Since we are now into the holiday season, we should be thankful and enjoy the periods between Thanksgiving and New Year’s when we focus more on family and socializing. This is a good thing. It’s almost like a tithe of the year in which we draw back and focus on relationships. Enjoy it, and get all of the rest you can, because 2011 is going to be one of the most intense years of our lifetime. This also means that it will be one of the most opportune years for those who are prepared.

Years ago, I read a study on alcoholism about how this problem affected different people groups. It was very illuminating. The great surprise was that the group who had the highest percentage of alcoholics was a conservative evangelical denomination that forbids the drinking of any kind of alcohol. Just as surprising was the finding that the people group who had the lowest percentage of alcoholics were the Jews who drink freely.

Response to the Charisma Article

      Hello, I am Rick Joyner. Thank you for joining me for this Special Bulletin on current events. We have been covering over the last few Special Bulletins the Japanese earthquake, what this means, how it was prophesied, along with other consequences. Also, what do we do to be prepared for these times? If these things are coming upon us that were prophesied, what do we do to get ready for them?

         We continue this study with Revelation 7:1:

          “After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the  earth, so that no wind should blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree.”

The Holy Spirit is now releasing into the church that which will ultimately accomplish more than any other outpouring of the Holy Spirit since the Day of Pentecost. He is releasing a consuming passion for Jesus that will return the church to her first love. There is nothing on earth as contagious as this passion for the Son of God; those who have it will infect everyone they come in contact with. The church is about to fall so in love with the Lord she will cover the world with the knowledge of him like the waters cover the sea.

         One goal I have for my writings is to take what I acquired from many hours, sometimes years, of study and condense it for those without the time for such research. Even so, knowing and appreciating that many like to go deeper with their own research, I would like to briefly share some great sources for studying Revelation.

         Last week, I brought up a few aspects of Count Zinzendorf’s life that I think made him one of the extraordinary Christians of the church age. We will continue surveying other great Christian lives, but first I want to review why studying them can reap benefits beyond mere inspiration.