New Wine, Old Wineskins and the Fear of Change by Lee Grady

This article reminds me of the things God has been reminding me of lately. EJO

The Lord wants to unleash a gushing river of new wine into the church today, but we must leave some things behind.

A woman from Orlando, Fla., was in the news last month because she decided to retire from driving her 1964 Mercury Comet. Rachel Veitch, who is 93, bought the car new for $3,300 when gasoline cost 29 cents a gallon. Today the light yellow car, which Veitch calls “Chariot,” has 567,000 miles on it.

That’s great news for Veitch—who will probably get $44,000 for the antique car because she took such good care of it. But whoever buys it will either store it in a fancy garage or display it at an auto show. There are not too many miles left on this relic of the past.

“We cannot rely on church growth gurus, popular books or rock-star preachers to lead us into genuine innovation. Copying spiritual trends is just a form of carnality.”

Cars have a life expectancy. Most 1964 Mercury Comets have long been doomed to the junkyard. Engines die, carburetors rust and models go out of style, so we trade them in for newer vehicles. In our fast-paced world, Apple debuts a new iPhone every few years and the most popular apps have almost monthly updates. We’ve come to expect frequent upgrades.

Yet for those of us involved in ministry, we tend to think the church needs no remodeling or renovation. We expect congregations to hum along perpetually for years and years, thinking the world will want to pile into our 1964 yellow Mercury Comet and enjoy the retro ride. But that is a faulty assumption.

While the message of the gospel itself is both timeless and flawless, the packaging we wrap it in must adapt with the times or we will quickly lose relevance. Pipe organs, steeples and choir robes were never wrong, but they won’t help us reach today’s generation. Nor do stale religious systems, tired terminology or worn-out denominational programs that should have been mothballed long ago. (The same can be said for telethons on Christian TV that have the look and feel of a 1978 game show.)

Jesus told John the Baptist’s disciples that people don’t put new wine in old wineskins because the skins will burst and the wine will be wasted. “Put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved,” Jesus said (Matt. 9:17, NASB). But many churches and ministries today insist on pouring their new wine in the old models, again and again. We resist innovation and we fight progress.

I’m willing to guess that 90 percent of what we are doing in church today needs a total makeover. We are facing the most daunting renovation project in the history of the church. But the task is not impossible. It will require us to take these painful steps:

1. We must break free from the fear of change. God is always on the move. He might lead us to camp in one spot for a while, but we can never get too comfortable in one place. His trumpet will eventually blow and the cloud of His presence will shift. Don’t park when God is calling you forward. Stay open to His fresh directives, and expect Him to stretch your faith. He is adventurous!

2. We must be willing to defy tradition. People who are married to the past cannot embrace the future. Sacred cows do not belong in the pulpit; they must be sacrificed on the altar. “The way we’ve always done it” will not work in God’s new season. The crowd chooses the comfortable pews of nostalgia, but God is with the courageous few who are willing to blaze a new path into unreached territory.

3. We must ask the Spirit to reveal His new strategies. We cannot rely on church growth gurus, popular books or rock-star preachers to lead us into genuine change. Copying spiritual trends is just a form of carnality—and it is a sad substitute for real innovation. If the work of transforming the church is not totally led by the Holy Ghost, then our changes will be shallow and our impact will be pitiful. The last thing we need is a superficial upgrade.

I believe the Lord wants to unleash a gushing river of new wine into the church today, but He is directing us to prepare our wineskins. What is old must be renewed by the Spirit, what is outdated must be remodeled, and what is ineffective must be replaced. God wants to do a new thing. Don’t resist it.

J. LEE GRADY is the former editor of Charisma and the director of The Mordecai Project. You can follow him on Twitter at leegrady. He is the author of several books including 10 Lies the Church Tells Women, 10 Lies Men Believe and The Holy Spirit Is Not for Sale.

THE COMING REVIVAL by EJ Ouellette

Today I was pondering some prophecies I received over several years. Sometimes God reminds me a lot of things that he told me over the years and they fit together like a big puzzle. Some of the puzzle pieces came as dreams others were revelations given to me in the night and some came as Rhema words during other times. Lately I seem to be running in to the dumbest of people. I can only equate the conversation to having a blind man tell me there's no such thing as color. I mean how do you answer to that? But often in the church of today that's exactly what it's like when God reveals to you some hidden things that he only tells those who are close to him. When I inquired of the Lord about the futility of the situation he showed me something that he has shown me many times in the past. I saw Jesus coming on a donkey, and only the children recognized whom he was. This is a constant reminder to me that he was invisible to the Pharisees and they were prevented from seeing who He really was and is, He did this on purpose because what he had and has was meant for the children and not for the brood of Vipers. Time and time again I have seen this principle repeated and seen the children enter in while the adults completely missed the boat. In the end, the marriage supper of the Lamb and those who were invited made excuses to why they couldn't come. God had shown me many times that the end time revival would be about God's love. That for the first time in a major outpouring, God's people would feel the manifest love of God. But exactly like at the marriage supper of the Lamb those that were invited won't even enter in and will reject this outpouring and say it is of the devil. This revival will be dominated by children and young people that will ignore these religious spirits and fall headfirst head-over-heels in love with the Lord. In essence this group will be the bride of Christ. A bride totally smitten and won't care what others think. They will be given understanding that the others couldn't come close to grasping. They will know who they are in the Lord and will be unmovable in him. It will be a Song of Solomon relationship. These children won’t be manipulated nor will their relationships be half hearted. They will jump in with both feet, not caring what the modern Pharisees (Christian Fundamentalists) of the day say. In fact the world will jump in before they do as in the marriage supper. “Go into the streets and find whoever will come”

EJ Ouellette

O, Canada! More Americans Heading North- You can't escape Gods judgments

O, Canada! More Americans Heading North

From ABC News

By MARCUS BARAM

July 31, 2007

Blame Canada!

It may seem like a quiet country where not much happens besides ice hockey, curling and beer drinking. But our neighbor to the north is proving to be quite the draw for thousands of disgruntled Americans.

The number of U.S. citizens who moved to Canada last year hit a 30-year high, with a 20 percent increase over the previous year and almost double the number who moved in 2000.

By EJ Ouellette 

Recently I was returning to Canada after a few days in the US. Unfortunately, I couldn’t fly back, as it was a little far for me to get to the airport and the bus was far easier. Getting near the Canadian border I spent most of my time talking with the bus driver, as he was extra friendly and obviously Canadian. At the border we lost two young men in their early 20s. They were refused entry into Canada. I honestly had never seen the Canadian border guards so aggressive and felt intimidated coming home to the Promised Land even though my entry only took a few seconds. We waited an hour at the border, which later caused me to miss my connecting train in Toronto. The driver went on to tell me his recent experiences at the border. He said he loses at least 2 every trip of Americans escaping to Canada. He sometimes loses more. One of his co-workers lost all 53 passengers on one trip and only the driver made it across! It seems there is an epidemic of Americans trying to escape the impending doom. I mean who told them to run? Was it God? There own common sense? They never listened to me before when I preached about the coming end to America. The Canadian border is shut down to Americans by the looks of it. Its funny, I saw many times when God showed me the coming judgments he also showed me that none would escape. It is clear that if you are destined to escape, God will provide a way and if you are destined to go through the fire you will not escape.

OH Yah and dont blame Obama, this exodus started with Bush's rein of terror.

THE GREAT SURRENDER dream April 26-02

12-04-26  Dream.

I dreamt I was at someone’s house and we were in the basement. I think a prayer meeting was about to start. I knew the people that were there and they were similar in the sense that all were going through great trials. Just then a pastor and his wife I knew and hadn’t seen in over ten years came in the door and down the stairs towards me. (Side note: The last time I saw this couple I had given a prophetic word that they didn’t accept. In fact they had publicly denounced me because of it, as it was word of rebuke and Judgment. They were head of several church’s all over and were well known. I had received several dreams concerning them but in the end I saw a great surrender and they were on a different road all together. In fact they and I became friends again.

As they descended the stairs I saw something different in them. They seemed to have a real glow and humility. I suddenly felt the presence of God and knew I had a word for them from the Lord and told them so. They smiled and sat down. I then began to quote John 12:24 Verbatim to them. They both began to weep and it was as if the scales fell from their eyes. I could see them think through all the trials and loss they went through over the last ten years and a smile came over their faces. He got up to lay hands on me and pray over me. Immediately I felt the presence of God very strongly and felt some kind of healing in me. I knew that the great surrender they went through installed a new level of apostolic authority and they were ready to go forth.

When I awoke I realized it was just a dream. It was so vivid I thought it was really happening.

John 12

24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

The truth is, if your a christian and you are called to service, at some point in your walk you will get buried and hidden away for a long season. The season will remove the dross and hinderances from you producing the fruit your were designed for. Its happening to me now. I dont really like it but its necessary. -EJ Ouellette

Lightning bolts dream April 23-2012 -EJ Ouellette

Dreamt I was at a house that I owned but was not familiar with. Lighting was hitting all over at an alarming rate. It wasn't raining, in fact it was sunny outside. There were so many strikes all around that I couldn't possibly count them and the sound was deafening. Two of my children were in the yard and came flying in the door for cover. At first I thought it was meteorites raining down but I wasn't totally sure. 

When I awoke I knew instantly it was a prophetic dream and I wondered if it might be literal since I have read and viewed many videos regarding and asteroid belt following the planet Nibiru that is headed are way and due in December 2012.

SO YOU WANNA GO BACK! Dream 12-04-21 EJ Ouellette

12-04-21

Dream.

I dreamt I was in a dark jungle somewhere. To my left there was a giant oak tree, which seemed out of place. Suddenly without any warning a large silver plane crashed into the oak treetops. The side was ripped open and I could see dozens of people inside. My heart pounded as I climbed the tree fearing the plane would explode anytime and these people would die. When I reached the plane the occupants seemed very dazed and confused. I was un-strapping some from their seats and they were very disoriented. I wondered how I was going to get them down from the tree when I noticed one of the huge wings had extended to the ground and was on an angle like a slide. I pushed the first one down and they made it perfectly to the bottom. I worked as quickly as I could to free them and get them down the slide. They seemed drugged somehow and couldn't  see the reason to get out so I was pushing them down. Some got angry and refused to leave despite my urgent pleadings. Some started back inside the plane to find their seats and hide from the ominous jungle below. I was incredibly frustrated with their inability to see the danger of staying and their resistance to me. I managed to free several when I noticed they started to climb back up the wing to get back in the plane. It was like herding cats as everyone seemed under some kind of drug that made them want to return to the destroyed plane and wait for their ultimate demise. I wanted to cry but felt I should continue trying to save them despite their stupidity.

When I awoke I immediately thought this was about the church of today. In the past, everyone I tried to free from the delusion, turned around and went right back in and became even more deluded than before. Once they returned after being freed they seemed lost forever. Some people even craved to go back in. It was like Moses freeing his people from Egypt only to have them sneak back.-EJO

Back in the Promised Land

Well Im back in Canada after a few days in Virginia and I must say I feel relieved to be back. When you've had constant dreams since the late 1990s regarding the coming apocalypse to the USA it can be very uncomfortable being down there. The sense of dread this time was overwhelming and only coming back and feeling the peace here in Canada showed me the difference. I never  had any prophetic dreams while there and have rarely had any in the bible belt since I think the spirit of religion has taken over the church there. Actually the best places I have ever had prophetic dreams was in northern Ontario and Florida. I have no idea why, but once read a book about someone who saw ladders to heaven all over and some were blocked by the enemy who had control over those areas. If thats true it would certainly fit what I have noticed, since Virginia seems to be prominently filled with un-belief. (in the Church) It is so stifling down there I feel like I have a bag over my head and want to run. I have noticed every-time I have freed people from the delusion in Virginia they actually cry and want to go back to the old. God told me a long time ago "when they crave to go back just let them go, that is their judgment!" I have found this to be true. They end even up more deluded than before. "You can't put new wine into old wines skins" has a fresh meaning.

BONDING MY MIND WITH GOD'S IN HEAVEN VISION- EJ Ouellette

I had been speaking at a local church doing an 8-week course on the prophetic when I noticed every evening a man in the front row constantly scribbling notes. At first I wondered if he was a reporter since in the past that was the case. Either way, it made me slightly nervous, as he looked somewhat official. After several nights he came up to me to have a chat and I obliged him. He told me that he was a professor from the seminary and he had been very interested in the course. I was taken aback by this feeling somewhat flattered. He told me one of his jobs at the seminary was to grade the students while they “Preached”. He said it was normal for a couple of doctrinal errors to occur and I think they were allowed up to three minor ones if I recall. He said to me that he was absolutely amazed when he heard me speak several times without a single doctrinal error. He said that this was nearly impossible for someone like me (No formal training) and was completely shocked by this. He said there can only be one answer that indeed God has completely inspired me to bring forth this teaching and it was under his direction. I told him that there was more to this story than he currently knew. I told him how God had taken me to heaven for four hours and he poured into me vast amounts of knowledge from the source of all creation.

As time went on God began to speak to me about ‘Sublimation’. I had never heard the word honestly until the Lord spoke it to me and I had to look it up in the dictionary. Sublimation basically is the putting together or two things so that they actually become one of another thing. I didn’t really understand fully at the time until God had given me some supporting dreams and then took me to heaven to explain it.

I was again ushered into an upper part of heaven and could only see the glory cloud and the Lord stood behind me speaking. I had a vision of myself in front of me as the Lord spoke. He took his hand in the Vision version of me and ran his hand through the middle of my skull. On one side he placed his Holy Spirit or His mind inside of my skull and then bonded the two halves together until they became a different combined object (sublimated). He then placed the vision version of me back on earth but with the newly combined brain. I could see that our thoughts or his thoughts and cares were now mine as well. In fact as time went on I could see and feel quite clearly whatever He felt, including His anger.

He spoke to me “I have placed your mind equally in heaven and on earth so that you would know my thoughts and cares. I have called you to be a writer who writes from my heart and can understand things from both a heavenly point of view and an earthly. You are now and will be in two places at once at all times”. I then could see clearly, a vision of me standing both on earth and in heaven all the time.

I must say after that experience, I began to understand far more clearly the wisdom I was receiving was inside of me and was part of my life. It didn’t seem to happen all at once but was more gradual over time.  As I began to minister in different church's I would also sometimes be taken over by the Lord as he would speak through me. During these times several people would come to me afterwards saying, that I turned into Jesus while I was speaking. This began to occur over and over again as time went on. This also occurred to William Branham during his ministry.  

As time went on it became impossible to listen to other speakers, as their messages seemed so simplistic and irrelevant. I definitely had God’s passion it seemed, and I felt myself angry for days over injustice and things that God cared about but man took no notice of. This vision of his point of view gets me into trouble all the time. At the time this happened, I had been a spirit filled Christian for 22 years.

EJ Ouellette

Galatians 2:20

King James Version (KJV)

 ²⁰I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

DREAM OF A PLANE BEING SHOT DOWN -EJ Ouellette

Dream 12-04-01

Dreamt I was on the ground somewhere and two Russian looking guys climbed out of a car. The two guys were wearing stolen police uniforms. They pulled out a rocket launcher and shot a commercial plane out of the sky.

When they saw me they were going to shoot me but two real cops showed up and they backed down.

I barely escaped.

PLANET X OR NIBIRU or SOMETHING ELSE - NASA PREPARING FOR OUTSIDE THREAT 2011

Dream of Two Suns

Daniel Potvin - 2004

In a dream I saw a beautiful, clear day. I saw people looking up at the sky, so I asked a gentleman next to me, "Why are you looking at the sun?" He replied, "That's not the sun." He looked over to the left and said, "That's the sun!" As we were all looking and observing this phenomenon, it started to get bigger. And soon it was raining fire and brimstone. People were in a state of panic, running everywhere, looking for cover. Immediately, I called out to the Lord, "What do I do?" Then a person dressed in a white robe appeared to my left. He said, "Take my hand; I'll take you to safety." He guided me to the steps of a beautiful palace. It seemed white in color. I found it strange that others did not see it and run to it for cover. As we were going up the steps, we were stopped by a guard. The guard said, speaking of me, "He can't come in; he is not paid for." Then the being with the white robe took something of great value out of his pocket and gave it to the guard. He said, "It has been taken care of."

After this I found myself standing on the Earth and I saw people looking at the land. There seemed to be water covering the land and then the people looked up at the sky again. I saw something that was next to the moon that looked similar to the moon. I immediately replied to the woman in front of me, "I told you about the judgments, but you just wouldn't listen. You just wouldn't listen! Now it is too late." And when I looked up at the sky again, the clouds were turning back, like the Earth had been shifted.

The Meteorites

Daniel Potvin

In a dream I saw a bright, sunny day and everybody was going about their business. Then suddenly, boulder-size rocks/meteorites started falling from the sky. People were in terror and running for cover. I saw some people hide under cars and run inside buildings, but to no avail. I knew running would be futile. So I screamed out to the Lord, "What do I do?" I heard the voice of the Lord. He said, "Go into the middle of the meteor shower." I thought that was crazy. But I thought that I'd rather die obeying the Lord than disobey and run for cover. I was told by the Lord that The Angel of The Lord was there. I was spared and no harm came to me.