News and Updates
August 1, 2011
David Copeland · August 1, 2011
Newsletter · Volume: 11 Issue: 8
In December last year the Lord spoke to my heart that 2011 was to be a year of contending for an open heaven. As we are now past the midpoint of this year, is there a Word from the Lord for the remainder of this year?
Psalms 11:3 tell us …if the foundations be destroyed, what shall the righteous do? There will continue to be an all out assault on Christians, Christianity, the ministry and those who passionately believe Jesus is the only way to Eternal Life. This is the very foundation of our salvation. Don’t be shocked in the coming days to find people mocking you for believing Jesus is the only way to Eternal Life.
This assault will escalate even from within the Christian community, as people and preachers play the political correctness game to try to appease people and not offend. The offended spirit in people will continue to cause many to leave churches that are preaching truth and liberty from the Word of God to migrate to places where they can feel “comfortable”. But God is not interested in us being comfortable, He wants to change us!
I believe you are also going to see more mega church pastors come out and boldly declare Jesus is the only way to salvation. This is going to open the door for an increase in the harvest that will spill over into smaller ministries; much like what happened when Peter and his men made a massive haul of fish one day, and had to call other boats to help them. (Luke 5:7) This is going to begin to remove some of the jealousy that has come from smaller ministries toward the “bigger ministries”.
The changes we see happening politically in the Middle East also signal God is removing dictatorial leadership from the church. God is tired of His sheep being beaten into submission. As persecution and hatred increases against God’s people, He is raising up loving shepherds who will bring healing to people who have been wounded and abused by strong armed, demanding, insecure leaders.
The Spirit is also releasing an anointing onto people to father the fatherless in a greater measure. This is not another multi-level marketing plan that will bring tithes into a man’s pocket; this is the raising up of fathers for a fatherless generation who need that father’s voice to speak to their destiny.
Most every male can make a baby unless something is physically or medically wrong. But only a father can speak to that child’s destiny.
It’s a father that will speak to a boy’s manhood and call him into his rightful place as the high priest of his home and family. But a father also speaks and affirms a girl’s destiny as well. Validating her and confirming her to be the woman of God she is called to be.
Malachi 4:5,6 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.
6 And he will turn
The hearts of the fathers to the children,
And the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”
I have seen first hand how a father’s unwillingness or inability to validate his sons or daughters have sent them into a lifelong pursuit of acceptance, validation and confirmation, that should have come from home. Many have ended up addicted to drugs and alcohol and bound by perversion; all because the fathers were either absent or they aborted their purpose. We can’t go back and change what happened in the past; but we can from this day forward break the cycle of fatherlessness that has brought a curse upon our generation.
For generations we have asked our young people to buy into and sell out to a company (i.e. denomination). As they have grown up they have left the “company”, because they are looking for a spiritual father who will speak to their manhood, their womanhood and their destiny. Someone has said that the average young adult of today will have up to 20 different jobs during their career. In the natural, our fathers and grandfathers worked for the same company or had the same career their whole lives. Those days are gone forever. The same in the church: our children and grandchildren will never give their lives for a company or a denomination: but they will die for a man!
Yes, there are dark clouds on the horizon for America. But I believe the best is yet to come for the Church of Jesus Christ! We have too much Kingdom work to do. May we continue to contend for the open heaven. In spite of the negativity in the news, in the economy and in many families, Jesus will still be Lord and show Himself strong for those who let Him.
Ministry Update
By the time you receive this newsletter, I will be back in Kenya for a month packed full of ministry. We will conduct an outdoor crusade and pastors training in Lodwar, Turkanna; and will once again hold our summer session of the Maasai Vocational Training Center. We have a team of young adults traveling with us from across Alabama and Texas that will conduct our first Youth Conference & Crusade in Kilgoris; and we will once again take part in the Annual IMU August Convention. On August 27th we will have the honor of dedicating the new Sanctuary of the Kilgoris Assembly of God Church with Pastor Jackson Mongaine.
The budget for this trip will be the highest we have ever faced due to the increase in oil, gas, and food prices. A famine in northern Kenya has also deleted food reserves in the country driving up food costs. I am so thankful to our friends and partners who have been faithful to sow a special offering for these major outreaches. I want to say a special thank you to Charles Kalkomey, Jeremy Sheppard and New Life Beginnings Church in Pattison Texas for organizing the Night For Missions on July 23rd. The funds raised in the offering that night is helping us conduct these crusades and Pastors Training Seminars in both Lodwar and Kilgoris Kenya.
The calling of God to the nations continues to beat stronger and stronger in my heart! I recently posted on Facebook how I never signed up to be a missionary or a missionary evangelist! I never really wanted to leave the United States; God knows we need some major prophetic preaching at home. But when God called…I just did not have the guts (yes, I said guts) to tell God no.
Thank you for believing in us, and for supporting our part of the Great Commission!
Let the fire fall!
David & Pam