"Hungry For the Raw Gospel"



Katherine Ruonala

"Hungry For the Raw Gospel"

Guest - Katherine Ruonala, Brisbane, Australia

On my recent visit to the U.S., the Lord prompted me to begin memorizing Ephesians 2. I was struck by verses 2-3 that describes how we used to follow the ways of this world and live gratifying the desires of our flesh. Before we were made alive with Christ we lived like this, but now, by the grace of God through faith that is no longer who we are.

With the rise of hipster culture, there has been an increasing trend Ephesians 2:1-3 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

With the rise of hipster culture, there has been an increasing trend toward healthy eating. Raw, organic, and non-GMO foods are becoming more and more desired among a younger generation that just seems to want to eat clean.

I believe this outward trend is a prophetic sign of an inward cry from a generation that is desperate for real, raw Christianity. A generation who have developed a distaste for religion that has been diluted by the culture of the world.

Instead of being content with a form of godliness that denies the actual power of God, the Holy Spirit is releasing a hunger in peoples hearts to see the real power of God manifested.

There is a craving that is growing in the hearts of Believers for holiness, not based on old legalistic ideas, but on an awakening to the power of what the Cross has actually done for them. Having been born again, faith is rising that we have been empowered to no longer live gratifying the desires of the flesh (Ephesians 2).

The Greatness of His Power

Holiness in its purest form is a faith response to knowing God and the reality that we have been crucified and raised up with Him. It is no longer we who live but Christ who lives in us!

With a raw lens, uncluttered by religious filters, the revelation that "as He is in the world so are we" is birthing a new breed. A breed of Believers who read the Word of God with a faith that confirms their identity as co-heirs with Christ, and who hunger to walk out that identity in practical and powerful ways.

With this return to the raw, unfiltered message of the Gospel, accompanied by a repentance from everything that has taken away from the simplicity of knowing Christ and Him Crucified, there is a new level of glory being released.

Those who embrace the power that comes from clean, undefiled lives and who choose to daily reckon themselves dead to sin, taking on the identity of the Pure One, Jesus, are about to see the raw message of the power of the Cross and resurrection confirmed with unprecedented signs, wonders and miracles.

Words of knowledge, prophecy and creative miracles that cause the world to take notice are going to give these preachers of righteousness new platforms to proclaim the message of salvation. The Lord showed me a vision as I wrote this of nets being pulled in absolutely full of fish. The harvest is here! The world is groaning, waiting for Believers to manifest Christ. They want to know the real Jesus who transforms lives.

Wake up! The shaking has begun and people are waking out of their slumber to the greatness of the power of God that He wants to manifest through them.

Katherine Ruonala - Glory City Church
Website: katherineruonala.com and glorycityChurch.com.au

Katherine Ruonala has a prophetic and healing ministry and travels internationally as a conference speaker bringing a message of love and hope to the nations. Katherine carries a strong prophetic and miracle anointing with many being instantly healed in her meetings. Katherine and Tom Ruonala are the founders and Senior Ministers of Glory City Church Brisbane

 

The Holy Spirit Desires to Work in Your City

 Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy

 

Today I visited an independent Pentecostal Church called “Open Door Church.”

Their motto is “Come As You Are, Don’t Leave As You Came.”

The congregation was mostly made up of new converts, and the music and worship was a thanksgiving unto Jesus who has set the captive free with praise and worship to our Lord who brings deliverance.

The service was loosely structured with children and adults walking in front of the Pastor as he preached.  That is not meant as a criticism, because it is what you might expect of a service held in a park, although this was a lovely church building.

 

Pastor Allen opened the preaching with these words; “The Holy Spirit wants to work beyond these walls.  God is doing great things in our city and is working with Signs, Wonders, and Miracles.

Pastor read from  Joel 2:28-29, 32 (KJV) 

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. - - And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered –

We cannot afford to become complacent and rule out miracles.  He reminded us of the woman with the issue of Blood. (Matt 9)  She had suffered 12 years, yet she refused to believe the Doctor’s report.  She knew if she would only PRESS IN, and TOUCH Jesus that she would be make whole.

Sometimes we think we have it all figured out, and think this is it, I might as well learn to live with it.

We see an obstacle and think it is a door, but it isn’t.   We must refuse to take NO for an answer.

Pastor said, “I am tired of people accepting the words, “Once an addict, always - an addict.  I refuse that concept.”

Some say, once a sinner, always a sinner, but again I say not true.

As you read the Bible, notice that every time someone came to Jesus for help, he healed and delivered

It is time to believe the Word of God and not walk half way.

Even when the message is watered down, many refuse to accept, and do not like the taste of Truth.

It is NOT time to turn back to the old sinful ways, but we must press forward and allow God to take us to a deeper level in Him.

Even if we hear the words, “Nothing else can be done to help you,” know that God still works miracles.  Prayer can change a ‘bad report.’  God can heal the hurts of the past. 

Allow Jesus to teach you to forgive as he has forgiven you.

Pastor called for those needing prayer to come forward and many were touched by the Holy spirit as they worshiped and were ready to receive.

 

Turning and Returning - Guest Roy Lessin

  
  

 

Not everyone who begins to walk with the Lord on the path of His will remains steadfast in following His footsteps.

Sometimes, followers of the Lord can wander off His pathway through distraction, temptation, or deception. We can also be led off His pathway by pursuing things God has not chosen for us. Every path followed that is not His path, will lead to a dead end.

What should we do when we realize we have taken the wrong way, which has taken us to the wrong place, and has brought us the wrong results?

There are two important steps we can take. The first step is to turn away from the path we have been following, and the second step is to return to the path we once followed.

Through God’s grace we can turn away from the wrong path, and through God’s mercy we can return to His way.

 

We can turn from our independence and return to His shepherding;
We can turn from our wanting and return to His contentment;
We can turn from our wilderness and return to His green pastures;
We can turn from our restlessness and return to His still waters;
We can turn from our hurting and return to His restoration;
We can turn from our confusion and return to His leading;
We can turn from our fears and return to His security;
We can turn from our despair and return to His comfort;
We can turn from our isolation and return to His table;
We can turn from our dryness and return to His anointing;
We can turn from our heaviness and return to His joy;
We can turn from our oppression and return to His goodness;
We can turn from our wandering and return to His fold.
-Based upon Psalm 23

It is the Good Shepherd who is seeking His lost and frightened lamb.

This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength…” Isaiah 30:15 (NLT)

 

Prepare to Be Misunderstood by Guest – R.T. Kendall

Misunderstood?  So What? - - Just continue doing the right thing !

Then all the disciples deserted him [Jesus] and fled. —Matthew 26:56

The paramount stigma of being today's man or woman is probably that of being misunderstood.

Nothing is more painful than this. We can cope with a lot that people say against us—as long as they are fully in the picture and still disagree.

But what hurts is when they aren't in the picture and they form judgments and perceptions that are based on limited information.

I sometimes think that much of Jesus' pain at His crucifixion was a result of His being misunderstood. Nothing made sense. It didn't add up that the same man who raised Lazarus from the dead a few days before was now hanging on a cross.

Why didn't Jesus stop the proceedings that led to His crucifixion? Anybody who could control the wind and storm on the Sea of Galilee could surely have intervened before Herod or Pilate.

There were any number of ways in which He could have stopped being crucified. Common sense told everybody this. So why was He being crucified?

The disciples couldn't figure it out—they all forsook Him and fled (Matt. 26:56). Never once did Jesus explain Himself.

It must have been almost unbearable emotional pain for Jesus to see Mary Magdalene sobbing her heart out at the scene of the cross and not be allowed to whisper to her, "It's OK, Mary; all is going according to plan.

I'm atoning for the sins of the world by My blood." But there was no hint of this. He had to bear the further stigma of being misunderstood, even by those closest to Him.

Whether others understood or not, He did the right thing—He listened to God.

Excerpted from The Anointing: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow (Charisma House

When You are Misunderstood - 

Just Continue Doing the Right Thing !

 

 

Woman Preachers

A Famous Woman Preacher Won Many to Christ Jesus

 

Recently I visited a certain church and as I reached for an offering envelope I found one written on by a young girl with a message to the Pastor. 

 

Apparently the Pastor's wife is co-pastor and often gives an exhortation.  This girl must have come from a background that forbid women to preach. Her note was judgmental. I kept the envelope and wrote up the following essay.

From the beginning of time, there have been woman who lead, prophesy, and even preach. (lecture, moralize, discourse, orate, talk, lecture.)  The picture is clear that woman do have a voice.  In the Old Testament, one example is Deborah  a judge. The leader of the army refused to go to battle unless she went with them.

Let us consider; Today we do NOT have a High Priest on earth making animal sacrifices for the sins of the people.

Jesus Christ became our Heavenly High Priest and he makes intercession for us.  Today Jesus is also asking the Holy Spirit to send forth Laborers who have a willing and obedient heart, into the field to reap the harvest. 

Hebrew 8:1-2  Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum:

     We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.  Hebrews 9:11- 12  But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

Think back with me when Jesus first rose from the dead and women came to the grave.  What were the words the Angel of the Lord told the women?

The words to the women were:  “GO AND TELL”

On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out on both men and women and they all spoke the wonderful works of God.

Peter addressed the crowd and mentioned that the Old Testament proclaimed that your sons AND daughters shall prophesy. (Another word for preach or share the good news.)

Jesus is our High Priest and HE is calling both men and women in these last days to preach and teach. 

Galatians 3:28. Paul said that IN Christ there is "Neither Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female."

The Holy Spirit is searching for a Born again, Pure of heart, Willing and Obedient vessel to use and often He calls a woman.   (Some have jokingly said, first he called a man who refused to go, so God called a woman and she went.) 

Realize that both men and women preachers are NOT perfect.  All preachers should NOT be proud, boastful, or lovers of money, but should be full of the Holy Spirit and only speak what the Holy Spirit tells them.

God has blessed and ANOINTED many woman preachers and used them mightily.  Early church history reveals this is a true fact with salvations, healing and deliverance. 

Today there are many women who preach and teach the Good News and they are reaping a harvest.   Some are pastors but most are evangelists, teachers and prophets.

To view an Interesting article of Women Ministers in History by Richard M. Riss

CLICK HERE

Do view the above article by Richard M. Riss.

Two of my favorite Lady preacher of today - - -

Joyce Meyer Evangelist and Author

Beth Jones - co-Pastors with Jeff Jones
She is a mighty Woman of God

 

It's Your Decision by Guest Rod Parsley

Once Born Again, You are The Righteousness of God IN Christ !

Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. —1 John 4:4

Before you were born again you were a stranger to the covenants of promise, without God and without hope—just who the devil said you were!

But when you bowed your knee to Christ and called Him Lord of your life, you became the righteousness of God in Christ. In Christ you are forgiven, washed, reconciled, and redeemed.

It doesn't matter what the world says about you. The world cannot tell you the truth.

The only reliable source of truth is the Truth—Jesus Christ.

So, it doesn't matter what others say about you, and it doesn't even matter what you may have said about yourself in the past.

What matters is what God says about you in His Word.

You must decide whether to believe God or to believe the lies of the devil concerning who you are in Christ.

Choose to believe the Word of God. Say out loud right now, "I am a child of the King. I am royalty." Trust Him to bring His Word to pass in your life, for greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world!

Father, thank You for making me Your child.
I will continually confess who I am in You.
My identity for eternity is
anchored in You. Amen.

 

A Gethsemane Lifestyle - Guest Rod Parsley

 

Not My Will But Thine Be Done



...nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. —Matthew 26:39

God will orchestrate circumstances to cause us to surrender our will to His. Surrender never comes without a struggle.

Your soul—your mind, will, and emotions—will struggle with your spirit for control of your thoughts and actions.

We struggle because we don't know tomorrow. We can only see today, but God knows and understands tomorrow the same way as we know and understand yesterday.

We do not know what tomorrow holds, but we do know Who holds tomorrow!

Why do we often resist our heavenly Father's plan? Because in order to operate in that plan, we must live a Gethsemane lifestyle.

Just as Jesus struggled in the Garden of Gethsemane, we too must come to the point where we are willing to say, "Not my will, but Thine be done."

We must come to the point of surrendering our will and acknowledging and accepting His will at work in our lives.

Have you bowed your knee in surrender, or are you still struggling for control of your tomorrow?

Living a Gethsemane lifestyle is a continual dying to soul, to self, and to the flesh, and surrendering completely to God's will.

 

Father, I offer You

the sacrifice of my soul—my mind,
will, and emotions.

I desire the mind of Christ.
I want to do Your will.

I seek to feel according
to Your desires.

I empty myself of me and ask
You to fill me to overflowing with
Your Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

 

Deeper In Marriage

Marriage was God's Idea

 

 
Today my daughter Judie and I visited Christian Faith Center, where Pastor John and his wife Heidi teamed up to share the Valentines message.  The scripture began with


Genesis 2:21-25 (NKJV)
²¹ And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. ²² Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. 

²³ And Adam said:  “This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.”

²⁴ Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.  ²⁵ And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

The outline on the bulletin read:

1.     To grow deeper in marriage, we must cleave (be joined) to one another.

2.     To grow deeper in marriage, we must communicate with one another.

3.     To grow deeper in marriage, we must respect, honor, trust, support, both be in subjection to one another.

 

In a marriage we must celebrate one another, dream together, be likeminded read the Bible and pray together.

Mark 10:7-8 (KJV)

For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.

Ephesians 5:31King James Version (KJV)

³¹ For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

Marriage between "a man and a woman" is a Holy Union.  To become "Husband and Wife" was God’s idea.

Marriage is a symbol of the church the Bride of Christ Jesus, and one of these days, perhaps very soon there will be in Heaven, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

Do you have your invitation ready?  Be sure to R.S.V.P.

I Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,
at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound,
and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

The Power of God

 

             The Power of God   by Guest Roy Lessin

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. Romans 1:16 (NKJV)

What reveals to us the greatest demonstration of God’s power?
His casting out of demons?His creation?His healings?His forgiveness of our sins?

When Jesus demonstrated God’s kingdom power to cast out demons, He referred to it as “the finger of God.” Luke 11:20

When we read about the demonstration of God’s power in creation we are told it was “His handiwork.” Psalm 19:1

Isaiah tells us that our salvation took more than the power of God’s finger, or God’s hand, but it took the full extension of God’s “holy arm.” Isaiah 52:10

When we compare the power of God to heal, with the power of God to forgive sins, Jesus tells us that the greatest demonstration of God’s power is found in forgiveness.

We see the mighty power of the Gospel revealed in the account of the healing of the paralytic. In this account, Jesus asks an amazing question, “Which is easier (takes less power), to say, ‘your sins are forgiven,’ or to say ‘arise and walk’? Matthew 9:2-6

Jesus did the hardest thing first by forgiving the man’s sins…in comparison, the man’s physical healing was the “easier” part.

Why is the Gospel called the “power of God?” When Jesus Christ triumphed over sin, God demonstrated the greatest power the world has ever known. The power of the Gospel is the only thing in all the universe that could confront, condemn, conquer, and cancel the debt of our personal sin.

As a young boy, I remember watching an adventure movie that took place in the jungle. In one of the scenes, a man unexpectedly stepped into a pit of quicksand. The poor man struggled and tried everything in his power to get out, but the more he fought, the deeper in he went. A co-worker, who was nearby, heard the man’s cries and ran to help. The co-worker threw the man a rope and began to pull, but no matter how hard he tried, he did not have the power to pull the man out of the pit. Moments later, I watched in horror as the man was swallowed alive by the quicksand and disappeared into the pit.

Personal sin is like being caught in a pit of quicksand. Sin is the world’s biggest problem and no one has the power to overcome it. Each life has its own struggle trying to free itself from its pull.

Even though others face the same dilemma of personal sin, they often try to free us from ours—

Educators throw us the rope of learning, but knowledge cannot pull us out;
 
Political leaders throw us the rope of legislation, but laws cannot pull us out;
Motivators throw us the rope of self-confidence, but positive thinking cannot pull us out;
 
Philosophers throw us the rope of ideals, but a new point of view cannot pull us out;
 
Achievers throw us the rope of success, but fame or finances cannot pull us out;
 
Religious leaders throw us the rope of good deeds, but noble efforts, or self-reform cannot pull us out from the downward grip of sin upon our lives.

What a mighty work and demonstration of God’s power was revealed to us through the Gospel! It was God, and God alone, who could come to us, extend His mighty arm, pull us out and rescue us from sin’s powerful grip.

No wonder the Psalmist could say “He drew me up out of a horrible pit [a pit of tumult and of destruction]…and set my feet upon a rock, steadying my steps and establishing my goings.” Psalm 40:2 (AMP)

The power of the Gospel is our salvation from the pit of sin. In Christ, we have been set free from the burden of sin, washed from the stain of sin, released from the chains of sin, renewed from the weariness of sin, redeemed from the enslavement of sin, healed from the pain of sin, and comforted from the sorrow of sin.

Would you be free from your burden of sin?
There’s power in the blood, power in the blood
Would you o’er evil the victory win?
There’s wonderful power in the blood.
-Lewis E. Jones
The blood that Jesus shed for me
Way back on Calvary
Oh the blood that gives me strengthFrom day to day
It will never lose its power.-Andraé Crouch

 Titus 2:14 (NLT) He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own…

 

"Breaking Chains of Fear" Guest Lana Vawser

With God there is more than one way to overcome fear

 

 

"Breaking Chains of Fear"

Guest - Lana Vawser, Sydney, Australia

Broken Hearts Mended

Lana Vawser reports her supernatural vision: 

Recently during worship, I had a vision of the angels of Heaven being released to the people of God to bring healing to those with broken hearts – hearts broken by discouragement, hopelessness and disappointment. I saw these angelic hosts come before these ones and place their hands over their broken hearts. Then suddenly, one after another, these ones who had broken hearts began to FLY! They flew high and fast to incredible heights like a rocket taking off.

He had come with healing in His wings as His angelic hosts ministered to His people and they were released to levels of faith, revelation, wisdom and insight that they had not been on and at an accelerated pace. There is such a glorious invitation from the Father into huge increase! I heard Him calling His people higher. "Call to Me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things, which you do not know" (Jeremiah 33:3).

I sensed the Lord encouraging those who feel broken by discouragement, hopelessness and disappointment to NOT give up! Stay aligned and stay positioned in Him for He has not turned His face away from you. He is close to you!

Tears of Love

I saw within the heart of the Father, in the different chambers of His heart, shelves and shelves of bottles containing the tears of His children. Every tear has been collected. Every tear of disappointment, brokenness and intercession... He has every one.

I then saw the Father take a bottle at a time and pour these tears over the lives of His people. As it poured out over their lives I saw the tears were coated in the most glorious gold, liquid love of the Father. Immediately I knew that He was saying that He has taken all the tears of pain and hurt and has TURNED these tears into tears of LOVE!

He is turning mourning into dancing and sorrow into joy. As these tears coated in liquid love and fell upon the lives of His children, suddenly life began to arise... and I saw the most beautiful colored flowers, one after the other arose.

"Restoration" He spoke. Restored to more than before. Blessed a thousand times over in increase (Deuteronomy 1:11).

NOTHING has been wasted! He has counted every tear and is TURNING those tears! Hold on, hold onto Him, and hope in Him for His love is about to be displayed to you in radical restoration a thousand times over. This restoration is going to elevate you to a higher level of encounter with Him and His RADICAL love! Health, finances, relationships, jobs, promotions, hope for the future RESTORED... ALL in Him and the Father's GLORIOUS love!

We are in a tipping point season of increase and restoration. Don't let hopelessness, disappointment and discouragement take you out.

There have been many tears, but in this season there will be tears of JOY as His love restores!

His Kindness and Love Is Breaking Chains and Cages of Fear

Many who have been entangled by fear, who have continued to press in for breakthrough from fear on so many levels (fear of failure, fear of being rejected, fear of being alone, fear of death, fear of sickness, fear of vulnerability, etc.) are being BROKEN and HEALED by radical demonstrations of His love and kindness.

I saw LAYERS upon LAYERS of fear all over the Body of Christ being broken. Melted away by His love. I saw many of His people having encounters with Him and the revelation of the Cross and His resurrection. Encounters during worship, encounters in visions, encounters in dreams, encounters in the Word seeing their eyes and hearts opened WIDER to the revelation of the price paid at Calvary, but even more so what FUELED His sacrifice... LOVE!

This is a season where decades and a lifetime of fear are finally being broken from many. The ROOT that has tormented them for years and years are being DISSOLVED as greater revelation of His love is poured out.

(Photo via free-flickr)

I also saw the Lord's kindness and love being highlighted by the Lord fulfilling heart's desires. The Lord is showing His people even in the smallest ways how He pays attention to their heart. That He is a good Father and He longs to lavish good gifts upon His children. There will be more and more moments in the Body of Christ where His people will have "Wow, He really loves me," moments and where secret heart's desires will be fulfilled.

His kindness will lavish increase and blessing upon His children in ways that MEAN SO MUCH to them, and only HE could have known about it and deliver it in the way that would be so impacting. The result of these radical demonstrations of His kindness will be these strongholds of fear GONE! And His people falling deeper and deeper in love with our radically KIND God!

All the years of crying out for breakthrough from fear, all the years of pressing through, repentance and renewing of the mind, and believing His Word: the scales are being tipped and breakthrough is here. A fresh, new, brave, courageous adventurous spirit is being released over the Body of Christ! Hearts arising that partner with Him in His adventure without fear!

No more restraint, no more holding back and cowering away in fear, but the bold people of God moving forward, destroying the works of the enemy because they KNOW they are victorious in Him and GREATLY LOVED and where you are perfectly loved, you are perfectly safe and there is NO MORE FEAR!

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear..." 1 John 4:18

Lana Vawser    Website: http://lanavawser.com/