the crumptons

What a blessed day today was. We had a dear friend at our church this weekend, Benite Jeune. He very well could be the president of Haiti sometime in the future. He has such a compassionate heart and a passion to see Haiti transformed out of poverty and perversity and into a glorious bounty of fruitfulness and prosperity- a plan for all of God's creation. His message was simple, but so deep.
One thing God reminded me of this morning that I think so many Christians don't know, understand, or believe is that we have the power to decree, to declare things into our lives. The authority we have is in Christ who created us, and He gave us the right and the power to speak things into existence. I know it can sound strange and the enemy likes to shroud it in the term "new-age", when new-age is something far more demonic in nature. But it's so true! We can actually say, "This is the time for prosperity (or health, or a 2nd car-in our case-)." And, if it lines up with the Word of God, watch and see Him do it! It's not just about us getting what we want (hence, lining up with His Word), it's about giving Him the pleasure to fulfill where you have put your faith. We've seen it over and over in our lives. A lot of the power comes because we speak it. Out. Audibly. For what is in your heart, where your faith lives and breathes and grows, will come out your mouth. (Matt 12:34) Which is why your speach, how you speak to your spouse, and your kids, and the grocery store clerk is so important. God created the World and everything in it by His words. How important then, is it to speak life (Prov. 18:21) instead of death? We carry such a tremendous responsibility. Ahh... there is a burden in my soul to see people everywhere using the magnificent authority given by the Almighty to change situations, and mentalities, and NATIONS all for the glory of God and His Kingdom!
I declare today, that I will be a beacon to those who are unaware of the power of the Gospel and by His Spirit I will share with them the Truth that is rooted inside of them, which is bound to the yoke of the Almighty. I will not be ashamed or afraid of my beliefs and my faith, because I know that greater is HE that is in me, than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4), and I have nothing to fear. Hallelujah! Isn't God so good??

On another note, tomorrow Philip and I leave for a tremendous week at Youth For the Nations at Christ for the Nations, Int. in Dallas. This is our youth camp, and it's incredible. We went last year as counselors and wound up being blown away by the power of the Holy Spirit and the way he moved in several thousand teenagers. We saw people healed of sprains and sickness and abnormalities, we saw Him breathe across an auditorium filled with teenagers who walk up and down the hallways of thousands of schools across the nation! Praise God that He is moving in and through and around teenagers - our future! And the worship.... let's just say I came back physically sore from it. I'm sure we'll be back with stories of not just how God showed up, but how lives of kids were CHANGED and TRANSFORMED into something they are happy to be living. We all know how dominant our culture is into the lives of (especially) teenagers. A culture that tells them they aren't worth anything, and the best thing might just be to compromise anything, everything for a false hope and a false happiness that doesn't satisfy like only the Lover of our Souls can. I'm so excited!

Ok, I need to pack. God bless you all. I love you!