"MOVING FORWARD WITH GOD IN 2007"

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"MOVING FORWARD WITH GOD IN 2007"


~ L.D. Oxford


Joshua-ap.net/



Dear Joshua Family subscribers & Weblog readers:


My, how time has flown by, yet when we take a look back, we can see the progress, from where the Lord has brought us from, to where He has us now, and it has been nothing less than remarkable and miraculous. It has been a seemingly long, hard, narrow road, yet sustained with the love and peace of God, and with the joy of serving Him . Not so easy though, I might add, but worth the cost.


We began with the Joshua AP E-list with about 300 on the InJesus.com E-list server, closer towards the end of 2002, and would wind up reaching close to 20 million people near the beginning of 2007 through over a 150 major news feed sites, along with the ever-growing Joshua AP E-list on topica.com.


Then, the Global Warriors Intercessors E-list was added at topica.com in April of 2004 and launched with 200 intercessors during the first 48 hrs. In mid 2004, we also launched the Joshua AP Network Home Central website, located at http://www.joshua-ap.net/ and obtained a regular domain for the website by Jan. 2006.


In early 2006, the New Generation of Warriors Youth-site was launched, along with the youth forum attached to the menu there. Then, last year we had a database failure there, and had to rebuild the site and most everything was lost. But, rather than getting all worked up about it, the Lord imparted the wisdom and knowlege to rebuild it, and to relaunch it within 2 days of the database failure.


There is still work to be done there, and the forum site was delegated to one of my sons in the Lord, who is now in a local Jr. College. His name is Bryan.Then, we have another website that has not been launched yet, which the Lord dealt with me about putting it on hold, because the timing was not right for it. But in due time, it will be launched. That is the Joseph's storehouse website that I told many of you about before. The timing will become ripe, when the Lord, and God's people are ready for it.


We also wound up with 4 ministry blogs, with one not yet being used regularly due to the time limitations here. And there are two other blogs set up on two of the Secular news blogs of Major TV News networks. But, those are for future use and are not yet in operation. The purpose of those two blogs will be for reaching out to some of the TV news anchors, by sharing what is happening in the world from a Christian perspective. Some of the news anchors are Christians, and some are just needing to hear some better news than what they are getting!


We also started with one forum site in the beginning of 2003 after the Joshua AP E-list was established, and wound up with another roundtable and a youth forum which has seemed like more of an experiment, with radical change after change taking place. Just like the Lord to do that though. He does regular pruning in all of our lives and ministries, whether we are on the internet, off of the internet, or both.


When we make the commitment to give our all for Him, then He takes out the garbage, and cleans things up, adjusts who we have closer fellowship with, to make way for those who have a pure heart to serve Him (without all of the agendas, deceptions and selfish motives). Some do not see or believe that it would apply to them, of course, but here is how God's Spirit operated during those times, and even now!


He shows and exposes the truth, where it becomes obvious for some of His servants to see, then moves them to do something, to bring changes in the situation. And that is exactly what happened almost two years ago, with one of the forums and then with the second one. The Lord opened my eyes more, and gave myself, and a few others stronger discernent about some things that were going on there. And so we had to clean house on two of those forum sites.


The Lord had shown me once, that the forums sites would have only slight activity for a season. But when the people He is sending would come, then we would manage some of those forum sites together. Another words, parts of duties to operate them would be delegated to faithful people who have a pure heart for the Lord.


The truth is, i most certainly do not have the time in a calendar month to do everything. Because there is just too much for me to do off-line here, as well. Then, there are also the off-line ministry activities, extra work, spending quality prayer time, care-giving, maintenance, taking trips and running errands.We had already tried to implement more quality management with this before, but it wasn't easy dealing with some of the irresponsible people who were entering the forum sites. Those types, of course would not be trusted by anyone, and we received a number of complaints about some of them. I sure wouldn't want them to minister to me either. Would you? :) lol


This same sort of thing, is not just happening in ministries on the internet, but is happening wherever Christians may go or gather off of the internet, as well.This is the very reason why I have been very careful not to just hook up with every person that comes along, claiming to be someone or something that 70-80% of the time, is found to be something else entirely, but that is probably comparable off the net as well.


This will make you laugh: One of the strong characteristics of the problem were people claiming to be Mr_SuperApostle, Mr_MasterProphet, Sister_Prophetess_ofthemosthigh, Bishop_dude, power_prophet, and the list goes on. It was not really so funny, but It got very old after a while.


False anonymous usernames with hidden identities, and with no true representation of Christ. So sad.


Recently I went to a fairly-well heard of "prophetic chatroom" on a website where all of the so-called prophets there were judging each other, shaming each other, and some were cussing each other out, because they were so angry from the other judgemental people there. Now, that would certainly not be classified as true ministry, even with any stretch of the imagination. But, i wont be visiting there again, neither would I recommend it to any of you.


So, this is the reason why we have had to clean out the member lists from time to time and to moderate our ministry forum sites. If you do not, then the enemy will plant in those who would eventually bring viscious attacks against others. Therefore, there must be a screening process to enjoy those forum sites, and people have to be true and real, with some accountability.


Relational, and with typed in profiles on their memberships are required. Most people who have been in any true form of ministry, in a church, a building, on a website, or somewhere else, all understand the dangers of allowing people to come in who are not relational and accountable to anyone in the Body of Christ. Therefore, on the internet the same guidelines would apply to anyone. And on the internet, should be screened and observed, even more closely, due to false anointings and false prophets.


Beware of anyone on the internet that tells you that they are only accountable to God. (Just them and Jesus), but with no true representation, or relationship with the local Body of Christ. There are thousands of people who apparently feel that they are doing a service to God by appointing themselves as ministers, ripping into people emotions on the internet, and God is not in any of that type of behavior.


So, no transparency and relationship building, means no special priviledges. You should not impart or prophesy over anyone unless the person knows you in relationship, or have someone in local leaderships go-ahead. And this means, someone who comes to know you, and who can attest to your true character. Otherwise, other people will not know who you are, where you are coming from, and they will reject you, after they see that you made major blunders a few times, or that the Holy Spirit was probably not in operation anyway.


God is a God of divine order, and not of the rampant spirit of lawlessness which is so prevalent these days. And there is a big difference between sharing articles and prophecies from trusted sources, and actually personally prophesying to others in a atmosphere, where people do not know the first thing about your character.Even, when we had a leadership team go on the ministry trips, we respected and submitted under the other ministry that was the main sponsor of those trips. Therefore, we were safe and in God's order. And because of this, we had great liberty in the Spirit to minister during those conference meetings and prayer strikes. The same goes for local fellowship.


We are free to minister, because we are accountable, known and trusted by each other. That is where the real freedom comes. And the whole house would be transformed by the power of God, as a result. Why? Because we were known to come under authority, and to operate in God's love. Therefore, we were accepted to minister there. When people do not understand these principles, chaos may follow them wherever they go, and it usually does.


It takes real humility before God, to listen, to come under God established authority, and to respect others. But alot of people just ignore and leave whenever they cannot have their way with a ministry, whether it be in a Church or as a part of an internet ministry. Remember the old saying: "When the kitchen gets too hot, then get out of the kitchen."


They just put their tail between their legs and run somewhere else, and the pattern of behavior goes from one place to the next, and then to the next place. And they feel rejected wherever they go. But many times they are not really being rejected neccessarily, but, it is just that they won't listen or take any instruction from others. So, it is a behavior cycle that continues on and on.


But, I really sense that the Lord is building true Christian character in so many lives of those who are going through increased fiery trials and tribulations, right about now. And, I have heard all of the horror stories of what people are going through, including myself. And this is what it takes to get the Body of Christ ready, to not only learn to serve one another effectively with a teachable spirit, but to be ready to stand face to face before the Lord Himself, at His soon coming.


One thing to remember, is that God is going to have the last word concerning how we lived our lives, or on how we treated others. And there will be no excuses when we stand before Him. He is merciful, but none are exempt from His all-knowing and watchful eye. And He can see right through the veneer of each one, and knows us, even better than we know ourselves. Just some food for though here. :)


We all have crucibles that God puts us in to process us. But He wants us to become better, instead of growing bitter. Some learn in the process and come out polished and glowing, and others grow hardened towards God and turn away from Him in rebellion. But, the good part is that we all have been given the same opportunity to choose to follow Him, or to reneg on our commitments towards God. It's a choice!


But, my own personal choice is to follow Him all of the way, whatever may come. Because life is just like a vapor. Here today, and may be gone tomorrow. And our only guarantees are to follow and to obey God's will, and to follow what He has purposed and planned for our lives. As far as I am concerned, there is no other option for me. And im sure that a number of you out there feel the same way, from what I have read in some of your letters.


Since September of last year during the Hebrew New Year, there was a major shift that began to take place and became very obvious by January of this year on the gregorian calendar. I saw so many different things change in my own life, including healing and restoration of my health, a new level of trust and confidence in the Lord, activation into a greater release of faith and vision.


A stronger awareness and expectation of the move of God in my life, and with those around me, which includes those in the local fellowship of believers. Other leaders outlooks and mentalities have been gradually changing. Ministry has shifted and changed to focus more towards the Kingdom of God and the endtime harvest, rather than Churchianity and the Christian country club mentality.


There is a intensified burden for the lost, more than before in the Body of Christ, and a greater release of the Love of God seen and experienced, in fellowship with others.The Lord is also strategically moving people around like chess pieces on a chessboard. Different ones that I know have been called of God to move to the other end of the country, and others are moving closer this way. Some of those people waited a long time to make those moves, but it wasn't until they came into their season, that the Lord released them to go, and made the path clear and the provision to go.


There are a number of things that the Lord has placed within my own heart to do, and places to go in ministry and to establish ministry in different areas. There have been many invitations to various countries around the world where I have been invited, but unless it is in God's plan and timing, i don't want to make plans for the sake of someone wanting me to go.


But, when it is time and God is ready for me to go, then the way will be opened up to go, and I will know that the Lord is in it. And it is at that point, that I would have the real unction to go, would schedule the time and get ready. But, it has not been the time for me to go back overseas, yet, but I do know that the day will come again. In my own experience, sometimes the Lord would tell me things and show me revelations about something, and it would seem as if it might happen tomorrow, but I had to wait five to ten years, before i came into the season to do some of those things.


I'm telling you people, do not become over-anxious for instant results when the Lord shows you things, because His timing will be different from yours almost every time. If the Lord is going to do it tommorrow, He would probably tell you to prepare today, and get ready to go tomorrow. Or, He might just show you a little, then direct you to walk it all out in faith, and when the time is right, He will do it. But it might be a year, two years or ten years if the Lord does not speak to you specifics.


If He doesn't, it is best for you to learn to be patient, content and to just occupy in what He has you doing where you are, and then just let Him work it all out in His own time and in His own way. Otherwise, discouragement and despair could set in, which could set you back, even longer. And giving into discouragement and despair is not worth wasting your time over. So, rejoice in the Lord, and get into His presence by spending more time with Him instead.


Time is accelerating though, and before you know it, He will open the doors and move you into your next phase. But dwelling on the time factors makes it seem like it takes too long.I know right now, that it seems like a short time ago, when I took my first trip overseas in ministry, when I look back at it, but it was actually 24 years ago.


So, no need to get in an hurry. Just let God do what He wants to bring to pass in your life. Allow Him to take you through the process. Then it will happen before you know it, when you don't think too much. You do the possible, and then let God take over and do the impossible, which He specializes in.


When it is God's time for you to do something or to launch out, He will expect you to move, once you know that He is speaking to your heart. If it is now, you will know by His spirit. Instead of sitting back waiting and waiting for Him to move. Just know, that He won't force you, to get up off of that couch, or to shut off that remote control to get you to obey Him. Often, you may have to just break loose from the normal everyday ritual, beginning with family. Make sure you can make a difference in their lives first, by loving and ministering to them. And then, go out and begin to make a difference in the lives of others in anyway that you can for the Glory of God.


When you do this, you might wind up with so much ministry activity and opportunities from every direction, that you won't be needing a plane ticket to go somewhere else (or to go to the foreign mission field). Because "the nations" are right there in the communities where you now live. lol


And then, on the other hand, there are some who are just waiting for God to move, but God is waiting upon you, and the decisions that you make will either make you, or break you. If you remain on the grand-stands as spectators, and do not get involved in what the Lord is doing, then the opportunities that He sets before you, might suddenly pass you by, and you could miss out on what God is doing.


The move of God is a reality for many these days, to those who are willing to make the sacrifices to move into it with God. We have to follow Him, because He is not going to follow any of us. Because He is God, and we are not. We are the ones that have to make the right choices to break free and to move forward with God.


This is exactly what I myself, and others are doing right now. You can never see or expect a breakthrough, unless you are willing to make the sacrifices of putting your entire life on line for Jesus Christ. It will involve the giving of your time, your resources, and following through with your commitments to God.


If you break your commitments and develop a lukewarm mentality toward Him, or become a covenant breaker, then how would you expect God to favor and bless your life in ministry? Are you going to settle for lukewarm Christianity and find a comfortable place for yourself, or are you going to put your life on the line for Him. Tell me, what are you going to do?


Also, remember the great sacrifice that Jesus made for you, so that you have the opportunity to be where you are today. I know personally, that I am going to follow through with my own commitments that have been made, and go all the way out for the Lord, in anyway that He would desire me to. Others have made the same decisions, and we are going for the harvest.


Please pray for us here, and for the others who have been divinely connected with us by the Lord. If we all learn to work together, then the Lord will have His way in all of our lives, and we will see the fulfillment of those things that He has promised. Remember to help yourself, by helping others, and when you see a need that the Lord puts right before your eyes, do not do as some in the past have done. By avoiding those needs or making false promises, then, not following through in helping out when a problem or need arises.


"Remember, to always do unto others, as you would like to be treated. Then love, help and encouragement will come your way, whenever you need it." Love and blessings in Christ!


- L.D. Oxford


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