Hootie and the Blowfish Drummer Gets Second Chance at Life

Jim Sonefeld Shares Faith with New EP titled Found By Ginny McCabe Special to ASSIST News Service NASHVILLE, TN (ANS) -- Hootie and the Blowfish drummer, Jim Sonefeld is sharing his faith with a new EP titled Found. The project reflects on his new life and direction, as it shares that same hope in Christ with others. "I was 40 before I realized something was off. I want to challenge people that if there's a void; if there's a little hole in your heart-or a big hole-it's for Jesus," said Jim Sonefeld. "I have lived trying to stuff it full of every other thing-money, material goods, sex, drugs, alcohol-I've tried everything, and believe me, it doesn't work. It keeps running out; it keeps leaking. The only thing that doesn't leak is Jesus." His musical journey all started as a student at the University of South Carolina in the late '80s, when the budding songwriter befriended three other men who shared his passion for music, and together they called themselves Hootie and the Blowfish. In 1994, Sonefeld and his bandmates struck gold with the release of Cracked Rear View (Atlantic), a landmark recording that sold more than 25 million copies worldwide, including 16 million in the U.S. alone. Cracked Rear View is the fourth biggest-selling debut and the 20th biggest-selling record of all time. The band went on to record four more studio albums and garnered numerous awards, including two Grammys, becoming one of the most successful pop acts of the '90s. "We rode that wave from basically nothing to something; and in about five or six years, it all happened for us," Sonefeld said. "That changed our lives, and it affects everything you do when there's fame and fortune thrown into the picture." However, Sonefeld soon discovered when you cast all your bets on one thing-the wrong thing-you can end up losing it all. Road-life involved an extreme partying lifestyle, and Sonefeld soon found himself relying heavily on alcohol and drugs. The gifted drummer and songwriter lived in denial of substance abuse for the better part of a decade. "When you're an alcoholic, some of us can hide it; some of us come out and just say, 'Yeah, I'm an alcoholic, so what? My life's together enough; I'm functional.' And that was my attitude. I was functioning," Sonefeld said. "I was a drummer in a big rock band. I had what looked like a solid family life. I [thought] I was a good guy. [The band] gave a lot. We did charity work and were always involved, and continue to be, in our community. I always felt like I was doing my part; but I definitely was left with this very hollow feeling in my heart. You would never have known my life was in shambles, or at least my heart was. That's the trick-how do you admit it to yourself when everybody else doesn't even think you have a big issue?" At the height of his career and the peak of his addiction, Sonefeld was struggling to hold his personal life together. It may have looked perfect from the outside, but on the inside, it was splintering. "There's plenty of room for an alcoholic drummer in the rock 'n' roll industry, but there's not necessarily room for an alcoholic drummer who's a father and a husband," Sonefeld said. "And that's where the rub came; that's where I truly became aware that my foundation in Jesus was severely lacking." Family and friends attempted numerous interventions, but it wasn't until 2004 that Sonefeld willingly entered a 12-step program as a last-ditch effort to find some peace of mind in his life. "After entering the program, I looked back on my relationship with God because in Alcoholics Anonymous, it's a spiritual program," shared Sonefeld of the turning point. "I was unaware that's what I was entering. I just thought I'd go hang out with some people who could show me how to drink better, more controllably. I didn't know anything about AA." AA proved to be the stimulus Sonefeld needed to change his priorities and his perspective. "That was the new beginning I was offered, and believe me, from my perspective, it wasn't my second chance; it was my 35th chance of living again," he said. "It wasn't a white light moment; it wasn't a flash that just hit me and, boom, I was saved. It was the beginning of a long, slow path of self-discovery and giving myself to something bigger." Alcoholics Anonymous became the catalyst that ignited Sonefeld's relationship with Christ. Although he grew up Catholic, he strayed from his faith during college, and with the rocketing success of Hootie and the Blowfish, there wasn't much room left for God. "I couldn't imagine a life without drugs and alcohol," Sonefeld said. "It was so scary to imagine that kind of life that I just kept going. I was afraid I would be boring, that I would be dull, that I would lose my sense of humor, that no one would want to hang around me. Those were very realistic fears coming from somebody who drank every day for probably 10 years straight." As sobriety became a reality, the truth became clear. Alcohol wasn't his only problem. Sonefeld had a lot of self-professed "idols" he needed to get rid of. And, worse, his marriage was beyond repair. "You can drink for a long time, and you always have the alcohol to blame. It helps numb the pain. When you take that away as an alcoholic, it's very painful because you now have only yourself to blame," said Sonefeld. "You have to learn how to feel things all over again. That's really where God started working on me, and I understood He had some other purpose for me than just riding around in a tour bus." After remarrying, Sonefeld's wife-a strong Christian-encouraged him to sing about the faith that pulled him out of his darkest hour. Having always been in the background as a drummer, Sonefeld was hesitant to step up to the microphone. However, he sat down at his piano, opened his Bible, and began to write. The songs poured out for the better part of a year. He took six of the songs and created an EP called Found, an appropriate title considering his life's new direction. The songs on Found are a vivid reflection of Sonefeld's story. Songs like "I Decree" are bold statements of faith, while others, like debut single "The Shadow of Your Wings," are taken directly from Scripture. "I can't imagine living anywhere else but in the shelter of His wings," said Sonefeld in reference to the song. "I surrender to Him every [morning] that He would shelter me. "Morning, in particular, has taken on a new meaning in sobriety," he continued. "It was something that was a painful scenario at best-waking up every morning either hung-over or just bleary-eyed. So morning has become something way more beautiful to me in my sober life. The sunrise [comes] up, and that's His offering every day if I choose it." Although fully committed to using his gift of music to share Christ, it's still an adjustment from his former life. "After you're a drummer for 20 years, you don't picture yourself as a lead singer necessarily, and that has been a struggle for me. I'm trying to get more comfortable with that," he shared. As to what the future holds on this new career path, Sonefeld is leaving it all up to the One who sketches the blueprints. "I hope I'm courageous enough to accept God's plan for me," he said. "I hope I have the wisdom to accept what He gives me."

OUT OF THEIR MINDS

-David Wilkerson. "Every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell" (Matthew 7:26-27). The law is not intended for the person whose obedience springs out of a desire to please God. He is not concerned about what is legal or illegal, what is permitted or forbidden. He has only one criterion: "What does my Lord desire?" You can lay out all the law before him - all the rules, regulations and prohibitions - and he will say, "You don't have to tell me not to do those things. I wouldn't do anything to hurt my Father. I love Him! I've already forsaken the world and its lusts to go after Him whom my heart desires. "Show me what He wants, not just what He forbids. I want His heart's desire to become my actions. I want to know His mind and obey it. Sure, I love His law. But that's for the lawless, for those who haven't come into a knowledge of intimacy with Christ. I have another law at work in my heart. It's the law of love, one that says, 'Lord, what can I do to please You today?'" Such a person isn't moved by threats of hellfire, or even by rewards. He needs no prophet to shake him, no warnings of judgment. He is in love with Jesus and his obedience to God's Word is a natural outgrowth of this love. It is as natural to him as breathing. On the other hand, the person who builds his house on sand does so only for show. It is a temporary lifestyle. He reasons that he'll live in that house for five years, then sell it and leave the problems to someone else. It's only a facade with no real foundation! You see, this person doesn't believe a storm is coming. He doesn't want to think that things are going to get hard. That is the way the world deals with eternity: They simply don't think about it. A Christian celebrity once asked one of the late-night talk show hosts, "What do you think about eternity?" He answered, "I try to put it out of my mind." Tragically, a lot of Christians also try to put eternity out of their minds. They try not to think that judgment is at the door. They don't want to believe that one day they'll stand before the Lord and answer for everything they've said and done. -Original source- http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/18437 © 2012 World Challenge - a registered trademark of David Wilkerson.

GOD WILL SEE it THROUGH

GOD WILL SEE it THROUGH -by David Wilkerson. Peter was the man who said he would never desert Jesus. Yet, not only did Peter deny he knew Him, but he did it with a stream of profanities pouring from his mouth. "And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them. . . . But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak" (Mark 14:69-71). If you had been standing near the fire listening to Peter, you may have thought, "Is this the man who was on the Mount of Transfiguration? The one who laid hands on the sick and they recovered? The one entrusted with the keys to the kingdom? Listen to what's coming out of his mouth! How could he walk so intimately with the Lord and then blow up like this, lying, cursing and denying Him? It's all over for Peter. He might as well go back to his fishing nets. He'll never be heard of again." Had you run to the Lord exclaiming about Peter´s cursing, He would have answered, "Yes, Peter has failed Me but I know his heart. He's going to be on a hill in a few hours, weeping and coming back to Me. In fact, he is on his way to Pentecost - to a life of ministry for Me." "If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself" (2 Timothy 2:13). The actual Greek reading of this verse is: "If we are faithless, yet He remains faithful." It is true that Peter was terribly unfaithful but God remained faithful and His eternal purpose in Peter's life was not thwarted. Why? Because God cannot deny who He is. No matter what you have been through this past year, God looks on your heart. If you have a broken and contrite spirit, He will be there for you. His eternal purpose for you will not be ruined because He will see it through! -Original source- http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/18045

PICTURE OF a PROPHET

-by Leonard Ravenhill. The prophet in his day is fully accepted of God and totally rejected by men. Years back, Dr. Gregory Mantle was right when he said, "No man can be fully accepted until he is totally rejected." The prophet of the Lord is aware of both these experiences. They are his "brand name." The group, challenged by the prophet because they are smug and comfortably insulated from a perishing world in their warm but untested theology, is not likely to vote him "Man of the year" when he refers to them as habituates of the synagogue of Satan! The prophet comes to set up that which is upset. His work is to call into line those who are out of line! He is unpopular because he opposes the popular in morality and spirituality. In a day of faceless politicians and voiceless preachers, there is not a more urgent national need than that we cry to God for a prophet! The function of the prophet, as Austin-Sparks once said, "has almost always been that of recovery." The prophet is God's detective seeking for a lost treasure. The degree of his effectiveness is determined by his measure of unpopularity. Compromise is not known to him. He has no price tags. He is totally 'otherworldly.' He is unquestionably controversial and unpardonably hostile. He marches to another drummer! He breathes the rarefied air of inspiration. He is a "seer" who comes to lead the blind. He lives in the heights of God and comes into the valley with a "thus saith the Lord." He shares some of the foreknowledge of God and so is aware of impending judgment. He lives in 'splendid isolation.' He is forthright and outright, but he claims no birthright. His message is "repent, be reconciled to God or else...!" His prophecies are parried. His truth brings torment, but his voice is never void. He is the villain of today and the hero of tomorrow. He is excommunicated while alive and exalted when dead! He is dishonored with epithets when breathing and honored with epitaphs when dead. He is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, but few 'make the grade' in his class. He is friendless while living and famous when dead. He is against the establishment in ministry; then he is established as a saint by posterity. He eats daily the bread of affliction while he ministers, but he feeds the Bread of Life to those who listen. He walks before men for days but has walked before God for years. He is a scourge to the nation before he is scourged by the nation. He announces, pronounces, and denounces! He has a heart like a volcano and his words are as fire. He talks to men about God. He carries the lamp of truth amongst heretics while he is lampooned by men. He faces God before he faces men, but he is self-effacing. He hides with God in the secret place, but he has nothing to hide in the marketplace. He is naturally sensitive but supernaturally spiritual. He has passion, purpose and pugnacity. He is ordained of God but disdained by men. Our national need at this hour is not that the dollar recover its strength, or that we save face over the Watergate affair, or that we find the answer to the ecology problem. We need a God-sent prophet! I am bombarded with talk or letters about the coming shortages in our national life: bread, fuel, energy. I read between the lines from people not practiced in scaring folk. They feel that the "seven years of plenty" are over for us. The "seven years of famine" are ahead. But the greatest famine of all in this nation at this given moment is a FAMINE OF THE HEARING OF THE WORDS OF GOD (Amos 8:11). Millions have been spent on evangelism in the last twenty-five years. Hundreds of gospel messages streak through the air over the nation every day. Crusades have been held; healing meetings have made a vital contribution. "Come-outers" have "come out" and settled, too, without a nation-shaking revival. Organizers we have. Skilled preachers abound. Multi-million dollar Christian organizations straddle the nation. BUT where, oh where, is the prophet? Where are the incandescent men fresh from the holy place? Where is the Moses to plead in fasting before the holiness of the Lord for our moldy morality, our political perfidy, and sour and sick spirituality? GOD'S MEN ARE IN HIDING UNTIL THE DAY OF THEIR SHOWING FORTH. They will come. The prophet is violated during his ministry, but he is vindicated by history. There is a terrible vacuum in evangelical Christianity today. The missing person in our ranks is the prophet. The man with a terrible earnestness. The man totally otherworldly. The man rejected by other men, even other good men, because they consider him too austere, too severely committed, too negative and unsociable. Let him be as plain as John the Baptist. Let him for a season be a voice crying in the wilderness of modern theology and stagnant "churchianity." Let him be as selfless as Paul the apostle. Let him, too, say and live, "This ONE thing I do." Let him reject ecclesiastical favors. Let him be self-abasing, nonself-seeking, nonself-projecting, nonself-righteous, nonself-glorying, nonself-promoting. Let him say nothing that will draw men to himself but only that which will move men to God. Let him come daily from the throne room of a holy God, the place where he has received the order of the day. Let him, under God, unstop the ears of the millions who are deaf through the clatter of shekels milked from this hour of material mesmerism. Let him cry with a voice this century has not heard because he has seen a vision no man in this century has seen. God send us this Moses to lead us from the wilderness of crass materialism, where the rattlesnakes of lust bite us and where enlightened men, totally blind spiritually, lead us to an ever-nearing Armageddon. --------------------------------------------------------- God have mercy! Send us PROPHETS! "When a prophet is accepted and deified, his message is lost. The prophet is only useful so long as he is stoned as a public nuisance calling us to repentance, disturbing our comfortable routines, breaking our respectable idols, shattering our sacred conventions." -A. G. Gardiner. "The function of the Prophet has almost invariably been that of recovery. That implies that his business is related to something lost. That something being absolutely essential to God's full satisfaction, the dominant note of the Prophet was one of dissatisfaction. And, there being the additional factor that, for obvious reasons, the people were not disposed to go the costly way of God's full purpose, the Prophet was usually an unpopular person." -T. Austin Sparks. "Those whom God calls to such a ministry - and a call is essential - must be prepared for a pathway of unpopularity and misunderstanding. "You troubler of Israel" was the way Ahab addressed Elijah." -Arthur Wallis. -Please comment on this topic at the website below- http://www.johnthebaptisttv.com/

WHY ARE SOME in THE PROPHETIC MOVEMENT Still NAMING ANGELS? - Charisma Magazine.

-Jennifer LeClaire.

I recently heard a prophetic word that described an angelic visitation.
Of course, I am all for angelic visitations. Both the Old and New
Testament offer plenty of examples of angels appearing to people
to deliver heavenly messages. But this angel apparently had a
creative name. Its name was supposedly "Safe Passage."

It grieves me that we have to go around this mountain yet again in
the body of Christ. Wasn´t the controversy over Emma - the female
angel who purportedly started the modern-day prophetic movement -
enough to put an end to this sort of nonsense? Apparently not.

Let me be clear: There is no angel named Emma and there is no
angel named Safe Passage - and it´s assignment is not to escort
you safely into new opportunities or to clear fearsome corners
and honor your unsung courage.

However, if you Google the keywords "angel safe passage," you
might see where a misguided prophetic pen could draw such
erroneous inspiration. There´s a Safe Passage playing card that´s
a prominent "white angel" in a Dungeons & Dragons-style game.
In this context, "Safe Passage" is a sorcerer. On the more benign
side, "Safe Passage" was the title of a script for a 1997 episode
of Touched by an Angel. Either way, there is no God-sent angel
named Safe Passage.

It just so happened that when I stumbled upon the so-called
revelation of this angel named Safe Passage I was already
studying the topic of angels. In fact, I was in the midst of reading
Dr. Lester Sumrall´s Angels to Help You for a second time.
Sumrall offered abundant Scripture about the reality of angels,
the categories of angels-including their names and ranks - what
angels do, what angels know, angels and prophecy, what kind of
people receive angelic service, and much more.

Angels are real. Angels are mentioned 108 times in the Old
Testament and 165 times in the New Testament. Angels are
messengers. Angels are innumerable. The Bible mentions three
angels by name: Michael, Gabriel and Lucifer. But beyond that,
you have to go to religions like Zoroastrianism to find the names
of angels.

Zoroastrianism, also called Mazdaism, is a religion based on a
self-styled prophet named Zoroaster (also known as Avestan or
Zarathustra). Zoroastrianism was once among the largest religions
in the world, a political power in pre-Islamic Iran. Mazdaism believers
prayed to angels like Ameretat, Asha Vahishta and Vohu Mano
for protection.

In modern times, the New Age movement has an A-to-Z list of
named angels, some of which are supposedly rooted in Scripture.
There´s Abdiel, the professed "Angel of Faith." At the end of the
New Age list, you´ll find Zuriel, the "Angel of Harmony" who has
dominion over the sun sign of Libra.

As you can see, false teaching about angels has been circulating
the world since before Christ was born and well after He ascended
to the right hand of the Father. False teachings about angels was
an issue in the early church and it´s an issue in the end-time
church. "And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into
an angel of light" (2 Cor. 11:14).

Paul had an apostolic message for those who hyper-focused on
angels and their "teachings" at the expense of exalting Christ.
Paul was so bold as to say that if he - or an angel from heaven -
preached any other gospel than the gospel of Christ he should
be accursed (Gal. 1:8). Those are pretty strong words and ones
that should be heeded before we preach sermons or pen articles
that exalt angels.

Paul also said, "Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight
in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things
which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and
not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished
and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase
that is from God" (Col. 2:18-19).

Matthew Henry, an 18th century minister whose well-known
commentary provides an exhaustive verse-by-verse study of the
Bible, gets to the root of such angel exaltation: "They advanced
those notions to gratify their own carnal fancy, and were fond of
being thought wiser than other people. Pride is at the bottom of
a great many errors and corruptions, and even of many evil
practices, which have great show and appearance of humility."

Yes, angels are ministering spirits sent forth to minister to those
who will inherit salvation (Heb. 1:14). That´s us! Angels are sent
to execute God´s Word. By revelation of the Holy Spirit, David
wrote, "Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength,
who do His word, heeding the voice of His word" (Ps.103:20).
Angels stand ready to obey the Word of God and bring it to pass.

Yes, in a way angels may help provide us with safe passage.
When we make the Lord our dwelling place, no evil shall befall us
nor shall any plague come near our dwelling; for He shall give His
angels charge over us, to keep us in all our ways. In their hands
they shall bear us up, lest we dash our foot against a stone
(Psalm 91:9-12). But there is no angel named Safe Passage, at
least none of God´s angels.

One last thought: John mistakenly fell down to worship at the feet
of an angel who had shown him the revelations he recorded in the
book of Revelation. The angel immediately told him to worship
God (Rev. 22:8-9). We don´t know the name of this angel. If it
were important, the Holy Spirit would have revealed it. I suppose
some in the modern church would name him "Revelation," - some
may even claim "Revelation" is a female - and that would be yet
another error.

Let me end with the words of Jesus Himself: "Take heed that no
one deceives you... for false christs and false prophets will rise
and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the
elect" (Mk 13:5; 22). Amen. -Jennifer LeClaire, news editor, Charisma.

-Please comment on this topic at the following website-

http://www.johnthebaptisttv.com/
http://www.charismamag.com/index.php/blogs/the-plumb-line-by-jennifer-leclaire/3

"VIOLENT FAITH!"

"VIOLENT FAITH!"
-David Wilkerson.

Genesis tells us that the more man multiplied on the earth, the
more violent he became.

"The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled
with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was
corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth" (Gen 6:11-12).

There is another, different kind of violence taking place in this last
day. Indeed, I see a godly people with an aggressive faith being
raised up. This holy remnant is full of Jesus, loving Him with all
their hearts. These believers see a mad devil coming at them
with everything in his power and they know they have more of
hell to face than any other generation before them.

Jesus said: "The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the
violent take it by force" (Matthew 11:12). This remnant is going
to rise up and say, "I'm not going to let the devil steal my joy
and peace. I will not let him plant seeds of grudges, murder,
hatred or violence in me. No! I'm going to rise up in Jesus' power
and live victoriously above this demonic filth."

Dear saint, God wants to put a fight in you! If you have been
guilty of any of these forms of violence, quickly repent before
the Lord and obey His Word. That's all He asks. May God put
a holy zeal and faith in you beyond anything you have ever
known. He wants you to be able to stand against Satan's
wicked devices.

The only spirit of violence we are going to have is a violent faith. It
will be a strong, holy violence that comes full force against the
gates of hell and the strongholds of the enemy. And, by the power
of God, we will bring them all down in Jesus' name!

-Original Source-

http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/16676

© 2012 World Challenge - a registered trademark of David Wilkerson

GEORGE FOX - Too RADICAL!!

GEORGE FOX - Too RADICAL!!

Andrew Strom:- A reader wrote to me recently about the radical
ministry of George Fox from centuries ago. Here was a man who
feared nothing, who walked the earth in leather clothes, who was
so against the organized religion of his day that he called church
buildings "steeple houses" and frightened off many a "hireling" in
the charge thereof - before preaching to the congregation himself!!
There has rarely been an anointed Reformer or Revivalist as radical
as George Fox.

As reader 'Tom' wrote to me:

"I have read a number of items on revival, but to my knowledge, no
one has referenced George Fox who lived in the 1600s in England
during a tumultuous time. He spent times in jail for his outspoken
faith and because he challenged the clergy of the day. His teaching
was the most practical and uncompromising I have encountered
on the matter of holiness and regeneration.

An interesting thing about him and perhaps the reason he goes
unnoticed, is that his ministry mirrors that of the book of Acts,
except that his foes are not Judaism but apostate Christianity.
In other words, his time is contemporary in many ways with ours.
Because of this, many may avoid him since he was entirely
separated from organized religion!"

GEORGE FOX - the HOLY RADICAL
-by David Smithers.

In the year of 1647, a large man with piercing eyes named George
Fox started preaching throughout the towns and villages of England.
He prayed and fasted often, traveling with no other companion but
his Bible. He proclaimed a gospel of purity, power and repentance.

When George Fox began preaching, many churches were dead
and bound in man-made traditions and formalism. When the Church
drifts into formalism, the world drifts into further ungodliness. The
methods and appearance of George Fox to some, seemed quite
offensive and extreme. It is sometimes necessary for God's
prophets to be unconventional in order to thoroughly awaken the
indifferent and hard hearted.

Soon after George Fox began to preach, he had a remarkable
spiritual experience that lasted fourteen days. A certain Mr. Brown,
while on his death bed prophesied many great things concerning
Fox. "When this man was buried," says Fox, "a great work of the
Lord fell on me." During this mighty baptism of the Spirit, Fox
received a remarkable gift of discernment. "He seemed to be able
to read the character of men by looking at them." Miraculous
healings also accompanied his ministry. Through prayer and the
laying on of hands, the sick were often healed and devils were
cast out to the glory of Christ. When George Fox preached men
would shake and tremble. "The name Quaker was given to Fox
and his followers because of the quaking of the men who came
to scoff but stayed to pray." This remarkable power seemed to
accompany the preaching of Fox wherever he went.

Fox preached that Jesus Christ is the author of a faith which
purifies and gives victory over sin. He fervently exhorted men to
pursue complete holiness rather than empty religious ceremonies.
As a result, he was often beaten, stoned and driven out of town.
It is estimated that perhaps no other man since the time of the
Reformation was persecuted and imprisoned as often as George
Fox. He usually went about the country on foot, dressed in his
famous suit of leather clothes, which it is believed he made
himself. He often slept outside under a tree or in some haystack.
Fox also often pointed out that what was commonly called the
Church was only a building. He boldly declared that only the
fervent believers of Christ were the living stones of the true Church.

"Above all George Fox excelled in prayer." It was his habit to wait
in silence for the movement of the Holy Spirit and then begin to
pray, causing whole congregations to be shaken and humbled
under the hand of God Almighty. "As he prayed the power of God
came down in such a marvelous manner the very building seemed
to rock." Through the ministry of George Fox, a glimmer of Apostolic
power was revealed to seventeenth century England. He was a man
of the Spirit in an age that emphasized theological and scriptural
accuracy at the expense of the power of the Holy Ghost. He always
stressed the importance of a Spirit filled life and refused to let dead
orthodoxy be a veil for the works of the flesh.

If we as believers are content with a gospel that merely comforts
our conscience and perseveres our traditions, then we are also
content to forsake the gospel of Christ and the Apostles. God
help us to truly seek the kind of praying and preaching that will
once again make men tremble in the presence of Jesus Christ.

-Please comment on this topic at the following website-

http://www.johnthebaptisttv.com/

THE 100 YEAR OLD PROPHECY

ANDREW's NOTE: There are 2 things that people won't like about
the prophecy below. For one thing, it is declaring that there is
genuine hope for a real Revival in this generation. I hear from
Christians in our circles all the time that there is no such hope.
Many have completely given way to Cynicism. But they call their
cynicism by another name. They call it "discernment". They long
ago stopped hoping or believing that God might really move. They
say it is only the "false prophets" that give encouraging words
about "Revival coming". And so this must be a 'false' word too,
they say. But cynicism and unbelief are not "discernment". They
are simply cynicism and unbelief. We need to repent.

The second reason that people will not like this prophecy is that
it mentions the "latter rain". This is not the same as the "Latter
rain" heresy. All the old pentecostals that I have read about used
the term "latter rain" all the time - to talk about a real Last-Days
outpouring of the Holy Spirit. It was only much later that the term
got associated with the "Latter Rain" heresy out of Canada.

But I find lately that the Cynicism is so great, the Unbelief so
strong, the so-called "Discernment" is so nit-picking (and by the
way, "Google-searching" is not 'Discernment' either) - that everyone
nit-picks every "positive" word to death. Just like the Pharisees.

You simply are not allowed to be "hopeful" any more.

Could the below prophecy be true? I surely hope so. I have to
believe that God has not given up yet. And neither has this generation
seen a truly holy and radiant "Bride" clothed in the glory of Christ.
I am not one who is wanting to "whimper" my way into eternity
without at least seeing that. - Nit-picking, anyone? - Andrew Strom.
------------------------------------------------

The 100-YEAR-OLD PROPHECY
-Michael Edds.

The great Azusa Street Awakening, which over the years resulted
in 600 million being swept into the Kingdom of God and gave birth
to the Pentecostal Movement, began in 1906. It was one of the
greatest outpourings of the Spirit of God since Pentecost. Multitudes
were saved, healed, and filled with the Holy Spirit. Incredible
miracles occurred.

This great revival moved from Los Angeles to its new focal point of
Chicago, Illinois. The two great centers of revival in Chicago were
the North Avenue Mission and the Stone Church. Pentecost swept
from Chicago to Canada, Europe, South America and Africa. One
of the greatest outpourings occurred at Stone Church in 1913.
The renown evangelist Maria Woodworth Etter began a revival
on July 2, 1913 at Stone Church.

The services were to last until the end of July but continued for six
months. This was a time of divine appointment for the city of
Chicago; God rent the heavens and came down!! Scenes from the
days of the Early Church began to occur at Stone Church. Word
began to spread throughout Chicago of miraculous healings,
deliverance from demonic possession, conversions, and of the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit happening in these meetings.
Advertisement was no longer necessary! The city was incredibly
shaken. Word spread of the miraculous intervention of God.
Thousands came on trolleys, buggies, and trains, while many
walked. Some came from distances of 1,600 miles away. 1200
to 1500 packed into Stone Church each night. The basement was
filled and many stood out on the street. Street meetings were held
to accommodate them. Three services were held on Sundays!

As Christians prayed around the altar one evening, Sister
Woodworth-Etter and others gave the following powerful prophecy
and divine promise, which they prophesied would occur within 100
years of the 1913 Chicago Visitation. She prophesied of this
coming End Time Revival....

"We are not yet up to the fullness of the Former Rain and that when
the Latter Rain comes, it will far exceed anything we have seen!"

William Seymour, the leader of the Azusa Street Awakening, also
prophesied that in 100 years there would be an outpouring of God's
Spirit and His Shekinah Glory that would be greater and more far
reaching than what was experienced at Azusa.

It has been almost 100 years since these prophecies were given...
I believe that we have reached the time of the fulfillment of these
100 year old prophecies. We must be diligent to pray, intercede
and protect what the Lord is doing. We must encourage and edify
one another as never before. We must crucify every critical,
judgmental and religious spirit that may be within us. We must
put on the holiness and righteousness of Christ. Our time of divine
destiny has come. We are about to experience what Brother
Seymour and Sister Woodworth-Etter foresaw. God is about to
rend the heavens and come down!...