Betrayal – a Sign of the Last Days

By Jim Bakker | | Filed in Last Days, Prophecy | Tags: , , , , ,

One of the words the Lord gave me for 2011 is that there will be “great betrayal – churches and relationships” this year.  I take no pleasure at all in delivering this word, yet it is an important one.  While some of us have had more experience with betrayal, personal and corporate, others have never had to live through these kinds of assaults on our hearts.

Maybe that’s why the Lord wants me to warn you all about it.  I could be the poster child!  When you have come through something like betrayal, God authorizes and expects you to help others come through it.  Like Rick Joyner told Lori:  you will take the stick the devil beat you with and beat him back!

Your victory is never for you alone.  The Church and the Kingdom of God is a building made of living stones – each one supplying something the other one needs.

In Luke 21, Jesus is telling His disciples what the signs of the end times will be and it is here that He says “Even those closest to you—your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends—will betray you.”

That time is here, folks.

It’s impossible for me to think of any situation that would arise where one family member might betray another, but it will happen – the Bible tells us so.  But even in the Church there is going to be great treachery against one another.  This is exactly the opposite of what the Lord prayed for us before He left this earth.  Jesus prayed in John 17:21 “I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one…”

Bob Hartley is a prophet of HOPE.  When he was here recently, he told us that Hope defends you, fights for you and helps you heal.  He said we would be Hope Craftsmen (and women) here at Morningside.  This is my heart’s desire.  He said people would come in and be healed and then be launched out to help others.

Bob said:  “I saw this Hope in God for Community come forth like in Nehemiah’s day.   Jesus brought me back to my catholic neighborhood where I grew up and showed me how I had 100 families that fought for me on every level:  for my physical, emotional and spiritual well-being, and for my calling.  He shared that this is the type of community that He (Jesus) would restore again, like the early Church in Acts 2:42-47.  This warmed my heart with hope as I reflected on how much the community of my childhood had meant to me and how I had prayed for this same type of community for my children.”

Bob said that we, like Nehemiah, will become “Hope Craftsmen” and direct the people to build right where they live, where their hearts flourish, and people will be strategically placed here.  My vision for Morningside has always been that we would become a “Refuge” and a place of restoration.  Freely I have received, and my desire is to freely give HOPE to others.

Each of us ought to have genuine compassion for others who have spiritual or physical hurts.  We have to move out of the swamps of backbiting and tearing down.

In the Refuge, we will love each other, we will have each other’s backs, and we will care for one another!  God is raising up many places of Refuge for the Times of Trouble ahead.  Betrayal may drive you to one of these Refuges, but HOPE will sustain you through it!

We must purpose in our hearts to become “Hope Craftsmen”!

Tropical Island Escape

By Lori Bakker | | Filed in General | Tags: , ,

“Let’s go for a walk,” he suggested, “so we can be alone.”

We walked a few blocks to Echo Park, an old public park that dated back to 1895.  A large lagoon dominated one end of the beautiful park, and we crossed over the arched footbridge that spanned it. READ MORE →

United in a True Gospel

By Jim Bakker | | Filed in Last Days

As we enter some very difficult times ahead, there will be life situations and circumstances that will present a faith challenge to Christians.  When the world starts coming apart, the real Church will come together in a true unity.  This true unity will be rooted in a true Gospel – not this crazy perversion of the gospel that has been centered around the love of money and the love of self.  God is about to shake up the church world and bring judgment on this abominable lie being preached as gospel – and judgment will begin in the House of God.

The true Church will transition from what has been to what really is.  There’s that word again – transition.  When Cindy Jacobs was here, she said a lot about transition.   Cindy said 2011 is going to be a pretty tough year for the Church.  There’s going to be a lot of shaking going on and a lot of change (birthing new and better vision).   This change is going to look differently than most people think.  It’s not going to be change “for the sake of change” or to accomplish any man-made goals.  It’s going to look a lot more like upheaval in our thinking and in our priorities.

God wants to birth His strategic end-time plan in those who will embrace this transitional process.  He is looking for those whom He can trust to run with His priorities in one of the most critical times in the history of mankind.  It is time for His justice to be known and enforced.  The time is near – this is the year it begins.

The sad thing about the perverted gospel being preached today is that many Christians are so accustomed to hearing the babble (disguised as gospel) and it sounds so familiar to them, that they think it’s real – or right – or true – or comfortable –or  just the way it is.  What they are really hearing and settling for is a perversion of faith.  Sadly, many will be shipwrecked in their faith because their gospel didn’t work for them like they have been taught it would.

The false “gospel” being preached today says that Jesus came to save people from a lack of money, a lack of purpose, a lack of happiness, or from living a stress-filled and problem-filled existence, i.e. “Happy Church”.

In days to come, true unity has to go beyond the local church, or even the denominations.  True unity has to be rooted in the knowledge of a Gospel that is so pure it’s unchallengeable!  The true Gospel sets sinners free who are destined for God’s wrath unless they come to the saving knowledge of the grace of Christ and His death in our place (John 3:16). This is the Gospel Paul and John and all the disciples preached and this is the “faith of the Gospel” around which Paul told the Philippians they should be united.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.  For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. (Romans 5:8-10)

Any church that does not clearly and publicly preach this message from the pulpit, yet talks about “unity,” is promoting a false and man-made corporate unity (even within the church) that is unbiblical.  And it’s going to get worse as the world’s problems bring about the circumstances that will cry out for an answer or relief from the Times of Trouble.

First, we have to get past the “love of money” gospel.  It isn’t true, it has never been true, and it will fail you in the days ahead.  We have to understand that God will not be mocked with a false gospel.  He did not send His Son to die so that we could live in luxury.  He did not have one good thing to say about money, in fact, He warned against the love of it!  What an abomination!  Jesus died that our eternal souls might not perish if we believe in Him – period!

We must know Jesus as the Savior – the sacrifice that was given for OUR sin!  We ARE sinners – we need a Savior!  And this Jesus who died to save us is coming again very soon!  That reality cannot be minimized, diluted, or incorporated in some other agenda!  And when He comes, He is coming for those who are carriers of His Truth – that God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, will not perish but have eternal life! (John 3:16)

“Unity” is not walking in lockstep behind someone’s purpose or vision statement.

“Unity” is not agreeing together for things God has not promised you!

When Bob Hartley was here, he talked about 5 waves of supernatural challenge coming against the nations in 2011.  One of those waves was “false unity”.  Bob said “Jesus showed me those who would join together in wrong alliances and not around a lovesick God who was lovesick for people.  Instead, they would gather around the survival of human beings and out of their desperate need would purpose to make false alliances.”

Unless the Church understands the meaning of true unity in the Times of Trouble ahead, they will misplace their faith in wrong precepts, and may even rely on and readily accept the world’s solutions, substitutions and counterfeits.  There will be more and more rhetoric from the media and false teachers claiming to have the answers for the woes of mankind.  They will be very convincing and sound very logical – to the untrained spiritual ear!

The bottom line is that we must be very careful who and what we align ourselves with!

The winds of doctrine that are blowing people about and undermining their precious faith must be resisted.  Teaching the truth of God’s wisdom with God’s Word will give the Church the spiritual strength to withstand these winds and to progress in true Christian unity.

Wasted Years

By Lori Bakker | | Filed in Featured, General | Tags: , ,

One of the last times my father walked without assistance was when he walked me down the aisle.  He had developed diabetes because of his weight problem, and was now suffering complications from the disease.  Although he was in a lot of pain, Dad was determined to give me away. “Little Girl, this is the proudest moment of my life,” he told me.

In November 1999 Jim and I spent a week with Dad and Lita in Phoenix.  Jim had quizzed the doctor when we took my dad for an appointment that week.  The doctor had said that because of the complications from diabetes, they would likely have to amputate one of Dad’s legs within a year.  “But he’s a strong man,” the doctor said, “and he could live another five years, especially if he would take care of himself.”

On Monday afternoon Jim and I left Phoenix. We were getting in the car to drive to the airport when I turned around and went back in the house to hug Dad again. He held me to his chest and said, “Little Girl, don’t ever forget. Your daddy loves you.” Those were his last words to me.

The next morning Jim and Tammy Sue sat me down and broke the news that my dad had just passed away. Sue knelt down beside me and tenderly held my hand while Jim stood behind me and put his arms around me. They surrounded me with love in that difficult moment.

Peace filled my heart, and I felt that God was saying to me, your dad’s with me here now, and he is happy.

I had needed to know that my dad was in heaven.  God knew dad’s heart. And I believe my dad had finally come to understand the gift of God’s grace.

But he left this world many years before he needed to – because he could not control his eating.  He literally ate himself to death.  His refusal to take better care of himself deprived him and our entire family of many years together.

The wisdom of healthy living is beyond measurable.

Take care of yourself and do what you can to live out your appointed years.  Your family needs you and it is not God’s plan for you to waste the years He has appointed unto you.

Will Your Health Force You into an Anti-Christ System?

By Jim Bakker | | Filed in Last Days

The Lord has been speaking to me very strongly for quite a while now about being physically healthy.  I believe this message is not only for me, but for everyone who will hear.  If you listen with spiritual ears, you will hear the wisdom in the practical and spiritual application of getting healthy – as much as we can affect it by our own disciplines and actions.  Then, and only then, should we need the grace of God for His supernatural intervention for healing – the kind of healing He paid for with His life and provided in His atonement on the Cross.

One of the prophets who visited us recently, Bob Hartley, gave us a warning about five waves of supernatural challenge for 2011.  We will be talking about these waves in the days to come.  They are especially meaningful and poignant to me because God gave me a dream about huge waves that are coming against His people.  When God speaks, He usually confirms what we’ve heard out of the mouths of two or three others.

One of the waves to watch out for Bob called the “Nanny State”.  It is characterized by false dependencies we may have upon the government or system to “take care of” us.  One of the ways this happens is through entitlements such as healthcare and prescription drugs.  In the days that are coming and are soon to arrive, we will not survive if our dependence is on anything but the Lord Jesus and the Kingdom of God.

We do need to be healthy for what’s ahead – physically as well as spiritually.  Some of us won’t make it through the Times of Trouble that are very soon upon us if we aren’t at our physical best.  What will you do when you can’t get prescription drugs for diabetes or for your other health issues?  What will you do if the anti-christ system says you have to have the mark of the beast in order to be eligible for prescription medications and other government entitlements?

Isn’t it better to correct health issues now – if you can – by adjusting your eating and exercising habits?  Isn’t it better to have your physical body in the best possible condition now instead of waiting for God to fix things?  I will show you my faith, by my works!

Some people think I can be a little over-the-top in my passion and quest for healthy living.  Perhaps they are right.  But when the Lord speaks to me about something, I have learned to pay attention and trust that there’s a reason to be concerned and so impressed to deliver this message to my viewers who have an ear to hear.

A word the Lord spoke to me recently is “stop soothing the saints and start stirring them!”  I am usually hesitant to be so strong with people, yet I know what I heard from Him.  There is a time for everything, and to everything a purpose under heaven.  So the purpose I have in stirring people to take action in becoming healthy is to prepare them for the soon-coming snares and traps that we may fall into if we depend on natural sources for our well-being.

Yes, the Lord is graceful, and even when we don’t do those things we know we should, perhaps He will intervene and supernaturally provide the healing we need.  Yet, the Bible says that “he who knows to do right, and doesn’t do it – to him it is sin”.

We sometimes forget the admonishments of God in His Word, while we love to capitalize on His grace and mercy.  But, it’s time now for the full counsel of the Word.  It’s time now for the truth.  It’s time now to get ready and be ready for the Times of Trouble.

Romans 6: 1,2: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that ‘grace’ may abound?  God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”

Romans 6: 14,15: “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.  What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace?  God forbid!”

Hebrews 10: 29: “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of ‘grace?”

God loves you – He really does!  And I love you too!

Jim

He Understands

By Lori Bakker | | Filed in Teaching | Tags: , , , ,

To all who are lonely or hurting during this holiday season, please remember, God loves you.

You are not alone.  There is a God Who cares, and He understands everything about you;  your situation, your circumstances, your pain.  Please read the following and call on Him.  He is there – He is real and…. READ MORE →

Silent Night in Bethlehem

By Lori Bakker | | Filed in General | Tags: , ,

It was a silent night in Bethlehem,
When Christ our King was born,
While shepherds watched their sheep,
On that very early morn

A brilliant star was shining,
Upon that sacred shrine,
Of the Holy Family kneeling,
Beside the manger of God Divine

The shepherds followed this radiant star,
Of royal beauty bright,
And listened to the angels sing,
While praising God all through the night

Hosanna in the highest,
Unto Him all nations sing,
Christ our Savior is born this night,
‘Tis Christ our Savior King

The radiance of His being,
Will shine through all our lives,
And crush the sins of all mankind,
Upon which all evil thrives.

Oh Blessed Child of Mary,
To whom all the world will bow,
Tis God’s Son – The only One,
To this our God forever will avow.

Oh loving Saviour of mankind,
The souls of man both then and now,
Will sing Your praises forever,
And unto You all knees will bow.

Each year we’ll celebrate Your birth,
To please our God our King,
And pray You will come again,
So peace to this world You’ll bring.

~L M Willson

A Lasting Gift

By Jim Bakker | | Filed in Ministry Updates, Teaching

The Christmas season represents the time for celebrating the ultimate Gift to mankind – the birth of Jesus, the Savior!  Jesus was given to us as a gift.

“…but the Gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.” (Romans 6:23). 

As Christians who believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord, we have set aside the Christmas season to remember that Gift – and we do so by giving gifts to others!

While some Christians may get hung up on the exact day Jesus was born or refuse to celebrate the Christmas season because they believe it has become too commercialized, I think it’s important to remember just what Christmas means to God!  You can trust that the birthday of God’s only begotten Son is important to Him and He is not offended that we celebrate it! 

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

 But while we are giving gifts in celebration of the Christmas season, remember also that Jesus is coming again and He’s coming very soon!  The events of the Revelation Days are not slowing down because our calendar says it’s the Christmas season! 

The events of Revelation propel us towards the Second Coming of Jesus and the end of the age.  We have a tremendous responsibility in the midst of all the shaking and turmoil around us.  Our temptation is to focus on the events, but our responsibility is to stay focused on the God of the events, and understand His heart and priorities.  Very little of what we do in this life will matter unless it echoes the heart of God.  Here is what God has said about his heart:

 …not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (II Peter 3:9)

 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10)

Even so, it is not the will of your Father which is in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish. (Matthew 18:14)

I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in Heaven, over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance. (Luke 15:7)

My passion and the reason for my life, is and always has been, to reach as many people as possible with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  God called me and gave me the vision for Christian broadcasting as a young man.  I’m not young anymore, but I’m still the same man who received that call over 50 years ago, and the passion is even more urgent as we see the time of His return growing closer.

 When you think about what the word “broadcasting” means, it means a wide distribution.  Television, with its 21st century capabilities, has the ability to reach into virtually every home all over the world. 

 When the disciples were commissioned to “go ye into all the world and preach the gospel”, they never imagined that they could do so via the miracle of television and multiply the effects of their message many times over what they were able to do as individuals.  Yet, you and I are fulfilling that great commission today via Christian broadcasting.

 Jesus said:

 “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” (John 9:4)

And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations: and then shall the end come. (Matthew 24:14)

Say not ye, there are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. (John 4:35)

“…The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few” (Matthew 9:37).

 The work is still being done every day in Christian broadcasting, yet there is coming a time when the work will be over and we will give an account for what we did or didn’t do.  I need help to continue doing the work of the Lord in Christian broadcasting.  This Christmas season, Lori and I pray that we can stay on the air with your help for as long as He tarries.  Together, we will give a lasting gift of the message of Jesus to a lost and hurting world.

  “…then He shall reward every man according to his works.”  (Matthew 16:27)

 We long to hear “well done, good and faithful servant”!

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in Jesus!

God loves you, He really does!

Jim

The Christmas Story (Part 4)

By Lori Bakker | | Filed in Teaching | Tags: , ,

The Nativity

In those days the government decided that they should count everyone that lived in that area of the world.  So Joseph had to take Mary to his town, Bethlehem to register.

It took Mary and Joseph a long time to get to Bethlehem.  They didn’t have cars back then, so it probably took them a lot longer to get there.  This was very tiring for Mary because she was soon going to have a baby.

When they reached the town, all the hotels were full and there was nowhere that they could stay.  Finally, someone felt bad for them, and offered them a place to stay.

The Bible doesn’t say for sure where they stayed but most people think that they stayed in a small barn where animals were kept.  In any case, doesn’t it seem strange that Jesus, the King of the Jews wasn’t born in a fancy palace or even a hospital?

Mary and Joseph were thankful that they at least had a place to lay down.  It was warm, and there was plenty of straw to lay on.

That night an exciting, wonderful thing happened.  Mary and Joseph had a baby!  But it wasn’t just any baby, it was Baby Jesus!  The creator of the whole world, the King of Kings, the one who would save the world.

The little baby boy fell asleep in Mary’s arms and she wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger on some clean straw.

Mary and Joseph soon fell asleep, they were so glad to have this special baby join their family.

Some shepherds who lived near Bethlehem, were out at night in their fields watching over their sheep.  They were worried a bigger animal might come and hurt the sheep, so that sat on a hill visiting and watching their sheep together.

Suddenly there was a bright light.  Now this wasn’t just any bright light, the light was so bright that they had to close their eyes for a minute because the light hurt their eyes.

When they opened their eyes to see what was going on, a beautiful angel was standing in the air just above them with his arms opened wide.

The shepherds looked at each other in disbelief, but realized it must be real, because they were all seeing the same thing.  All at once they were very afraid, but they didn’t run because they were too stunned to do anything.

Then the angel spoke to them.  “Do not be afraid.  I’m here to bring you good news for all people.  Today in Bethlehem a baby has been born, He is the one that will save the world.  You will know the baby because He will be wrapped in cloths, and laying in a manger.”

Suddenly, just as quickly as the first angel came, there were a large group of angels, and they said together, “Glory to God, and peace to all people on earth.”  After they spoke, they floated away.

The shepherds were amazed and excited, did everyone know this news, or just them?  They had to go see this baby the angels were talking about.

They ran as fast as they could, and soon found Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus.  The shepherds fell to their knees when they saw Jesus, they were filled with joy that they had found the Lord.

During the time when Jesus was born there was a very mean king who ruled the land, his name was King Herod.  Remember his name, because we will talk about him later.

Soon after Jesus was born,  wise men were traveling on their camels; one night they noticed a very strange star in the sky.  They knew that this star meant that the King of the Jews, the One who would save the world had been born.

When the mean King… (what was his name again?) Herod heard this he got very worried.

He called a meeting with all the other important people in the area and asked them where this special baby had been born.  The people replied, “In Bethlehem, because they heard that one day a special person would come from there and take care of all the people.”

Then King Herod called the wise men to a secret meeting and found out from them exactly where they saw the star.  He then told them, “Go and find this child.  As soon as you find him, tell me, so that I can go and worship him.”

After they had spoken to the King, the wise men left to find the baby.  They didn’t know exactly where the baby was, but at night they followed the star in the east.  They followed the star until it hung right over the very place where Jesus was.

Since it took the wise men a while to get to baby Jesus, they probably didn’t arrive the day Jesus was born but sometime later.  When they finally had arrived they were very excited and happy.  They found Jesus laying in Mary’s arms, and they bowed down and worshipped him.

After that they opened the gifts they had brought Jesus.  They were gold, frankincense and myrrh.  These were very expensive gifts, gifts that you would give to a King, not to a baby.

The story of Christmas is special, full of miracles and strange visitors all coming to visit a King and someday the Savior of the world.

The Christmas Story – Part 1
The Christmas Story – Part 2
The Christmas Story – Part 3


Days of Transition Ahead

By Jim Bakker | | Filed in Last Days | Tags:

We have had several prophets visit Morningside recently.  One common theme in their messages is that the Lord’s people will be going through a transition in the coming year – a very narrow place.   This narrow place is allegorically likened to the birth canal.  When a woman is in labor, the most crucial moments preceding birth are when the baby enters a very narrow transitional passage called the birth canal.

The birth canal allegory has been used to explain many spiritual transition processes the Lord takes His people through.  Transition is another term used to explain the time period between when the baby enters the birth canal, the movement through it, and just before the triumphant arrival!

Every time this allegory is used, there is one thing that is emphasized – the narrowness of the path and the pain involved in the process.  But there is no other way except THROUGH!  Remember, we are going somewhere and we will get there if we just endure!

The prophets are saying that 2011 is going to be a year of transition for the Lord’s people.  Spiritually, what the prophets are speaking of is a process of God’s people moving through a very uncomfortable time ahead.  But, we must go through if we are to go on to the victory ahead.

While we may soon feel the intensity of the coming press in the Revelation days ahead, we must keep the Glorious Prize in mind – the arrival of our King!