Charisma Magazine

By John Eckhardt | Charisma House | softcover | 240 pages | $14.99

John Eckhardt, the overseer of Chicago-based Crusaders Ministries, sees a church lacking fire and power, which he attributes to a lack of prophetic gifts operating in many congregations. Aiming this book at church leaders, Eckhardt spends much of his time building a strong case for prophecy, the spiritual gift Paul said to desire more than tongues.

Well, today is the first day of the rest of your life, right? Let's invest the remainder wisely.

If you are reading these words, know this, we have already been, and will continue to be praying for you, our readers. No hollow promises or lip service. No good intentions unfulfilled. You can absolutely count on it.

Now let's talk about what I want you to consider right this minute. But do me a favor, in the busyness of your day, please find a way to engage your heart, otherwise, with your mind alone, you will miss what I am saying - guaranteed. Reading this would then just be another mental exercise, part of the blur of another seemingly average day filled with too much information. Hearts engage!

Patients often ask me if God wants humans to be vegetarians. The answer is yes and no. Originally, vegetarianism was His design for all people and animals (see Gen. 1:29-30). That plan changed when the Lord said to Noah: " 'Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things,

even as the green herbs' " (9:3, NKJV). The only exception was this: " 'But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood' " (v. 4).

Do you know how much God really loves you? Do you think you have to earn God’s love? Some people think so. But God’s love was never based on our behavior. His love is based on His own nature. God is love. As love, God loves us. How much does God love us? He loved us enough to give His Son to die that we could live. How much does God really love you? God is so in love with you that He spared no expense to show you how much. How much does He love you? He loves you as much as He loves Jesus (see John 17:20-23). Wow!

In humility of mind, realizing that God is truth, you must accept what He says. Don’t fight it. Don’t debate it. In loving reverence to Him, accept it. Worship Him. He is indeed worthy. Seeing that the Father loves us so, should we not respond to Him in humbleness of mind, realizing that He invites us to walk with Him because He really wants us to? He wants to share His life with us and wants us to share our lives with Him. Let us walk with Him and walk closely to Him.

When recording artist Norman Hutchins sensed God calling him to pray every day at 5 a.m. in early 2006, he didn't know why. But when complications from a delicate eye surgery left him completely blind that same year, he soon discovered the answer.

"The Lord said, ‘Norman, no matter how gifted and talented and anointed you may be, you are no good to Me if you don't take care of you.'"

Hutchins, 46, is referring to his battle with diabetes, a disease he was diagnosed with years ago. The singer said for six months he depended on his wife, Karen, and others to escort him to his pulpit where he preached every Sunday during the ordeal. He says loosing his sight forced him to repent for not taking care of the body God gave him.

At this point in history believers are caught in a tug of war between a demonically inspired blanket of fear designed to neutralize us on the one hand, and the time of our lives in joy and power on the other. Negative prophetic words fail to address the real issues and actually weaken us when we need to be strengthened. Now is the time for us to rise. Now is the time of the fulfillment of promise. Now is the time for our destiny and purpose to become real.

We must pray that our new president will honor the God of our fathers and seek counsel from His prophets.

The hearts of millions of Americans were stirred on Tuesday as we watched Barack Obama place his hand on Abraham Lincoln’s Bible and swear to uphold his duties as president. The cynicism and divisiveness of politics gave way to civility for a few moments as Obama stood on that massive stage in front of the Capitol and spoke of a “new era of responsibility” that he hopes to initiate.