1. I had the privilege of interviewing Pastor Bill Johnson of Bethel Church in Redding, California. I read his new book, Born for Significance, twice and found his insight on promotion critical to understanding the blessings of God.
“Well, He’s called us to disciple nations,” Johnson said. “And it’s a very large task. And we can’t do it until we know how to master the realms of personal promotion—watch over our own hearts—so that we step into promotion well. We need to be able to do what David did, for example, to step in that role and maintain godliness and maintain priorities. And it’s a big challenge because people tend to get promoted out of their own maturity. They tend to get promoted out of their own strength of their own heart, their own character. It’s happened through revivals, you know, revivals bring an increase of blessing and conflict. Some people can’t handle the conflict; they become embittered. Some can’t handle the blessing; they become materialistic or self-centered.”
He went on to tell me in the interview, “We must be successful in discipling nations that we truly can raise up disciples, of kings, of leaders around the world, and at the same time, maintain true humility and accountability in community. That’s my passion.”
Download my interview with Pastor Bill Johnson, here.
2. I heard more about the toxicity of drinking water from plastic bottles. To oversimplify it, most of the water we drink from plastic has ridden in the back of a hot truck. Plastic breaks down in heat and toxins are released. “Forever toxins” remain in the water.
Dr. Mark Sherwood is a frequent guest on the Greenelines Podcast and warns us about what toxins do to our immune system.
“It’s the persistency of it.” he said. “And we need to be more persistent about an antitoxic lifestyle, and really focus on it.”
For an in-depth discussion of toxicity, please listen to the interview with Dr. Sherwood, here.
3. I heard a reminder from Rabbi Curt Landry that “we need to be able to protect God’s kingdom. I think sometimes people forget Patrick Henry. He was in St. John’s Church in Richmond, Virginia, on March the 23rd, 1775. And this is powerful, this is all about the Spirit. He said, ‘Give me liberty or give me death.’ Second Corinthians 3:17 says, ‘Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.’ And we have to have religious liberty, to be able to minister and to preach the gospel. And our Constitution, right now is being tested.
4. I heard about the power of three during my interview with Robb Hiller. You can hear the interview by clicking on this link:
“Well, the power of three is a simple method that is easy for anybody to implement. And it’s about learning to first ask the right questions. And then the next part of it is to activate your God-given gifts and talents. Because when you do that things change. And the third part is to advocate and develop advocates who connect with your faith with your family, and your friends. And when you do all three of those— something powerful happens. Consider a triangle and you’ll see that from a geometric standpoint—in trigonometry—it’s the strongest shape known to man. And the most important principle of three was 2000 years ago, when the concept of the Trinity, came through the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” Hiller said.
5. I heard a new worship video that premiered on January 22, 2021 on YouTube from River Valley Worship. I listened to it again several times this morning and felt such a powerful anointing as I wrote and worshipped. It’s the perfect accompaniment to devotion time with one well-played piano and a circle of fresh harmony throughout. Listen to the end and be blessed.
