Revival is Coming, but God is Turning Over Stones First [feedly]

Revival is Coming, but God is Turning Over Stones First

Everywhere I have ministered over the past several months I've asked a simple question, "How many feel as if you have been in a significant and prolonged season of transition?" The response is always overwhelming. Nearly every hand in the church will shoot up attesting to the fact. No doubt many reading this could testify that you've been feeling transition as well.

I write because so many miss the fact that what they have been feeling individually is actually connected to what God is doing corporately in the body of Christ. Right now, there is a transition taking place between spiritual seasons.

God established seasons from the beginning of creation. Genesis 8:22 tells us that, "as long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease." Just as it is in the natural, so it is in the spiritual. Discerning the season and more importantly the transition of seasons is key if we are to be prepared for the next.

The Church is in a season of transition. God is presently at work breaking up the fallow ground. Fallow ground is land which was at one time plowed open, but has laid dormant for a season and has since hardened. This is a natural part of the process of letting the ground rest through the winter season. However when the farmer discerns that spring is on the way, he sets out once again to work the fallow ground with a plow, turning over the soil, breaking and preparing it to receive fresh seed to produce a harvest.

The Lord is placing His hands into the soil of our lives and the life of the Church to break up the fallow ground. Like a skilled farmer, He is tilling and turning the ground beneath our feet. This is the reason why we have felt so much turbulence and recognized that we are in a state of transition. It would be easy to personalize this season, believing that God is working in you and around you to move you else where. Though this may be the case for some, it is not for all. 

It is important to know where God has firmly planted you, that way you don't mistake a transition in season to be a transition in position. Stay where the Lord has called you. If you have not received a clear word from the Lord, stay true to the last word you heard.

The Lord is turning over the soil and uncovering stones. These stones are secret sins that were allowed to remain hidden for a season, but that time is coming to a close. Those that have not found a place of true repentance, God is bringing into the light. This is why many fallen leaders have been exposed in the last year.

God was silent for a season giving space for leaders to repent. However, because of His great love, He will not allow any of us to remain in a place of sin. It is a work of His grace to expose us to the light, regardless how humiliating it may be for the moment. His concern is our future destination, not our present discomfort.

God loves each of us and His Church too much to allow things to remain hidden. These things must be extracted if the Church is to be prepared for the next season. Do not miss your opportunity to get things right with the Lord and return to a place of holiness! If God has His finger on hidden sin in your heart, take it to Him so that He may deal with you in private before He must deal with you in public.

Allow the Holy Spirit to move through you. Follow the Psalmist David in his prayer, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24).

While removing the rocks, God is also uprooting weeds. The weeds are the seeds of the past the enemy has sown. Often, these are hurts, offenses and cares of life which choke and hinder fruit from fully flourishing. It's time to let go of what you've held onto. Your future is not in your past and you cannot carry these things into the next season. They will hinder your growth. Forgive others and embrace unity with those the Lord has placed you around.

Let Him complete His work of uncovering the rocks and uprooting the weeds. Let Him awaken the soil of your life and prepare it for what is next.

Transition is taking place. The winter season is coming to a close. Fresh spring rains are on the way. Times of refreshing and new life is quickly approaching. God is about to visit His Church in the coming days with an unprecedented outpouring for those willing to position themselves for it.

I have spoken with so many pastors who are saying they are personally feeling the draw to return to the prayer closet. Others are feeling that it's time to start making room for God to move in extended meetings. Each are confirming that there is a window opening in the heavens for revival. Don't miss the season!

Jesus charged the multitudes, "Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, 'A shower is coming'; and so it is. And when you see the south wind blow, you say, 'There will be hot weather'; and there is. Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?" (Luke 12:53-56).

The seasons are changing. Discern the transition and position yourself correctly in the midst of it. Surrender to that inward pull to come back to place of private prayer, devotion and holiness. Fall on your knees and experience the clarity of His voice and the sweetness of His presence. Pastors, call the church back to the altar of prayer. Position your people to seek the Lord while He may be found. He is ready to visit His church, if we will open the door!

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Daniel K. Norris is an evangelist who works alongside Steve Hill bringing the message of revival and repentance to the nations. Together they co-host a broadcast called From the Frontlines. Norris also hosts the Collision Youth Conference that is broadcast all over the world. He can be contacted at danielknorris.com.

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Churchgoing Men Would Appreciate Less Cleavage in Church Too

On Thursday, my editor and Christian sister Jennifer LeClaire wrote an opinion piece for Charisma titled, "Why Do So Many 'Born-Again, Spirit-Filled Women' Show off Cleavage in Church?" As many of you who read Charisma know, Jennifer's opinion pieces often garner a great deal of attention, and this one certainly wasn't any different.

As of early Friday afternoon, the column had gotten more than 15,000 hits and nearly 200 comments from our readers—some of them flattering and some of them not-so-flattering. Many have chastised Jennifer for being judgmental about what she said in the article.

If you know Jennifer and you know where her heart is, you wouldn't think that for a second. Jennifer is one of the most on-fire-for-God and tuned-into-the-Holy-Spirit people I've ever known. I know what she wrote came from the heart and was God-inspired.

I'm sure not many of you know me, as I've only been at Charisma for a year. But I'm going to follow up on Jennifer's article, and this time from a man's point of view.

Jennifer pointed out that she is "talking about so-called 'mature believers,' not lost souls or baby Christians [that] come into God's sanctuary on Sunday morning wearing clothes you might rather expect to see them wearing at a dance club on Saturday night." She wrote, "I'm talking about those who claim to be 'born-again, baptized, blood-bought' (even tongue-talking) members of the church!"

I've attended many churches where I have seen this. This is even an issue in my own church. I'm not quite sure what the rest of the women in the congregation think, but my wife is absolutely amazed when she sees women who are dressed as described above.

I can't pretend to think like a woman or know what is in their hearts. However, I will say this, and I'm going to be as transparent as I possibly can in this forum: I'm not sure that many women understand or even think about the consequences of the way they dress in church (or on the street, for that matter) as it pertains to the men of their congregation. I'm not sure that they understand that lust of the eyes is something we men struggle with every day, all the time.

We are bombarded every day with images of scantily dressed beautiful women every day in society from advertising in every possible medium. It's difficult to escape it, and society doesn't care because they're only trying to sell their products and make their companies more attractive to the consumer.

The last thing we need is to walk into church—a place where we have come to worship God freely and love Him with all of our hearts—and to have our attention diverted by the way some women are dressed. And not to mention if you happen to look at a women dressed that way and you're with your wife, how does that make her feel? You know she's thinking, "So, I guess that's attractive to you, and I'm not?"

I know exactly what a lot of you are going to say. I can hear it now: "Well, that's your problem. If you can't divert your eyes from a woman like that, then you have a big-time problem with your heart, and you don't really love your wife or God."

My retort to that would be: Any man who says he isn't at least slightly affected by a scantily dressed woman—as described by Jennifer in her article—is either a eunic, gay or someone who isn't telling the truth.

The problem isn't that we don't love our wives. I certainly do, and I know most men love their wives and wouldn't do anything in the world to hurt their feelings or self-esteem. And as Christians, we love God with all of our heart (at least I hope we do).

No, the problem is found in the fact that we are only human, and we're going to be tempted to at least look. Again, men, don't tell me that you don't.

And when we do look, we could find ourselves guilty of lust in our heart. Matthew 5:27-28 says, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

You never know what it could lead to. You look at the above-mentioned women and that image won't leave your mind. You go home and get on the Internet, and then who knows what can happen? Even mature Christian men can get sidetracked by lustful desires. James 1:14-15 says, "But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death."

At a recent meeting of my men's group at my home, we talked about this and how much of a problem it is and how much we struggle with it—and I'm talking about a group of guys who love Jesus and want to serve Him with all their heart. But we were all transparent, and we all want to be held accountable for our actions and what's in our hearts. If I've got a problem, then I want someone to tell me about it so I can go to God in prayer and fix it.

So, what is the solution? I believe it can be found in Romans 14:13, which says, "Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way."

Mark 9:42 says, "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea." And then there's Luke 17:1, which states, "Then He said to the disciples, 'It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!'"

It's like drinking alcohol in front of an alcoholic or taking a man who has trouble with pornography or is struggling in his marriage out to lunch at Hooters. It simply shouldn't be done.

Women, I'm not demanding anything from you. What you do is certainly between you and God, and I realize that you're there to worship too. However, I am asking that you search your hearts. If anything I've said resonates with you and you realize that how you dress can cause a man—any man, even your pastor—to stumble, then please rethink your wardrobe before you walk out the door (not just on Sunday morning, either).

As someone who has struggled with the subject and knows many who have (again, transparency), we would appreciate a little more modesty.

Shawn A. Akers is an associate editor for Charisma Media.

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Why God Doesn't Do What You Think He Should

Maturity in Christ demands that we come to the place where we continue to trust God, even when His ways are difficult to understand.

Recently, a friend's letter arrived that reminded me of the importance of resting our hearts on what we know to be true about God, especially when faced with circumstances that lead us to question His will.

He wrote: "As a family, God has been speaking to us recently through the death of my youngest sister, Freda, on August 31. We have no details yet. She sailed on September 18 of last year. ... After 10 years' patient waiting for the way to open.

"Many of our friends in their letters of sympathy speak of God's mysterious ways, and I know there is an element of mystery. But I shrink from the suggestion that our Father has done anything which needs to be explained. What He has done is the best, because He has done it, and I pray that as a family we may not cast about for explanations of the mystery, but exult in the Holy Spirit, and say, 'I thank Thee, Father....Even so, Father.' It suggests a lack of confidence in Him if we find it necessary to try to understand all He does.

"Will it not bring Him greater joy to tell Him that we need no explanation because we know Him? But I doubt not there will be a fulfillment of John 12:24." —Rev. Frank Houghton (China Inland Mission).

We Need No Explanation

Our hearts rejoice in that word for so great a matter. It is, indeed, the only perfect word. But perhaps sometimes in an incomparably lesser trial, the tempter has disturbed us, persuading us to look for an explanation. We find ourselves saying, "I wonder why." Faith never wonders why.

Among our several hundred of all ages in the Dohnavur Fellowship family, who are being taught in the ways of prayer, there were many for whom this lesson was set when the answer to their prayers was turned to the contrary, just as they thought they had safely received it. For on a certain evening there was a special prayer for the healing touch for me. That night the pain was lulled, and natural sleep was given.

The blissfulness of the awakening next morning is still vivid and shining. I lay for a few minutes almost wondering if I were still on Earth. No night has been like that since. No sleep like that has come nor any such easeful wakening.

I knew something that morning of what it will be when He "shall look us out of pain."

All the dear household rejoiced. Down to the tiniest child who could understand there was gladness and thanksgiving. Had they not asked for healing by the touch of God? Was this not that? So they accepted it with a reverent and lovely joy.

But my nurse was careful in her joy, and nothing was done, no carelessness occurred that could account for what followed. The pain returned and increased. The nights were as they had been. And some did, I know, find it very confusing and very disappointing. For was there not prayer? Indeed there was.

The loving care of those who led the prayer of our fellowship had divided the day into watches; there was never an unprayed-for hour. But the bars closed down once more. Was it strange that to some, who have not known Him long, there was the trial of wondering Why?

Trust His Heart 

"I am learning never to be disappointed, but to praise," missionary Frederick Arnot of Central Africa wrote in his journal long ago. It was the word of peace to us then.

I think it must hurt the tender love of our Father when we press for reasons for His dealings with us, as though He were not love, as though not He but another chose our inheritance for us, and as though what He chose to allow could be less than the very best and dearest that Love Eternal had to give.

But on a day of more than a little trial, in His great compassion I was allowed to see—for as the ear is unsealed at times, so are the eyes opened—and I knew that the enemy had asked to be allowed to recover his power to oppress, and that leave had been granted to him, but within limits.

I was not shown what those limits were. I saw only the mercy that embraces us on every side. Was that moment of insight merely a pale reflection of an ancient familiar story? So some will understand it.

But the comfort that comes through such a moment never stays to argue about itself. It sinks deep into the heart and gives it rest.

Thereafter, not seeing, not hearing, not feeling, we walk by faith, finding our comfort not in the things seen or heard in that illuminated moment (though, indeed, that which was seen or heard does, with a sweetness peculiar to itself, continue to console), but in the Scriptures of truth: "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day. ... And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God" (2 Tim. 1:12; Rom. 8:28, KJV).

With Him who assures us of this there is no variableness, neither shadow that is cast by turning. His word stands true. In that truth we abide satisfied.

And so I have come to this: our Lord is sovereign. He may heal, as He will, by an invisible touch or by blessing the means (His gifts) that are used.

He may "save the exhausted one," as Rotherham renders James 5:15, or sustain with words him that is weary, as He did St. Paul, and use those words for the succor of others (2 Cor. 12:9).

The Secrets of the Lord 

"But you are not St. Paul." I remember reading that in a book on healing, just after I had been given peace in acceptance of a certain "thorn in the flesh" (2 Cor. 12: 7). I had prayed more than three times that it might depart from me, but it had not departed.

"You are not St. Paul." It was true, of course, but it seemed too facile to be a true answer to this riddle of the universe.

And now, the more I study life as well as books, the more sure I am that there is a darkness folded round that riddle into whose heart of light we are not meant to see. Perhaps that light would be too bright for our eyes now.

I have known lovers of our Lord who in their spiritual youth were sure beyond a doubt that healing would always follow the prayer of faith and the anointing of oil in the name of the Lord. But those same dear lovers, in their beautiful maturity, passed through illness, unrelieved by any healing.

When I looked in wonder, remembering all that they had held and taught in other years, I found them utterly at rest. The secret of their Lord was with them. He had said to them, their own beloved Lord had said it, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14: 27). So their hearts were not troubled or afraid, and their song was always of the lovingkindness of the Lord. "As for God, His way is perfect" (Ps. 18:30), they said. "We need no explanation."

Today with this thought in mind I read the "Song of the Redeemed," the ninth song of St. John, heard after a door was opened in heaven: "Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints" (Rev. 15:3).

Some of us cannot enter fully into even earthly music until it has become familiar. Perhaps our various experiences here are means by which we may learn the heavenly melody to which such words are set, so that when we hear the harpers harping on the harps of God we shall catch the thread of that melody, and follow it through its harmonies, moving among them with confidence and gladness, as on familiar ground.

"As for God, His way is perfect." That is the substance of the words. And if His way be perfect, we need no explanation.

Read a companion devotional.

Amy Beatrice Carmichael (1867-1951) was a missionary and a prolific author of poetry and prose. She was born in Millisle, Northern Ireland, to Presbyterian parents, and from her youth was sensitive to the message of the gospel and the fate of those who did not know Christ.

In 1892, her application to the China Inland Mission was turned down because of concerns regarding her health. But in 1893, she was given the chance to serve briefly in Japan and Ceylon.

Finally, in October 1895, Amy arrived in India, where she would remain for the rest of her life. Her ministry, Dohnavur Fellowship, focused on rescuing children from threatening situations such as child marriage and temple prostitution. To those who became part of her family, Amy, who never married, became "Amma,"--a term derived from the Tamil word for mother.

In 1931, Amy suffered disabling injuries in a fall and never fully recovered. The final two decades of her life were spent confined to her quarters.

From her bed, she frequently wrote letters to her friends and staff. One collection of writings provided the content for her best-known book, Rose From Brier (Christian Literature Crusade).

Amy Carmichael died in 1951 and is buried on the grounds of the Dohnavur Fellowship. The ministry she began more than 100 years ago continues in operation.

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6 Vital Things to Pray Over Your Kids [feedly]

In today's world, all we have to do to be worried or afraid for our kids is wake up every morning! There is fear and doubt all around us.

Anyone can look at the condition of society or at the behavior of their children and be fearful. But God calls us and our kids to be salt and light in the earth (Matt. 5:13-14). We do not have the spirit of fear (2 Tim. 1:7).

So, how do we keep our kids surrounded with faith every day when things don't look so good? By saying what God says. By speaking His Word's of faith over them. If we go by what we see, it's easy to be afraid. But faith believes something it can't see yet—it goes by the promises of God!

In Romans 4:17, the Bible says that God calls those things which be not as though they were. I believe you and I can do that too—there is power in our words!

Think about it: What "be nots" exist in your child's life today? Do they "be not" obedient? Do they "be not" doing well in school or staying on track with God? If so, let's start calling those things as though they are, releasing our faith words over them as God has instructed us.

Speak the Word 

I don't know about you, but I can always use a "parenting refresher" when it comes to keeping my kids surrounded with faith. Here are six vital prayers that will help God's perfect will come to pass in the lives of your kids:

1) God has a good plan for my child (Jer. 29:11; Rom. 11:29). "Father, thank you for the wonderful, divinely ordered plan you have for my child's life. (He/she) has a divine destiny, and I proclaim that they are walking in it today. I declare that they are fulfilling God's plan for their life, and they have a bright future!"

2) The Holy Spirit is helping my kids (1 John 4:4; John 14:16, AMP). "The Greater One lives in my children today. He helps them, guides them, encourages them, protects them, and empowers them. He is greater than any plan or force of the enemy and causes my children to overcome in every situation of life."

3) I refuse to fear (2 Tim. 1:7; Mark 5:36). "Father, I refuse to be afraid about my children. I surround them with faith and with the love of God. I imagine them successful, happy, protected and healthy. Whenever I think of my children and their future, I have a sound mind. I picture them surrounded with God's power and protection."

4) Our family walks in love (1 Cor. 13:4-8; Eph. 5:1-2). "My relationship with my children is blessed; we walk in love with each other and enjoy each other as God intended. Love is free to reign in our household. We don't allow strife or division but declare that our home is filled with peace and harmony. Give us wisdom, Father, to bless and help each other."

5) Peace reigns in the heart and mind of my children (Is. 54:4; Col. 3:15). "My children are taught of the Lord, so they have God's peace upon them in every sense of the word—wholeness, completeness, nothing lacking, nothing lost. That peace guides them and keeps them. My children have great peace in their lives."

6) My children are diligent (Prov. 10:4; 2 Pet. 3:14). "My children are not lazy but good workers who persevere, even when it's hard. They stick with things and refuse to quit. They are steady, earnest and energetic. Because of that, they will not be poor but rich, according to God's Word."

As believers, we don't have to be afraid—we can have faith! We can live above the trials of this world when we keep our eyes on the Lord. As you pray these prayers over your kids, expect to see supernatural results!

Karen Jensen teaches "Parenting With a Purpose" seminars all over the world (www.karenjensen.org). She is an instructor at Rhema Bible Training College (www.rbtc.org) and the author of "Why God Why: What to Do When Life Doesn't Make Sense" published by Charisma House (www.WhyGodWhyBook.com). 

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Possess Your Spiritual Inheritance [feedly]

According to the Scriptures, only two of the Israelites who left Egypt went into the Promised Land. Among the 12 men Moses chose to spy out the land, 10 came back and gave a negative report about the giants who lived there, causing the people's hearts to melt in fear. But Joshua and Caleb declared the beauty of the land and that God would make the giants defenseless before them (Num. 14:9).

Because of the Israelites' unbelief, God let them wander in the desert until they died. Their children inherited the Promised Land they were meant to enter.

However, Caleb followed the Lord fully and, along with Joshua, inherited the Promised Land. His was a winning battle strategy—complete abandonment to God (Josh. 14:9-14).

Caleb's physical strength had not abated during the 40 years in the wilderness. God was with him and drove out the enemy, giving him his inheritance in Hebron, which had been the stronghold of the strongest giants in the land, the Anakim.

Inheriting your promised land also will require a winning strategy. It will mean following the Lord wholly and yielding to the Holy Spirit at every point at which your will, your thoughts and your desires differ from His divine purpose for your life.

The Holy Spirit comes to dwell in your spirit, filling you with the life of God and expressing that divine life through your soul—your mind, emotions and will. When God's will becomes your will, His thoughts your thoughts and His desires your desires, you can say with the apostle Paul, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Gal. 2:20).

Who Is Possessing Your Land? 

In Joshua 12, there is a list of 31 kings the Israelites defeated after they entered the Promised Land. As they overcame these enemies of God, their lands were distributed among the tribes of Israel.

In a similar way, the old nature that clings to us seems to have as many "kings" as those who ruled in the land of Canaan. Our self-life does not die easily.

In his book Thirty-One Kings: Or Victory Over Self (Christian Publications), A.B. Simpson assigned a "face" of self for each one of the kings listed in Joshua 12 who was defeated by the Israelites. I am sure his list is not exhaustive. But I challenge you to ask the Holy Spirit to show you which of these kings are living in your "land": self-indulgence, self-seeking, self-complacency, self-glorying, self-confidence, self-consciousness, self-will, self-importance, self-depreciation, self-vindication, sensitiveness or touchiness, self-seeing, introspection, self-love, self-affections, selfish motives, selfish desires and selfish choices.

Add to this list the kings of selfish pleasures, selfish possessions, selfish fears and cares, selfish sorrows, selfish sacrifices and self-denial, selfish virtues and morality, self-righteousness, selfish sanctity, selfish charities, selfish Christian works, selfish prayers, selfish hopes and selfish life.

God promised the children of Israel a land flowing with milk and honey at the same time He told them about about their enemies (Ex. 3:8). He promised to give them a wonderful land in which to live and to drive out their enemies before them (Ex. 33:2).

For New Testament believers, the promised land is not a physical territory; it is a spiritual one. The promised land Jesus came to give us is characterized by freedom from the enemies in our self-life that war against our souls, robbing us of peace and prosperity.

Self-love is at the root of every form of the self-life. It is a heart centered upon itself, wherein every affection and power of our being is turned inward and self-ward.

Our life must be held not as a selfish possession but as a sacred trust. The apostle Paul understood this when he said, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Phil. 1:21).

All God's promises can be yours as part of your promised land. But you must choose to overcome the enemies that try to keep you from inheriting it.

We Conquer Through Surrender 

God is faithful to exchange your sinful nature for His divine nature as you determine to bring the aspects of your self-life to the cross. In his book, A.B. Simpson wrote, "We must surrender ourselves so utterly that we can never own ourselves again. We must hand over self and all its rights in an eternal covenant, and give God the absolute right to own us, control us and possess us forever."

Christ has made it possible for you to lose your self-life entirely and enter into the freedom of eternal life as you become a partaker of His divine nature. The apostle Peter declared triumphantly, "His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by His glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2 Pet. 1:3-4).

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Possessing your spiritual inheritance involves the ability to live a holy life and receive impartation of the divine nature as you continually give yourself to God and come to truly know Him. He makes it possible for you to become a partaker of the divine nature, delivering you from the corruption of this generation.

As you study His Word and humbly seek Him, you will begin to think as He thinks; you will exchange your worldly thoughts for His kingdom thoughts. The Holy Spirit will cause the written Word to come alive to you. And Christ, who is the Word, will become your life. You will realize the reality of what the apostle Paul wrote: "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27).

In my book Placed in His Glory, I wrote, "The work of the Holy Spirit is to reveal the glory of Jesus in us. As long as we are in control, He can't be.

"The 'I' nature wants to rule, having my way and exercising my rights, never allowing the Holy Spirit to do what He came to do. If we take our 'I' to the cross, we can exchange it there for the I AM.

"Then the Holy Spirit moves into every area of our personality, and the veil of flesh begins to fall away. We begin to realize that we don't think as we used to think.

"The truth will dawn on us: 'These aren't my thoughts.' Then we understand Paul's injunction to 'Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus'" (Phil. 2:5).

The Holy Spirit begins to replace Adam's carnal mind with the mind of Christ so we can think as our Daddy thinks. Then He changes our rebellious wills as well.

As we keep surrendering to the Holy Spirit, He begins to take the Father's will and make it our will. As we yield to the Holy Spirit's work within us, we begin to walk with God and do the will of God.

Perhaps you will never fully grasp the wonder of redemption. But you can rejoice in it and experience the reality of the life of Christ in you—your promised land—as you abandon yourself to the Holy Spirit within you.

He has come to change you into the image of Christ, to cause this "treasure in earthen vessels" to shine forth, "that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us" (2 Cor. 4:7). And He made your victory possible (Col. 2:13-15).

Christ did it all for us. Why should we be defeated by enemies who seem too strong for us—anger, self-pity or pride? We must be very courageous to put off the old man and put on the new, as Paul admonished us: "Put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and ... put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness" (Eph. 4:22-24).

Begin to declare victory. The righteous King has come. Receive His perfect love and banish the kings of self forever.

Read a companion devotional.

The late Fuchsia Pickett is the author of Possess Your Promised Land, published by Charisma House, from which this article is adapted.

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Why Do So Many 'Born-Again, Spirit-Filled' Women Show Off Cleavage in Church? [feedly]

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Why Do So Many 'Born-Again, Spirit-Filled' Women Show Off Cleavage in Church?

"I know I'm inappropriate, but I'm trying to save time. I know I'm in the wrong. My mother would not approve. But would it be better that I not come?" Those were the words of a 30-year-old woman entering church in Maryland wearing a revealing tank top and tight pants.

God bless her, but that's in the same spirit as saying, "I know it's inappropriate to cuss in church, but I can't think of any better way to say it," or, "I know it's inappropriate to smoke during praise and worship, but I didn't have time to finish my Marlboro on the way here."

Some women—and I am talking about so-called "mature believers," not lost souls or baby Christians—come into God's sanctuary on Sunday morning wearing clothes you might rather expect to see them wearing at a dance club on Saturday night. Their blouses cling to their bodies, their necklines dip so low and stretch so wide that they reveal cleavage, and the slits up the sides of their skirts offer more than an innocent glimpse of their thighs. Again, I'm not talking about sinners seeking God or new believers who plain don't know better. I'm talking about thsoe who claim to be "born-again, baptized, blood-bought" (even tongue-talking) members of the church!

Paul instructed Timothy that women should "adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation" (1 Tim. 2:9), and he told the church at Corinth that "our unpresentable parts have greater modesty" (1 Cor. 12:23). Regardless of how hot it is outside or how busy we are, there's no justification for Spirit-filled women to come to church wearing clothes that cause some men to pay more attention to the things of the flesh than the things of the Spirit.

But rather than repenting, some of these progressive women are lashing out against campaigns like Modest Is Hottest, calling it sexist. In her critique of Modest Is Hottest, Sharon Hodde Miller, a doctoral student at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, argues, "A woman's breasts and buttocks and thighs all proclaim the glory of the Lord." Maybe, but I somehow doubt Jesus intended for this aspect of His glory to manifest in church.

Worship artist Jaime Jamgochian launched Modest Is Hottest to reach out to teen girls with the love of Christ. She says, "I feel like there's always more to it when a girl is dressed inappropriately than 'I just want to look cute.'"

I agree—and the same goes for older women who call Jesus Lord. I'm not suggesting that women subscribe to the Holiness Movement's guidelines for women's clothing and makeup. No, I'm not suggesting religious rules and regulations. But I don't think Christian women should dress like the worldly women in church or anywhere else. It's not about a shame-based approach to modesty that Miller opines about in her column. It's about self-respect—and respect for others.

"I love what Jaime is doing; she is right on: Modest is hottest! I think this is such a good message to convey. Jaime is not being sexist but rather sharing that as beautiful women of God we can look so gorgeous without being revealing," says Alyssa Shull, a youth pastor at Words of Life in North Miami and founder of The Pink Lid, a conference designed for girls between the ages of 12-18 where beauty and purity are key themes.

"You are respecting yourself and those around you when you are modest," Shull says. "Lust is very prevalent in our culture, but Jesus says in Matthew 5:28, even if you look at a woman with lust in your eyes it is adultery. So I believe that women can do their part and display themselves in a beautiful way without promoting lust. You can be stylish and modest!"

I agree with Shull and, as the mother of a 16-year-old girl, appreciate what she and Jamgochian are doing for young teens. I got more than 100 comments on my Facebook page in less than two hours this morning when I asked, "What's your view on women coming to church in skimpy tank tops and tight pants? Shouldn't we come to church dressed modestly?" In a testament to the division in the body of Christ, quite a number of them were offended that I asked the question and accused me of having a judgmental spirit for suggesting that it's inappropriate to dress immodestly in church.

Again, it's not about the sinner coming in to look for Jesus or the baby Christian still shaking off the dust of the world. We're talking about tongue-talking women wearing clothes so tight they may as well have been spray-painted on and cleveage falling out of their blouses. That's why Facebook comments like this one trouble me: "Get to where God sees and don't worry about the wardrobe of another person unless you are inclined to buying them new clothes to wear." And this one: "Even if they aren't lost, they have an identity issue. Who are we to judge?"

If we can "judge" that they have an identity issue, can't we judge that they shouldn't be showing cleavage in church? And it's not our responsibility to buy a woman new clothes just because she's wearing seductive garb to church. But it is our responsibility to speak the truth in love to those who may not know better and to lead by example. In too many ways—including sometimes our wardrobe—Christians have conformed to the world. Paul warned us not to "be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Rom. 12:2).

It's not about being the fashion police, and it's not about condemnation. If the Holy Spirit convicted your heart about the way you dress as you read this, don't let the devil beat you up. Just buy a few new outfits and keep praising God! It's about not purposely opening the door to the spirit of immorality. Sure, as one Facebook commenter noted, a woman could wear a burlap sack to church and still find lustful eyes upon her. But does that mean we let it all hang out in the name of liberty? God forbid. 

Jennifer LeClaire is news editor at Charisma. She is also the author of several books, including The Spiritual Warrior's Guide to Defeating Jezebel. You can email Jennifer at jennifer.leclaire@charismamedia.com or visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.

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God Isn't Looking for Performance But for True Worship [feedly]

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God Isn't Looking for Performance But for True Worship

Why God isn't looking for performance but for true worship in response to His love 

Pure and love are not two words that we often put together. Maybe it's because most of the love we experience is anything but pure. As flawed people, we rarely love without somewhat tainted motives. We all have probably "loved" someone because we wanted something from them, and I'm sure we've all been "loved" because someone only wanted something out of or from us.

We often feel we have to earn someone's love by training ourselves to give them what they want. Unfortunately, this kind of love isn't "pure" at all, and it doesn't come close to reflecting God's true heart. But we're so used to performing and trying to impress the people we want to love us that we treat God the same way. We go around and around in circles trying to make Him happy without ever stopping to consider that maybe His love is really, truly, pure—without any selfish or deceptive motive. Maybe God doesn't want anything from us except us.

I love the story of Mary and Martha because it perfectly capture's God's pure love. Martha worked so hard to get every little detail right for Jesus. I think that, whether she realized it or not, she was trying to impress Him and earn His love. She thought He cared about how perfect, clean and comfortable His visit to her home would be. She didn't realize that His love was so pure that the only thing He wanted was to spend time with her and her sister. 

Because Martha thought His love was impure, her response of love back to Him was impure. It was all about performance. Mary, on the other hand, understood His deep, pure love for her. Her loving response of sitting at the feet of Jesus and spending time with Him came from a heart that had grasped His pure love for her.

I am a worshipper and a worship leader because I believe worship is an expression of honesty between our hearts and God's. It's an exchange of pure love. We receive and experience His love for us and cannot help but give it back to Him.

I do wonder sometimes, though, if we view our worship the way Martha viewed her housework. Do we ever worship God like we're trying to impress Him? It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that our worship has to be just right before God will meet with us.

But when we worship this way, it can become about formula. It can lead us to idolize our songs and to focus too much on what we're singing and how things sound, all without a real heart connection. Don't get me wrong, I love worship songs, and I definitely have my favorites, but I want to make sure I really mean the things I sing and that my worship is just not a formulaic effort to win His love.

In John 4:23, Jesus says, "The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him." This verse tells me that God wants our love and our worship toward Him to be pure. 

I don't know about you, but when I'm striving and stressing to impress someone and make them love me, well, that's not really love; it's performance, and it's not exactly what I would call pure.

The Lord wants our honesty and truth. He wants our hearts and spirits to be completely connected to what our mouths are saying to Him and singing to Him. He wants our pure worship. 

The only way for our worship to truly be pure is for us to receive His pure love for us. We must realize that no matter what, He loves us. His love is completely pure. He does not love us because we can give anything to Him or do Him any service. He loves us without an ulterior motive. He simply loves us for us and wants us to know Him and experience that love.

We can't earn His love because He's already given it to us! That's absolutely incredible to me and makes me want to worship Him and give Him all of my love.

When we focus on how good He is and on everything He has done for us, then we can, like Mary, focus on spending time with Him rather than just "doing things" for Him. We can hear Him, listen to Him and experience His affection for us. Only then can we respond in worship to the Lord and exalt who He is over every other name and every other circumstance, giving Him our pure love as we receive His. 

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Kari Jobe is an associate worship pastor at Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, and a recording artist. She's known since age 10 that she wanted to be a worship leader.

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It's the Little Things That Can Make You Fall Spiritually [feedly]

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It's the Little Things That Can Make You Fall Spiritually

Being that our 13-month-old son, Timmy, is as fearless as he is, and being that he has already performed many daredevil feats from which he somehow miraculously escaped unharmed, my husband and I have asked each other a few times, "So, how long do you suppose it will be before we end up in the ER with Timmy?"

That question was answered Friday night. Timmy came walking into the kitchen, tripped over his own feet and fell face-first onto a large can of green beans. The rim of the can caught him just above the bridge of his nose. Timmy cried heartily for at least 60 seconds, whereupon he got over it. I knew, however, that his cut required stitches.

So I changed his diaper and put him in a fuzzy sleeper (good hospital wear). I then loaded up all five kids in the van and took Timmy to the ER, where he got four stitches on his poor little face. If Timmy grows up with an aversion to green beans, we'll know why.

The point of this story, other than the fact that green beans aren't as innocent as they look, is this: Despite all his activity, despite all the things that should have done him in long before now, Timmy was overcome by … a can of green beans. Something so simple led to his defeat.

Often it's the same with us, isn't it? We get all the big things right, but it's the little things that trip us up. We don't commit adultery, rob a bank or murder anyone. But we lie, speak critically or gossip.

It's not a temptation for me to rob a bank. I don't have any trouble refraining from that sin, because I don't want to commit it in the first place. But being critical? It's a temptation to which I give in all too often.

True, some sins may have bigger consequences than others. But even what we think of as the little sins—the ones that don't really matter much—can ruin our relationship with God and with others and cause us additional consequences we never intended.

Any sin we commit is an offense against our relationship with God as well as against God Himself. God doesn't just care about the "biggies"; He cares about all sin, even our favorite sins that we think aren't that big a deal. He doesn't like them. In fact, He hates them. Yet we too often excuse them or don't even call them what they are.

For most of us, the sins that slip in between us and God aren't going to be things the world would care about. The things that take us down aren't going to be things that make the front page of the paper.

No, the sins that bring about our downfall are much more likely to be things that look like not that big a deal at first.

Something like a can of green beans sitting on the floor.

"Therefore let anyone who thinks that [s]he stands take heed lest [s]he fall" (1 Cor. 10:12, ESV).

Megan Breedlove is an author, blogger and a stay-at-home mom with five children. Visit her website Manna for Moms.

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6 Steps to Break the Power of Satan's Lies [feedly]

 
 

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6 Steps to Break the Power of Satan's Lies

Everyone has struggles. But God's power will free us when we give ourselves to Him. 

I took the old shoebox from my closet and looked through the tattered love letters James had written to me during his first year of college. It occurred to me that they were 20-year-old letters.

A lot had happened in 20 years.

We'd become a family of five. The James Robison Evangelistic Association had grown to its peak in outreach. Many respected spiritual leaders described James as the most dynamic and gifted preacher of our day.

I chose a letter randomly and read its yellowed pages, hoping to recapture a sense of my husband's early passion for the Lord:

Betty, I went to the woods as soon as I could get away from class. God's presence saturated the place where I sat, and He seemed to say, "I've been waiting for you, James."

I felt as if I could reach up and take Him by the hand. I told Him, "I want to tell everyone how great You are."

God said something that totally stunned me. He told me He wanted to use me to preach His Word to the world. I told Him I couldn't begin to think in those terms.

Then He said, "Within a year, you will be preaching in the largest churches, stadiums and coliseums." He showed me thousands of people crowding the aisles and surrounding the platform to surrender their lives to Jesus.

I dropped to my knees and told God that He didn't have to give me a big ministry like that.

"All I care about is You and me, Jesus, right here. No matter what happens, if You give me a big ministry or a small one, I promise I'll always come right back here to You and tell You that I love You."

Tears filled my eyes as I read the last line again.

"Oh God," I prayed, "everything you showed him that day has happened. You kept your word to James.

"Why didn't he keep his promise to You? What's happening to him?

"After the last crusade, he asked me to pray that he would die. He talked about depression and lustful thoughts that were tormenting him. He says it's not my fault, but I know it is.

"I'm not close to You like James is," I cried. "He has always been the strong one. How can I help him?"

How Did We Get Here? 

When I first started planning a future with my shy high school sweetheart, I imagined a safe, comfortable and predictable life. But then God called James to preach and filled him with boldness—and I became the wife of a man in public ministry.

To survive I made sure I did all the right religious things. At the same time, I insulated myself by sticking close to the one place I felt safe: at home with my family.

Meanwhile James' zeal and the demands of his schedule thrust him into a web of religious activity. Somewhere in the midst of all his busyness for God, however, he lost his intimacy with God. By his late 20s he found himself experiencing defeat, depression and emptiness.

I prayed desperate prayers for him. People close to him also prayed and attempted to speak into his life.

Eventually, by the grace and power of God, James experienced a dramatic deliverance. The change in him was striking. His schedule remained busy, but now his heart and soul were peaceful and unstressed.

He studied the Bible for hours each day as a new, life-giving message seemed to explode in his preaching. He used every possible platform to describe the victory he'd found, hoping to set other captives free.

I was happy for James, but I was also horrified at having our private lives played out openly before the world. James' new freedom destroyed my comfort zones and created a whole new, unpredictable world for me.

Suddenly I was forced to deal with my own well-disguised strongholds, which glared in ugly contrast to the open, Christ-like life James was now living.

Believing Lies 

Holy Spirit showed me that my strongholds were largely the result of deceptive thinking—lies from the enemy I had believed from an early age.

As a bashful middle child, I had developed a pattern of thinking negative thoughts about my appearance, my intelligence and my purpose in life. I had avoided competition and seldom attempted anything new—not because I lacked interest, but because I was afraid of failing.

I had carried that baggage into my marriage. No matter how James tried to build me up, I was never able to receive his edification.

---

Proverbs 29:25 says, "The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that" (MSG). How true!

The disabling lies of the enemy had literally paralyzed me with fear. As I began to acknowledge the deception, however, and trust God more and more with my life, the Holy Spirit helped me build up a powerful resistance to Satan's schemes.

Lie 1: "Betty, you can't understand God's Word." Growing up in church, I read my Bible but had difficulty understanding it. I avoided reading the Old Testament, convinced that it was beyond me.

Then I learned that the Holy Spirit was sent to reveal God's Word to believers. Once Satan's lie was exposed by this truth, I asked God to fill me with His Spirit and teach me His Word.

I began to spend the early mornings studying the Bible and making notes on what I was learning. I was amazed when I saw New Testament truths foreshadowed in the writings of Moses, David and the prophets. The Bible was a new, exciting book, and I couldn't stop studying once I started.

Whenever I shared the insights God was showing me with James, our discussions reminded me of the spiritual exchanges he had with other preachers. I could understand the Bible after all! Sometimes James would even tell a congregation, "Tonight I am preaching something Betty showed me in the Word."

Lie 2: "Betty, God has His favorites—and you're not one of them." One evening after a long day of ministry, James and I fell into bed exhausted but spiritually refreshed. Suddenly I felt my emotions being overwhelmed, and tears began to flow freely.

James reached for me. "What's wrong, Honey?"

"Nothing's wrong," I said through my tears. "God is just loving me.

"For the first time I feel like God is saying, 'Betty, I love you just as you are. I am pleased with you. You let Me do the changing in you. Quit trying to change yourself.'"

As His love flowed through me in a new way that night, I felt special to the Lord. It was a totally freeing experience.

Lie 3: "You will die, and James will get the wife he deserves." Secretly I had believed this lie all our married life. When I finally confessed it to James, he held me, rebuked the fear, and prayed Scriptures of Christ's authority over me.

My body shook violently as the enemy made his last desperate attempt to keep me in the lie. Then the shaking stopped, and I rejoiced because I knew I was free.

For the first time, I understood 2 Timothy 1:7: God had not given me a spirit of fear, but I had allowed one to control me.

I'll be honest. Fear still assaults my mind sometimes. But now I recognize its source, and I trust God's love and the authority of His Word to protect me.

Six Steps to Freedom

For me, freedom didn't come overnight. It was a process. But the key was found in one word: surrender.

Using a simple progression through Scripture, God showed me that surrendering to Him was the only path to true freedom. He led me through six steps of surrender that eventually broke the power of Satan's lies in my life.

1. Humble yourself before God (see James 4:7). This first step of surrender often reveals a well-hidden stronghold of pride. Pride hates to be uncovered—and when it is, we generally don't like what we find underneath.

At one point I found myself suffering a series of severe headaches. I asked James if God was showing him anything about me. I knew he'd learned in his studies that affliction can sometimes be demonic and attached to unconfessed sin.

James sat down next to me. "I believe God is showing me something, but you aren't going to like it."

I insisted I could accept whatever it was.

"Well," he continued, "I think God is saying you have an unteachable spirit."

In a burst of energy, I stood, planted my hands on my hips and announced, "I do not!" My head pounded fiercely as I ran to the bedroom, hurt and upset.

---

James took the kids out and left me alone pacing the floor. Immediately evil, impish faces appeared in the room and in my dresser mirror. Their mouths curled up in taunting smirks, and their voices mocked me in my thoughts.

I wanted to scream or run, but my limbs felt paralyzed. The images ambushed me on every turn, and their heckling grew louder.

"Please God, help me," I prayed. "Make these things go away. I will do whatever you say."

Then I wept as I confessed, "I do have an unteachable spirit."

When I opened my eyes, the terrifying images were gone. I walked to the mirror and saw only my reflection. A peaceful smile came over my face as I realized my headache was gone too.

An unteachable spirit partners with pride to keep from being exposed. Only humility can uncover them both.

2. Resist the devil (see James 4:7). Some Christians get trapped in sin and live defeated lives because they don't think the devil attacks them. They believe, as I did, that their distorted thoughts are their own.

They don't realize that "we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits of the heavenly realms" (Eph. 6:12, NLT).

The truth is, the enemy does attack us. He targets our minds and feeds us subtle lies that often keep us in bondage.

We can resist him, however, by believing God's Word and allowing the Holy Spirit to equip us in spiritual armor—the only kind that will allow us to stand against the devil's schemes (Eph. 5:13-18).

3. Wash your hands and purify your heart (see James 4:8). Amazingly, when we confess our sins to Jesus, He replaces our desire to sin with a desire for His purity. The Bible says the Holy Spirit within us "jealously longs for us to be faithful." When we come to Him with contrite hearts, He gives us the strength to make pure choices and "stand against such evil desires" (vv. 5-6).

4. Feel sorrow and deep grief for your sins (see James 4:9). As a young woman, I had the idea that God would "get me" if I didn't live a pure and obedient life. So I worked hard at being good. I honestly think that if I hadn't learned about saving grace in Ephesians 2:8-9 and known people who had intimate relationships with Jesus, I might have missed salvation through Christ.

But Isaiah 64:6 says, "We are infected and impure with sin. When we proudly display our righteous deeds, we find they are as filthy rags."

When the Holy Spirit showed me my sin and how it had opened my life to strongholds, my heart was broken. I grieved and repented before the Lord, realizing I had been trusting in my own goodness, not His grace.

5. Submit to the Lord's plan (see James 4:10). When James initiated our African mission work, I battled a different fear. In the unknown of foreign places, I would be far from my physical comfort zone. Our very lives could be threatened.

What a blessing I would have missed if I hadn't submitted my future to the Lord! Feeding starving children, drilling wells and building orphanages throughout the world has become a ministry passion. I have been surprised by how much I love being in the middle of it all.

6. Allow God alone to lift you up (see James 4:10). The Bible is clear: If we humble ourselves under God's mighty hand, He will lift us up in His own timing.

After James' deliverance was made public, our ministry lost half its financial support. Friends slandered and rejected us. But we forgave—without compromising the message of freedom God had given us.

As it turned out, the opposition only served to open up greater opportunities for outreach. The support we lost was not only replaced, it was greatly increased. God did indeed lift us up!

Wave the White Flag

Everyone struggles with something. My battle was with deception, fear and pride. Your battle may be with something else.

The good news is we can wave the white flag of surrender—not to the schemes of the enemy, but to God. As James and I learned, it's only by surrendering ourselves to God—by humbling ourselves before Him, repenting of our sin and trusting in His love and grace alone—that we find the path to freedom in our lives.

Read a companion devotional.

Betty Robison is the author of Free to Be Me, published by Tyndale House Publishers, from which this article is adapted. Betty helps lead Life Today international with her husband, James.

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Churches, mosques face penalty for poor financial reporting [feedly]

 
 

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Churches, mosques face penalty for poor financial reporting

The Federal Government through the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria has given religious and other not-for-profit organisations until January 1, 2014, to start reporting their profit-making subsidiaries as business entities in line with a new financial reporting regime, or risk penalties.

Also, under another financial regime, whose deadline has not been fixed, the FRC will refuse to give certificate of registration to companies' whose chairmen, managing directors and chief finance officers are not registered with it.

The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, FRC, Mr. Jim Obazee, who made the disclosure at a news conference in Lagos on Thursday, said a number of entities operating on commercial lines within charity were claiming exemption on their income on the ground that the totality of the outfits was charitable institutions.

Obazee said such entities had argued that they were engaged in the advancement of an object of general public utility and classified as 'company limited by guarantee' as provided by Section 26 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act LFN, 2004.

According to the FRC boss, when such a claim is made in respect of an activity carried out on commercial lines, it is contrary to the intention of the provision, and as such, put the assets of the charitable purpose at "significant risk."

He said, "The income of all not-for-profit organisations registered under the Companies and Allied Matters Act is exempted from income tax. However, business subsidiaries that are set up by charities are usually treated in the same manner as any other company. The income of these business subsidiaries is subject to income tax and should be rightly so reported, accounted and disclosed. That is the practise in the United Kingdom, Singapore and other developed economies.

"An activity would be categorised 'business' or 'a trading subsidiary' if it is undertaken with a profit motive. Normally, the profit motive test should be satisfied, but in any given case, activity may be regarded as business even when profit motive cannot be established/proved."

The FRC boss, however, said not-for-profit entities were organised and operated exclusively for social, educational, professional, religious, health, charitable or any other not-for-profit purposes.

Obazee said, "Currently, financial statements presented by not-for-profit organisations in Nigeria are not uniform and comparable. They differ from one type of institution to another, and sometimes among institutions of a particular type, thus, making comparison and accountability difficult. SAS 32 that became effective on July 1, 2011 establishes uniform basis of accounting and reporting of activities of not-for-profit organisations.

"The national roadmap to the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards categorised not-for-profit organisations in phase 2; expecting them to comply with the provision of IFRS effective January 1, 2014. The defunct Nigerian Accounting Standards Board, whose functions are now under the purview of the Financial Reporting Council, was directed by the Federal Executive Council, in its approval of the national roadmap, to monitor the implementation of the national roadmap."

The FRC boss stressed that starting from January 1, 2014, any not-for-profit organisation, which failed to comply with the SAS 32 accounting regime, would start facing some penalties.

Obazee said, "By December 2013, we will review the compliance level. By January 1, 2014, we will start taking some soft steps to ensure compliance. We will work with the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Corporate Affairs Commission to do this."

 On the registration of professionals, he said very soon, companies' chairmen, managing directors and chief finance officers would not be qualified to sign their companies' annual financial statements unless they were registered with the FRC.

He said FRC had started requiring them to put their FRC registration numbers beside their signatures in the companies' annual financial statements.

Obazee, however, noted that only those who belonged to professional bodies with enabling laws of the National Assembly would be registered by the FRC.

On the recent media reports that the whereabouts of about N500m raised by the council for the proposed IFRS Academy was not known, he said the money was intact pending relevant approvals for the commencement of the institution.

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