral authority, and the rule of law
• Control the basic necessities of life: water, food and natural resources, through a series of far-reaching regulations, and convince people it is in order to save the planet
• Bring about anarchy by exaggerating and making up stories designed to polarize around race, gender, class and lifestyle issues in order to exercise more control (possibly martial law)
• Reduce the ability to protect ourselves through compromising our national defense systems and disarming our citizens
• Create a large poor and homeless population and convince them it is the system around them that is at fault (national slavery)
• Integrate as many immigrants into the culture as possible, especially those with different and oftentimes conflicting ideologies, and whose birthrate far exceeds the majority
• De-emphasize all threats from outside enemies while covertly supporting them
• Create wars as a means of distracting people from what they are really doing
• Lower the bar for incarceration
• Give money freely to everyone to incentivize dependency
• Use fear to de-sensitize the population regarding basic freedoms and accept more government protection and control

No passion so effectually robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as FEAR  
-Edmund Burke

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  
2 Timothy 1:7

Some questions to consider in this critical election year:

1. Are you giving in to deliberate and often deceptive attempts to get you to evaluate candidates based upon their character flaws, rather than examining the ideologies they stand for and the direction they will pursue?
2. Do you buy into a reality defined by Fox news or CNN simply because they are your preferred source of what is truth?
3. To what extent are the conclusions you are arriving at supported by your ethnicity, the color of your skin, how you were raised and what you have been taught, rather than prayerfully considered facts?
4. Have you prayed and considered, in light of God’s Word, what is truth and what is deception?

Finally, pray God protects us from the evil intentions of our real enemy and for Him to help our leaders who may be influenced by him to see the alternative, His Son.

IF THIS ARTICLE HAS BLESSED YOU, PLEASE LET US KNOW.  YOU CAN COMMENT BELOW OR EMAIL VINCE AT VINCE@OTM.CO 

The video interview below may be the best investment of an hour of your time that you will make this year.  A comprehensive explanation of what is going on in our country today and how we got here.

https://click.updates.tuckercarlson.com/?qs=eb288081e994069029d5f6dd123ab967bdce786326f396ae4613637402bc0894d900fcf7eaf81de698e1686ef7058b601fee96ee4cebc144

NOTE: A hidden message from our Lord awaits you below

When you observe the world through the lens of your soul you will often experience confusion and despair…when you view the world through the lens of your spirit, you will have discernment and hope.

Jesus makes it very clear that we must be born again.  He tells us that when we are, the Holy Spirit dwells within us and will ultimately bring us the proper perspective on life.

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.  John 16:13

As believers we are called and expected to see life through a lens unfamiliar to us before we received His Spirit.  We see everything through the lens of our soul (our mind, emotions and will).  It is only as we allow the Holy Spirit the rightful position in our life that we are able to see a whole new perspective…His.

Consider the example of looking at something through a microscope.  When you turn the dial to move the lens, you are changing the focal point of your view.  As you do that everything in you see changes—things that were in focus begin to blur and something you have never seen emerges, often with great wonder.

That is the way it is supposed to be in the life of the believer.  We are to adjust our focal point from our soulish view to a spiritual one.  But this begs the BIG question on the minds and hearts of most of us, how can I do that?  I want to help us answer this important question but before I do let’s take a brief look at where we are.

As we enter this new year it might be good to look back over the last several years and examine what we have experienced.  For me, over the past 3-4 years, I do not believe I have ever encountered so much doubt and confusion.  It seems like any semblance of normalcy, if there ever was, is gone.  There is not enough room in this article to talk about all the distortion and lies that have been perpetrated upon us as a people.

Many have lost all confidence in the media, government, politicians, big business, the medical industry and especially our educational systems.  The general level of trust for all of these is at an all-time low, and for good reason.  We have been in a matrix of smoke and mirrors that is controlled by forces that are not out for our best interest. 

I want to suggest that our frustration level here is directly related to how we are viewing what is happening.  What is your focal point?  For too many of us we are looking at all of this through our soul.  When this happens, we are left with a view that simply reflects the condition of our soul.  My friend the battle lines are drawn.  The forces arrayed against us seem overwhelming, but they are nothing in the sight of our God.  The question for you and me is this, do you want to be a casualty in the battles yet to come—or a mighty victorious warrior in God’s army?   

The answer is not complicated.  It lies in our willingness to step up our game going into this new year.  It means drawing ever nearer to Him (James 4:8) and being in His word every day (Rom. 12:2).  It also means praying specifically for His Holy Spirit to give you the proper spiritual view and an understanding of how He wants to use you in His unfolding plan.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Rom. 12:2

Some tips entering this new year:

• Pray your problems in life last as long as your new-year’s resolutions do—in other words, don’t make resolutions—make commitments.
• List all the changes you need to make to get closer to God and sense His Holy Spirit in you.
• Pick up a one-year Bible and determine to read every day,
• Prepare a place in your home that is your personal go-to every morning to start your day reading the word, praying, and worshipping Him.

The below image has a message for you from Jesus Himself.  To see it you need to focus in a very particular way.  Whether you see it or not, the fact of the matter is, it is there.  This is also true of God’s vision for your life.  God is calling us to focus with our spiritual eyes to discover it.  If you end up seeing His message, please let us know.  You can also help others by sharing how you adjusted your focal point.  Please leave your comments below.

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Col. 4:2 

Col. 4:2 is a powerful and profound verse for us men today.  Please note the order presented in its command—pray, bewatchful and then thankful

It should go without saying that prayer needs to be the priority in every believer’s life—no matter the times or conditions we find ourselves in.  That said, we are then called to be watchmen. 

God wants us to be like the men from the tribe of Issachar.  From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders.... All these men understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.   I Chronicles 12:32 (NLT). These men made great efforts to understand the signs of the times in which they lived to best guide their people. 

Dear friend, it should not be difficult for us to discern the collapse of all things godly in our world today.  There has never been such a stark contrast between good and evil.  As a watchman my job is to translate all of that for those God has called me to lead in a way that encourages and enables them to live in a way that glorifies God.  I must also remember the clear warning laid out in Ezekiel for the watchman.

Ezekiel 33:1-9 Once again a message came to me from the LORD: “Son of man, give your people this message: When I bring an army against a country, the people of that land choose a watchman. When the watchman sees the enemy coming, he blows the alarm to warn the people. Then if those who hear the alarm refuse to take action—well, it is their own fault if they die. They heard the warning but wouldn't listen, so the responsibility is theirs. If they had listened to the warning, they could have saved their lives. But if the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn't sound the alarm to warn the people, he is responsible for their deaths. They will die in their sins, but I will hold the watchman accountable.  “Now, son of man, I am making you a watchman for the people of Israel. Therefore, listen to what I say and warn them for me. If I announce that some wicked people are sure to die and you fail to warn them about changing their ways, then they will die in their sins, but I will hold you responsible for their deaths. But if you warn them to repent and they don't repent, they will die in their sins, but you will not be held responsible.

Perhaps the most important part of this responsibility is to help people understand how we should live.  This is best laid out in 2 Peter 3:11-14, Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.  But in keeping with his promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him.

We must encourage people to live spotless and blameless lives, staying close to and at peace with Him.

As I close let’s not overlook the importance of our last command—being thankful.  Is this difficult when in the midst of great danger and confusion—yes!  I can think of no one better than Nehemiah to guide us here.

After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives, and your homes.  Nehemiah 4:14

As men, called to be prayerful watchmen and the spiritual head of our families, we are also to be like Nehemiah who, in the face of great danger, brought strength and comfort to everyone he encountered.  Our final component, being thankful is best wrapped up in the words Nehemiah shares, Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome.  In other words, no matter how bleak things may seem, we are to be encouraged and thankful that our heavenly Father has our back—just like the watchman on the wall.

It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.  Therefore, keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back --whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn.  If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping.   What I say to you, I say to everyone: Watch!  Mark 13:34-37

During this special season let’s read and pray these powerful verses:

1 Thess. 5:18 Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Col. 3:15 Let the peace (Hope) of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Col. 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Col. 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

Phil. 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 

A clarion call from our Lord: 

Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have taken my instruction to heart: Do not fear the reproach of mere mortals or be terrified by their insults.  For the moth will eat them up like a garment; the worm will devour them like wool.  But my righteousness will last forever, my salvation through all generations.  Awake, awake, arm of the LORD, clothe yourself with strength!  Isa 51:7-9a 

Enjoy this special message from Vince on The Four Pillars Of Leadership. 

https://vimeo.com/528115663

As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.  Psalm 103:12

The above verse uses a geographical construct to describe a difference so vast it cannot be measured.  It is also a powerful spiritual reminder of just how incredible our God really is.  More on this as we close.

In what might be considered an unusual attempt to shed some light on what is happening in our world today, I want to take a moment and unpack the phrase, as far as the east is from the west, in another context.  To do so we need to go back to the story of Isaac and Ishmael to study how God dealt with these two men and how it has metastasized into what we are seeing today in the Middle East and will be experiencing until Jesus’ return.

Of course, we know that Ishmael, the son of Hagar, represents a plan born by Abraham and Sarah (the plan of man) to get a child they were unable to conceive—it was a plan born out of their flesh.  Isaac, on the other hand, was the miracle brought about by God allowing Sarah to conceive, even in old age, and is considered of the Spirit (plan of God). 

The son of Hagar (Gen 16), and the son of Sarah (Gen 17), today’s Arabs and Jews respectively, and their subsequent offspring, God tells us, will be and have been in conflict until the end.  Since Mohammed came on the scene in 622 and declared that all Jews were the enemies of Allah, there has been tremendous conflict (Gen 25:18).  I am persuaded that what we are seeing today is unprecedented in all recorded history and needs to be understood by every Bible believing Christian.

 The Crescent vs Cross

While most of the Jewish world does not believe Jesus is their intended Messiah, they do believe in the same God we Christians honor.  The Arab/Islamic world believe in an entirely different god—a god born out of the fleshly origins of Ishmael.  So, this is where the battle is—Allah and Jesus. 

Interestingly, in a geopolitical sense, this conflict is being talked about as between the east and the west.  In this sense, it is true that our differences cannot be measured—they are that far apart.  There is no middle ground and no compromise between the two.  Muslims seem to understand this clearly.  They will strap on bombs as a sign of dedication.   

I want to say at this point that I am both excited and concerned.  As a Bible believing follower of Christ, it is easy to see that the Bible has predicted this conflict.  Just look at how all the countries in the east are lining up against Israel currently.  We are seeing the signs of God winnowing—the separation of the wheat from the chaff, darkness being invaded by His light.  I am excited because Jesus could come back very soon, like today. 

I am concerned that many Christians, particularly here in the west, are not prepared to take the current circumstances seriously enough.  I fear we are not focused on the BIG picture and are wallowing around in our search for getting back to normal—whatever that is.  The more traditional and “Orthodox” forms of Christianity, in many ways, seem more deeply committed than us in the west.  Some of them are dying for their faith. 

In the west it seems like our approach to faith is not very strong or robust.  We follow more of an attraction model, and we see people as consumers instead of potential worshipers of the true God of Abraham. The result is superficial and uncommitted people who are unwilling to live out God’s plan. 

Men, it is time.  Time to discover who God created you to be and seek your destiny. 

Here are some ideas, takeaways, for you to consider:

• Discover what is going on around the world and do not just take in one or two sources—spread it out. If you only watch American news, you will be brainwashed.  In other words, do your homework.
• Prepare your family and close friends for what is coming. Ask God to show you your role.
• Double down on your time with God. Hear His voice.  Sense His presence—you will not be successful without it.
• Pray against the antisemitic spirit that is rising up in our colleges and government.
• Focus on your true purpose before God…bringing people to Jesus.
• Watch my message from a PK New Zealand men’s conference on how to be Jesus in a dying world. Click Here

Most importantly, remember our opening verse—your sins are separated from you as far as the east is from the west.  You ARE forgiven and freed in Christ! Live like you believe it.

Finally, if you want to know what is going on today, I highly recommend reading America Alone, The End Of The World As We Know It, by Mark Steyn.  See the excerpt below from Wikipedia.

(Click here to find this book on Amazon)

Mark Steyn attributes the forecast fall of the Western world to three factors, demographic decline, unsustainability of the advanced Western social-democratic state, and exhaustion of civilization. Steyn based his argument of population decline on his own observation that European nations have low birth rates while Muslim nations have higher birth rates. Steyn wrote that in the 2000s, the population of the developed world declined from about 30% of world population to around 20%, while the population of Muslim nations increased from about 15% to 20% (Excerpted from Wikipedia)

We are living in the greatest time of deception ever to infect the human race since the days of Noah.

Can you imagine the depravity of man had reached a point where God was so disgusted, He regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him to His heart. (Gen 6:6)

At this point the obvious question should be, what must it have been like?  The Bible gives us some pretty good evidence beginning with fallen angels having relations with the daughters of men and the incredible sexual perversion that resulted.  The people of that day were totally deceived by the enemy.  Could it be that we are seeing a parallel in our day?  I believe we are.

Consider these examples:  A complete disrespect for God, the idea that we are our own god, the notion coming from the one-worlders that we can exceed what God has done through AI, the celebration of every imaginable deviant sexual behavior, Pedophiles now called minor attracted persons, the sexual grooming of our children beginning in grade school, the notion that parents have no rights over their children, Trans-genderism, satanism on school campuses while Christians are banned. 

I will stop here for sake of time and space, but you know this list could go a lot longer.  All of this is happening while most decent people have their head in the sand.  Like in the days of Noah we have lost all discernment.  We are being lulled into thinking everything is ok and are boiling to death as surely as that Frog-in-the-kettle.  Why?  Is it possible we can find our answer in looking at Noah?  What kept him from this deception that might give us a blueprint to follow?

This is the account of Noah and his family.  Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.  Gen 6:9

This verse says that Noah was righteous and blameless among his people at that time.  Make no mistake, this does not mean that he was perfect—far from it.  But, compared to what that generation looked like, he was truly a cut above and most importantly, he walked with God.  I would suggest that the latter is what made the former possible.  In God’s eyes Noah was a man after His own heart.  Could this be what is escaping people today, especially those of us who claim to be a follower of Jesus?

Dear friend, we are living in desperate times, and I believe God is looking for modern day Noahs.  there was little Noah could do to impact his culture and probably the same is true for you and me.  Notwithstanding our sincere efforts to work hard to make a difference and continual prayer for our nation, the future, as with Noah, is in the capable hands of God. 

So, what does all this mean for you and me today?  Noah not only walked with God, but they spoke as well.  He heard from God.  I am persuaded that this is what we must focus on today.  We must give up our anxiety-driven handwringing and start walking and talking with God and trusting Him for the results.  What does that look like today?

Here are some practical ideas:

• Double down on the time you are spending with the Lord every day (if you are not—start now).
• If you are not in a healthy small-group or church, get in one.
• Make it a habit not to believe anything you are told until you check it out for yourself.
• Be courageous and stand up for what you know is true and righteous.

And finally, Noah had God Himself to talk with and today we have His Word—that is where you and I will hear from Him.  I suggest you start by meditating on the verses below.  They are an abbreviated collection of verses dealing with deception and demonic influence.  Study them and please share them with others.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 ESV For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 ESV And with all wicked deception for those who are perishing because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore, God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Matthew 24:4-5 ESV And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.

Matthew 24:11 ESV And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.

And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. ...

Matthew 24:24 ESV For false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

Matthew 24:36-39 ESV But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Mark 13:22 ESV For false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.

John 8:44 ESV You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

1 Timothy 4:1 ESV Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,

1 John 4:1 ESV Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

2 Thessalonians 2:3 ESV Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction…

Revelation 12:9 ESV And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

2 Corinthians 11:13 ESV For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 

If this TargetPoint has inspired you in some way please forward it to your friends.

Check out this short funny clip from our early years on, The Differences Between Men And Women

https://otm.co/the-differences-between-men-women-446-promo-clip/

The first one to plead his cause seems right,
until his neighbor comes and examines him. 
Proverbs 18:17

Often I hear people say, facts matter.  The fact is, no they do not…at least not anymore.

We have turned spin into an art form. In the face of irrefutable facts, someone will convince you to deny them or that they are outright wrong. Just listen in on any congressional hearing or investigation.  The facts discovered in the process are completely twisted by whomever is interpreting them.  How many times have you heard the term, its’s settled science?  I wish I had a dollar for every time we discovered the science was wrong.  Isn’t that the very nature of good science—to follow where the facts lead?

Instead, you and I are fed virtual nonsense and being asked to accept it as true.  Why?  Because the hidden motives or agenda, trumps the truth.  Lying becomes an acceptable means to an end and you and I are seen as pawns whose answer on poll questions is the real goal.  My concern here is not for the liars—they have been here since the fall.  My concern is for those who are hearing the deceit—you and me.   

If we dissect Proverbs 18:17, we see that when a person pleads, or states their case, it is usually accepted.  However, the verse also suggests that a further examination—or a look a little deeper—might lead to a different conclusion.  I am convinced that most people have been brainwashed to NOT look deeper.  I have noticed this happening now for at least the past 40-50 years.  We have evolved a generation of people who lack patience and the ability to apply critical thought.

Instead of allowing the facts to draw us to a conclusion, we allow our conclusions to direct us to ONLY the facts that seem to support them.  Our inability, or often unwillingness, to look deeper and more critically at the evidence, establishes fertile ground for deception.  Because we live in a quick-fix, soundbite society, we lack the patience it takes to flush out truth.  Besides, If I discover this news source is lying and manipulating me, I might have to find another channel—and I like this anchor.

Let’s look at some statements we have all heard and either agree or disagree with:

Backing Ukraine is a fight to protect Democracy, a fetus is not a life, a man can become a woman, homosexuality is a morally equivalent alternative lifestyle, masks work, vaccinations are safe and effective, Covid did not come from a lab, January 6^th was a planned insurrection, our country is much better off as a result of President Biden, white people are bad, sex trafficking of kids is being overstated, global warming is man-made and settled science, socialism is good, the border is secure, pharmaceutical companies have your best interest in mind, I could go on and on…

First, let me suggest that many of these statements are not only intended to mislead, but also to divide us.  Whether they are true or not is not the issue.  How you arrived at your conclusion is.  If you want to test my hypothesis, ask yourself which one of these you happen to think is solid and how much research you did to come to your conclusion.  Sadly, most people do not even try to dig for opposing views or facts to weigh out their conclusions.  

If you really want to know how we got here, just look up Mass Formation Psychosis and research what that is all about.  In one way or another you and I are all victims of it, but I digress.  After all this is said and done, what is the takeaway—what do I need to do—how should I think differently?

Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.  Proverbs 12:22

First, we must understand how much God detests lying.  We also need to know what He means by acting faithfully.  I believe He wants us to be faithful in our pursuit of the truth.  This means we must do whatever it takes to keep ourselves from being deceived.  Jesus, referring to Himself in John 14:6 says, I am the way, the Truth, and the life.  He goes on to say in John 16:13, When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth…  

Dear friend, as followers of Jesus we should never allow ourselves to succumb to lies and outright deceit.  He has given us His Holy Spirit and all we need to do is tap into that wonderful source to gain the proper biblical perspective.  How does that work, you might ask.  For me, I take whatever the world is trying to get me to believe and lay it on that altar of accountability before God.  I investigate the Bible and make sure that what I am considering is not contradicted by God’s Word.  Then I ask the Holy Spirit to speak and direct me if I am being deceived.

I then challenge myself to investigate the opposing views or data to gain an understanding of how people arrived at the opposite conclusion.  This, more often than not, surfaces information most people never see or hear.  

When I consider the amount of misinformation, outright lying and deceitful motives permeating our culture today, it is challenging not to become pessimistic.  On the other hand, I am also mindful of how great our God is and that He will never leave us or forsake us.  He is where our hope comes from, and we must always remember that.  

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Jeremiah. 29:11

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.  Romans 12:2

Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it.  But the correction
of fools is folly.   Proverbs 16:22

The following is excerpted from an article I wrote in November of 2017 by the same title.  Because of where we find ourselves today I felt the need to re-communicate these thoughts with some updated information.   –Vince

Lately I have done extensive reading and some research on how whole societies and countries have been overtaken, conquered.  In man’s earliest days the methods were always physical.  It took massive, well trained and well equipped armies—in other words—physical force.  Not so today.  The new weapon is persuasion and the tools for this type of takeover are both devious and very sophisticated.  If I can persuade you to surrender I have won without any physical effort or cost. 

In 1987 Allan Bloom wrote his number one best seller, The Closing Of The American Mind.  The subtitle for the twenty-five-year anniversary edition says, How Higher Education Has Failed Democracy and Impoverished the Souls of Today’s Students.  One of my favorite quotes from this amazing work is, the problem with an open mind is that your brains fall out.  Bloom's criticism revolves around his belief that the "great books" of Western thought have been devalued as a source of wisdom.  This would obviously include the Bible.  Bloom says The modern liberal philosophy enshrined in the Enlightenment thought of John Locke—that a just society could be based upon self-interest alone, coupled by the emergence of relativism in American thought—has led to this crisis. 

Thirty-six years later we are seeing the results Bloom predicted.  How did we get here? Carefully planned and artfully applied MANIPULATION!  Now, I know what you are thinking—even a casual leaning in this direction will label me a conspiracy theorist.  This label is another calculated strategy to stop any kind of honest effort to uncover the truth. Here is another example—when asked a very logical question regarding what the possible “end game” might be for all of this most will say, I don't know.  Many, including this writer, believe the end game is total takeover—complete control of our nation and the removal of everything we originally stood for.  If you openly say this—you are laughed at—again—manipulation.

In his well-written book, The Marriage Builder, Dr. Larry Crabb writes that in all human interaction you are doing one of two things only, you are either ministering or you are manipulating.  As someone with a modest background in behavioral science I remember thinking, it can’t be that simple.  He uses the illustration of a husband walking over to his wife after dinner, putting his arm around her waist he says, honey you look beautiful tonight.  So, for all you men reading this I know you get the picture. 

Forgive me ladies as I certainly do not mean to lessen your understanding of the scene here—in fact you are masters at discerning the motives behind all that we men say and do.  However, I wonder if this is true of us today as a body of believers?  Do we truly perceive the motives behind what is being acted out and told to us today?  

My friend is it possible that most of what we are seeing and being fed today is carefully choreographed theater designed to manipulate you and me, pawns in the eyes of those perpetrating all of this, into a socially engineered groupthink.  What if virtually every newsworthy major event is viewed by devious people as an opportunity to manipulate the vulnerable masses into a way of thinking that will move them closer to seeing their “end game” achieved?  What if it is no longer left or right, conservative or liberal, Democrat or Republican and it is all set up to make us think there are two sides when the reality is—the leaders of these groups are working together in order to deceive? 

The problem is very few people are doing any critical thinking.  We are not trying to discern what the real motive or “end game” is.  We are being lied to or kept in the dark on almost every front.  Consider the following:

• Covid came from a fish market and was accidental, masks and social distancing work and the vaccines are safe and effective.
• Backing Ukraine is protecting democracy.
• LBGTQ+++ are to be considered normal and should be affirmed and celebrated.
• Pedophilia is now Minor Attracted Persons (sex trafficking is a 34-billion-dollar industry)
• There are more slaves today than in all of history just considering the millions of children being sold globally.
• Individual freedom is less important than the will of the collective.
• Killing the unborn is ok—it’s a matter of choice.
• Socialism and globalism are good for us, nationalism is bad.
• Global warming is caused by humans.
• Always trust science.
• Your kids do not belong to you—they are the property of the state. (As of this writing California is putting forth a bill to give children the legal right to leave home at age 12)

There are so many more messages and soundbites I could list here but I know these will garner a lot of emotions from my readers.  For this writer I have no trouble saying all of these are wrong, pathetic and disgusting.  But then I am not very opinionated.  Perhaps you will agree or disagree with some of these issues.  The question is, what is the source of these messages and are they designed to minister or manipulate me?  How can you know the real motives?

Let me suggest some thoughtful questions you should ask whenever you are trying to figure out truth from lies and ministry vs manipulation:

• Who is the source behind this idea or message?
• What vested interest might they have?
• Is there money involved?
• Is it about power and control?
• What are the facts when compared to the counter argument?
• Does it unite or divide us?
• And most important, what does the Bible say? 

Jesus replied, "Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?   Mark 12:24

Today is July 5^th, 2023.  As I finish the update for this TargetPoint I am reminded of what we just celebrated the Fourth of July.  I wonder how many of us remember what it cost our patriots who signed that precious declaration.  Thousands of lives—a lot of shed blood.  They knew the implications and were willing to pay the price.  Girded by prayer and a lot of bravery they came through. 

My friends I am persuaded that we are dangerously close to experiencing the same kind of tyranny and control they did way back then.  The question for us…WHAT IS THE PRICE YOU AND I ARE WILLING TO PAY TO SECURE FREEDOM?

We have moved from The Home of The Free and The Brave to a land filled with Slaves and Cowards, we are ideological slaves and practical cowards.  Vince D’Acchioli

Who Am I? 
Why Am I Here?

The questions are not as important as where you look for the answers!

Thus says the Lord:  “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength,  whose heart departs from the Lord.”  Jer 17:5

I am persuaded that beginning with Adam and continuing to today, every human being has a built-in desire to discover their identity and their destiny.  For the first twenty years of my young life, I remember being obsessed with wanting to know who am I? and why am I here?  During that time, having little understanding of who God is, I found myself on a desperate quest for answers without ever considering the spiritual implications.  I was looking for answers through the lens of pride and had no concept of the importance of humility.

Currently I am taking a group of young leaders through the powerful book by Andrew Murray, simply titled Humility.  I have done this now about five or six times and find myself learning more with each reading.  Murray in his opening preface says this: When I look back upon my own religious experience, or round about the church of Christ in the world, I stand amazed at the thought of how little humility is sought after as the distinguishing feature of the disciple of Jesus.

So even as I look back to my earliest days as a new believer, the lack of a true understanding of the power of pride to squelch humility was a problem.  What is humility?  Tyron Edwards probably said it best: Humility is not an abject, groveling, self-despising spirit…it is but a right estimate of ourselves as God sees us. 

There it is—as God sees us.  My friend your and my life can never be more glorious and satisfying as when we grasp a glimpse of who we are through His eyes.  Sadly, the opposite is also true.  When we allow our pride to push us to seeing who we are through the world around us it will usually lead to serious dysfunction at best.  This explains what we are seeing in our world today. 

Just take a look at the symptoms, porn, alcohol, drugs, sexual and gender confusion, suicide and a devaluation of human life are but a few.  When we seek to understand who we are through the world around us instead of our Creator we will never become the man or woman God intended.  I believe that humility is the number one attitude God is looking for in every one of His precious creatures if we are to obtain these answers. 

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross.  For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name…  Philippians 2:5-9

Jacques Benigne Bossuet is quoted as saying, Man makes himself God through pride, God makes Himself man through humility. So there it is—Jesus is our model.  But, you might say, how can any human being live up to that?  In your fleshly, pride-filled state—you cannot.  If we truly desire to understand our identity and destiny through the eyes of our Creator we must empty ourselves of everything that resists total surrender and assume a humble position before Him.

I have discovered that my ability to understand my proper position is directly related to my true understanding of His.  Further, my true understanding of His can only be achieved by knowing Him intimately.  And finally, knowing Him intimately cannot happen without a very serious commitment to spending TIME, reading the Word, praying and worshipping Him.

In Andrew Murray’s earlier quote, he shows his frustration in not seeing an important distinguishing feature as evidence in the life of the believer questioning whether they are a true disciple.  I could not agree more and that is the reason why we are now unpacking what I call the Four Markers Of A Disciple. 

The Four Markers Of A Disciple

1. They have anIntimate relationship with God (they know Whose they are)
2. They have discoveredWho they are, their Identity
3. They know God’s plan for their life, theirDestiny
4. They are living out their purpose and have becomeThe Man God Intended

I am persuaded that as pastors and leaders we have failed to recognize the importance of the first marker in positioning people to experience the rest.  As I close, I want us to acknowledge two things.  First, those questions are never going to go away—they will always be relevant.  And second, it is not too late—we must move past our mistakes and begin to communicate, coach and guide people into experiencing a more intimate relationship with our Lord!

Self is the whole evil of fallen nature, self-denial is our capacity of being saved; humility is our Savior.  –Andrew Murray

On a final note, I want to invite any of you who may be interested in joining me on a weekly OTI Zoom call to please email vince@otm.co.  They take place every Wednesday at 6:00 PM Pacific Time.

The Man-Up Generation

Something is happening with our young men

In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.  Acts 2:17

May 1^st, 2023 was an ordinary day in many ways but for about 40 young men between 18 and 24 it will be a special memory for a long time.  Our Lord paid them a visit!   

As many of you know, April was move in month for Cindy and I in Temecula, California.  Hectic in so many ways but we finally are settling in and my new office and studio are ready to go for our upcoming broadcast sessions.  In addition, we are meeting so many wonderful people here and it seems like God is opening up ministry opportunities everywhere.  But, perhaps the most surprising and yet profound ministry seems to be happening with young men here.

Before I explain what happened on May first, let me give you a brief lead-up.  My grandson, Hayden, started a small bible study group with young men around the beginning of the year.  They call themselves, the Holy Stakes Club.  Many of these men were guys he met and invited from his local gym.  His brother, Parker, is also involved in leadership and has been inviting guys from his climbing gym.  The growth has been nothing short of spectacular.  Hayden asked me to speak to these men back in February when we first arrived and there were 18 guys there.  I think 5-6 of them gave their hearts to the Lord at that gathering and many more rededicated.

During this past month Hayden asked me to help develop his group leaders.  He has also adopted our OTI model for this effort so we have been going through the training videos and I have been teaching some of the sessions live.  I encouraged him to ask his men to give anonymous feedback on cards regarding some of the issues they are facing.  The results were both predictable but also very sad—so many broken young men.  After reading the cards I suggested that they may want me to speak at their next meeting to love and encourage these precious men.  The occasion was May 1^stand here is what happened:

I started by telling them three stories…mine…theirs…and then, THE story.  I kept mine short but there were enough highlights to get their attention.  Having read their cards, I then went down a laundry list of all the stuff they are dealing with.  Porn, drugs, anger, fear, anxiety, broken relationships, physical and emotional abuse, thoughts of suicide—it was a long list.  I told them that all of their frustrations are stemming from trying to find the answers to the two big questions---who am I (my identity), and why am I here (my destiny)?

Then I told the THE story.  It all started with Adam and Eve and the fall of man.  When sin entered the world and we put on those first fig leaves fear, anxiety and insecurity began.  We are all looking to reclaim that which God intended to define us from the beginning.  I said that the problems they’re experiencing are the result of where they are looking for answers.  Most of them are looking for their identity from the world around them, their circumstances or even their close friends rather than the One who made them.  That will always fall short and lead into a deeper spiral.

I then told them about finding out Whose they are before they can discover who they are.  It must start with having an intimate relationship with the One who made them.  After a little more unpacking I then asked who would like to start their journey with Jesus today and 7-8 men gave their hearts to the Lord.  Another dozen rededicated their lives and made a commitment to begin following The God Who Is instead of a god they want.  What happened next took the better part of three hours.

I asked one of the men to place a big, tall chair in the middle of the room and simply said, ok, how real do you men want to get?  It was instant.  One man after another took to the chair, shared their struggles and received prayer.  My grandson Parker went and got some olive oil out of the pantry to anoint the men, I told him it had to be Italian. 

About half way through the 20 or so men who shared, I stopped and told them someone here is carrying a huge burden and is seriously contemplating suicide.  You need to take this seat.  Right after the next man was done a young man came forward and it was remarkable.  He was so broken it was hard to discern what he was saying—pretty bad language and an eerie sense of possible demonic presence.  I asked him if he was the one I described…he said yes.  I started praying and the men gathered around this brother and we could feel the change.

It was so amazing—they all chanted, NO MAN LEFT BEHIND!  I have never witnessed this level of open humility and desperation for the Lord in a group of young men like this.  God is truly doing something amazing.  After about four hours we had to bring it to a close.  I told them that this now needs to be their benchmark or model moving forward.  That this is foundational for repentance, healing and growth.  I simply started the process and they took over—towards the end I just watched.  Thank You Lord—THESE MEN ARE READY TO MAN-UP!

On a final note, I want to invite any of you who may be interested in joining me on a weekly OTI Zoom call to please email vince@otm.co.  I will put you on a list for our first call where you can find out more about format and times to see if this may be for you. 

A Wake Up Call For An Emerging Christian Generation

NOTE:  Almost daily I pass on Biblical truths and devotionals to a group of young men and women, many who are my grandchildren.  While doing this the other day the thought came to me that if I knew I only had a short time to live, what would I say to them?  This article flows from that question.

When Chuck Colson told the incredible story about his participation in the great Watergate cover up he made an profound observation. In his own words:

I know the resurrection is a fact, and Watergate proved it to me. How? Because 12 men testified they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Everyone was beaten, tortured, stoned and put in prison. They would not have endured that if it weren't true. Watergate embroiled 12 of the most powerful men in the world-and they couldn't keep a lie for three weeks. You're telling me 12 apostles could keep a lie for 40 years? Absolutely impossible.

To me the Apostles represent what each and every one of us who call ourselves Christians ought to be like.  My concern is that sadly most Christians today, especially our younger generation, resemble the Watergate figures who caved.  The reason this is true is simple really.  The Apostles relationship with Jesus was intimate and deep—they walked and talked with God.  The Watergate figures gave up at the first sign of persecution because there was not a cause worthy of dying for.

I have a quote that many of you have heard me use…We have moved from the home of the free and the brave to a land filled with slaves and cowards, we are ideological slaves and practical cowards.

Part of this is happening as the result of the death of absolute truth, but rather than unpack that I would like to focus on the great dangers we are facing as the Body of Christ in our nation moving forward.  I am persuaded that most Pastors, leaders and in particular younger Christians, have their heads in the sand when it comes to discerning what is coming our way.  We have been spoiled and basically left alone to believe anything we want with little or no consequences. 

The Apostles were able to face intense persecution because they knew Jesus.  It begs the question; can we do the same when the vast majority of us simply know about Jesus.  Remember the illustration with Peter and his denial.  He did not have the necessary level of depth and commitment to withstand the test.  And the Rooster crowed.

I am deeply concerned that an incredible number of young Christians today are not prepared to face what is coming.  The statistics regarding the number of young people who enter college as believers in Jesus and turn to atheism after the first year is staggering.  The pressure being put upon our culture today to deny Jesus and really anything having to do with absolute Biblical truth is intense.

How about a 20 year old new police officer who posts his support for traditional marriage on Face Book and is told by his employer to take it down or be fired?  What about people who are condemned or let go for not affirming the LBGTQ agenda?  Did you ever think you would see a day when an entire professional sports team would be required to wear the rainbow on their jerseys to celebrate homosexuality?  Out of that entire professional Hockey team only one player refused and he was a Russian Christian.  I wonder how many other Christians were on that team?

My friends, this is just the beginning.  Intense persecution is coming and as the Body of Christ we are not prepared!  The secret to not falling away lies in who is possessing your life.  The Apostles, because they literally walked and talked with their Lord, were ultimately able to be His incredible witnesses.  But, therein lies the formula—they walked and talked with Him.  The relationship was so intimate that they never considered giving in.

All of that brings me to what I want to say to the many young men and women who would call themselves Christian.  Like Peter, you may think you are prepared…ready for whatever comes your way.  YOU ARE NOT! 

So, my last words, if this is what this is, would be to start by examining who and what possesses your life.  You may think you have the Holy Spirit but how much of you does that same Holy Spirit have?  No matter how hectic your school or work life is right now, you must carve out time to become intimate with your Lord.

Find like-minded believers you can meet with weekly and commit to grow deep in your walk together.  You will need these men and women in your life to resist the pressures that are coming.  Read the Word, Pray and Worship every day.  Always remember there is a profound relationship between obedience and power.  The minute you let your guard down the enemy takes over and the Holy Spirit is quenched. 

If you do these things God will give you the same courage He gave those Apostles that enabled them to face anything that came there way.  Our world has gone mad and God has brought each and every one of you here—right now—for such a time as this.  Meditate on these verses and Be Strong! 

• For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  2 Timothy 4:3
• Guardthe good deposit that was entrusted to you, guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in you.  2 Timothy 1:14
• When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.  In God, whose word I praise— in God, I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? Psalm 56:3-4
• For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, andself-discipline.  2 Timothy 1:7
• Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13
• Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

I cannot remember the last time I had such difficulty preparing our monthly TargetPoint article.   As I was praying the other day I felt the Lord prompting me to call my friend, Pastor and mentor, Danny Carroll.  I told him of my struggle and that I wanted to write something that would encourage my readers as we enter this new, and very challenging season.

Danny told me that the Lord had directed him to John 17:11-12.  He said, Vinnie, (he has always called me that), it is interesting that Jesus was always protecting the twelve and none of them knew it at the time.  Pastor Dan’s words that morning have become the inspiration for what you are about to read.  Here is the extended reading of this text for greater context:

I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect themby the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.  While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 

I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.  I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.  My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.  They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.  Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.  As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.  For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.   John 17:11-19

What is Jesus saying here?  I believe it is profound—follow me here.  First He was acknowledging His departure and asks the Father to protect them (the Disciples).  We are reminded that while He was with them He provided all the protection they needed.  Then, He reminds the Father that He has given them His word and asks again that they be protected and kept from the evil one.  Then finally He asks the Father to Sanctify them by the truth. 

Dear one, you and I are included in Jesus’ prayer here.  We are the 2023 version of His disciples and Jesus is still praying for you and me.  As we enter this new year I want us to consider three powerful ideas from all of this.  First, and of utmost importance to so many in this season, you are protected—He has your back (Prov 2:6-8).  No matter how tough things may seem to be, God is wanting us to be at peace in the knowledge that He is in control and will never allow anything to happen that we cannot handle.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)  No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Second, we have been given His word.  Obviously we know that Jesus Himself is the Word, the embodiment of God’s eternal truth.  The disciples had that truth available to them in human form.  You and I, by the power of His Holy Spirit and the written word, have access to all truth which takes us to the third and most incredible thing Jesus says in conclusion… Sanctify them by the truth.  To sanctify means to be made holy, set apart.  How does sanctification happen?  Through and by His truth—the Word of God.

I want to encourage you to commit 2023 to be the year of the word.  To enter this season with the understanding that the past has no power over us and that Jesus has you.  Then, to understand His incredible desire for you and me to be made holy…set apart.  But also to realize that there is no way for that to happen apart from His word.  Let this be a year where we surrender once and for all from our old self and determine to discover a more intimate relationship with our Lord through His word.

You have heard this from me before but it is worth repeating, you will never know who you are until you first discover Whose you are.  Intimacy precedes destiny.  But please don’t forget the second part of what sanctification means…to be set apart.  This is the cool part—God wants us to be set apart and that begs the question, for what?  Answer, for His purpose.  He has a great plan for you and wants you to discover what it is.

In closing let me suggest that that plan is your destiny.  I have never met anyone who does not have a deep desire to discover their destiny.  But remember that it has to begin with intimacy.  Intimacy—identity—destiny. 

As you consider beginning this process by committing to His word this year let me close with perhaps the most profound verse in the Bible about the Bible:

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.  
Psalm 119:105

All of us are too inexperienced to try to make it through life without a guide. God’s Word is that guide. Psalm 119 unfolds many of the features of God’s Word, showing how dynamically and practically it will assist us in all of life’s circumstances. However, no single verse clearly illustrates this more than verse 105, which shows how God’s Word lights the way, giving direction for each step (“to my feet”) and giving wisdom for long-range plans (“to my path”).  –Jack Hayford

As you enter this new season please know that no matter who you are, what you have done or where you may find yourself right now…God is crazy in love with you.  Jesus’ prayer is for you.  He wants to set you apart.  His destiny for you is real and He wants you to know that you are being prepared for such a time as this.

One of our earliest childhood memories that come to mind is the familiar Bible story of the three wise men making their long journey to Bethlehem to find the infant King that first Christmas long ago.

They were Magi, descendants of the Chaldeans spoken of by the prophet Daniel.  They were the astrologers and astronomers of their day; unbelievers at best, committed to searching the heavens for signs foretelling the destiny of nations.  Regarded with awe and fear, these men were paid handsomely to know when something important was about to happen, to discern the present or supervise at the coronation of a king. 

For God to get their attention would be no easy task. But He did.  And whether the bright light they saw at helical rise was a miracle appearance or a natural conjunction of stars or planets is of little consequence.  For it was God, who had created the vault of heaven and all its stars that had provided the revelation that was to drive these men to Israel in search of a newborn king.

This star was mentioned in Numbers 24:17 when a traveling soothsayer named Balaam prophesied “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob, a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and batter the brow of Moab, and destroy all the sons of tumult”.  Genesis 49:10 also reference a Scepter.  Balaam more than likely was an ancestor to the Babylonian wise men of Daniel’s time.

These wise men would have known of this prophecy and many others from the Old Testament by hearing them from Daniel in Babylon during the time they consulted with the kings.

Few or many, these powerful men left their ease and traveled to Jerusalem to find the one born King of the Jews.  It just made sense to head to Israel's crown city in search of a king.  It is obvious they did not know of the prophecy in Micah 5:2 or they would have known the exact location of His birth was to be in Bethlehem.  They wouldn't have had to receive these prophecies from the chief priests and scribes in Jerusalem.  Their natural inclination would be to talk to King Herod.  But instead of getting excited, Herod sent them to find the baby as he began to hatch a plot to kill hundreds of male infants in hopes of safeguarding his own position.

Yet, the Magi would not be deterred.  How long it took for them to find Jesus is hard to say, but it is a good guess that from the time they left their homes until the time they stood before the young King could easily have been two to three years.

Now the scriptures tell us they brought three notable gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. These three precious offerings were the tools of their trade. They were the most valuable items they possessed. But even with all their knowledge and worldly acclaim they could have hardly known that these gifts would play a greater role in the Savior's life and death.

Gold was a gift reserved for royalty.  Frankincense was a costly & rare commodity, used on the Altar of Incense that when burned gave off a sweet smelling white smoke.  

The Myrrh, oh the myrrh, seemingly the oddest of gifts would be the very fragrant and valuable oil that would be used at his burial.

But there is yet one more gift we often miss.  It is the utmost gift of all.  It is the gift of worship. The scriptures tell us the wise men knelt and worshipped Him!  Whether they did this on their own initiative, or the majesty of being in the presence of the King of Kings gave them no choice, they bowed and worshipped.  These wise men from afar came not just to court His favor and to proclaim Him King of the Jews, but they would be proclaiming Him King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

There is hardly a man or woman when testifying to God’s persistent love does not have a moment when their words are reduced to a stammer and their emotions frayed with un-expressible amazement.  And this is because God is not like us.  He does not pursue for personal gain.  We are not some royal experiment or pawns in a cosmic game of chess.  He does not chase us to fulfill something that is lacking in Himself.  For with or without us, He is perfectly complete.  God’s desire for us is not as a man seeks companionship and a sense of self worth.  His love is not completed in our response.  Ours is completed in His offer.  

With much love we wish you a most blessed and Merry Christmas,

Vince & Cindy

An End-Times Perspective

Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father… Luke 12:51-53

I read an article this morning about a father who wrote to a local paper calling out his son, running for political office, as a liar.  This father and son are obviously on opposite sides of the political spectrum and have allowed their worldview differences to poison their family ties.  I am not sure how you feel about this but I never thought I would witness what is happening in our country today.  What is going on?  Where is all of this dysfunction coming from?

Well, if you are a follower of Jesus and understand your Bible, none of this should surprise you.  We have been deliberately conditioned as a people to hate each other based upon class identification.  First our real enemy, the devil himself, working through corrupt leaders, divides us.  Perhaps you have heard of Mass Formation Psychosis.  Here is a recent definition posted from an SWFI article:

Psychosis is when people lose some contact with reality. Mass formation psychosis is when a large part of a society focuses its attention to a leader(s) or a series of events and their attention focuses on one small point or issue. Followers can be hypnotized and be led anywhere, regardless of data proving otherwise. A key aspect of the phenomena is that the people they identify as the leaders – the ones that can solve the problem or issue alone – they will follow that leader(s) regardless of any new information or data. Furthermore, anybody who questions the leader’s narrative are attacked and disregarded.

You can see this happening around a plethora of social issues in our culture right now.  As I mentioned earlier, we know where this is coming from but the bigger question is, where is it all headed?  If you are a Christ follower you no doubt have your views on end-times theology.  For the sake of time and space let me suggest two basic ones.

The first view is held by people who believe Christ is coming back to a victorious and spotless church that has suppressed the darkness.  The second view basically believes the opposite—Jesus is coming as our conquering King to finally defeat the prevailing darkness in our world.  There is probably not a lot of Biblical support for either of these extremes but let me unpack what I believe may be happening.

Back in the mid-eighties my pastor, Jack Hayford, related what he called The Opposing Stream Theory.  What he postured was that in the end times both of the afore mentioned views will be true.  He suggested that all throughout the history of man there has been in place two streams running in opposite directions, the stream of light and the stream of darkness…good and evil.

Pastor Jack would say that throughout most of our history those two streams have been flowing in opposite directions at a relatively slow enough speed that you can have a foot in both of them.  He then suggested that as we approach the end times the darkness is going to get a lot darker and the light a lot brighter.  As this occurs those streams will now be moving in opposite trajectories so fast that, if you try to have a foot in both of them, it will tear you apart.  YOU WILL HAVE TO DECIDE…WHICH ONE WILL YOU BE IN?

Dear friends, I believe we are seeing this in our world today, particularly in America.  Please allow me the liberty to apply different names to those streams—I would call them God and No God.  Almost every issue we find ourselves facing today, in my view, is being viewed through one of these two lenses.  At the ninety thousand foot level these are the only two worldviews that really matter. 

While I think it is helpful to explore different ideas about what is happening, it is even more important that believers discover how God wants us to think and act during this exciting leadup to His coming.  My friend Matt Barber and I are getting ready to film a pilot radio and TV show titled On Target geared toward helping the believer identify issues and discover the proper attitude and actions necessary to respond.  This is so important today—we are desperate for a balanced Biblical perspective.

If, as a believer you think this is important and want to pursue God’s perspective I want to suggest reading Romans chapter 12.  It has been said that if you could only have one book out of the entire Bible that would give you the best message of redemption, it would be Romans.  It is also suggested that if you could only have one chapter, it would be chapter 12.  I am asking each of you, reading this article, to please read chapter 12 today.  Maybe every day for a while—let it sink in and take root.

The major themes are surrender, transformation and  humility.  The Apostle Paul also talks about discovering your identity by understanding how God has wired you uniquely.  If you want a free tool that will help you discover your natural gifts outlined in verses 6 – 8 you can go to https://otm.co/spiritual-gifts-test/.  This tool only takes about 15-20 minutes to complete and will give you a full report.

My friends we are headed into uncharted territory and the stakes have never been this high.  If you are putting your hope in man’s ability to save the day you are being foolish.  God is not wringing His hands about man’s ways—He could not care less about elections or political posturing and maneuvering.  His ways are not our ways but they do include you and me.  He is crazy about you and wants you to position yourself to receive His power in order to be a mighty victorious warrior in the battle that is heating up.  How will you respond?

Let me close with the Apostle Paul’s powerful last words to Timothy, and by extension, to all of us:

2 Tim 4:1-5 (NKJV)  I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

What Is A Disciple?

An excerpt from Vince’s upcoming book, The Man God Intended  

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…  Matt 28:19

What is the purpose of an automobile?  Transportation, of course.  How would you define an automobile, in other words, what are the essential characteristics an automobile must possess in order to live out its purpose?  The first, and obviously most important, would be its power source.  Without that it is going nowhere.  Next, it needs all of the essential parts that give it the ability to navigate.  Then finally, it needs a destination.

Now, lets switch gears (pun intended) and ask, what is the purpose of a disciple?  I want to suggest that it is Transformation.  In fact, I believe that is really the main purpose of God’s church on planet earth.  The REAL product of Ford Motor Company is not cars, it is Transportation.  They manufacture different kinds of cars for differing transportation needs.

In the same way, the REAL product of the church should be Transformation.  Making disciples and releasing them into the world is the way we bring about the true purpose and thereby advance His kingdom.  If Ford attracts a whole lot of parts, the pieces that when brought together create the car, and leaves them on the factory floor, Transportation will not happen.  In the same way, if the church attracts a bunch of people and does not make them Disciples…Transformationwill not happen. 

I suggest to you that this is the great challenge we face in the church today.  If we do not get this and change our ways, we are doomed as a nation and will have missed God’s call for America.  If we can agree that we must change and be intentional about making Disciples we must start with defining what a disciple looks like.  In a recent meeting with a bunch of pastors and leaders I posed the question, what are the characteristics, or markers of a Disciple?  It was embarrassing—deer in the headlights.  How can we produce something we cannot even define.

Before Ford even thinks about assembling those parts do you not think they know EXACTLY what it is to look like?  Do you think they would even release it from the factory until they examined it and knew that it passed inspection and that Transportation, will result?  Of course not.  So what do you think?  How good a job are we doing in our churches as we consider this analogy?

In a past article I wrote about the three, which have now become four, characteristics or markers of a Disciple.  I want to briefly mention those again here, but before I do, let me ask you to consider what the non-essentials are in the quest to live out the intended purpose.  For instance, in the case of the automobile, it does not matter what color it may be…let me repeat that, the color of the car means nothing.  It also does not matter how flashy it is or how much it costs.

Likewise, with producing a disciple, there should be no concern about anything other than the essentials.  In His mind every human being on planet earth can become a disciple as long as they possess the necessary markers.  Who you are, what color you are, where you’ve been, what you have done…none of that disqualifies us from becoming the man (or woman) God intended.  What is required, however, are these four markers:

Marker one:
An intimate relationship with God.  This may sound like a given but in my humble opinion, this is where we have failed miserably as a church.  Let’s go back to our car.  This is equivalent to putting all the parts together without a power source.  It may look and feel like a car (a lot of people look and feel like disciples) but is not going to produce Transportation any more than that church attender will bring about Transformation.  This is why today there are so many well-intended Christians out there trying to make a difference with little to show for their efforts—no REAL spiritual power.

Dear ones, this is essential for us to get.  This is the reason in my ministry that I am now dedicating myself to specific training times throughout the year to help men develop an intimate relationship with our Lord.  A relationship that will allow them to truly sense and feel His presence in their lives.  It is only then that we can understand and receive the next markers.

Marker two:
Know how God made me.  If I do not have an intimate relationship with God I will never discover how He made me.  In other words, it’s like God answering the question, Lord, when you look at me, what do You see?  I don’t know anyone who would not want the answer to that question.  Going back to our car, this would be understanding all of the parts (gifts) present that make it, or me, work.

Marker three:
Know why God made me.  Following this process we now come to our destiny—the reason for our existence.  Someone once said, if you do not know where you are going…any road will take you there.  That is what is happening, especially with a lot of men today.  In this stage is where we find out our specific assignment.  Remember the third marker for our car is knowing the destination.

Marker four
Living out my purpose.  Just like what happens when that car is headed toward its destination, Transportation is taking place and it is fulfilling its purpose.  You and I, in our respective spheres of influence, bring the life and love of Jesus and transform our culture one life at a time.   

Keep in mind that a car without a destination and a man without a destiny are still a car and a man. 
What they have in common is they both belong in a museum.

In case you missed it earlier, let me say it again, the problem we have today is that we do not have true spiritual formation until we develop an intimate relationship with our Lord.  The true spiritual power is not there and all the world hears is our noise.  If we are going to turn this around, not only do we need to adopt these markers and have a take-no-prisoners attitude when it comes to developing them, we also need to do it in the order they appear above.

Each one of these must be built upon the former.  Our training in our churches needs to reflect this approach and we must be willing to change our metrics for success from butts in chairs to spiritual formation/depth.  Remember, before that car leaves the factory it is inspected, evaluated, and someone checks that box that says—Transportation can now happen.  Pastor, leader, trainer, when Jack and Mary leave your church or equipping systems, do you know if they qualify as a disciple and Transformation will be the result?

This was one of the most defining moments of my life
–Vince D’Acchioli

It was in the early 80’s, I was a rising senior executive for a Fortune 1000 company and a fairly new believer on my journey to become The Man God Intended.  In my quest to discover who I was as a man, I decided to ask a range of people, beginning with my family, what they saw in me.  A significant person on my list of those to pursue was a man that would become my mentor and great personal friend, Pastor Jack Hayford.  What follows is the story of what happened when I asked him what he observed in me.  If you happen to know Pastor Jack you are probably smiling right now and thinking, that is a very dangerous question.

It turned out to be a pretty long lunch.  When I asked Pastor Jack for his impression of me I remember a blank stare and an uncomfortable period of silence.  Then, he reached over and grabbed the salt and pepper shakers from the side of our table.  He took the pepper shaker and said see this…this represents product.  You like product.  Nodding, but not really knowing where this was going, he continued.  You know why you like product?  I said no and he continued—you know how to purchase the raw material, you know how to manufacture it, you know how to package it, price it, display it, sell it—you can control product.

At this point I am thinking I may not like where this is headed but was still clueless.  He then grabbed the salt shaker and continued.  Vince, this is fruit.  You don’t like fruit.  It just so happens I really don’t like fruit but I had a good idea that was not what he meant.  He then added, do you know why?  It’s because fruit grows the way it wants to grow.  At this point he began to describe from the cellular level the incredible nature of fruit and all of its nourishing attributes in ways I had never heard.  And then came the clincher—Vince I see you as a Tiger becoming a Lion.

It was at this point I had to call a time out—Ok Pastor Jack, help me understand the zoological implications of that one?  He did—he went on to talk about the differences between a Tiger and a Lion in ways that blew me away.  Remember, this is the man who wrote the powerful song, Majesty.  He talked about how the Tiger is a skilled hunter, like the Lion, but that they hunt singular—they are not familial like Lions.  He talked about the majesty and patience of the Lion and then said, Jesus is not referred to as the Tiger of Judah, but the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

He encouraged me by letting me know how much he believed in me, but recognized I needed to rely much more on the Holy Spirit in my life then on my human ability to control.  He concluded by saying he saw me as a marble that God wanted to turn into a grape.  He held out his hand and used his thumb to demonstrate pressing down on a marble and reminded me that when the pressure is exerted the marble escapes—it will not be crushed.

On the other hand, he suggested that when you become that precious and ripe grape, submitted to the will of your heavenly Father, that same pressure now reveals the sweetness from your life that will extend to strengthen and nurture the lives of others.  What a powerful picture I received on that memorable day.

My friends, there are a couple of take-aways I want you to consider from this story.  First, the wisdom of asking others what they see in you.  I recommend this to practically every audience I address when talking about how to find God’s direction for your life.  It will provide a rich and meaningful flow of information that will help you better understand your blind-spots—we all have them.

But second, and most important is the lesson regarding letting go of our way and letting God fill us with His Holy Spirit.  Something that can only happen as I totally surrender my total being to Him and allow His richness to fill me for the designed purpose of extending His wonderful grace to a dying world.  In order for this to happen, we MUST get our eyes off of all the distractions and confusion going on in our culture right now and focus on what God wants to do with us.

We must remember that what comes out of us is only the product of what is in us.  If I am filled with anger, disgust, disbelief and fear, that is what I communicate to others when I am squeezed.  However, if I understand that He is crazy about me and desires to fill me up with His love, patience, kindness and joy, then imagine the significance of that flow as it is extended to a fractured people. 

Make no mistake, we are living in perhaps the most critical point in all of human history when it comes to the juxtaposition of light vs darkness. 

I want to close with some powerful words from a devotional I read just the other day:

He who believes in Me ... out of his heart will flow ... John 7:38

Jesus did not say, “He who believes in Me will realize all the blessings of the fullness of God,” but, in essence, “He who believes in Me will have everything he receives escape out of him.” Our Lord's teaching was always anti-self-realization. His purpose is not the development of a person — His purpose is to make a person exactly like Himself, and the Son of God is characterized by self-expenditure. If we believe in Jesus, it is not what we gain but what He pours through us that really counts. God's purpose is not simply to make us beautiful, plump grapes, but to make us grapes so that He may squeeze the sweetness out of us. Our spiritual life cannot be measured by success as the world measures it, but only by what God pours through us — and we cannot measure that at all.   –Oswald Chambers

The Lord does not tolerate sin…He forgives it

Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  1 Corinthians 6:9,10

For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.  Rom. 1:26-27

The great battle for the souls of man is heating up in America.  Our greatest privilege, freedom, is the very tool the enemy of our soul is using to destroy us.  Not much has changed since that incredible garden scene where the serpent suggested to Eve, surely God would not…

It is time for the vast majority if people in our nation, Christians and those who are not, to stand up for common sense virtue.  It has been said many times and in many ways, that freedom can only exist in a virtuous culture.  Our enemy knows that the only way to bring the bondage he desires is to divide us and it is working.

In this TargetPoint I am going to focus on just one of our points of division though there are a myriad in play right now.  What we call the LGBTQ movement or agenda, in my view, is the most disgusting and destructive force that needs to be dealt with.  The lost people behind this agenda are clever.  While claiming that people should be free to do what they wish they will not be satisfied until everyone affirms and even celebrates their perversion.  The result, children groomed and perverted and hideous diseases like AIDS and Monkeypox.

I need to pause here and make something very clear to my reader.  God loves every human being just like every parent loves all of their children.  However, not unlike a parent, He does not always approve of what His children do.  If you are a parent you understand this—how many times have our children entered into behavior that is not good for them or just wrong.  Does that negate our love for them?  Of course not—so why would we think our Heavenly Father would remove His love for us?  God is crazy about every single person caught up in this lifestyle.

People who are trapped into this lifestyle cleverly distort our concern about people violating God’s order as intolerance or hate—it is their way of forcing you into submission and even celebrating their perversion.  I will talk about Gay pride month in a minute but first let’s define LGBTQ.  Lesbian, (women attracted to women), Gay (men attracted to men), Bisexual (men and women who go both ways), Trans (people who feel like they are the opposite sex), Queer (strange or peculiar—not heterosexual), and soon you will see Pedophilia (people who are attracted to sex with children). 

If you think the sexual education of our grade school kids is happening because they care about them you are totally lost—they are being groomed

If you are not disgusted with the behavior associated with these orientations you are either caught up into one of these categories yourself or have been persuaded that it is just alternative behavior and should be tolerated.  Please let me suggest again that I am in no way suggesting that God does not love every single person caught up in this—He loves them deeply and so do I.

I am only focusing on the destructive nature of what these people “do” and not who they are.  What is being advanced here is what I call behavioral cancer and it is being used by the devil to destroy the human soul.  The vast, and I mean VAST, majority of people in our nation do not support this behavior.

Our kids are virtually being groomed and then destroyed and it is all planned and intended in order to divide us and ultimately destroy our nation.  This has happened in virtually every civilized culture in recorded history.  I do not need the Bible or my Christian beliefs to understand how destructive and perverted this is—a simple understanding of science, biology and common sense is all that is required.

It is time to wake up my friends.  The all-to-often scene of families with children on the sidelines of a Gay pride parade watching nude people riding bikes and people in leather and drag is a pathetic capitulation to a debauchery that is destroying our culture. We must speak out in love but boldly against all of this. 

Dear ones, this same capitulation is happening every time you enter a store celebrating Gay pride month with rainbow clothing and displays and continue to shop there.  The same thing happens when you hear of a sports team that sidelines a player for refusal to wear the Gay pride patch on their uniform and you continue to watch and support that team.  The same thing happens when national franchises openly say you are not welcome to shop here if you do not support LGBTQ and you go there anyway.

So, what should we do.  First we need to recognize the serious nature of this battle—and it is a spiritual one for sure.  We need to be on our knees every day in prayer, first for the precious people who are caught up in all this, and then for God to open the eyes of the blind.  We need to be voicing our objections in love.  But we must also understand that doing nothing is not an option—we MUST be engaged.

Though it will no doubt cause great inconvenience we no longer have an option to simply watch what is unfolding in our nation.  The next time you encounter a company, organization, church (sadly) or institution promoting this agenda you need to speak out and you also need to stop doing any kind of business with them.  When you see the display celebrating Gay pride month simply make a decision to never shop there again.  If you want to send an email or letter please bath it in prayer and love.

When you think about the two sides of this controversy typically, though not always, people who are opposed to this lifestyle either do not speak out or, if they do, it tends to be with love.  This is not so in my view with those who are caught up in these abhorrent behaviors.  I believe it is because God has placed in every human being a conscience that is aware deep within the heart that something is not right—the reaction then is usually tainted with anger.  This is a typical human response.

So again, please know that none of this is truly impacted if we allow our human nature to speak—it must be Jesus’ love and nature in you that people see. 

Let’s Get Back To GOD Quickly

In December of 2019 I brought a message to my church talking about entering a new year.  In that message I told my audience that 2020 was going to be one of the darkest years ever experienced in our nation.  The reaction was palpable—not sure how many took it seriously.  Now let me say up front that I am not claiming this was a prophetic message in any spiritual sense, though  perhaps it may have been.  This was my passionately held view based upon some basic cultural observations.

Before I share those observations let me throw another shot across the bow by pointing to our upcoming mid-term elections—THEY WILL NOT HAPPEN!  

Now that I have piqued your interest, let me give you my observations and you can be the judge.  Early in President Trump’s first term we heard from perhaps the most prominent leader of the one-world agenda, George Soros, that Trump had to be removed.  He openly admitted that the great reset could not happen unless Trump was taken out—America has to fall.  These people, in lockstep with our current administration, have a new world order as their end game and are deadly serious about overcoming any hurdle in their way.

Consider what they did in 2020.  Is it possible that millions of people lost their lives as a result of the deliberate release of a deadly virus?  The new world order, along with all their evil minions, see people as expendable pawns in their global chess match.  Without Covid and the attending corruption of our election process, Donald Trump might still be president and they had to make sure that would not happen—at any cost.  Do I need to mention the myriad of other destructive forces at work to deliberately destroy America?

Here are just a few:

• The celebration of homosexuality, transgender and even moving toward pedophilia, all in an attempt to destroy the traditional family
• Fueling the rifts between pro and anti-abortion
• Race bating—encouraging hate
• Destroying our kids with the 1619 project, Critical Race Theory and sexual perversion in our education system
• Destroying our military with wokeness instead of focusing on being battle-ready
• A deliberate invasion of our southern border in order to destroy our middle class
• An all-out attack on our first and second amendments—questioning our entire constitution
• Fueling hatred of America—rewriting our history

Taken individually these are simply battles in a much bigger end-game war.  Collectively they represent the real agenda—destroy our Bible (the moral code) and our Constitution (the governing code) in order to remake America.  This is their end-game. This is what they do not want you and I to see or understand.

The stakes are very high right now.  The powers in charge know full well that what is being predicted for the mid-term elections is not acceptable and therefore they can ill afford to allow them.  We may see the darkest and most evil several months ahead of us as November is looming. In my view nothing is off the table for these evil leaders—another even more deadly virus calling for severe shut-downs, riots in the streets around discontent with court decisions are all likely.  It has to be so bad that they think they have cover to call for martial law and cancel the election.

I hope I am wrong but without an intervention by our Lord all of this is possible in my view.  A question you might be asking about now is why are you sharing this?  Well, two reasons.  First, as followers of Jesus we are called to be watchmen—be mindful of what is happening around us.  Everything I have shared so far should become powerful points for prayer—not fuel for arguing.  We must be prepared for how Jesus wants us to respond.

Second, and most important, is to give you hope.  Let me do that by sharing a true story that happened many years ago:

Two men who were touring an art gallery one day. One of the men was a very famous international chess champion. As they were wandering around, the chess champion was drawn do a very famous painting that was hanging on the wall. The title of the painting was, Checkmate. It depicted two people playing chess, a man looking very dejected and his opponent was the devil himself with an arrogant smirk on his face. 

The chess champion was fixating on this painting. He was studying it intensely to the point where his friend was getting impatient and asked him if they could move on. The chess champion suggested that his friend continue on and he will join him later. After about 15 minutes his friend came back to discover the chess champion with his face pressed upon the painting, his eyes were moving, he was making gestures with his hands as he was completely into the painting. The scene produced a crowd of onlookers. His friend, embarrassed for him, grabbed his arm and suggested that they move on. The chess champion wouldn’t budge and told him that he can’t go, he must find the artist that painted the painting and that there was a deep flaw. 

They argued back-and-forth for a few minutes and finally the chess champion yelled out, there’s something wrong with the painting, it’s not right, it’s not over, then he yelled out, THE KING HAS ONE MORE MOVE!

When Jonah was in the belly of the big fish, can you imagine what he must have thought? At any moment now the gastric juices are going to flow and I’m going to become mush. But what he didn’t know, say it with me, THE KING HAS ONE MORE MOVE!

When Daniel was in the lion’s den and all the people around thought that they were going to see blood and guts and legs and limbs flying everywhere. What they didn’t know, say it with me, THE KING HAS ONE MORE MOVE!

When Jesus was hanging on that cross and all the people watching thought there’s something wrong with this picture.  The devil himself had an arrogant smirk on his face, but what he didn’t know, and aren’t you grateful for, say it with me, THE KING HAS ONE MORE MOVE!

And dear ones, please hear me. No matter the condition of our nation or the difficult circumstances you may be facing personally, we must remember, THE KING HAS ONE MORE MOVE!

There is a chess match going on right now but the person on the opposite side of the board from the devil is Jesus Himself.  Let that sink in—do not be anxious but rather draw closer to Him.  You and I are the pieces on His chess board that He will use for His ultimate victory—prepare yourself.

“The Man God Intended” 
A Journey To Biblical Manhood
 Vince D’Acchioli

 Why This Book?...Why Now?

NOTE: This TargetPoint outlines perhaps the most important project I have ever sought to deliver in over 40 years of ministry.  Your thoughts and ideas would be so appreciated.  -Vince

Why Now?

Over the past forty years I have had the privilege of knowing my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and serving in a variety of business and ministry positions.  I have witnessed life from a unique set of perspectives going from a wannabe mafia guy to a ministry leader.  After leaving the business world as a Vice President for a Fortune 500 company I have spent the last 33 years in Christian ministry.

It all began with my appointment to Executive Vice President and CEO for Every Home For Christ, a literature distribution ministry with offices in over 150 countries.  After five years serving in this position I felt led to start On Target Ministries. During all of this time I have experienced Christianity in North America from every imaginable perspective—I have spoken and conducted conferences in literally hundreds of churches representing just about every doctrine in Christian theology.

I have also served as an overseer, council and board member, and Executive Pastor for several mega-churches.  In all of this, perhaps, I am most honored in having served alongside some of the most gifted leaders in ministry to men in America.   Since the mid-nineties and continuing today, we have experienced the most intense efforts to reach and grow men in our history.  For me, all of this experience and cumulative effort begs a BIG question…what has been the result?

It saddens me to say that with all of our efforts, men are in worse condition today than when our movement began.  This is in no way a reflection upon the efforts of so many wonderful ministries so much as evidence of the power of our secular culture to steal men away faster than our ability to save them.  What happened?  What did we miss along the way?  Dear ones, if we do not answer these questions and make the necessary course adjustments we are doomed.  This is the most critical moment in the history of  the church and ministry to men in America.

I am persuaded that the reason we find ourselves in such desperate times has to do with a disproportionate focus upon evangelism at the expense of discipleship.  If you were to add up all of the people who raised their hands, stood or came forward to ask the Lord into their hearts from all of the ministries and churches throughout our nation over all of these years—they would probably number more than our population.  These numbers look good for all of our marketing and fundraising but do not put forth an accurate picture. 

We are good at evangelizing.  We like formulas and programs—it is the way our western minds and subsequent methods flow.  What we have missed is what Jesus made very clear—go and make disciples!  The people we counted were “evented”.  They came to our church service, weekend seminar or rally—but never went any further.  It reminds me of a story I recently heard:

A mom puts her little boy to bed and tucks him in and then goes downstairs to read her book.  While reading she hears a loud thud and her little boy crying.  She runs upstairs to find her little guy lying on the floor.  She asks, honey, are you ok?  He says through tears, yes mommy I’m ok.  She then asks what happened.  The little boy says, I don’t know mommy, but I think I stayed to close to where I got in.

Why This Book?

A little over twenty years ago I was flying home from conducting one of my weekend events when I asked myself an important question—what did I just do?  It haunted me as this whole idea of evangelism VS discipleship came into view.  That experience was the beginning of our establishing the On Target Institute, a division of our ministry dedicated to process-driven strategies instead of events.

It occurred to me that one of the reasons we have not focused on discipleship is because it is not easy.  I began to ask many pastors and leaders to define for me what a disciple is.  That was truly eye-opening.  I could not find a solid common theme that could lead to a strategy to produce disciples.  After over twenty years of study, curriculum development, trial and error, I have come up with something that I believe will help every man grow into The Man God Intended…a disciple of Jesus.

In this book I will unpack the three characteristics of a disciple.  First, they have an intimate relationship with God.  I want to underscore that word intimate.  Next, they have successfully answered the two most important questions in life, (1) Lord, howdid you make me uniquely? (2) Why am I here?  And finally, they are living out the vision.  They are doing what they were designed to do.

If we want to test these powerful ideas we need to look no further than Jesus Himself—He is the One we are to become like.  Jesus embodied these ideas to the max.  It is also important to understand their flow—they are in a necessary order that you cannot avoid.  Jesus knew God intimately—everything starts with this idea and sadly this is where the church in our culture has failed.  We are not helping men and leading them into an intimate relationship with God.

Just as it was so with Jesus it is so with us—you will never move on to understand how and why God made you until you have this intimacy.  That is why Jesus had no problem knowing how His Father made Him, and why.  He knew His purpose.  As a result of all this He was able to live the vision out and fulfill the purposes of His Father.

The Man God Intended is divided into three sections, Ready, Aim and Fire. In the Ready section we will talk about the power of God to transform any life, discover how to offload the baggage from our past and how to develop an intimate relationship with our Lord.  In the Aim section we will help men answer the two most important questions—how did God make them and why?  We will also unpack the challenges we need to consider moving forward.  Finally, in the Fire section we will explore how to approach our world with the love of Jesus and put in place the necessary steps to maintain our growth and accountability.

For those of you who love, follow and support our ministry I want to ask for your prayers for this project.  I am believing God is going to use this resource to lead our readers into becoming The Man God Intended.

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do:
Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  -Phil 3:13-14

John 18:37-38 (NKJV) Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”  Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”  Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?...

The Greek word rendered as "truth" in English translations is "aletheia", which literally means "unconcealed" and connotes sincerity in addition to factuality and reality; whereas Jesus' use of the term appears to indicate absolute, revealed knowledge.  (Wikipedia)

Woke is now defined in this dictionary as aware of and actively attentive to important facts and issues, especially issues of racial and social justice.

Unfortunately it is almost always a reference to the messaging of today’s political left which has totally gone off the rails when it comes to promoting anti-God humanistic principles. Today, with the same sarcastic sentiment that Pilate no doubt used, the world is still saying, what is truth­—however, it is no longer a question.  Rather, it is a foregone conclusion that there is no objective truth other than what I think is true. 

So here is where the battle is shaping up today.  As a lover of the one and only Truth-Giver Jesus Christ, we know where our ultimate truth comes from and can evaluate everything that we encounter in life through His lens.  Because we have real and objective Truth we are the ultimate fact-checkers.  For the anti-God folks, who sadly make up most of the public influence in our world today, this is not the case.  They proudly represent woke.

Here is a small sample of what you must believe in order to be truly woke:

• Killing babies in the womb is a personal right
• Man is the accidental evolution of pond scum
• Homosexual sex is just an alternative lifestyle
• Pedophiles are born that way
• Feeling like you are the opposite sex makes you the opposite sex
• Traditional family is old fashioned and not necessary
• Kindergarten kids need sex and gender training
• Kids are not really yours—they belong to the state
• America is bad and needs to be taken down
• There is systemic racism in our nation
• Having open borders is a humanitarian necessity
• Global warming is man-made and must be controlled
• White nationalism is the greatest terrorist threat to America
• Free speech should no longer be allowed

I could add so much more to this list but I think you get the idea.  As a mere human the not-so-nice side of me wants to label people who believe this stuff as morons.  As a Christian I know this is not the case—they are simply misguided.  They either have never known or heard from the actual Truth-Giver or they have been slowly brain-washed by our modern culture. 

The good news in all of this is that perhaps more than at any time in our lifetime it is easy to see the stark contrast between good and evil—the devil’s ways vs God’s ways.

I developed this pasted graph titled Governing The Cultural Evolution, about 40 years ago.  Little did I understand at that time how quickly the downward spiral indicated on the right side would take place.  Today I would include the word Truth under “God’s Way” and Woke under “Man’s Way”.

Dear ones, this is where we are today.  What does this mean for you and me?  How do I respond to all of this?  Let me say up front that God is not progressive.  His truth never changes—no matter the cultural evolution.  In addition, you and I do not lack the ability to discover what His truth is—it is revealed in His word.  So, my first challenge to all of us is—are we seekers of His Word?

We also have access to His glorious presence through worship and prayer.  Are you seeking His presence by spending time with Him?  And finally recognize that you possess the Holy Spirit when you were born again.  He is your ultimate guide.

John 14:26 (NKJV)  But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

In conclusion I want to draw your attention to the Apostle Paul’s final words to Timothy where he so aptly describes the world in which we find ourselves today.  Please don’t just read these words but meditate upon them.  Break these verses down and ask yourself, what is God saying to me right now?   

2 Tim 4:1-5 (NKJV)  I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Our PURPOSE is FOR Him…our POSITION is IN Him…our POWER is FROM Him

 My friends we are in a war for the very soul of mankind.  It is a spiritual war.  The devil is alive and turning up the heat.  He works through people to lie, cheat and distract.  It is almost impossible to believe anything or anyone.  Even many of our most trusted voices in the church seem distracted and conflicted.  It is no wonder many of us are confused and feel that our joy is gone.

In order to help us recover and gain a much needed perspective, I want to wrap some powerful spiritual principles around three key words: PURPOSE, POSITION and POWER.  Used in the context of going to war, it is important to first know your PURPOSE.  Then, the proper POSITION militarily and finally we need to apply the appropriate POWER necessary to win.  This is true in a physical war, but is also true in a spiritual war.  As Christians we often say that we are in a spiritual battle, but what does that really mean?  I refer you to Ephesians 6:10-18.

Let’s begin with PURPOSE.  In a physical war it is very important to know your purpose/objective before you begin fighting.  If you have not clearly understood the end game PURPOSE, you will likely fail.  It has been said that if you do not know where you are going…any road will take you there.  As we consider our response to the spiritual war, it is critically important that we clearly understand our PURPOSE is FOR Him.  That is to know the Lord.

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.  But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind
and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me
heavenward in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV)

I love the Apostle Paul.  He knew his PURPOSE was to reveal Jesus Christ to Jews and Gentiles, and nothing stood in the way of him “going for it”.  Dear friends, this is what we need to strive for.  Paul could not be distracted.  Why?  Because he knew his PURPOSE.  The only way we can insulate ourselves from the deceptions of our enemy is to be clear on God’s PURPOSE.  Seek Him every day and ask Him to reveal His PURPOSE for you in the midst of this war.

Next, we need to understand our POSITION.  In the physical sense, it is important to know where you need to go and how to set up for the battles to come.  This is not the case in a spiritual war.  In a spiritual war we only need to know WHO is positioning us.  Our POSITION is IN Him.  The only physical element is our humble and prostrate posture before our King.  Here, and only here, is where the victory comes, and the fruit of joy is restored.

I am the vine; you are the branches.  If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit;
apart from me you can do nothing.  John 15:5 (NIV)

Finally, we look at POWER.  There again is a serious dichotomy between physical and spiritual POWER.  We all know what POWER looks like in the physical sense.  But what is spiritual POWER?

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.  The weapons we fight with are not
the weapons of the world.  On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,
and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.  2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NIV)

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer.  1 Peter 3:12 (NIV)

These verses unpack the first aspect of POWER.  Spiritual POWER is only possible through our obedient and righteous life, activated and trained by the Holy Spirit.

But also there is a very important second aspect of POWER, which is inner strength.  Many of us have lost our strength, our physical and emotional sense of well-being.  Loss of strength is most often the result of the loss of joy.  For me, I find I am vulnerable to this in direct proportion to my focus on the distractions (battles) instead of God’s perspective.  My strength is sapped and I become bitter and even angry at times.

It is at this point that I need to do everything I can to get His joy back into my life by focusing on Him and His purpose.  Is it easy?  No!  But it is necessary.  How can I get my joy back?  It starts by recognizing that our POWER (strength) is FROM Him.

Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.  Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV)

I opened this TargetPoint by talking about how the enemy uses the world to lie, cheat and distract us.  I want to close by reminding you that nothing sucks our joy more than when we give into this strategy.  We must tune out all the information and noise we are being exposed to and remember that not much these days is really as it seems or being portrayed.  The enemy knows that if he can keep us focused on the battles, white vs black, left vs right, Democrat vs Republican and a whole host of other divisive social issues, we will lose sight of the war.

The war, the globalist end game, is what they do not want you to see and these distractions keep us from focusing on our Lord’s end game—people being redeemed and His kingdom expanded.  I am not saying that we should just ignore these issues and put our head in the sand.  On the contrary, there are times we must fight these battles but, we cannot allow them to make us bitter, angry or in a place where we forget the bigger spiritual objectives.

For me, the only way I can win this personal struggle is to be spending more time with Jesus than I do watching and listening to the cultural noise.  WHAT ABOUT YOU?

We have moved from the home of the free and the brave to a land filled with slaves and cowards—we are ideological slaves and practical cowards

Vince D’Acchioli

We have an open invasion at our southern boarder deliberately intended to dilute our citizenry. Where is our military? The Covid scam.  Major election fraud.  Catering to the one-worlders and communists.  Shut downs/masks/mandates.  Wag the dog military threats designed to keep the focus off the dark agenda.  The Afghan pullout disaster.  The disgusting indoctrination of our children into sexual perversion and radical racial hatred designed to divide us.  Runaway Inflation.  The decimation of our military through mandates.  The purging of parental rights. Christian persecution.  Race baiting.  Equity vs equality (social Justice—redistribution of wealth).  

I could go on with pages more but here is the real challenge—every single institution in the world—media, big business, big tech, governments, our education establishment, the health industry and much more, are all sponsors of this story.

To not see what is happening in our country today as a deliberate attempt to destroy us completely is idiocy.  To see it and not raise concern and do something about it is irresponsible at best and criminal at worst.

My friends all of this is just a buildup—the worst is coming.  I believe we will see one or more major false flag catastrophic events between now and the November election in order for our leaders to declare Martial Law and close it down.  THEY DO NOT WANT THAT ELECTION TO HAPPEN.

The vast majority of people in our nation are not following Jesus—that is just a fact.  Sadly many, if not most, of these people are sheep caught up in the story being played out before them and will not apply any objective critical thinking to what is being pushed.  They have bought in so thoroughly that rather than look at alternative information they simply discount counter arguments by blaming the source of the information rather than evaluating the actual facts.

So, in my humanness I can say with great passion that I am fed-up.  But, despite all of this I am also faith-filled and here is why.  First, only a supernatural demonic influence could have brought us this far.  Only great deception could have kept blinders on a whole culture long enough for all of this to have taken hold.  The result is that the battle lines have never been so clearly defined.  

I am faith-filled because the Word of God makes clear what is happening.  Though we are experiencing an uncomfortable trajectory we know where it is all headed.  Jesus is no doubt coming soon.  Ok, I know what you are thinking—this has been said in just about every other generation that has ever existed.  And that is true.  However, there are three things we need to consider.  First, and perhaps the most obvious, is that we are much further along the timeline.  In other words, we are obviously closer to His coming than ever before.

Second, when you consider all of the prophecies in the Bible pointing to the end of the age it is pretty convincing evidence for how close we really are.  Israel becoming a nation in 1948 is a big indicator all by itself.  In light of what we are seeing right now remember the wars and rumors of wars prophecy.  But third and most important is the fact that God is real, He is on His throne and has all of this well in hand.  Because of this truth I am filled with great faith and can wait with joyful expectation in the midst of it all.  

How about you?  Are you  faith-filled?  My friend this is a critical question.  Because, if we are not in a faith-filledposture I question how God can use us to our full potential.  I want to leave you with some challenging questions to test where you are right now.  My prayer is that all of us can be, not only challenged by these considerations, but motivated to actively seek ways to overcome their consequences.

• How much time do you spend consuming various news VS reading your Bible and praying?
• What percent of your normal daily conversations are focused upon worldly concerns as opposed to God’s love and grace?
• Do you have a deep desire to experience God’s presence in your life?
• How often do you evaluate people on the basis of their message or world view rather than God’s view of them?
• How would you rate your level of fear and anxiety about what is happening right now?

Depending upon your answers to these questions you will either be fed-up or the faith-filled.  If I am fed-up then it is all about me.  “I” can’t believe it—this is not happening—how could God allow this—where are our leaders—I could go on and on here.  Only a faith-filled posture can resist this way of thinking.  If you are a follower of Christ you know in your heart that this is what God is looking for.  You and I need to be on the right side of the ledger here.

Dear one let me leave you with this challenge—print out those five powerful questions and post them next to your bed.  Then, before you go to sleep ask yourself how you did today.  You may want to end your day talking to God and confessing where you have been off track and asking His help for your new day tomorrow.

Psalm 31:21-24  Praise be to the Lord, for he showed me the wonders of his love when I was in a city under siege. In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from your sight!”  Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help.  Love the Lord, all his faithful people! The Lord preserves those who are true to him, but the proud he pays back in full.  Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.

The other night I found myself binge watching a couple of popular TV series that came highly recommended from some of my Christian friends, I might add.  About eight episodes into the plot I found myself becoming a little disturbed with what I was taking in.  The subtle filth began slowly—the heroes of the series killing people—lying and cheating—some mild nudity and even homosexuality being introduced and celebrated.  There was also some overt one-sided political messaging.  I decided to leave and enter Hulu, a new service I just signed up for, to watch some old movies. 

I started watching one of my old favorites that was remastered, Once Upon A Time In The West.  I love the opening scene.  After a few minutes the first commercial ran.  It was for eHarmony, a popular dating and meet-up service.  There they were, two rather large men, one black and one white, flirting with each other until finally the scene ended with them playfully kissing. I am sorry but that 30 second spot put me over the edge.  I lost it and in fact canceled my subscription to Hulu the next morning.  They asked me why I cancelled and I told them—I felt so self-righteous.

Then, during a powerful morning devotional time the Lord got a hold of me with a challenging question.  Vince, why did you get so upset over a 30 second commercial yet it took you 8 episodes of a series with far worse messages to stop?  WOW!  How do I answer that one?  Here is my response and takeaway—I got sucked into the story.  I liked the actors and I couldn’t wait for the next part of the story to unfold.  I was hooked.  The excitement of the “story” somehow overruled my values and I succumbed. 

The commercial I watched was an interruption of the story and it was like waking up from being hypnotized.  The message was self-contained and had an in your face purpose.  It was easy to quickly discern how inappropriate the message was given my level of spiritual maturity.

My friend this is a powerful illustration and example of what is happening in our world right now.  We are all caught up in our favorite story—or plot.  We like our story so much we are willing to set aside or senses and sensibilities in order to keep on following it.  What is your story?  What are you binging on?  CNN, MSNBC, FOX?  You getting my drift here?  How much of our common sense is put on hold because of our inability or unwillingness to hold the storyaccountable?

Media manipulation today is an artform.  Whether a movie, TV series or news-driven political messages, they are artfully constructed to draw you in and turn you into the person they want you to be.  You and I are being manipulated and played every day.  It is being done in a way that subtly has us laying aside our common sense, morals and even Christian values and just going along with the ride.  It is a continuation of the great deceit that started way back in the garden and like sheep to the slaughter we are being sucked in.

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
James 4:17 ESV  

A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.
Proverbs 25:28 ESV

A little leaven leavens the whole lump.
Galatians 5:9 ESV

There is no greater or more effective weapon in the devil’s bag of tricks than deception.  So, let me repeat the question, what is your story?  Is there something you are tuned into right now that is keeping you from truly being the man or woman God intended?  Do you find yourself compromising your standards in order to support your choices of entertainment or narrow world view?  My dear Christian friends, we need to wake up from our stupor and understand how much God loves us and wants to use us.

We must not lose heart.  We must believe that we will see the goodness of the Lord if we seek Him.

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of  the LORD In the land of the living. Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!  Prov 27:13-14

Waiting on the Lord here does not mean taking a nap.  In this context waiting is a call to action—to more actively seek Him and then be patient until He reveals His love and great peace for us.  We must keep our eye on the target and resist everything the world is throwing at us.  If for some of us that means un-tethering from many entertainment and social media platforms and reducing our consumption of news…then do it!  The stakes are higher than they have ever been.

Finally and always remember this promise:

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you  will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Phil 1:6 NIV

WILL YOU LET HIM?

Vince D’Acchioli has a live TargetPoint broadcast every Monday and Friday at 10 AM Mountain time.  You can tune in using the links below:

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The generic meaning of sanctification is "the state of proper functioning." To sanctify someone or something is to set that person or thing apart for the use intended by its designer.  Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary

The New Testament Greek word for sanctify is Hagiazo which means to consecrate, dedicate…purify

In December of 2008 I wrote an article and put together a three-session event titled, Man-ing The New Year.  The thrust of the message centered around going into the new year with a commitment to set aside the old man and usher in the new.  I talked about the need to let go of our past and all the attending baggage that keeps us from truly becoming The Man God Intended.

In that message I talked about the three things that get in the way of real change and unpacked the six stages to change.  The three excuses we use typically are, (1) I don’t have a vision, (2) can’t see the need or (3) don’t believe it’s possible.  In the famous story of Abraham and Sarah the Angel of the Lord shared both the vision and need with Sarah—she had the first two.  However, because Sarah did not believe it was possible she tried to help with ways that were her own—sound familiar?

So, our first challenge going into 2022 is to overcome these three barriers—we need to ask God to show us His vision for our future, help us see the need through His eyes and ultimately give us the faith to believe we can do it.  We must pray, Lord sanctify me for 2022—help me discover your intended purpose for me and live out my commitment to become what you intended.

Once we overcome the barriers we need to understand the six stages we must go through before real change can take place:  EVENT, AWARENESS, DECISION, COMMITMENT, PROCESS AND CHANGE.  Allow me to give further clarification to each.

Event
An event can be anything from a conference or rally to reading a book or article, a sermon or even a wedding.  My wife reminds me that a wedding is an event, it’s not a marriage.  Most of us hope that the event itself will produce the desired result.  It would be quick and painless.  “Let’s get it over with.”  Unfortunately it does not work that way.  The best an event can do is raise…

Awareness
Awareness often happens as the result of an event.  I discover at a rally, seminar or by reading a book that I need to get closer to God, pray with my spouse more, etc.  This realization then leads to my making a…

Decision
I decide to do something about it.  Here is a funny example that most of us can identify with.  It’s New Years Eve.  That is an EVENT.  I have an AWARENESS that I am a little overweight and out of shape.  I make a DECISION that starting tomorrow I am going to go on a diet and work out.  New Years day finally arrives.  The guys are all over for the football games and my wife has made chili and garlic bread.  I say to myself, “Well, I think I will start my diet tomorrow.”  Then tomorrow comes and something else gets in the way.  “Maybe Monday, that’s it, Monday would be good.”  Six months later my belt buckle still has an un-obscured view of my shoes.  Nothing has changed.

I call these first three stages the cycle of hopelessness.  I believe this is where most of us live.  In order to break out of this situation we must press forward to the fourth stage…

Commitment
Commitment is the bridge that, if crossed, can transform the old man into the new man.  You may want to look up the difference between decision and commitment in the dictionary.  It is powerful.  Commitment is what it takes to enter into the most important and difficult stage of all...

Process
Here is where most of us struggle.  What is process?  It is behavioral change over a period of time.  That means a challenge and a level of intention that most of us are unwilling to enter into. 

I will never forget when my dad bought me my first set of weights.  I could not wait to start pumping so I could look like that muscle bound guy on the poster.  I went down stairs and lifted for about twenty minutes and then ripped off my shirt and ran to the mirror to see the results.  “Give me a break—these weights are useless”.  At 14 I was already conditioned to look for the “quick fix,” and I was quite ready to give up if the results were not on my time frame.

For the most part, we are a people that are very impatient with anything having to do with process.  We do not want to work for results if it means experiencing any kind of short-term discomfort.  What many of us fail to understand is that God is really more interested in the process, the habits we form and the way we live, than in any of our lofty goals.

The bottom line here is that process is the only way to bring about lasting and meaningful…

Change
The desired result – an alteration in our behavior – a new and higher level of maturity.

Dear friends please hear me, 2022 is not just another year.  It is perhaps the most significant time in the history of the church in America and God wants to sanctify His church—that is you and me.  He is desperate for us to become the men and women He intended when He so beautifully made us.  Every precious one of us is unique with our own endowment of His special gifts.

Every year we all make decisions to let go of the past, all the bad habits and start fresh only to discover how futile the effort is given just a few days or weeks of concerted effort.  We must see 2022 as that time to put our stake into the ground and commit to change.  We must allow God to change us from the inside out but it has to start with you and me.

Keep the vision in front of you and fresh—these are serious times
Look around you and see the need—it is so obvious we are living in a lost world
And most important believe, with His help—you can do this.

Have a blessed New Year,

Vince D’Acchioli has a live TargetPoint broadcast every Monday and Friday at 10 AM Mountain time.  You can tune in using the links below:

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Cindy and I want to wish you and your family a very blessed Christmastime.  May God fill you with His amazing peace as we remember He is Truly THE KING OF KINGS

The phrase King of kings is used in Scripture six times.  It is important for us to remember in the time of Jesus, just like now, earthly kings and kingdoms were considered the most important institutions in the world.  So, it should not surprise us when we read about the reactions of many of these early rulers and kings to Jesus’ claim to be a King. 

You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king.  In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.   John 18:37

As Christians I wonder sometimes if we give intellectual ascent to the idea that Jesus is King and fail to recognize the real implications of that reality.  In the old testament there are three offices, Prophet, Priest and King.  It has been said that as men those are the offices we are called to fulfill in our families.

The family prophet has his back to God—hearing from Him and then sharing God’s truth with his family.  The family priest then has his back to his family facing God representing the needs of his family in prayer to our Lord.  Finally the family king carries with it the idea of provision and protection—that was what early kings did for their kingdom.

Jesus, as our King of kings and Lord of lords fulfilled all of these offices perfectly.  In doing so He also gave us a powerful model to follow.  He is also providing for us a clear picture of His Lordship over ALL areas of our life and the world we live in.  During the Christmas season we come to celebrate the King of kings—also referred to as the Prince of peace.  We often greet others and write encouraging words like, may you experience peace and joy this Christmastime.

At this point you are probably thinking, peace and joy, boy could I use some of that right now!  It is no secret that we are living in unprecedented times.  Many Christians today are finding it hard to experience peace and have little true joy in their hearts.  Could it be that we are allowing our anxieties and fears to crowd out the reality of who the Person we celebrate at this time truly is?  Sadly, for many of us, I believe this is true but we MUST move beyond this.

So, if you are struggling right now and your current circumstances are getting in the way of you experiencing peace and joy this Christmas season allow me to put forth a few suggestions.  Be careful who you are listening to.  I put a quote out on social media the other day that said, you know you are in trouble when yours is the only voice you hear.  I believe this is true but I also believe we are all exposed to a lot of confusing messages right now.

There is a plethora of prophetic voices out there that are claiming all sorts of new and positive things coming soon.  There are also a number of people claiming that we are in the last days and it is going to get a lot darker.  The way you begin the journey to peace and joy is to remind yourself that none of these positions and opinions matter.  There is only one opinion that matters and that is of the King we are getting ready to celebrate.

Dear ones, no matter what the future holds it is in the hand of The King.  Understanding that reality is the only way we can discover true peace and joy.  I want to encourage each of you without delay to resist many of the voices and messages you are hearing right now—sometimes that means your own voice too.  Rest in the loving arms of our Lord and Savior knowing that He truly has our future in His hands.

Take time every day between now and Christmas and double down on your time spent reading the Word, praying and worshipping Him.  Ask Him specifically to give you His peace and discernment.  Ask the Holy Spirit to protect you from all the deception that is swirling around us right now. 

I would also like to recommend picking up a copy of Because The Lord Is My Shepherd, by Tony Cooke.  You can find it on Amazon or click here for the link.  Tony splits the 23^rd Psalm into 12 incredible short lessons that will bring you great comfort and peace. 

In closing Cindy and I want to thank all of you who are following us on social media and getting our newsletters.  You are truly a blessing to us and we pray that God blesses you richly this Christmas season.

These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful. Revelation 17:14

Vince D’Acchioli has a live TargetPoint broadcast every Monday and Friday at 10 AM Mountain time.  You can tune in using the links below:

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It is not happy people who are thankful…it is thankful people who are happy!

Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.  Neh. 8:10

Many of you remember the incredible ordeal our family went through in 2009-2010.  Cindy was in ICU for over three months and on Super Bowl Sunday of 2010 the doctors announced that she had no chance for recovery.  H1N1 was about to take her life.  God had a different plan and we were all blessed as a result.  You may also recall that one of my most important messages, Armed…Ready For Battle, came out of that experience.  (Click Here if you want to watch)

It was one of those unforgettable moments. I was driving to the hospital on my way to visit Cindy. At this point she had been in ICU for a couple of months and I was doing everything I knew how to do in order to have hope.  On this occasion I was losing the battle and went into a period of intense whining. I am a good whiner—some might say even a professional.

In the midst of my complaining the Lord whispered something to me.  It was a tender voice that I knew immediately was my precious Lord. He said, Vince, is there anything you might be thankful for?  My response was a simple yes.  He came right back and said, why don’t you tell Me what they are.  He was not going to let me get away with a simple yes.

Talk about a change of thought process and direction. I knew this was from our wonderful Savior—the very Person who holds all of our circumstances in the palm of His hand. I immediately went into a chorus of things I was thankful for—here is a partial list as best as I can remember:

I thank you Lord for:

• The special relationship Cindy and I along with our extended family have with each other and with you
• For two of the best daughters any dad could ever have
• Son-in-laws that love you and extend that love to our daughters and six very special grandchildren
• How you are watching over us and extending a supernatural sense of peace through this process
• The myriad of friends who have, are, and will continue praying for Cindy through this difficulty
• The unusual sacrificial giving we have experienced and that our future in this area is truly in your hands
• The special future you have already planned for us
• Your incredible outpouring through the ministry you have given Cindy and me and the tens of thousands of lives that have been impacted
• Who you are—the GREAT I AM

I am persuaded that our Lord is greatly blessed when we thank Him in the midst of our greatest struggles. It is a powerful idea that takes our focus off of our own pain while at the same time letting Him know how much we love Him. It is not always easy, however. The flesh is very powerful and the enemy of our soul is always right there telling us what a victim we are and how God really isn’t around to help.

What does all of this speak to you during this unusual season?  We are experiencing issues and difficulties today no one would have thought possible just a couple of years ago.  The ease with which even the most mature believers can lose hope is concerning.  Yet hope is exactly what God is calling all of us who call upon Him to have.  As we enter this Thanksgiving holiday I cannot think of a more appropriate time for us to be counting our blessings.  Perhaps you can make a list like mine above and offer your thanks to the Lord for all He has done in your life. 

During this special season let’s read and pray these powerful verses:

1 Thess. 5:18 Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Col. 3:15  Let the peace (Hope) of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Col. 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Col. 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

Phil. 4:6  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

 Cindy and I are sure of one very special thing…we are truly grateful for all of you.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving

The state is to be an agent of justice, to restrain evil by punishing the wrongdoer and to protect the good in society.  When it does the reverse, it has no proper authority.  It is then a usurped authority and as such it becomes lawless and is a tyranny.  –Francis Schaeffer

What is our responsibility as Christian leaders to those we serve?  It is to represent the mind and heart of God, and to help people see their world through His eyes speaking the truth boldly with love.  Let’s look at the Lord’s command to Ezekiel: 

At the end of seven days the word of the LORD came to me: Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to a wicked person, You will surely die, and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself.  –Ezek. 3:16-19

It is clear that leaders are called to be watchmen for God.  We are to interpret the signs of our time and clearly communicate the proper biblical response to our people.  I am sure you would agree that we are living in unprecedented times.  The darkness is getting darker and the light is getting brighter.  Why do we have a problem?

I am convinced that our difficulty in communicating a clear and consistent biblical message  stems from being conflicted.  Trials in life do not make a person, they reveal them.  Could our current challenges be revealing some issues we need to deal with?  As I review the conflicted messaging coming from many of our pastors and leaders today, I am concerned.  We seem to be communicating ideas that are 180 degrees apart.  Mask up.  No mask.  Take the shot.  Don’t take the shot.  Close our church.  Keep meeting.  This could be a very long list but you get the idea.

Many pastors have been intimidated by our secular government to not get political.  Our culture expands on this is by labeling everything as political.  My challenge to this idea and a serious question we need to ask is, name one political issue that at its core is not also a moral or biblical one.  I have never found one.  Sadly, the result has caused many leaders to be intimidated and not willing to call out sin and darkness.

My friend, let me make this abundantly clear—we are to NEVER obey the state when it goes against the clear biblical mandates set out by our Lord.  Consider what happened in Exodus when Pharaoh commanded the Hebrew women to kill their sons at birth. It is a clear picture that flies in the face of blindly obeying those in authority.  Exodus 1:17 says, But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live.

If our mandate is so clear,  then what is contributing to our conflicted messaging?  I believe there are two major contributors, one is theological and the other political.  What is our current environment revealing in both of these areas.  Theologically, and not surprisingly, we are conflicted.  The pure gospel is no longer simple but subject to the interpretation of the messenger.  We live in a day where I can translate a Bible verse any way I want to suit my unique lifestyle or perspective. 

This leads pastors and leaders to either ignore or mis-interpret passages in order not to offend and lose people.  Our message comes through a human rather than a Biblical filter and is tainted by our human fears and assumptions.  This not only leads to error and heresy but also to great confusion as our people compare messages that are coming from other pastors and leaders they listen to.

Politically,  many pastors and leaders allow their political views to influence their message. The messenger’s pre-conceived notions or ideas, often driven by where they get their news, has a recognizable bent.  Here is an example, the fact that vaccinations work and are safe is settled science!  May I suggest that it is also settled science that you and I are nothing more than the accidental evolution of pond scum.  How is that working for you?

This may be the most dangerous area for us to navigate as leaders.  If we are not careful we will throw those leaders who do not agree with us under the bus which does not serve our people responsibly.  This can result in serious damage to the Body of Christ and needs to stop.  Rather than dogmatically stating our viewpoints, we should encourage our people to do their own research.  There is nothing wrong with letting people know what you think and how you arrived at your conclusions, but we should never suggest it is settled unless it is clear biblically.

In my last TargetPoint I addressed Awareness…Attitude…Actions.  In these areas I think we have work to do as Christians to respond to a world going the wrong direction.  I believe what I am communicating here needs to be evaluated through these same lens.  We need to be aware (watchmen), have the proper Godly attitude and act (communicate) in a way that reflects Jesus.  Let me leave you with some ideas to consider:

• Before you prepare to communicate double down on your time in the Word and especially prayer—these are serious times and we cannot afford to miss God.
• Either turn off the news or broaden your sources of input.
• Encourage your listener to think and research for themselves and not just blindly follow you or anyone else.
• Never talk negatively about another pastor or leader unless what they are communicating is clearly heresy and you can show it biblically.
• No matter the sensitivity of a cultural issue be courageous and speak boldly the truth from the Word of God.

Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have taken my instruction to heart: Do not fear the reproach of mere mortals or be terrified by their insults.  For the moth will eat them up like a garment; the worm will devour them like wool.  But my righteousness will last forever, my salvation through all generations.  Awake, awake, arm of the LORD, clothe yourself with strength!  Isa 51:7-9a

Dear friends, on Thursday the 14^th of this month I will be bringing one of the most important messages of my ministry to date.  For those of you in the Colorado Springs area, the invitation is below and I would encourage you to sign up and bring a friend.  Without giving away the entire essence of this important talk I want to give you a couple of highlights here and I pray you will endeavor to study these ideas more fully in the days and weeks ahead.

My friends this may be the greatest test of the Church in America in our history. The spiritual condition of our nation, and perhaps the world, is on the line.  What will history record?

With the unprecedented uncertainty and confusion in our world right now I am less concerned about the trajectory of our culture than I am the response from the Body of Christ.  I feel that we lack any real depth of awareness regarding our condition, the proper attitude we need to display, and are awkward at best regarding the right Godly response.  Perhaps this is the unfortunate by-product of our focus on evangelism at the expense of discipleship.

It is time for us to grow up in the Lord!  He wants to prepare all of us who call upon Him to be powerful instruments in His hands for such a time as this.  How can we do this?  It starts with having the wisdom and discernment to understand where we are and what the likely outcomes will look like if we stay on this dangerous course.

Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse, who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways, who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil, whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways.  Prov 2:10-15 

It begins with  BECOMING AWARE.  In my talk on the 14^th I will be sharing a true story I have yet to unpack publicly.  It happened when I was a 16 year old boy and it was an experience I have never forgotten.  When it was over I was left with a poignant example of the inner workings of communism.  Virtually everything I experienced back then I am now seeing played out in our nation.  As mentioned in the above verse, we are being fed perverse lies and being led by many with evil intentions.

Realizing this is important, but DEVELOPING THE PROPER ATTITUDE is critical. Our attitude needs to be positive and joy-filled.  We would all agree that we need the strength of the Lord right now.  The Bible makes it clear that the joy of the Lord IS our strength.  If you are a believer that joy is in you—you need to  appropriate it.  Remember,  He is still in charge.

Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have taken my instruction to heart: Do not fear the reproach of mere mortals or be terrified by their insults.For the moth will eat them up like a garment; the worm will devour them like wool. But my righteousness will last forever, my salvation through all generations.  Awake, awake, arm of the LORD, clothe yourself with strength!  Isa 51:7-9a

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  Jn 1:4

When Jesus came to a world that was in bondage to darkness and dead in its sin, He came as light and life. His light dispelled sin's darkness wherever He went, for the forces of evil could not withstand Him. THAT LIGHT IS IN YOU!

Next, we need to consider our ACTIONS.  The real problem in our world is the obvious lack of truth.  Consider this:

The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how he works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.  2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 NIV

Dear ones the only way we can insulate ourselves from this deception  is to be in God’s word every day.  We need to measure everything we are exposed to with the truth of His word.  Can you imagine how amazing it would be if every believer becomes aware of what is happening, has a joy-filled positive attitude and is actively comforted with the truth of the Word of God? 

People are watching us.  Our families need us to be a source of peace and comfort and not of anxiety and frustration.  This is the way God’s kingdom will advance in the midst of darkness.  If you are wondering about how you can do all of this let me explain what I have discovered.  The secret is—WORSHIP!

After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever." As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 2Chr. 20:21-22

This is not complicated—He created us to worship Him and it is the surest way to appropriate the power needed to live this kind of victorious Christian life.  As we worship Him we invite His very presence into our battles.

At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me and I in you.  John 14:20

 As you set aside time every day to be in His word, pray and worship Him, remember He is IN you.Let the joy of that realization be your peace.

Here are some practical takeaways to consider:

AWARENESS

• Ask for His discernment every day
• Remember we are called to be watchmen…to understand the times
• Spread out your sources of information/truth
• Consider the implications of what you are being told

ATTITUDE

• Remember that the joy of the Lord is your strength
• Meditate on Him and receive His peace
• See those who do not agree with you through the eyes of Jesus—as precious

ACTIONS

• Read the word, pray and worship God every single day (this is the core of everything)
• Ask God to show you your specific assignment
• Speak peace and boldly proclaim truth in love
• Get involved in local areas where godly leadership is needed

As I close please allow this tender story to minister and challenge you in your journey as a believer—a simple yet profound illustration suggesting a desperate need in the body of Christ today:

A mom put her little boy to bed, tucked him and prayed over him.  She then went downstairs and began to read her Bible.  Suddenly she heard a loud thump from his room and her young son crying.  She rushed upstairs to find her little boy lying on the floor.  She asked him, son what happened?  His tear-filled response… Mommy I fell out of bed because I think I stayed to close to where I got in.

Incompetence…Or…Deception?Discerning The Strategy

There is no shortage of people decrying incompetence as the excuse for what they see going on in our country right now.  Many are using the recent developments in Afghanistan to support the idea.  But is it incompetence?  I am not convinced—there are too many checks and balances in place for that to be the only excuse.  That is not to say that incompetence has no place here but rather fails to explain what is probably something else.  Something way more sinister than we might believe.

What if everything we are experiencing right now, particularly within the last two years, is part of a deceptive plan?  A plan that, on a macro scale goes back a hundred years or more but in a strategic sense has been aiming for the beginning of the 21^st century. 

On the world stage there are forces at work determined to bring down America.  In particular, two powerful ideologies: radical Islam and Communism, and  thirdly, Globalists, who are very wealthy, powerful people who believe in and promote one-world governing.  The main obstacle standing in the way of these powers and the success of their plans for control and dominance is America.  In other words, a great reset cannot take place as long as America exists under its current constitutional framework.

So, if you wanted to destroy America, how would you do it?

• Have your President go around the world on an apology tour renouncing American greatness
• Rewrite American history in our schools (Anti American Sentiment)
• Divide people into groups and instigate oppressor vs. victim class struggles
• Take control of all resources, food, water, gas, oil, etc.
• Destroy the middle class. Find ways to destroy small business
• Destroy the economy through out of control spending and printing of money
• Move the US dollar away from being the world standard
• Come up with a powerful threat that, through intense fear drives people toward giving away their rights and submitting to control
• Empower and equip foreign enemies with money, weapons and technology
• Destroy our military readiness by promoting woke politicians instead of battle focused leaders
• Encourage enlistment of dysfunctional people and promote social ideologies instead of battle readiness
• Force guidelines on our soldiers to get as many good men and women to quit rather than submit thereby greatly reducing the size of our military

If this is indeed what is taking place, and I believe it is, then it presents a challenge to many followers of Christ.  Those of us who know and love Jesus find it difficult to know how to respond to evil plots of men.  Sadly, most of our inability to see what is happening and discover how God wants us to respond is born out of the enemy’s age old weapon…FEAR.

Consider this brief story:

During his years as premier of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev denounced many of the policies and atrocities of Joseph Stalin. Once, as he censured Stalin in a public meeting, Khrushchev was interrupted by a shout from a heckler in the audience, “You were one of Stalin’s colleagues. Why didn’t you stop him?” “Who said that?”, roared Khrushchev. An agonizing silence followed as nobody in the room dared move a muscle. Then Khrushchev replied quietly, “Now you know why.” (FEAR!)

Dear ones, the powers that be today know full well how to create this type of fear.  By lies and pitting people against each other they have intimidated many from standing up for what is right and true.  While I can understand how this works I cannot understand how anyone who truly believes in our Lord and His word can succumb to this evil.  It is not Biblical.

Eric Metaxas’ great book Bonhoeffer provides a powerful example of the importance of our role to stand against evil for Biblical Christians.  Bonhoeffer saw the evil coming through Hitler at a time when the church was blind and lulled to sleep.

My friends there is no need for confusion here about the role you and I need to play as a follower of Christ.  Though I have laid out a substantial amount of information about our current condition, none of this is where our main focus needs to be other than to make sure we vote, apply peaceful activism and voice our concerns out of love.

Our main focus needs to be on God.  He knows exactly what is happening and He knows exactly what the outcomes will be.  If our focus is upon our circumstances and not on Him it will breed anxiety, anger and more fear.  It will render many of us incapable of being effective instruments in His hand for the battles yet to come—and believe me—it is just heating up.

We should be aware of what is really happening, but our attitude toward what is happening is of great significance!  In the Bible FEAR NOT is mentioned 365 times—one for every day of the year.  It is the most mentioned phrase in the entire Bible.  Why is that?  I believe it is because God is countering the most powerful tool the enemy uses against us.

Fear is crippling.  Resisting it is not a matter of being tough-minded and just sucking it up.  It is overcome by meditating on God’s unshakeable promises.  Here is a powerful truth:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution,
or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Romans 8:35-39

It is a poignant reminder of how perfect love casts out fear.  Christian, here is what we need to do: focus on Jesus, remember whose you are, and that nothing can separate you from Him.  Find the joy and peace in that truth.  Then, pray every day that He gives you wisdom and discernment to carry out the assignment He has given you with an attitude of peace, love and patience.

The Danger Of Presuming Prayer

Since the fallout from that first sin in the garden mankind has been in a continuing struggle to regain peace and security.  It is our very nature.  There are only two ways to bring about the peace and security we all desire, God’s way or my way.  Most people who consider themselves Christian will readily admit that God’s way is always the best.  We get into trouble however when our human nature causes us to presume what God’s way is.

We are living through a powerful example of this today.  Our whole world is in an uproar.  We are experiencing things no one would have imagined two years ago.  The BIG question for believers comes down to where is God?  What is His will?  Could it be dangerous to pursue the answer to these questions through the lens of our human nature? 

Here is an example; when we live in fear often our human response is a desperate search for peace and safety.  When we pray for God to intervene out of our human nature we run the risk of entering into what I call presuming prayer.  It is prayer that presumes God is going to respond in the way we desire…a comfortable way.  But what if that is not God’s will? 

I am sure you would agree that the best training on how to pray comes from our Lord Jesus.  Most everyone can recite the Lord’s prayer and most of us have been exposed to some serious teachings that unpack it.  But, perhaps we have missed what may be one of Jesus’ more powerful prayers given in the heat of His battle.   A prayer that is perhaps very appropriate for the battles of our day.

Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.  Luke 22:42

Of course we know that Jesus, in order for Him to experience our plight, had to have a human nature.  He had to be able to experience the temptations and challenges we face.  I am sure He was anxious and even had some fear going on when He uttered this profound prayer.  But notice what happened.  Jesus was really saying, Lord not withstanding my pain I know my will (nature) is not important here…I want Your will.  And we know the rest of the story—it was God’s will for him to go through this terrifying ordeal for the redemptive purpose of God.

As I listen carefully to a plethora of prayers, petitions and even prophecy in our Christian community today I am concerned that many of us are not putting ourselves where Jesus was.  I have encountered so many believers who are dogmatic about what they know God is going to do.  My friend there is only one person who knows what God’s will is and I am real sure I am not Him. 

So please hear me on this, I am not saying it is wrong to want God to do something that we want.  What I am saying is that when what we want turns into presuming that is what He is going to do—we can be misguided at best and miss what He is calling us to do at worst.  The presumption that says, “nope—not going to happen—I’m believing,” and then adding what they are believing for, is not healthy.  It does not matter what you believe—it only matters what God believes.

Jesus’ prayer acknowledged His nature but refused to give into it.  That is what we are all called to do.  We must guard against presumption at all costs and understand what our role is in the midst of our confusion and fear.  If we allow ourselves to be misguided by our human nature we also run the risk of missing what God is calling us to do at this time—and that would be tragic.

Today the vast majority of Christians I encounter are convinced that God is not done with America.  I hear everything from Trump is coming back, as though he is somehow our savior, to we are going to have a great awakening in our nation—another major revival that will sweep the globe.  Boy does my human nature love that.  But, what if that is not what God is doing at all?  What if this is the beginning of the end?  What if major tribulation is on the horizon?  What if Jesus is coming back very soon?

At the end of the day we must test ourselves with these what if  questions.  We must end up in a place where it truly does not matter—only what God wants matters.  If you find it hard to get there than perhaps this message is for you.  Ask God to give you discernment in these days.  Ask for protection from presuming to know His will.  But most important, ask Him to show you your unique assignment for where we are right now.

I am concerned that if we presume to know what God is going to do we might be missing what He is calling us to do.  I am convinced that He wants us to understand the urgency of our time and work hard to bring as many into the kingdom as possible.  That is it—it is that plain and that simple—this mandate does not change. 

Dear ones please remember that pride is often the root of presumption.  It is ok to believe for God to respond—we must have the faith for that.  I would just encourage all of us to hold our notions of what His response may be very loosely.  I am persuaded that His purposes would be much better served if we ask Him to show us how we are to respond and then focus on that.

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 1 John 15:14

Co-laboring together for the souls of men,