A Message for Those Who Were Hurt in the Church

By Lori Bakker | | Filed in General, Healing | Tags: ,

I grew up in church.  I went to services several times a week, always attended special campmeetings and revivals, and went to all the Summer youth camps.  I could have been the poster child for Sunday School. 

I don’t remember exactly when it started, but I can recall beginning to really take notice of how people in the church behaved.  I’m talking about people of all ages, some young, some old.  And I have to tell you that what I saw was not pretty.  In fact, some of it was downright revolting.  I became disillusioned with all the hypocrisy I saw.  And the worst part about it was that I felt judged by some of these people!  It really hurt to feel judged by people I couldn’t respect.

Well, as a lot of teenagers do, I used that knowledge as an excuse to rebel.  I rebelled against all types of authority; my parents, school, and especially the church.  I wanted nothing to do with ‘those people’.  I thought “if this is the way the church acts, then I don’t want to be a part of it.”  I lived off that philosophy and it served me well in my rebellious life.  I used it for an excuse to turn away from God too.  Now I could do whatever I chose and didn’t have to consider the way I was raised… so I thought. 

Years and years went by with my life going from bad to worse.  Most of you know my story –  many years of drugs, physical abuse, abortion, and infidelity brought me to a place of emptiness like I’ve never known. 

From time to time during the rebellious years, I had heard the Lord’s voice saying “Lori, I’m here, I love you, Come home!”  It was true that if you train up a child in the way they should go, when they are older they will not depart from it!

So, it was on Easter Sunday, 1989 that I decided it was time to go home. But, going back to Jesus, for me, meant going back to church, and I have to tell you that I was scared to death to go back to church.  I remembered those people from long ago that I considered hypocrites and I was terrified that I would be rejected. 

But, guess what?  Not even one person said one negative thing to me about my past.  They embraced me and received me with open arms!  I had nothing but love showered on me from my church, and I was back where I belonged!

Today, I feel like there are so many out there that are afraid to come back to Jesus because of negative experiences with people in the church.  They want Jesus, but don’t trust ‘church people’.  Don’t be afraid.  Jesus wants you to come home today.  People may let you down from time to time, but Jesus never will.  Don’t let what people may do or not do keep you from God!  Give him you heart and come home.  Forgive those who hurt you and come home!

Say this prayer with me today:

Lord, I know you are standing at the door knocking.  I am going to open that door to my heart today so that you can come in.  I’m sorry that I walked away and that I’ve been gone so long, but I miss you Jesus, I really do.  I’m sorry for not living according to your Word.  Please forgive me. I love you, Lord, and I want you in my heart.  Clean me up, Lord.  Help me to get anything out of me that is not like You.  Show me how to love again – the way You loved me and never left me.  I want to come home to you today.

Woe is Me (Pt. 4)

By Jim Bakker | | Filed in Last Days, Teaching | Tags: ,

Woe to rebellious children who do not take council with the Lord!

How many people do you think understand that rebellious children are a sign of the Last Days?  I don’t think too many Christians actually do equate a rebellious generation with the soon coming of the Lord, but that is, in fact, one of the signs.  It’s easy to spot the other signs:  earthquakes, wars and rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, etc. READ MORE →

Shackles of Shame

By Lori Bakker | | Filed in General, Teaching | Tags: , ,

Every so often, I feel impressed to give my testimony again.  Getting free from the shame of the past is something that people everywhere struggle with every day.  It is like being shackled to what you were, and unable to walk in the freedom of who you ARE – saved, healed and restored by the One Who suffered this shame for you so that you could be free (Isaiah 53:3, Heb 12:2).  I pray that this message of redemption and restoration touches someone’s heart today and frees them from the shackles of shame.

Many of you know my background in the 70’s and 80’s which has now become part of my testimony. I was a ‘party girl’ – living a wasted life of parties, drugs and rock ‘n roll. Enter God! When you are truly born again, God removes your appetite for such things, and then He transforms your mess into your message. You live to give Him the glory and praise for restoring your life and delivering you from a meaningless and hopeless existence and giving you purpose, passion and purity!

Yet, I will tell you outright that a religious (Pharisaical) spirit will keep you shackled with the shame of your past – when God has already set you free! I have only one reason to refer to the former things which God brought me out of into His redemptive life – to give glory to the Lord Who has the power to save, heal and deliver! Those may sound like “churchy” terms so let’s break them down.

Saved – Forgiven! Period. No more condemnation for I am in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.)

Healed – All my hurts, hang-ups and bad habits – gone! He has given me beauty for ashes. Isaiah 61:
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
Because the LORD has anointed me
To bring good news to the afflicted;
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to captives
And freedom to prisoners;
To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
To grant those who mourn in Zion,
Giving them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
The oil of gladness instead of mourning,
The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of despair,
So they will be called oaks of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

Delivered – The Lord has now caused me to know that I can take the stick which the devil beat me with and use it on him instead! The Lord has given me an international ministry out of my testimony that will help to free others of the same shame and condemnation from which He freed me! The enemy can’t hurt me, shut me up, or sit me down with any kind of accusation ever again. I live and move and have my being in Jesus and in Him alone.

Lori is dead to what others say or think about my past; where I’ve been, what I’ve done and all the shame associated with it. As my Mom often says “It is what it is” – or in my case, I can say “it was what it was”! It is now my testimony and I am not ashamed.

Shame is much different than guilt. We feel guilty for what we do, whereas, we feel shame for who we are. I was guilty – but I’m forgiven. I am now a new creation – washed in His Blood and I’m free from shame! As an old, old hymn says “White as snow, white as snow, though my sins were as scarlet, Lord, I know, Lord, I know, that I’m clean and forgiven!”

I’m telling you – you who are reading right now at this moment – you who may have been born again for many years yet not free – there is freedom – there is deliverance – there is joy!

Don’t allow the enemy to keep you from complete restoration. Don’t give him that power. Don’t give place to shame or any tormenting spirit! Forgive others who have hurt you and forgive yourself for the harm you’ve done to your own soul. If you have asked for God’s forgiveness, accept that you have it! He will not withhold it from you as if He is waiting for you to make some sort of recompense. That’s what the Blood of Jesus did! He made restitution not only for our sin, but our shame!

In Revelations, it tells us how we overcome: by the Blood of the Lamb (saved!) and by the word of our testimony (healed and delivered)!

Be humble – yet bold in your testimony, and open your mouth and sing, pray, and declare His great salvation! Give God the Glory for the things He has done!

When Jesus met the woman at the well, He knew she had a very ‘checkered’ past. Yet the love He poured out on her that day was to save, heal and deliver her! There was, no doubt, awful things that had hurt her tremendously in her relationships with 5 former husbands! Shameful indeed! And religion would never let her forget it or be free of it! Yet, after she encountered Jesus, she ran to the city with a testimony of His love and healing and declared “he told me all that I had ever done”! His great love had delivered her of her guilt and shame!

When Jesus comes into your life and saves you, then heals you, then delivers you of shame, you will never live in silent bondage again. Be free! Free to live and to dance and to testify of Him! Give God all the glory for what He has done!

If you haven’t heard this song by Mary, Mary, please look it up and play it today!

I’ll be dancing with you.

Love,

“Shackles (Praise You)”

Take the shackles off my feet so I can dance
I just wanna praise you
(What’cha wanna do?)
I just wanna praise you
(Yeah, yeah)
You broke the chains now I can lift my hands
(Uh feel me?)
And I’m gonna praise you
(What’cha gon do?)
I’m gonna praise you

In the corners of mind
I just can’t seem to find a reason to believe
That I can break free
Cause you see I have been down for so long
Feel like the hope is gone
But as I lift my hands, I understand
That I should praise you through my circumstance

Take the shackles off my feet so I can dance
I just wanna praise you
I just wanna praise you
You broke the chains now I can lift my hands
And I’m gonna praise you
I’m gonna praise you

Everything that could go wrong
All went wrong at one time
So much pressure fell on me
I thought I was gonna lose my mind
But I know you wanna see
If I will hold on through these trials
But I need you to lift this load
Cause I can’t take it anymore

Take the shackles off my feet so I can dance
I just wanna praise you
I just wanna praise you
You broke the chains now I can lift my hands
And I’m gonna praise you
I’m gonna praise you

Been through the fire and the rain
Bound in every kind of way
But God has broken every chain
So let me go right now

Take the shackles off my feet so I can dance
I just wanna praise you
I just wanna praise you
You broke the chains now I can lift my hands
And I’m gonna praise you
I’m gonna praise you
[repeat x3]

Take them off
What’cha gonna do, yeah

Take the shackles off my feet so I can dance
I just wanna praise you
I just wanna praise you
You broke the chains now I can lift my hands
And I’m gonna praise you
I’m gonna praise you

Woe is Me (Pt. 3)

By Jim Bakker | | Filed in Last Days, Teaching

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil!

Any born-again Christian who listens to the rhetoric from most of the politicians and newscasters in this country must be shaking their heads along with us.  Sometimes I don’t even believe how crazy things are getting.  Things that are being said and done are just completely opposite of the truth – and preachers are so busy teaching people how to get more money they don’t have time to warn the flock! READ MORE →

It’s Time to Hate What God Hates

By Lori Bakker | | Filed in Abortion, Last Days, Lori's House | Tags: , ,

Since the prophets have prophesied that we would build Lori’s House, we are doing our best to be obedient to that direction from the Lord.  With the help of our faithful partners, we have purchased the land, drawn up the plans, and we are in the process of paving the road to the valley where this part of The Refuge will be built.

Lori’s House Conceptual Drawing

We are very serious about this place being used as a Last Days refuge.  That’s what we envisioned in the beginning and that’s our goal.  An End Times refuge takes on many characteristics, but none more important than saving innocent life.

Cindy Jacobs said that Lori’s House will be a prototype that others will copy.  Can you imagine where we could be in this country in 5 years if every church would develop their own facility for saving babies?  If they can’t do it alone, they could band together to get it done, or come and help us!  Now that’s a vision God can bless.

As Jim preaches and as we read in our Bibles and see on the news every day, we are in the Days of Revelation.  Nobody knows how far into it we are and nobody knows when Jesus will come again.  We have the signs to watch for, but we do not know the day or the hour.

I only know one thing, I know it’s time to do whatever we’re going to do for the cause of Christ.  It’s time to act in ways that God instructs and that He can bless.  And I know it’s time to hate what God hates.  Proverbs 6:16-19 lays it out for us:  “These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him:  a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.”

I’m not talking about going to the abortion clinics and picketing and yelling and screaming to show how much we hate abortion.  It’s time for the church to stand up and say “we are not going to take this anymore.”  Preachers don’t have to scream and yell about abortion being murder.  We KNOW it’s murder.

But what we can do is put our money where our mouth is.  You can’t just scream in the streets about it – you have to do something!

President Reagan once said he noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born.  Now that’s a wise observation, I would say.

You can’t say “I don’t know” because you do know.  You know and God knows you know.   Proverbs 24:11,12 NCV says, “Save those who are being led to their death; rescue those who are about to be killed. If you say, “We don’t know anything about this,” God, who knows what’s in your mind, will notice.  He is watching you, and he will know. He will reward each person for what he has done.”

We are putting our money where our mouth is.  We’re taking this step and bucking the crowd and we’re not going to listen to the naysayers!  We need your help.  When you help us build Lori’s House, you will share in the reward from God who is watching us all.

We love you!

Lori

Woe is Me (Pt. 2)

By Jim Bakker | | Filed in Last Days, Teaching | Tags: ,

Woe to Him Who is Alone

Up until I went to prison in 1989, I had always had lots of people around me.  Most of those people were slight acquaintances, some were co-workers, some were friends, some were church folk, and some were family.  I must confess that back then, I often got the priorities in my relationships out of order.   I let my slight acquaintances and other working relationships preempt the most important ones that I should have nurtured. READ MORE →

Faithfulness Leads to Favor

By Lori Bakker | | Filed in Last Days, Teaching | Tags: , , ,

I really can’t even tell you how much I respect and love Jim for the husband, father and Watchman that he is!  What Jim does isn’t a popular thing!  Warning people prophetically of the soon-coming troubles that we, as a church and as a nation, are going to face is not a welcome message.  Yet, he does it.  Why?

 Well, his accusers sometimes say it’s for profit. Fearmongering is profitable, they say.  Well, I’ll tell you how I see it: 

  • when the economy fails and people can’t buy food at any price without the Mark of the Beast
  • when the trucks stop bringing in food supplies every day because of some natural disaster  
  • when the out-of-control weather causes crop failures and grain reserves are non-existent
  • when the nation crumbles under the weight of its own debt  

When all or just one of those things occur, and my children and I and all those around us have plenty of food to eat and good water to drink – I see it as a blessing of FAITHFULNESS!  Faithfulness leads to favor!

Jim is not only getting us ready, he is getting people all over the world ready because he is faithful to preach the message of the Days of Revelation!

Why is it that people would much rather hear how things are going to turn around for the U.S. and how we are going to rebound?  You know, the babble we hear from most of the newscasters and politicians today, and ahum…  a great deal of the preachers too.  But we cannot  rely on what we hear from people – we must rely on what we hear from God in His Word!  Matthew 24 is what we can rely on!  The Revelation is what we can rely on!

Jim doesn’t preach for profit – Jim preaches because he dare not do anything else!

Jim recently preached a message on “Woe! Woe! Woe!”  One of the scriptures he uses is 1 Cor 9:16:

“Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” NIV

A lot of people have made fun of us for preparing and teaching others to prepare, but we are not worried about those who mock.  We are more concerned about having faith without works.  The Bible tells us that faith without works is dead.  We are all about hope, but hope has its roots in action.  Faith without works is dead – it’s useless.  Hope without preparation is pretty useless too.  That’s why we prepare.

We want the favor of God – and because of that, we are faithful to preach the Gospel and to help people prepare for the Times of Trouble that are coming very, very soon to this country.

Love,

Lori

Woe Is Me (Pt. 1)

By Jim Bakker | | Filed in "Now" Words, Last Days, Prophecy, Teaching | Tags: , , , ,

In the entertainment crazed society we live in, very few people, even Christians, will endure a message of what they consider ‘gloom and doom.’  They would much rather hear some cleverly told story containing a lot of humor!  Nevermind that we are living in the days that demand a sobriety and a vigilance to understand and be ready for the events of Revelation.

As I begin a series of blogs titled “Woe is Me”, I guess I feel the need to try and preempt some of the negativity to such a serious subject.  I felt the same way back in the mid-nineties when I was given the message that was contrary to what a lot of people had been preaching, including myself, of the prosperity gospel. READ MORE →

It’s Later Than You Think

By Jim Bakker | | Filed in "Now" Words, Last Days, Prophecy | Tags: , , ,

The week after the Japanese earthquake, many people world-wide began to take emergency preparedness seriously, at least for a little while.  The same seriousness fell like a blanket on this country after ‘911’.  People went back to church – at least for a few weeks.  Then, after the initial shock wore off, they were back to business as usual.  I don’t know why, but it seems like it always takes a major calamity to jolt people into action.     

This Spring and Summer, we have seen weather extremes like never before.  Record-breaking floods, droughts, temperatures and storms have battered the country and left much of our farmlands barren.  What do you think this is going to mean to food prices?  Well, I’ll tell you – food prices are going to skyrocket – and sooner than you think!

This past week, we have seen the stock market go up and down like a roller coaster.  What we don’t readily understand is what all that means to the economic situation in this country and the entire world.  What it means is that our money is very soon going to be worth almost nothing!

In Matthew 24:8 Jesus said the signs of nature will be like “birth pangs.”  The closer a pregnant woman gets to the time her baby is born, the birth pangs increase in two ways. They increase in frequency and intensity.  That is exactly what Jesus meant here. The closer we get to His coming, the more frequently we will see natural calamities like weather extremes, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, plagues, famine, wars and the like. 

Why does Jesus tell us about the signs of His coming?  Jesus didn’t say that He would take us out of this world before we would experience any of these things.  If that were true, we would already be gone, wouldn’t we?!  No, Jesus told us about the signs because He didn’t want us to be taken by surprise and be unprepared! 

Why then do we yawn when we hear these things in our newscasts and act as if we are not going to be affected?  It’s time now to ‘read and heed’ Matthew 24! 

A recent article I read said we can count on three things very soon:

  1. Food supplies becoming scarce
  2. Food prices doubling in 2-3 years and then doubling again in the next 2-3 years
  3. Growing food will be more valuable than gold

Today, you may only hear about the world’s violence and economic woes, or see the faces of famine in another country on the news, or watch as natural disasters effect other parts of the nation and the world. But rest assured, we will not always be exempt from all these things. The world you see around you today may be very different tomorrow.  Don’t wait until it comes to you – you need to be ready today for what may come tomorrow.

The prophetic dreams, visions and revelation that the Lord gives his people are for a reason! We are not to ignore them! Everywhere, the Prophets are warning to get ready!  Of course, that means spiritually FIRST – but it also means get ready with food, water and other necessities! 

“A prudent person foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.”  (Proverbs 22:3 NLT)

“A sensible man watches for problems ahead and prepares to meet them. The simpleton never looks and suffers the consequences.” (Proverbs 27:12 TLB)

As we see the events of Revelation escalating at a phenomenal rate, let’s make sure we are prepared – spiritually and physically. We still have time but we need to act NOW. The economic situation in this country and all over the world is going to make it very difficult, very soon to gather things we need for Times of Trouble. The stock market is on a roller coaster and it’s not going to end well.  The drought and extreme weather we are having is going to make food prices unaffordable rapidly!  It’s all coming together, or maybe we should say it’s all coming apart.

For now, we have a good supply of emergency food that we can hold the line on the pricing.  But in the very near future, you won’t be able to get this food at any price!  It’s fast coming to that and we know it to be true by the economic forecasts.  Don’t wait on this – your family is counting on you to provide the basic necessities of life for them when calamity strikes.

Do what you can today for your family and then rest in the fact that we are in the hands of a loving God.  Get your plan going! Do something today to prepare for tomorrow!

I don’t want anyone I love to have to suffer unnecessarily, and I want to have something left over to give to others.

Love,

Jim

Revelation Preparation

By Lori Bakker | | Filed in Last Days, Prophecy

Jim and I have ramped up our efforts to get our family prepared because we watch the news every day and we can see that the events of Revelation are happening right now, all around us! We are determined not to have to regret not having enough to feed and take care of our family when Times of Trouble come home to our little town in Missouri.

Today, you may only be hearing about the world’s violence and economic woes, or seeing the faces of famine in another country on the news, or watching as natural disasters effect other parts of the nation and the world. But rest assured, we will not always be exempt from all these things. The world you see around you today may be very different tomorrow.

Sometimes I’m amazed at the unconcerned mindsets and attitudes the majority of the people who live in this country have. It seems that no matter what is going on all around us, how much economic turmoil we hear about and see in the news, or how much chaos the world is experiencing – it seems as though people carry on with a lackadaisical attitude of que sera sera – whatever will be will be.

How can they do that? I honestly don’t get it. I’m a mother and a wife. My family is my major concern for me. I am concerned enough about the ones I love to do what I can to spare them any unnecessary pain or grief or lack in Times of Trouble.

The prophetic dreams, visions and revelation that the Lord gives his people are for a reason! We are not to ignore them! Do what you can today for your family and then rest in the fact that we are in the hands of a loving God.

As we see the events of Revelation escalating at a phenomenal rate, let’s make sure we are prepared – spiritually and physically. We still have time but we need to act NOW. The economic situation in this country and all over the world is going to make it very difficult, very soon to gather things we need for Times of Trouble. The drought and extreme weather we are having is going to make food prices unaffordable rapidly!

Get your plan going! Do something today to prepare for tomorrow!

I don’t want anyone I love to have to suffer unnecessarily, and I want to have something left over to give to others. This truly could be the Church’s finest hours if we WAKE UP, LISTEN AND PREPARE!

Love,

Lori Signature