As we step into the new year and the final year of this first decade, the Lord has been speaking to me of the importance and significance of this year to come. Last year as I addressed the annual Watchnight service on New Year’s Eve the Lord spoke through me that 08 was a year of transition, and boy was it! I could not see the big picture of God’s plan but now it is becoming more clear. The Lord has been showing me that 2010 will mark the beginning of the most fruitful decade of harvest in the history of the church. 2006-2008 were 3 years of purging and cleansing as God has been exposing the false and revealing the genuine. 08 began the transition of seasons into what is to come in 2010 and 09 will be where God brings apostolic\prophetic clarity to the body as to its true mission and power to accomplish that mandate.
This decade has seen the restoration of the apostolic and prophetic gifts to the body and now in the decade to come there will be an explosion as the dream team of God’s Kingdom expansion is put on the field. We need to be careful to not allow religion and old wineskins to stop the rise of this new breed that God has been secretly preparing like Joash in 2 Chron. 23. These new breed leaders will carry a great measure of kingly authority and vanquish the spirit of Jezebel that has plagued the church for so long (pictured by Athaliah).
For those of you who are young (30 and under) you must yield yourself like never before and allow God’s pruning shears to form you into the hero of faith that you are called to be. For those who are older you must seek God like never before for His will to be done in the earth and His grace on your life to do the work while it is yet day. Great harvest is coming and is here now! We must strengthen our hands and set to the work before us.
Be sure to seek the Lord in prayer and fasting in Jan and kick start a lifestyle of hearing His voice. Clarity is coming like a messenger of great hope to reveal all that God desires to accomplish in the earth before the rapture of Jesus’ beautiful bride. Seek Him until He is found! Don’t stop till the revealer of all mysteries speaks to you in His divine way. Draw close to the precious Holy Spirit that He might be that revealer to you.
Heb. 12:12,13- So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.
Eph. 2:20- Together, we are His house, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus Himself.

Wow! what a year this has been. I can’t believe it is already over. Looking back over my life it is very clear that 99 and 08 were the 2 toughest years of my life by a country mile. 99 was the year of my transplant and many near death experiences that Lord knows He only sustained me through. 08, of course, has been the most difficult time of my life emotionally as the death of my darling wife is almost a year past. Many other things have happened this year to compound the loss of Amy but yet in the midst of it all there is grace, hope, and most important FAITH! (yes love is greater but thankfully I have never lacked that)
On this last day of the year 2008 it is a day of sadness as I reflect on all the years trials and yet, excitement that another year is upon us and the healing of time is having its way. The Lord has taught me many things this year that will be critical to who I am for the rest of my life. He has re-enforced the value of family and their support in time of need. He has reminded me of the power of the Body of Christ to share in the times of each others infirmities. He has continued to teach me of His grace and its all sufficiency (no matter if we feel it or not!). He has revealed to me the God kind of faith that will be the only catalyst to heavenly notoriety. He has birthed within me a new and more passionate love for young people and their healing and deliverance.
To all of you who read my blog and have written so many encouraging comments I thank you. Whether I know you or not, you have contributed to my life and healing in so many special ways. Thank you for caring and loving me in this year of great crisis. Please know that I am well and believing for God’s best in the years to come. Here is a good Scripture to sum up this year:
If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. 1 Cor. 12:26

Rom. 12:1- Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
The last couple of weeks have brought an explosion in my spirit on the subject of faith. Since visiting Dr. Oral Roberts there has been something tangible on my life that was not there before. Oh, the power of impartation! And how badly we need it in the church today from true, spiritual fathers! (there are not many true and for sure few spiritual) The divine flow of revelation concerning faith and operation of this only God-pleasing quality has just burst forth like a dormant volcano. Praise be to Jesus, our King!
In everything Kingdom there is a balance. Not to oversimplify but the life of a believer is built upon the pursuit of 2 things. First is the pursuit of holiness and Christ-likeness through the taking up of the Cross and learning how to follow Jesus in His perfection. The second aspect is that of walking in greater and greater faith. This faith is directly tied to the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. Pursue the Cross and be like Him and walk in the power of the resurrection and do like Him!
I encourage you (as I encourage myself) to press into both the work of the Cross and the power of the resurrection in this upcoming year. You do that by drawing near to Him in prayer and consuming His potent Word. Start the year off with holiness and faith in mind and allow God to mature you by His Holy Spirit into the person He has called you to be.
See Phil. 3:10; Gal. 2:20

Heb. 11:3- By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

To ever fully understand the God we serve through Jesus Christ, one must step back a step and acknowledge Him as Creator first. The next verse, It was by faith Abel brought a more acceptable offering, speaks to us of the Cross and work of Jesus (whose blood still cries out mercy and not vengeance). So you may ask what Creation has to do with the Cross? EVERYTHING!!!

The fact that Jesus Christ died means nothing if God did not create the universe. The work of the Cross is meaningless without the work of Creation. If there is no Creator then why do we need forgiveness? If Creation is not true and is just a fable then so is the Cross. Who cares about the rest of the book if the beginning is wrong?

In the climate of our American culture it is fine and even demanded by the masses that any politician seeking high office say that he\her is “saved” or knows Jesus as their Savior. But when asked directly if they believe in the Biblical account of Creation many shy away for fear of being made fun of or seeming old fashioned. Some say that it is their belief but don’t believe it should be taught in schools (like it was for 200 years in our great nation as fact!) because it is not scientific. By making any statement other than it is completely as the Bible says and should be taught in every school as at least theory they are undermining the very basis and foundation for belief in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

This sneaky, little talked about subject has been at the root of many wrong portrayals of Jesus. He was a great teacher. He was a prophet. He taught us sacrifice. All WRONG!!! (by being incomplete) He was the Son of God and “through the Son He CREATED the universe” Heb. 1:2. Jesus either was and is the person holding all Creation together (”He sustains everything by the power of His command”) or He was just a man that has no more relevance and bearing on our lives than any other great man that has lived and died.

Bottom line: Creation is the fundamental belief that brings relevance to the Word of God, the Cross of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, Heaven and hell.

Gen. 1:1- In the beginning GOD CREATED the heavens and the earth. (that’s a bigger period than it looks) haha!

And God will provide REST for you who are being PERSECUTED and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. he will come with His mighty angels, in flaming fire, bringing JUDGMENT on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. They wil be punished with eternal destruction, FOREVER SEPARATED from the Lord and from His glorious power. 2 Thess. 1:7-9

There are 3 words here that I believe we need to constantly be aware of in the last days. This passage is speaking to us of the time of the end when the rapture is near and I believe we are closer than we can imagine.

Persecution- for those who stand up for the Cross and the truth of the Word of God there will be increasing persecution. The early church experienced it and the church at large is still experiencing it today. There are more people being martyred for the name of Jesus right now than at any other time in the history of the church. In America it is getting more and more difficult to speak the truth and stand for righteousness. What is right has been erased by what is relevant. What is wrong is embraced under the banner of “tolerance”. For every believer who stands strong until the end there will be slander, hate, imprisonment, and even murder. God help us to hold fast till the end! (Rev. 2:25-27)

Rest- Thank God for heaven! The Lord Jesus has made provision for us to rest in Him forever and ever once this life has come to an end. We must run this race with joy and fervency for the time is coming when we will no longer be able to “store up treasure in heaven”.

Judgment- many say that there is no hell or if there is that it is not going to last forever. This is all blatant lies of satan himself to deceive people out of conviction and urgency for salvation. Anyone who only wants to talk about the love of Jesus needs to also be aware of the flaming fire and judgment that will come forth from His return upon all who are in sin and not found under His precious Blood. Their eternal destruction will be eternal separation from the presence of God (an awful fate that sadly awaits billions of human souls that have not and will not call on the name of Jesus to be saved).

Let us keep these thoughts close to our hearts and ever-present on our minds. Preach the Gospel whether the time is favorable or not (read 2 Tim. 4:2-3). Look forward to the rest of heaven with great anticipation (read Col. 3:1-4). Never waver from the understanding of God’s judgment and its eternal consequence (read Rev. 20:14-15).

After being in California last week I was able to experience first hand the craziness that is going on out there due to the passing of Prop. 8. This is an amendment to the state constitution defining marriage as being between a man and a woman. Pastors and leaders worked, prayed, and mobilized people all over that state in order to pass this proposition. The wheels of government turned and the will of the people was established in a vote on the day of the presidential election. They voted FOR the proposition and thus it should become law.

The backlash was and is still very disturbing. First of all, the gays began protesting with violent outbursts including attacking police officers. Churches were vandalized and many illegal acts were committed as the spirit of anger and rage was unleashed (lust is always accompanied by anger). Second, many celebrities (who were against this act from the beginning like Brad Pitt) were very vocal in stating their disagreement with what happened. Oprah Winfrey stated, “This is a step backward for our nation.” Thirdly, and most disturbing is that they gay agenda has rejected the will of the people and taken this matter back to the courts. The sad reality is that we live in a day where the will of the people doesn’t matter any more and renegade judges are ruling our nation from their unquestionable bench. Our forefathers would be saddened to see how the balance of power has been lost from the people and given to the hands of unelected officials.

No matter what the outcome of the courts decision in Cal. there is a fight that is going on for the soul of our nation and it is a time for us to pray, stand up, and speak out for what is righteous. They will not force me to acknowledge their sodomy and wickedness as being the same as the institution of marriage that God ordained in the beginning of time. I will stand with the Scriptures and deny all other opinion of man.

Lev. 18:22- Do not practice homosexuality; IT IS A DETESTABLE SIN.

Rom. 1:26-27–That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relationships with women, BURNED WITH LUST for each other.

Today was an incredible experience that greatly blessed me. My brother James and I, along with a member of my youth team, traveled out to San Diego, Cal this week for a preaching engagement. The day before I left I felt the Lord telling me to contact Dr. Oral Roberts and tell him that I would be out his way and would love to visit with him if possible (Amy and I went with dad 3 years ago to meet with him at his home). His assistant called me back and said that he would like to meet James and I for lunch today (Fri). So James and I went to Dr. Roberts house today and had a time of impartation, and boy was it impartation!

We had an opportunity to hear his heart on the state of the church, in which he is very encouraged and sees growing closer and closer to Jesus (the remnant of true believers). We heard his heart and prophetic take on where we are as a country and what to expect in the years ahead. Then, we shared from the Word of God and he prayed for both James and I one at a time and spoke the blessing of God and prophetic words of encouragement. After all that, he asked me to lay hands on him and pray for him…wow! I was overwhelmed by God’s Spirit and with His divine love as we shared this incredible moment together with one of God’s greatest generals known for healing fire and seed faith.

My prayer is that God would give me the grace to preach the Gospel with such power and boldness for 61 years like Dr. Roberts. That my desire for Jesus would be as strong as his until the day I die. That my faith would hold strong through every trial of life and test of the enemy. What an example for us to hold on to. What a standard of holiness and faith to look up to.

2 Cor. 6:7,8- We faithfully preach the truth…We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us.

The following is an article written by dad and posted on larrystockstill.com. Many of you have wondered what our heart here at Bethany is and this articulates it with great clarity.

Solomon, the wisest king in history, had a problem: “one baby and two mothers.” He called for a sword and the real mother begged to keep the baby alive. The other woman argued to cut the baby in half and give each mother a piece. The Presidential election of 2008 has been just such a dilemma for the body of Christ. Honest, well-meaning Christians have differed on political direction for America. Where are we and where do we go from here?

CELEBRATION!

Some great things that are cause for celebration have occurred in the last few days since last Tuesday’s results of Barack Obama’s election were final:

1. Senator Obama, in looking this week for a Presidential “dog” for his children, jokingly referred to himself when he said, “I hope they don’t get a mutt like me!” This relaxed, casual reference to his African father and white mother shows his comfort with his identity and race. After all, what is race in the sight of God but something wonderful and beautiful? God delights in our colors and kinds, our flavors and strengths. As a missionary in Nigeria at 23 and in my 25 years of pastoring a multi-racial church, I have spent most of my adult life fighting not only “racism” but “racial strife.” Perhaps the long, cold winter of stereotypes is coming to an end.

2. It took millions of white voters to elect Senator Obama. This has amazed and thrilled to tears the small minority of black Americans and given them hope that “we can work together.” As I watched President Bush host Mr. and Mrs. Obama in the White House yesterday, I rejoiced in how the transition is early and hope is high. There was a “man of color” in the Oval Office! Perhaps the sense of hardened racial suspicion is starting to give way.

3. The cultures of the world rejoiced again in America. Celebrations from Indonesia to Kenya hailed a new spirit and face for the land of the free and home of the brave. Our enemies were in consternation and our friends were celebrating! Perhaps a new era of favor for Americans worldwide is replacing the anger and resentment I often feel when traveling the world and world missions will benefit.

CONCERN:

1. “PRAY”

a. FOREIGN POLICY: This new President has already been “called out” by Russia and other enemies. He will certainly be immediately tested for his resolve to face down those who only understand force and who have stated their desire is to conquer and rule the world.
b. ECONOMY: He certainly has his plate full here! America and the entire world seem on the edge of recession or outright collapse. Millions are hurting and need immediate help. However, by many Senator Obama is being looked to as an economic “Messiah” who will immediately lower their monthly payments, raise their income, cover all their insurance needs and improve gas prices all in the first 100 days! His ambitious economic agenda will take years, not months. In addition, NO PRESIDENT CAN REMOVE A CORRECTIVE JUDGMENT FROM GOD, and if America is facing discipline (as I believe is beginning) we must pray for mercy and repentance or certainly no plan by man will work.
c. MORALITY: In areas of morality, the church is called to be “prophetic” (as John the Baptist was with Herod) and not “political.” This is true regardless of who it is, or we could be following a man into the position of becoming God’s enemy. It is my humble opinion that Senator Obama is on the wrong side of the abortion, stem cell, and gay rights agenda. He stated in the debates that his Supreme Court appointments will uphold Roe v. Wade. His transition staff is preparing, on his first day in office, to remove all restrictions to abortion now in place as executive orders. His stated position is that he opposes gay marriage, and yet he opposed “Proposition 8,” the marriage amendment that amazingly passed in California 52% to 48% limiting marriage to “a man and a woman.” This legitimate election stated the will of the people, yet this past weekend over 20,000 angry homosexuals protested in the streets (1000 of them picketed Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church because he supported proposition 8). This is moral chaos, and we must pray that our new leader’s eyes be opened to the moral dangers of these positions. God can change his heart and show him that if the judgment of God comes upon our economy it will “trump” the best minds in Washington and their bailouts.

2. “STAY”

a. Christians need to stay together. Lifetime relationships in the body of Christ cannot be challenged by an election. We are one body, indivisible by race, color, or economic circumstances.
b. In times of shaking, stability is what is needed. I have lived long enough to see spiritual and political leaders, revivals, Y2K, electronic marvels, foreign enemies, music, plaid pants and platform shoes all come and go. It is usually the weak and immature who yell the loudest while the mature and seasoned respond and don’t react. Relax, it’s going to be fine.

3. OBEY

a. NEVER lose sight of the Great Commission. Jesus did not command us to establish a party or a person. He told us to “go and make disciples.” No political party or election will solve America’s problems: only a revival. I believe 2009 is the “Year of the Harvest” as confirmed by a fellow pastor in Chicago who has seen over 2,500 souls come to Christ in the last three weekends.
b. We are called to our specific task and function in the Body of Christ and that is all you will be judged for in eternity. Be busy about that work while fervently praying for our desperate political and economic situation in America. That’s something you CAN do to change the situation.

The “one baby” is the “one Body” of Christ. Those who are not mature about that “baby” will rush in to divide it and give a “piece” to each party. The result will be to kill the beautiful body of Christ in the process. The “real mother” (faithful American Christians) will beg for mercy, unity, and wisdom from the King for the baby to live. Get on your knees, believer, and cry out for the Body of Christ to live through this. We WILL “pray together, stay together, and obey together.”

“Put your sword away.”

Larry Stockstill

With all that has been going in recent months (and years) with the election and the talk of “running for office” there has been a revelation brewing in my spirit concerning our eternal race. In 1 Cor. 9:24-27 we are exhorted by Paul to not only run the race of salvation but to run it in order to win. There is a huge difference in just running and winning it all. many believers today are content to just run the race of salvation and don’t really care if they “win” or not. God is calling us back to a stance of desire to not just make it to heaven but go all the way for Him and accomplish all that His perfect will would allow. Here are some keys to running to win:

1. Passion-… so run to win! Jesus has fire in His eyes and we should never lose the fire in our eyes. It is a fire that burns with love for Jesus, passion for souls, and never-ending judgment that befalls all who fail to accept His unconditional love. Luke 3:17

2. Discipline- All athletes are disciplined in their training…- being consistent in the Word of God, prayer, and connection to the local church. Not growing weary in well doing.

3. Motivation- They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize- Eternity is our motivation. anyone who doesn’t have a revelation of eternity will not run with urgency.

4. Purpose vs. Pretending- So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing- living with purpose in every day. Acting as if this day is going to be my last. Not going through the motions of religion (shadowboxing) but engaging the enemy in establishing God’s Kingdom here on earth.

5. Integrity- Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified- walking in the fear of God and according to His Word that after running the race we not be disqualified by sin. Righteousness is the invitation to the race and holiness is the rules!

I challenge you to run the race set before you today in order that you might win the race and attain the prize!

I leave you with one of my favorite Scriptures:
John 9:4- We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the One who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work.

Yesterday was truly an amazing day of encouragement from morning till night. All day long was a trail of emails, calls, and so many texts I could hardly read them all! People from all over the nation who have been touched by this situation and who God has sent into my life as friends and encouragers reminded me in force that God is a good God and that the family of believers that we share in Christ is the greatest display of Christ’s love on the earth. Thanks to each and everyone of you for standing with me through so many trials and battles but, in this case, in the greatest trial of my life with the homegoing of dearest Amy. A flood of love and joy fills my heart today for Jesus and all of my brothers and sisters in the Lord. This is what it is all about!!!

Jn. 17:21- I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one–as you are in me, Father, and i am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.