America's Spiritual Slumber: A Warning

Waking Up from Spiritual Slumber: A Prophetic Dream 

In a recent prophetic dream, I saw a stark picture of the current spiritual state of America. In the first part of the dream, I saw an American man sound asleep on the floor of a building, with large snakes weighing him down. The man had been asleep for so long that these grass snakes, while not poisonous, had grown to an enormous size of 6-8 feet long. 

This sleeping man represents how America has been in a state of spiritual slumber, allowing problems and evil influences to grow unchecked. While we've been "asleep", these snakes have crept in and are now weighing us down. There was also a black curtain in the room, obscuring my view of what lay behind it, indicating there are hidden forces at work that we cannot clearly see.

In the next part of the dream, I was driving an old truck that was nearly out of gas. The gas station I found was closed, the pump out of order. Desperately needing to fill up to make it home, I went into a shop looking for help, only to find it full of dusty, unused lawnmowers. 

The imagery of being out of gas connects to the parable of the 10 virgins in Matthew 25, where oil represents the Holy Spirit. As Christians in America, we are running dangerously low on the power and presence of the Spirit in our lives and churches. The unused lawnmowers represent how we have neglected our God-given mandate to tend the "garden" and exercise dominion by dealing with the "snakes" that have crept in. 

While praying about this dream, I sensed the Lord saying that in many of our churches, we are just "running on embers" rather than the powerful fire of the Holy Spirit that characterized past revivals and awakenings. We desperately need sanctification and a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire to wake us up from our slumber. 

The good news is it's not too late for us to wake up! Like the disciples who fell asleep in the garden when Jesus asked them to watch and pray, we have the opportunity now to shake off our spiritual drowsiness. As the body of Christ, we need to link arms in unity, pray for cleansing and holiness, and cry out for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit to empower us. Let's commit to watching, praying and tending the garden with renewed vigilance and zeal. Jesus is coming back soon - let's be ready, with our lamps filled and burning brightly!

From Darkness to Light: Alfred Ivery's Powerful Testimony

Saved in the Cell - God's Miraculous Redemption Story

I recently had the privilege of interviewing Christian singer Alfred Ivery on my Coffee with Conrad podcast. Alfred shared his incredible journey of redemption - how he went from living a wild lifestyle far from God to surrendering his life to Christ and experiencing a miraculous deliverance.

Alfred grew up in a Christian home but strayed from his faith in his early 20s after a painful divorce. He got caught up in the temptations of women, parties and singing in clubs. This led him down a destructive path of legal troubles, facing a felony charge and mandatory prison sentence for repeated convictions of driving with a suspended license. 

While awaiting sentencing in a jail cell, expecting to serve 2 years, Alfred had a dramatic encounter with God. He cried out in genuine repentance, surrendering his life to Christ no matter the consequences. When appearing before a notoriously harsh judge, a miracle happened - his case was unexpectedly dismissed! Alfred walked out a free man, forever changed.

Since recommitting his life to God, Alfred has been living to serve and glorify Him. His testimony demonstrates the emptiness of life apart from God, and the joy, peace and purpose found in Christ. Alfred's story is a powerful example of God's love, grace and transforming power. No matter how far we may stray, God is always calling us back to Him.

I encourage you to visit Alfred's website at alfredivy.com to hear his anointed music and be inspired by his ongoing ministry. His songs, like "You Saved Me," flow out of his life story and relationship with the Lord. I pray his testimony touches many lives, especially young people who may be struggling or running from God. In Christ, there is always hope, forgiveness and new beginnings!

An Enlightening Interview with Author Frank Viola

Rethinking Faith with Frank Viola

I recently had the incredible opportunity to interview one of my favorite Christian authors, Frank Viola, on my show Coffee with Conrad. Frank has written thought-provoking books like Pagan Christianity and Reimagining Church that have really challenged my thinking and opened my eyes to look at Scripture in a fresh way. 

In our discussion, Frank shared the heart behind his latest project, the "Rethinking" series. His goal is to examine many aspects of the Christian faith and ask: Is this really biblical? Does it work in our lives? He wants to provoke Christians to go on the same journey he has been on - to reexamine much of what we've been taught, retain what is scriptural, but have the courage to rethink things that may be more based in human tradition than God's word.

Some of the key topics the "Rethinking" series explores include:

- What is the true nature of salvation? 

- How do we experience genuine spiritual growth?

- What should be the real mission of the church?

- How can we live by the indwelling life of Christ on a practical level?

While Frank readily admits he doesn't have all the answers, his writings come from his own journey and discoveries that have helped him know the Lord more deeply. His heart is to see Christians living out an authentic faith that truly represents Christ to the world.

One major burden Frank expressed is the lack of love and graciousness among believers today, especially on social media. He emphasized that as Christians, we must treat others the way we want to be treated in every situation (Matthew 7:12). This is the essential core of divine life. 

I appreciate how Frank backs up his perspectives with Scripture and explains things in an understandable way. While I may not agree with every single point, I always find his books and podcast to be thought-provoking, insightful and challenging me to dig deeper in my faith. I encourage you to check out his writings and teachings for yourself at frankviola.org. 

Interviewing Frank Viola was a true honor and I'm excited to see how God continues to use him to shine light and speak truth to the body of Christ. His example inspires me to keep pursuing Jesus passionately, think biblically, and represent Christ authentically in all I say and do. I hope you'll join me on that journey!