Gossip: The Spirit That Devours

As I walked down this dark, and menacing street; I could see a human figure standing in a house. As I looked closer, I noticed that the person was bleeding all over, it had a few missing limbs, and the body had missing flesh like leprosy. At first I was alarmed because I wanted to help someone who I thought was injured. It cried out to beckon me to come closer but it looked so frightening that I stayed away at a distance. It was something out of a horror movie. I felt sorry for it but it had a knife in its hand, and knew that I would fall victim to it if I came closer. Somehow I knew it would devour me because it had cannibalized itself.

My spirit shuddered at the thought of this hideous creature, and I woke up frightened from this dream. As I lay in bed wondering why I would have such horrible dream; God began to show me what it all meant. The person you saw the Holy Spirit explained, "Is a wounded Christian." Every time it gossips, and slanders others it devours itself. That is why it is missing limbs. It has cut off people in the body of Christ. The body continuously bleeds because of the injuries it inflicts upon itself. It uses self pity to lure you into comforting it but it will devour you as well. Don't come near to the spirit that devours. It is the sin of slander, gossip, and those who bring division.

By now you may be wondering how this may fall in line with the bible or still be trying to get this frightening picture out of your head. The bible says, But if you bite, and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! (Galatians 5:15). Unfortunately, this is a recurring problem among believers. I have been behind many closed door leadership meetings which turned into witch hunts, and gossip sessions which cannibalize upon the weaker members of the body of Christ. It starts with suspicion, then divulging personal information about them which is gossip, and then finishes them off with some slander. It is all justified in the name of protecting leadership from these in-subordinates, and free thinkers. Those who upset the apple cart, and refuse to keep in line with the unspoken protocols of leadership, get targeted first.

I once sat in a church, and saw yellow barrels of toxic waste with that radioactive sign on them. I was wondering why I was seeing this. I later found out that the members of the church were speaking against leadership, and the leadership was speaking against the members. It was a toxic environment, and full of contamination. I made sure to leave that place quickly lest I too be caught up in all the drama. On another occasion I left another ministry because the person in charge kept judging people I knew personally. They would send me written articles about them that discredited their ministry, when in reality most of the things written were hearsay or libel. "Why can't you just meet them in person or make the attempt to see if these things are true," I would ask. They would then tell me that they felt a check in their spirit, and would write them off. That's what gossip does. It prevents others from seeing that person for who they really are because it has distorted their image to others. Before we continue let's define gossip: It is the personal information or private matters of others. Whether it be true or false; it is nobody's business. Even though gossip is damaging to people's reputation...slander is malicious lies made up to discredit others.

My friend, you have to be very careful with your words. He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates friends. Proverbs 17:9 When I see people making it their job to expose others in the body or find it their duty to write long articles about all the faults of others, I know that reconciliation, and restoration is not the process they are seeking. A self righteous attitude, and a religious spirit is what motivates people to speak hurtful words. Fault finding, and slander is rooted in pride. If you make careful examination of the scriptures, you will find that Jesus' ministry was always maligned by the religious community. They hated that He challenged their tradition, and religious protocols. He started a love revolution that was not focused on outward appearance but inner heart attitudes.

You love evil more than good,
Lying rather than speaking righteousness. Selah
You love all devouring words,
You deceitful tongue. Psalm 52:3-4

In James it says that the tongue is unruly member that sets things on fire. The only way to stop a fire is to put it out by not spreading it. Jesus taught that it wasn't what comes into our mouths that defiles us but what comes out of our mouths. What comes out of our mouths, comes out of hearts. The bible exhorts us to be, "Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled." (Hebrews 12:15). See more on bitterness here

We need to be very careful who we are listening to. You may not be spreading the gossip but if you are listening to it you are being defiled by the dirt others are dishing out. If you want a clever way to stop gossip or slander here is something you can do to stop it. Get everyone to pray for the person they are talking about. It works every time. Not only does it cleanse the atmosphere of the spiritual contamination it also cleanses everyone from being defiled. Remember God did not call us to be toxic waste dumps so people can dump their trash into our spirit. This principle applies to complaining, negativity, criticism, dirty jokes, and reviling (abusive speech). See more on reviling here.

Be bold, and don't be afraid to let people know that you refuse to listen to their defiling words. I once knew somebody who was struggling with bisexuality, and they kept getting into details of all their perverse behavior. Even though I was counseling them, I realized that their words were full of deceit, and seduction. The Holy Spirit told me to stop talking to them because their words were defiling my spirit. If people won't repent from their behavior after they have been told what God's Word says; then move on. You have no obligation to continue to put up with someone's behavior, especially if they show no signs of trying to make a change. There will always be two kinds of people: Those who will fall, feel bad, and try to get better or those who fall, and make excuses for their sin. If they are making excuses for their sin then allow the Holy Spirit to bring correction to their lives. Getting a spanking from God doesn't feel good but it works the peaceable fruit of righteousness.

One more thing that I would like to address, and that's the legal side of gossip or slander. If you write something that is untrue about others, and you put it on Facebook or online; then you may be breaking the law. Libel is the crime of publishing untrue spoken words about others. It is against the law to misrepresent someone's character in such a way that it hurts their ministry or business. You can be sued for this especially if it is done maliciously causing a loss of income or business for that person. You better think twice about what you decide to publish online. If you want to address an issue using people's names isn't necessary. Just state your position, and let public opinion decide what is acceptable or unacceptable behavior. As Christians we should uphold higher standards.

Correction should not be done in public forums unless you have followed the protocol of going to that person first, and even then it should never be done in front of nonbelievers. Jesus did not make it his job to go and correct everyone that He felt was off base. He lived His life as an example, and He preached the truth. When He corrected people it was done face to face. Believe me, He had no problem calling the Pharisees hypocrites or a brood of vipers. However, the reason Jesus had such a problem with the religious community was over this statement right here, "But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless." (Matthew 12:7) In other words the Pharisees' biggest hang up was that they showed little mercy, and had condemning attitudes towards others. Don't get caught up in this religious attitude. Search your heart now, and repent if you have seen yourself in this article. God will receive those of a contrite heart. Amen?

Let's pray:

Father, I have been very judgmental towards others and I ask you to forgive me. Help me never participate in conversations that don't edify anyone or glorify you. Give me a heart of mercy, and love towards others. Change me, and help me be more like Jesus everyday in Jesus name, Amen. 

Official Website: http://www.loverevivalrevolution.com/

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Dead Flies In The Ointment

Have you ever left a sweet drink or water unattended and right before you were about to take a drink, you noticed a dead fly in it? The thought is quite repulsive to even think about. Yet this morning I clearly heard the Lord say, "There is dead fly in the ointment." As I heard this, I had a vision of a dead fly floating on top of oil, not just any oil but anointing oil. Curious, I looked up the scripture because it came to my memory. "Dead flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment, And cause it to give off a foul odor; So does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor." (Ecclesiastes 10:1)

So what is God saying? Are you able to pick out the flies or discern what is not true or part of the anointing? Can you tell the counterfeit from the real? Can you discern what is coming from the soul of man or from the heart of God? For I forewarn you that there will come false brethren among you and those who proclaim to know Christ. There will be those who will be sent among you who are been given the ability to deceive by the realm of darkness. Even now the anti-Christ spirit is operating in the highest levels of office in this nation but some have not been able to discern it. The anti-Christ spirit has been released in the media and has been infecting all those who sit under its influence. Spirits of perversion and lust permeate the air waves. This is why the music must get turned off. The TV must get turned off. The air waves are carrying seductive spiritual activity and you must be able to discern it. The anti-Christ spirit is the way of Cain and it seeks to murder righteous Abel. It was present in Jesus day and it is now increasing in our day. Righteousness and good fruit will be persecuted. They will call good, evil and evil, good. Cain murdered Abel because his works were not approved by God. 

Religion and the anti-Christ spirit are not very different. That is why they work well together. Religion and politics seek control. They lust after power and money. It was the religious who sought after Jesus' death and they used politics to achieve their goals. Even now there some among us who pose as sheep but are ravenous wolves. They use religion as a means to make you think they are part of us but are only using God as a means for their own agendas. Don't be fooled. The Germans were fooled by Hitler. He promised them a "Positive Christianity" and ended up murdering those who elected him. Hitler did not initially remove "Christianity" from Germany. He modified it. He changed the way people perceived Jesus. He incorporated religion as a means to deceive the masses. They were not able to pick out the flies out of the ointment.

What are these flies you may ask? It self interest, greed, control, popularity, conceit and lust after worldly pleasures disguised behind Christian platitudes. Many don't realize what they have been sitting under has been tainted. The ointment is tainted by attitudes and motivations that do not come from Jesus' heart. It may look good on the surface but does it sound like something Jesus would say? Do the messengers look anything like Jesus? Does their lifestyle contradict the way Jesus lived? Did Jesus conduct His ministry like they do? Some would dismiss His teachings as "old fashioned" or not relevant, offering you liberty from His commandments. I ask you which one of His commandments should we disobey? Thou shalt not murder or thou shalt not lust in your heart after a woman? 

For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. (Galatians 5:13)

This is why the message of the cross is offensive to those who pretend they are His. It crucifies the nature of men and their selfish motivation. It calls us to serve and not be served. It exposes the flies in the ointment. It uncovers the heart and leaves no room for excuses. The truth of God's unchangeable word confronts the deceitful nature of men. The Holy Spirit takes us into the courtroom of God and convicts us of our deeds declaring them unfit for His kingdom. There He judges the true intention of our hearts. It is there that we drop the act and pretense we have put up in front of others. If we were truly to feel the Holy Spirit's conviction again in church we would be on our knees weeping for the many offenses and hurts we have caused God's heart. However, God's people have sat comfortable in the church without any thought of their lives. They have declared themselves not guilty in the courtroom of God without full examination of their lives in the light of God's Word and conviction of the Holy Spirit. They run from place to place trying to appease the emptiness they feel with conference and motivational speakers. They say God's not angry with us anymore! How would they know, did they ask Him or did they judge their actions by what someone else has said in a book? 

They silenced the voice of the Holy Spirit and made up presumptuous reasons why they live the way they do. They have taken up His job and have decided what is right and wrong. They have become the law givers and judges!

Oh the cross, can only be carried by those who willingly submit to the only lawgiver, judge and justifier of what is good. The cross calls all of humanity to put away all selfish desire and have love dictate the hearts of those who carry it. It sees the faces of all those who say crucify, one day shouting hosanna! It pushes past the crowds, to one objective... to bring others to God's glorious presence! However, it does not paint a pretty picture for those being called to carry it. That would be deception. No friends, the cross must be presented with its rugged wood, splinters and heavy beams. That's how Jesus presented it to His disciples. Never did He mention the ease of following Him. Never did He motivate the crowds with splendor, fame or fortune. Far from that my friend. Instead He challenged them by saying, "Will you leave me too?" He healed the masses not in effort for a campaign to build His own personal empire here on earth. He simply did so out of love. He held unto nothing and so the devil had nothing in Him. Do you know why the devil could take Jesus to the wilderness, then to a high mountain, offer him everything in the world and Jesus was still able to refuse all temptation? Jesus had already resolved that this world was not as important as you and me. The cross is about valuing relationships over things. The cross is a value decision. It is putting God and mankind over self! It is a declaration of triumph over the Adamic nature! The cross is love's greatest victory! Outside of the cross we can never hold onto victory. That is why we must embrace it on a daily basis. Beware of those who offer you a shortcut or a detour from the cross. They will from every side cry save yourself and come down from that cross. It was a thief that shouted that to Jesus. It is a thief (Devil) that shouts that today through books, CD's and even the pulpits of America. He knows that dying to self brings resurrection and victory. Satan dreads the day Christians once again find the true power behind Christianity ~ The Cross.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Revelations 12:11

Song "The Old Rugged Cross"

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.

O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

Refrain

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

Refrain

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.

Refrain

George Bennard 1913

How to Hear the Voice of God

First let me clear this up. It is a God given birth right to hear the voice of God. If you have been born again or birthed into the kingdom of God through His Spirit you should be able to hear His voice. "And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” (John 10:4-5)

There two things I would like to point out about this scripture. First, that when we come under the leadership of our shepherd we hear His voice. Secondly, we should be able to distinguish the voice of a stranger. In my house, my husband developed a special whistle that the children can hear in a crowd. When they hear it they come to him because it is a distinguished call. The voice of God also has a distinguished sound and we will cover that later but first let's go over some important facts. God has always spoken to humanity. God will even speak to people who don't know Him like He did to Abraham. Remember Abraham didn't know who God was until He spoke to him calling him out of his country and declaring his destiny! 

God spoke to Moses through a burning bush giving him a mandate to return to his people to deliver them out of slavery. God spoke to Joshua giving him strategic commands to take territories for His God. He spoke to Joseph in a dream, and though it took many years to fulfill what God had spoken, he held on to the promises of God. He spoke to Gideon though he was hiding and gave him the courage to take his nation back from foreign invasion. He spoke to Deborah and gave her the wisdom to counsel her nation. That was the Old Testament. Aren't we under a better covenant?  

But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.  (Hebrews 9:6)

I find it interesting that we always claim to have a relationship with God yet we find it hard to believe He will speak to us. How is it possible to have a relationship with anyone and not talk to them? I want to challenge you to make friends and not talk to them. They will not be your friends for very long! I want you to know that Jesus considers you a friend, if you have given your heart and life to Him. 

"No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you." (John 15:15) 

Jesus is letting us know that we have access because of relationship therefore, we can hear the voice of God. I know some of you might be worried that you might be listening to the wrong voice but Jesus said, "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come." (John 16:13) The Holy Spirit is in charge of making sure you don't get off track. As long as your heart does not get filled with pride you will not get deceived.

Now, I will say that it does take practice to distinguish God's voice from your own thoughts and the devil's. The place that God speaks the most is to your thoughts. This can become a problem if you have a very active thought life competing with God. Having control over your thoughts will be the most important task you will have to learn as a Christian. This task involves learning to "cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5) 

Primarily you will have to become somewhat of tennis player. A thought comes into your mind that is lustful in nature you will have to hit that thought back to where it came from. Perhaps you start going over something that made you angry then you need to hit that back where it came from. Perhaps you are busy planning your day and God wants to interrupt you then you will have to learn to set aside your thoughts for His.

The devil's primary objective in this whole subject is to keep you distracted. Tragically, he has succeeded in many ways through media and entertainment. Most of the time, you will see people with headphones in their ears unable to hear you. If they can't hear you they won't hear God because their minds are not on Him. I heard this from a Pastor and it is true. Leave a man alone in a quiet place and he will hear God. I noticed that in my life God likes to speak to me as soon as I wake up. If I get too busy He will interrupt my sleep or give me a dream. Let us always make time for our friend so can instruct us.

Here is a good exercise if you are truly wanting to hear God. Get alone with a notepad and write down the thoughts that come to your mind. Make three columns. List them as my voice, God's voice and the devil's voice. Your voice is normally filled with ideas, plans and opinions. God's voice is more like a gentle nudge, revealing the heart, the past, present and future. The devil's voice is tempting, trying to instill fear, doubt and distraction. Use the Word of God to filter these voices. Think about how God has spoken to his people throughout the ages. The devil uses the same tactics. "Did God say?" His main goal is to try to get you to second guess what God is saying to you and what the Word of God says. 

Another thing you can do is to practice keeping your thoughts quiet so God can speak. You must rid yourself of all opinions, bias, judgments on any matter or person. When someone is standing in front of me, my main objective is to turn off my thoughts or opinions on what I think may be happening in that person's life. There is nothing worse than getting a word from someone and it is mixed in with their own soul. That means they allowed their own opinions to mix in with what God wanted to say. OK, that is more advanced and will have to be covered later. Quieting your mind will be your greatest challenge. However, the greatest reward will to be hear God accurately! Learn to practice being in God's presence, being quiet and listening. We do far too much talking and not enough listening. Let us learn to wait in expectant faith to hear what He will say. He is always wanting to speak to us.

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Entertaining Spirits Unaware

Sometime in ignorance Christians entertain spirits unaware. Ever went on that Disneyland ride at the Haunted Mansion and looked in the mirror to see that you had picked up some companions along the way? Well, sometimes we pick up some unwanted spirits by the things we allow at home. Here are some examples:

Where Is Jesus?

I can't explain the grief I feel in my heart as yet more scandals break out among Christian leaders and churches here in America. I got on my knees this morning and took my husband's hand to ask God to give us more character. I know that if my heart is breaking, that God's heart is breaking even more as wanton lawlessness continues to spread through the church like a virus. There are whole groups of people out there that would rather turn the blind eye than to look at the spots, wrinkles and blemishes on Christ's bride. I don't know about you but I hate getting stains on my clothes. Most people do. As soon as something drops onto our clothes our immediate reaction is to try to clean it off. Yet, churches keep their stains behind pulpits defiling the masses of people who hear them make excuses for their greed and licentiousness. God will not wink at sin no more. and He will not accept a bride who has stained the bridal clothes He has washed in His precious blood. 

And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. 

Acts 17:30-31

I see it in the newslines almost everyday as Christians around the world suffer severe persecution for their faith. Children picking through trash in Egypt, Christian missionaries requiring immediate help out of their countries or face death. Where is the money for their release? It is being spent on lavish homes, vacations, and buildings. Recently, they found a pastor and his wife, guilty of funneling money to his wife's Hollywood pop star career. They justified it by saying they were trying to crossover into secular media and be an influence there. How can they be? When his wife is seductively dressed and looks nothing like Jesus. Instead of the church being a Joseph in the time of famine, millions of dollars are misspent on lavish living all the while American parishioners struggle with homelessness, hunger and widespread poverty. It sickens me and it sickens God.


“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. (Revelations 3:15-18)
In the above scripture, Jesus, lets the church know that even though they think they need nothing and are quite content with their status quo, that they are actually blind to their spiritual condition. His counsel is for them to buy gold refined in the fire. There is no other way to rid ourselves of the spiritual blindness, lukewarmness, and shame; other than to be baptized in fire. It is the only way to gain heaven's riches and get our robes to become white again! It is fire that will cause us to reflect the Jesus everyone is looking for!

In this very hour of apostasy, the masses are crying out where is Jesus?! Many wander around from church to church trying to find Him. Others have given up their quest to find this wonderful Jesus they read about in their bible. Instead they spend their time watching an image on TV from a distance that will not disappoint them. Some of them don't realize that the reason Jesus has been hard to find is because He can no longer be seen in their own lives. They have allowed the sin of others to cause their own fire to grow cold. The good news is that your heart can receive a fresh new baptism of His holy fire causing you to return to the passionate, fervent love that you had when you first met Him!

For those of you who are discouraged, I want to encourage you to find Jesus in places you never thought of looking. Jesus is behind the prison walls declaring God's freedom to the captive. He is sitting on the street with a homeless sign and laying in the hospital waiting for your prayers. He waits eagerly in the morning for your eyes to open so He can speak to you. He looks back at you when you look in the mirror. He waits for you to be His hands, His feet and His voice to this world. 

Where are the Mother Theresa's of this hour? Who dragged the sick and dying sinners out of the mud of Calcutta. Where are the William Booth's who called sinners to sing a new song unto the Lord? Where are the William Seymour's who make themselves of no reputation and who hide their faces from men so that they can be seen of God? Where are the Moses' who forsook the treasures of Egypt, refusing to take the name of Pharaoh's daughter and chose to be counted among his suffering brethren? Where are the disciples who do not find themselves worthy to suffer on the cross as their savior did? Where are those who like Jesus, do not love their lives unto death that they might have a better resurrection? Where is Jesus?! He is waiting to be made manifest through you!

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The Corporate Church

Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.” But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”

They said to Him, “We are able.” So He said to them, “You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.” And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
(Matthew 20:20-28)

As you can see in every ministry there is the temptation to be seen and compete for position. It happened in Jesus' ministry and it has been happening ever since. Unfortunately, the corporate mentality has crept into church. We have made the Pastor the CEO and we have served the corporate church completely out of selfish motivated reasons! The whole reason the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus was to take the top positions in what they thought was Jesus' company. They wanted to be the right hand guys, part of Jesus' entourage, His yes men and did not care what it took to climb that corporate ladder.

Jesus compared their mindset with the rulers of the Gentiles "who Lord their authority over the people." In other words, he pointed out that the whole reason to want to be in a higher position was for the sole reason of exercising control over people. When you take a higher position in the corporate church you can wear a title. You can now be the head intercessor or the head of the music department. My husband Joshua has always said, "It is time for a title wave! When we all wave our titles goodbye." Unfortunately, along with title there is rank and special privileges. You now hold a place in the church that gives you some sense of control. Careful! This is also the fast track to becoming a target for pride.

Seeing their selfish motivated hearts Jesus warned them that they would drink of His cup and be baptized with the same baptism He was. What is that cup and what is this baptism that Jesus speaks of? Jesus speaks of this cup in the Garden of Gethsemane.

"He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26:39)

It is the cup of laying our will down and our life for God's kingdom. In God's kingdom the only way up is down. It is a place of servant-hood. Jesus not only taught this but lived it as an example before all of us. Paul later passes on this mindset by saying, "Let this mind be in you..."who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." (Philippians 2: 5-8).

Think about this, God himself came to serve us. Now we want to be treated like gods so that we can be served. There is a huge gap in what Jesus demonstrated through His life and the kind of attitudes we now see in the church. Jesus warned his disciples that they too would be baptized with the same baptism he was baptized with. Since they had been baptized in water already by John what other baptism could there be? Our thoughts may immediately go to the baptism of the Spirit but Jesus wasn't talking about that baptism. He speaks of the one that John talked about "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." (Matthew 3:11). There it is. The baptism of fire. What is this baptism of fire? John explains it this way, "His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3:12).

Since many of us did not grow up in an agricultural society I will briefly explain this process. After harvesting the fields, they took the wheat to the threshing floor and the oxen would trod all over the wheat to loose the husks or chaff so that they would later take a winnowing fork and throw the wheat up in the air so the lighter chaff would blow away in the wind. Only what holds weight will keep from blowing away in our lives. Paul said, "that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting...(Ephesians 4:13-15).

For more on this process go to this link
http://www.biblewise.com/preview/images/teaching/2008/sep/harvesting_grain.pdf

Nervously you might be thinking so how does the fire come into the process? Let me first clarify what the fire isn't. The baptism of fire is not "the feeling like your body is going to burn up" in some kind of supernatural manifestation. People may shout fire and you may feel like you are on fire but that's not what this scripture is about. It is best described in this Messianic prophecy.
“Behold, I send My messenger,
And he will prepare the way before Me.
And the Lord, whom you seek,
Will suddenly come to His temple,
Even the Messenger of the covenant,
In whom you delight.
Behold, He is coming,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
“But who can endure the day of His coming?
And who can stand when He appears?
For He is like a refiner’s fire
And like launderers’ soap.
He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;
He will purify the sons of Levi,
And purge them as gold and silver,
That they may offer to the Lord
An offering in righteousness. (Malachi 3:1-3)

The whole purpose of fire is so we may become purified, purged, and become an offering of righteousness unto God. Instead of fighting for position and control God wants us to become servants. He wants that whole corporate mentality to cease to exist in His church. If you continue to read in Matthew 20 two blind men are sitting on the side of the road shouting to get Jesus attention. Jesus asked them, "What shall I do for you?" They immediately asked them for their sight. Jesus granted them their sight. When the disciples came to Jesus he also answered them by saying, "What do you wish?" They did not get the same response from Jesus. What they were asking for was purely motivated by a selfish attitude. James tell us that all fighting and strife is motivated out of these attitudes.

Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
(James 4:1-3).

Yes, I believe God is going to bring fire back to his church but it will be so He can burn up all of our selfish attitudes like chaff because in reality love and selfishness cannot co-exist. Like Revivalist Johannes Schonken pointed out, "The end result of revival is that people may say...they have been with Jesus." Let it be our goal in this season to have people recognize "that we have been with Jesus" and allow the process of fire purify us like gold.

Notes from Revival Meeting on October 25, 2013
by Dale Kizziar and Jaziz Hallas
Expounding on Prophets, Pitfalls and Principals by Dr. Bill Hamon Chapters 8-12

The Gospel of Popularity, Money and Pleasure

Do you often wonder how people who were once well meaning Christians go off the deep end? Do you scratch your head in amazement as to why some people follow them even when they are clearly gotten off the beaten path. Today I am going to share with you why I think people stray from their faith, and never seem to get on track.

Well, the number one reason is...(drum roll please) they refuse to die to self. No matter what, it is all about them. They want to be seen, and heard no matter what the cost. They will refuse to take a stand on truth, and squirm their way around confrontation. They want to be popular, and be the life of the party. They want people to look up to them for the purpose of being popular and keeping the money rolling into their church. The truth is they stopped caring about truth a long time ago, and their biggest fear is not being liked. They will offend no one except Christ because they refuse to confess Him before men. They water down the gospel to make sure you don't leave the church, and plan of bunch of fun activities to keep you happy. When you are struggling they weigh you down with a bunch of platitudes; avoiding any kind of intimacy or getting in the trenches with you. When the fun runs out, and you start having real problems they can't provide any answers because their job description is...activity director.

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; 9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was. (2 Timothy 2:1-9).

As you can see one of the marks of the last days is that people (verse 5) would have an outward form of holiness but their life would be a contradiction of the dunamis or miracle working (power) of God. Paul give us some clues to look for: The first clue is that in the last days people will become lovers of themselves! He warned that they would become narcissists who want to be loved by everyone, and be joined in their apparent love of themselves. Just like the Pharisees they would do everything to be seen of others for the benefit of themselves and furthering of their ministry. They want to be seated in the front, wear the fancy suits, have people cater to them, and acknowledge their title. They like to be admired, and surrounded by people who will do anything they say without question. They will castigate anyone who contradicts them or questions their behavior. They will use scripture to manipulate through guilt, and use their authority to demean dissenters.

You can't correct them because they are stubborn (headstrong) and won't think twice of stabbing someone in the back while smiling in their face. They seem pious until they are behind closed doors slandering others in the ministry. These people creep into your household through TV, radio, church gatherings and take advantage of gullible Christians being deceived by the lusts in their own hearts. The bible compares these last days Christians to Jannes and Jambres who were the Egyptian wizards who resisted Moses in pharaoh's court. They displayed power but it was swallowed by the true anointing, and leadership of God. The bible says that they have become resistant to truth, and unable to fully grasp it no matter how much they read scriptures. Their minds are corrupted and warped because they continually ignore their conscience; making shipwreck of their faith.
(1Timothy 1:9).

In any case people continue to follow them because they want the sense of security, and "good feelings" they get from these types of preachers. Little do they know their walk with God has become shallow, and they are unable to do little else but participate in a myriad of activities that keep them temporarily occupied. When they go home their spirit continues to be empty, and they find themselves dependent on their leaders to stay motivated and focused on God. They find themselves bored unless they are having some type of fun with their friends. After all, they believe that Jesus came so we could have fun all the time! 

They also believe that Jesus came so we would live in eternal bliss, and not have to worry about the real problems in life. If they could be drunk in the spirit, and continually celebrate God's goodness without a thought to the souls that perish that would be fine by them. Their main goal is to get raptured so they can escape any suffering or conflict. They have embraced the gospel of non-responsibility, and believe that they should go to church to be entertained. These believers want God on their terms, and in their way. They don't want to separate themselves from the world. They love the world so much that they incorporate the world into their church services or they disguise their party lifestyle declaring they have found a new form of spirituality, and freedom.

Now these things are examples (warnings and admonitions) for us not to desire or crave or covet or lust after evil and carnal things as they did.(1 Corinthians 10:6-12).

Let's look at another way that preachers become popular. They set up whole doctrines to convince people that the more they give the richer they'll get. Everybody wants to be rich! Though many of us call it the faith movement. It really has nothing to do with faith at times. Faith is great, until you abuse it for the express reason of indulging yourself with life's finest things at the expense of others. God does not mind the prosperity of the saints but we have incorrectly taught people that God is some kind of slot machine. The more money we put in, the more chances we have of hitting the jackpot. Unfortunately, because of the selfish motivation behind the "faith movement" it became more like a Christian MLM which stands for MORE LORD MORE! Don't get me wrong giving is Christ like when it is done out of the motivation of love. We were meant to give to one another, and share what God had blessed us with. 

Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. Acts 2:44-45

Another popularity trend is the business of building people's self esteem outside of the work of the cross. The internet is filled with motivational speeches, self esteem boost conferences, and preachers who tell you that you have the freedom to do anything you want under the guise of grace. Once again the message emphasis the rights and freedom of the believer instead of the focus of the cross. Just like most of America, freedom trumps over offending others. Believers are being taught that they are not under the law therefore, have excused themselves from being accountable for their actions. They also have rejected all spiritual authority including the authority of God's Word.

Some have gone as far as labeling their worldly endeavors as "Christian" so they can worship at two altars. In the meantime, the world is in desperate need of a savior but they are too busy at the foot of the mountain dancing, singing, adorning the calf of sin, and fornicating with the world. They are too caught up being lovers of pleasures instead of lovers of God. While Moses is climbing the heights of the mountain for an encounter with God, some stay behind with Aaron to entertain themselves, and worship the things they had in Egypt. The bible warns us in this way:

Do not be worshipers of false gods as some of them were, as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink [the sacrifices offered to the golden calf at Horeb] and rose to sport (to dance and give way to jesting and hilarity).

We must not gratify evil desire and indulge in immorality as some of them did—and twenty-three thousand [suddenly] fell dead in a single day!

We should not tempt the Lord [try His patience, become a trial to Him, critically appraise Him, and exploit His goodness] as some of them did—and were killed by poisonous serpents;

Nor discontentedly complain as some of them did—and were put out of the way entirely by the destroyer (death).

Now these things befell them by way of a figure [as an example and warning to us]; they were written to admonish and fit us for right action by good instruction, we in whose days the ages have reached their climax (their consummation and concluding period). (1 Corinthians 10:7-11)

Therefore let anyone who thinks he stands [who feels sure that he has a steadfast mind and is standing firm], take heed lest he fall [into sin]. 

If you find yourself tired with the status quo, and really want to get back to the true gospel it goes something like this:

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. Matthew 16:24

If you find this article helpful or would like to leave a comment or visit our website:
Jaziz Gutierrez
http://www.loverevivalrevolution.com
Facebook: School Of Impartation and Living

Testimony: Deliverance from Witchcraft

Every night was a nightmare for me as a child. The room seemed to breathe, terrifying dreams disturbed my sleep and sickness filled my body. Countless nights I spent in front of the TV as a child unable to fight off the fear and demons that visited me every night. What made things worse was that my Dad worked at night and I felt totally unprotected. Whenever I could I would try to sneak into the room and maybe find some comfort. I was sent back to my room every time. No one knew the torment I was living or why I was suffering from insomnia at such a young age.

What could have caused such anguish to begin? A simple trip to a witch-doctor as a baby in Mexico. I was deathly ill and it seemed like the only recourse of action. These kinds of self-proclaimed healers don't require insurance or much money. That open door not only kept me sick for years but became an occasion to later seduce me into becoming a witch. One way or another the demons were determined to end my life at a young age and stirred up a drug-addicted teen to end my life. I remember very clearly the day she took out a knife out the drawer and told me that she would kill me if I ever told anyone of her hatred towards me. I was around 6 or so. Too scared to tell anyone I kept it to myself. Unfortunately, my parents decided to go on vacation with this family and I spent my whole time in the tent too scared to come out. Thinking that I was being stubborn and disobedient my Father beat me to get me to come out. It did not work. A beating was far better than death in my young mind.

Physical punishment became part of my childhood and intimidation was used to get me to obey. I think this is the reason I became so introverted and shy. I could never look people in the eyes or speak without blushing. At school, things were not any different. I endured bullying for most of my school life. One time I was followed home and beat up by two boys because they were jealous of me and did not like my race. They decided to follow me after winning a stack of encyclopedias. One of the boys took their bike and rammed it into me while the other punched me in the stomach. I did not know how to defend myself. Another time I was followed home by another boy who grabbed me from behind and tried to sexually assault me. Fortunately, I was able to free myself from him by stepping on his foot.

After a while, I grew weary of the abuse and bullying. During a family vacation at Yosemite when I was 11, a spirit came to me and spoke to me, "Would you like to be strong and powerful?" I can't describe the seduction of that faint whisper and all I can think about was to the TV shows I used to watch. There was a show about a woman who had multiple personalities and it helped her overcome the abuse in her life. There was also a sitcom called Bewitched that had the character use their magical powers to solve their problems. Could I obtain such power I wondered? The seducing spirit gave me assurance that when I woke up that I would be different. When I woke up something had taken over with my full permission. My life took a slow but steady descent into the depths of darkness and the realm of Satan's kingdom.

I went from being shy to being angry and violent. I became the bully and I began my reign of terror on all those who crossed me. My sister used to hide in the bathroom so I wouldn't beat her up. I was around 13 at the time. The devil knew what he had to do to draw me in even more so he sent a girl whose mother was a witch to teach me witchcraft. Soon I was ditching school just to learn tarot cards, palm reading and mind reading. I was intrigued by psychic abilities and began practicing all of it. I was able to open locked doors, throw things with my mind, know what people were thinking and curse them. One day I did a séance for a friend and a spirit showed up scaring everyone who was there. I tried to conduct another séance on my 16th birthday but the prayers of a Christian kept me from being able to do anything. In Jr. High while reading someone's palm at school a girl accused me of witchcraft. Astonished by her accusation I told her I was a white witch. I was so deceived. The more I enjoyed the power I was given, the more I became lost, and soon found that I was losing my mind. By today's standards, I would have been diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic or bipolar. My mother threatened to send me to a mental institution and at times I felt like I was on the verge of insanity.

Unfortunately, during those years I started to drink, become paranoid, see shadows, hear voices and lose control over my emotions. One day I was having a mental meltdown more like a demonic manifestation when a friend came over to slap some sense into me. I was crying, screaming, and laughing all at once. She jumped on my bed with me, slapped me, and started to shake me so would snap out of it. The demon didn't like that and threw her against the wall like a rag doll. She left my room frightened. Another friend tried to intervene and talk to me about my drinking. I kept a bottle of wine under my bed. I stopped my drinking but it didn't get rid of my crazy. During that time my goal in life was to have as many boyfriends as I was old not because I wanted to be loved but because I hated men so much I wanted to seduce them and dump them. I wanted them to feel the pain I felt because I had been abused by them. 

It wasn't before long that depression set in. I tried running away from my problems and would be gone days at a time. Sleeping and fending for myself on the streets. I was a homeless youth trying to find a place of safety and rest. Finally, I had convinced myself that there was no love and life was not worth living. I started to plan a way to end my life. Yet another voice spoke up and told me that I did not have the right to take the life that God had given me. This idea might be strange to some of you but I was in church most of the time when these things were going on. It proves that religion will never set you free. Only faith in the cross of Christ can bring liberty to the captive.

In God's mercy, he sent me a friend named John. He stopped hanging out with us during lunch and I was curious as to his whereabouts. He told me he was studying the Bible during lunch. I accused him of being too good for us. He told me that I was more than welcome to join him. Feeling challenged by his invitation I went to the Bible study more out of spite and to show him that I was not intimidated by his invitation. As I entered the cafeteria there were a bunch of Christians praying. I was embarrassed by their open declaration of faith. When they were through praying I sat down and they read the following text:

Acts 16:16-18

And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: ¹⁷ The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

¹⁸ And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

Suddenly, I felt naked in that room, I wanted to hide and my heart felt like something had pierced it. I felt like God's finger literally was pointing at me and saying, "This scripture is about you!" I found a way to excuse myself and felt injured like something was still ripping away at my mind. I couldn't shake it and for the next few weeks, I battled with the reality that I had a demon that needed to be cast out.  I was possessed with the spirit of divination and witchcraft. I decided to take matters into my own hands and tell it to leave me and enter a doll I had. No success. I grew more suicidal and desperate.

In my desperation, I heard a still small voice tell me that I had no right to take the life God had given me. I felt led to open the Yellow pages and look for a church called Calvary Church. I had visited this church with my uncle one time in San Pedro and the presence of God was so thick that it made me weep the whole time I was there. All I knew was that I wanted to experience that again. I found a church a few miles from my house and decided to walk there. It was miles away but I was determined.

It wasn't long before I was befriended by the youth and one of them told me I needed to be born again. I couldn't grasp the concept. Then he told me that the devil would do anything to keep me from God and church. Sure enough, I started experience persecution at home and the battle was being waged to keep me from my deliverance. I felt the strength to press on so I kept on going to church though my family was opposed. While meditating on what I needed to do to get free, I felt like God opened up my understanding to this truth, "When I come in, everyone else has to leave!" I knew what I had to do to get delivered from the demons in my life. I had to invite Jesus into my very being and everyone else would have to go! At least that's what I thought.

Excited, about Jesus setting me free, I asked the youth pastor if could get saved. Shocked by this because the youth group was rather lukewarm he had me kneel down and he had me pray the sinner's prayer. To make sure it came from my heart, I prayed again this time making sure it was my words, not his. Immediately, after I prayed I felt a weight leave me, my mind became clear and I knew my captivity was over. I will never forget that day with Pastor Dewey it was on a Wednesday night February 2, 1982. I must have walked on clouds for weeks after that.

I had simply had shifted from darkness to light and now the voice of my shepherd was loud and clear. I became so conscious of His presence and one morning I heard him calling my name. Thinking it was my parents I asked them what they wanted. They could not hear me but I could hear the voice again. Finally, I sat up realizing that it wasn't my parents who were calling me. The voice began saying, "I am the Alpha and Omega; the beginning and the end. The bread of life. Feed my sheep." I knew that God had called me to a greater purpose. It was years before I was ready to answer that calling.

I wish I could say that this was the end of the story but it isn't. Shortly after I gave my life to Jesus I got into sexual immorality and I got infested with demons again.  Even though I spent years in the church I could not get free from this generational iniquity. No matter how much I prayed, read my Bible, and attended church those demons started to cause me problems. I honestly thought I was born again but I never died. I never repented. I only accepted Jesus or incorporated him into my life. I never got out from behind the steering wheel. When I opened this door of sexual immorality, I also opened the door to a Jezebel and Ahab spirit. I continued for years struggling in my relationships and in my walk with God. I thought I could never be free until I finally had those demons cast out of me! If you are reading this today and find yourself trapped and captive in the enemy's camp. I have great news for you. You can be free from your captivity. The truth is when Jesus died for all of us he defeated every dark and evil force in the universe. His blood was shed on the cross to forgive us of all sin and destroy every claim the devil has over us. All you need to do is repent and get baptized then you can receive your deliverance. Surrender to God, ask Him to forgive you, forgive all those who have hurt you, and He will set you free. What you say isn't as important as placing your trust in what He has already done for you.

If you have never been baptized into repentance please visit our website:  californiadeliverancecenter.com/
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Jaziz Gutierrez

Stewardship Series: The Discipline of Saying No

There is no greater discipline than the discipline of saying no. If you are a parent than saying no to your child has been a long and arduous task as your child can wear you down with their constant pleading. One day your child will move out and not have anyone to say no to them. They will have to become their own parent and judge what they should and shouldn't do. Unfortunately, we live in a self-indulgent society and we are constantly bombarded with ads that wear us down with their constant pleading until we give in to their sales pitch. Just think about it. There you are on a diet and they keep featuring mouth watering burgers eaten by skinny, sexy models. Realistically, we all know you will not look like that if you eat at these burger places but the companies don't care about the truth they just want to make money even if that means that you will die from their unhealthy food. 

When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
Consider carefully what is before you;
2 And put a knife to your throat
If you are a man given to appetite.
3 Do not desire his delicacies,
For they are deceptive food. Proverbs 23:1-3

Take some time to observe the commercials run during Saturday morning cartoons. The children are bombarded by ads on the latest toys, junk cereals, fast food and fun places they can go. They are being trained from toddlers how to be consumers and saying yes to everything they watch on TV. As we grow up things don't change the items just become more expensive. Take some time to think about the commercials we watch. The message the companies are giving us are all the same. You will be sexier, have more friends, look cooler, be admired by all if you buy all the latest cars, boats, jewelry, perfumes, clothes, beer, and go to the most exotic vacations around the world. They will even offer you the money up front with interest so you can be that wonderful person now. You only need to say yes to their credit cards. 

Here is the problem. Some people have not learned the discipline of saying no. Therefore, they buy things they can't afford, eat things that make them sick, do things that they shouldn't do and waste time they could be using to be productive.  For instance we buy things we can't afford and get into debt because we don't want to wait to save money. We get credit cards because we don't want to wait to save up for things we can't afford now. This lack of discipline causes people to be poor. You may have many luxury items at home but be in so much debt that your large income goes to paying debt every month. Having these items doesn't make you rich. A lot of rich people are just as poor because they are borrowers just like everybody else. Our government is in a huge crisis because they too have become servants to their debts and lenders. They have even stolen from us to pay their debts. If they could only say no. 

The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender. (Proverbs 22:7)

When it comes to eating we are all guilty of not saying no. We get hungry we eat without a single thought of long term health problems. We go to the nearest fast food restaurant and because we have no discipline to cook at home we stuff our bodies with saturated fats, empty calories, nutrient deficient food that causes to gain weight. In this country we indulge at buffets that have enough calories to support a small village in Africa. The holidays become an occasion to gorge ourselves despite our poor stomach begging us to stop. People smoke, drink, do drugs, and all other kinds of things to their bodies because they can't say no. Whether it be peer pressure, addiction, family traditions, or cultural norm we go along with the crowd not thinking about the outcome. At the end we will be the ones who sit in the hospital bed alone with tubes hanging out of us wondering where all those wonderful friends are and how we let ourselves be fooled into thinking this was a good idea. 

Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise. (Proverbs 20:1)

Those ad pushers don't stop at tempting us to eat, drink, party, and borrow money so we can have more toys. They also push sex. Sex sells. That's why they use it to sell things that have nothing to do with sex like a hamburger. We are so gullible. There is a problem though, sex outside a godly relationship and covenant makes a huge mess. Just ask the guys who are now in jail for not paying child support or who have lost their license or are in so much debt that they will never pay it off until they die. Let's talk to the kids without dads and the single moms without anyone to help them. Once again people succumb to temporary pleasure instead of doing things the right way. Hey ladies how do you like being cheated out of a nice wedding? How about you guys? Do you like having to marry a girl you really don't love because she got pregnant? Do you like to have your child raised by someone else?
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord,
And He ponders all his paths.
22 His own iniquities entrap the wicked man,
And he is caught in the cords of his sin.
23 He shall die for lack of instruction,
And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray. (Proverbs 5:21-23).

What if everyone waited until they could afford things, found out more about the person they were dating and counted their calories. I bet we would be less miserable. What if we stood up to the ad pushers became parents to ourselves and said no. What if we thought about the long term effects of our eating habits, spending habits and relationships? What rewards could we reap from being disciplined to say no. Can you imagine being in good health, prosperous and happily married? If you learn to wait, not settle for less and make good decisions, you can have all that... Just say no. 

How much better to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

The highway of the upright is to depart from evil;
He who keeps his way preserves his soul. (Proverbs 16:16-17).

If you find this article helpful or would like to leave a comment or visit our website:
Jaziz Gutierrez
http://www.loverevivalrevolution.com

Facebook: School Of Impartation and Living