The Morning Star
P R O P H E T I C B U L L E T I N
C
“ hange” has become the word for the hour
in American politics. This is truly a time
when major changes are needed in our
government. We do not want to overlook the great-
ness of our federal government and all that it has
accomplished. Furthermore, our federal government
is the head of the greatest country in the world,
possibly in world history. Even so, because of the
huge amount of laws, regulations, and then counter
regulations, it is now like a head that has grown
far out of proportion to the rest of the body, and
the body can no longer carry its weight.
Just as the head of a human body is only a
small percentage of the whole body, and only
consumes a small amount of its energy, admin-
istration should rarely
consume more than 15
percent of the mass of
any body, and often can
be much less. However, we now
have government agencies in which
their administration consumes 90 percent
of the resources given to them. The growth
of their administration, caused by
layer upon layer of regulation and
overregulation, has been like a
cancer that only consumes with-
out regard for the rest of the body. This cancer
will eventually kill the rest of the body, and
this will happen to us soon if radical surgery is
not done.
As we discussed in our last Bulletin, “Putting
the Ax to the Root of the Tree,” if basic, sound lead-
ership and management principles were being
implemented in government it could quickly
be reduced to half its size, while accomplishing
March 2008
by Rick Joyner
twice as much. In a little more time, it could be
several times as effective as it is now, at a fraction
of its present cost. That may sound too fantastic,
but that is because we have become conditioned
to accept inefficient government.
THE BIGGEST ECONOMIC STIMULUS EVER
By just removing the overregulation from
our federal government, it could become many
times as effective as it is now, while being a
fraction of its size. Think about how our economy
would be stimulated if the huge
resources now being wasted by
the government were put back
into the economy. That alone
could propel substantial growth for
many years.
However, there would be an even more
powerful benefit of bringing sound management
principles to government. Overregula-
tion is now sapping the entire
economy of its strength. Just
relieving this burden would
multiply American economic strength and
productivity, while immediately solving some
major problems such as the healthcare crisis,
social security, our dependence on foreign oil, as
well as greatly reduce our carbon footprint. What
is the downside? There is a big one for what has
become a huge group within our nation—about
three quarters of the lawyers would have to get
a real job!
In considering healthcare, how much more
effective would the healthcare industry be, and
 how much more could the costs be cut, by removing
the need for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare
professionals who spend massive amounts of time
trying to comply with meaningless regulations
and paperwork? Add tort reform to reduce the
threat of continuous and outrageous lawsuits,
and the insurance premiums could be drastically
cut. Liability insurance is now costing from one-
third to one-half of everything from treatments to
medicines. The combination of these two things
could cut the cost of healthcare in half, and the
quality of the care would increase dramatically
by relieving the healthcare workers of the now
unbearable burdens.
Liability insurance is as much as one-third of
the cost of some big ticket items and is a large
part of the cost of everything we buy. Tort reform
would reduce the cost of almost everything we
buy by a substantial margin, making American
goods far more affordable here and abroad. With
less taxes being required by a smaller government,
the strength of our whole economy would be mul-
tiplied, having a basis for substantial and sustained
growth to ensure that our economy would be the
strongest in the world for the next half century
or longer.
What we are talking about is much more
than just cutting the pork out of government
spending—it is true government reform. There is
no reason why the government cannot be run as
efficiently as any business. Just as a company has
to answer to stockholders, the government should
be answering to the people about how efficiently
it is handling our resources.
OTHER BENEFITS
You may be thinking that if we reduced the
government to half its size or less, where would
all of these workers go? First, to implement this
reduction would take some time, and the reduction
could probably be accomplished to a large extent
with retirements from government service.
However, even if we could do this immediately, we
have over twelve million illegal aliens finding work
here so there are obviously many jobs available. It
is also good timing to do this because the economy
in Mexico is starting to get some real traction,
and Mexico is expected to soon be a net importer
of jobs.
Also, by being able to reduce the tax burden on
American businesses (now one of the highest tax
rates in the world), many plants and factories that
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were moved overseas would start to come home.
It is also likely that many foreign, especially high
tech companies, would start moving some of their
research and plants here. Except for the high tax
burden on companies here, this is the best and
safest place in the world to do business.
Even so, we would need to import a serious
number of guest workers, but it would provide
the opportunity to implement an efficient and
legal system for doing this, which would also
provide healthcare coverage for them as well as
have them pay their fair share of taxes, and so on.
Since we would not be in need of more taxes if our
government was the proper size, a percentage of
the taxes collected by these legal guest workers
could go toward helping to stimulate economic
growth in their home nations, therefore enabling
them and us to be a major blessing to their
home countries.
Of course, to make these kinds of changes
would take the most extraordinar y kind of
leadership, but it could and should be done as a
moral cause. Waste, especially wasting people’s
time, not to mention their resources, is a tragic
moral failure. It is stealing from the people.
CHANGE THE CAR, NOT JUST THE OIL
Cutting the size of the government and getting
it off of the back of the people has been the
conservative platform, but this has not happened
when conservatives are in office. Why? They have
tried to solve the problem of ineffective and
inefficient government by cutting taxes, which
will force a cut in spending. However, the
government has not cut spending, but continued
to raise it, resulting in multi-trillion dollar deficits.
To do the job, it will take more than just cutting
spending—it will take wise, resourceful, unyield-
ing, proactive leadership, and sound, practical
management. Much more should be said about
this, but because this is a bulletin, and not a book,
we must move on.
Let us also keep in mind that there are many
good people in government who hate the system
they are trapped in worse than anyone. Even many
who may have calcified by being in such a system
for so long would come back to life at just the
hope of being delivered from the yoke of over-
regulation. Some of these bureaucrats should be
considered heroes for accomplishing as much as
they do in such an environment. If they were set
free from the yokes they now have to serve under,
their productivity would soar. We do need govern-
ment and some regulation, but if they are as they
should be, they will set people and business free,
not tie them in knots.
Everyone claims to want efficiency and to cut
out the waste in government, but it is much easier
to talk about change and promote a vision of it
than it is to actually change things. Even though we
may want it, there is a strong resistance to change
in almost every human being, even those who love
to call for change. In fact, the people who call the
loudest for change can be the most resistant to
it when it comes. This is why the Pharisees, who
were the most faithful in hoping for and expecting
the coming Messiah, resisted Him the most when
He actually came. Because He did not come in the
way that they were expecting, and He was going
to change things they did not want changed, they
resisted Him. This is what any leader who seeks to
implement real and needed changes can expect,
but must resolve to overcome.
There can be an even greater resistance to
change in institutions, which are often built upon
layer after layer of rules, traditions, and mindsets
that will vehemently resist change. Therefore, it is
important that we understand the conditions and
the type of leadership that can bring about true
change. It will not be easy to do this job, but we no
longer have a choice. We either take the pill now
or start amputating limbs very soon.
In American politics, substantial change has
almost always come as the result of conflict or
crisis. This is not necessary, but it is not likely to
come any other way without truly extraordinary
leadership. Leadership is much more than just
seeing what needs to be done, or even being able
to come up with a plan for getting it done. That
is the fun part. Leadership that can bring sub-
stantial change to a government or culture must
have extraordinary courage, fortitude, focus, and
resolve to persevere in order to actually implement
true change.
CATCHING THE THIEF
What we are addressing here is much more
than reengineering government—it is establishing
a new culture in government. It is making waste
immoral, because it is, whether it is wasted time
or wasted resources. This is biblical, as we
read in Proverbs 18:9, “He also who is slack in
his work is brother to him who destroys.” Ineffi-
ciency is stealing from the people. Our government
is stealing more from us than all of the thieves in
the nation combined.
Inefficiency, caused by overregulation, and
the legalistic mentality that has bound the entire
nation, is destroying many times more in our
economy every year than terrorists could ever
hope to accomplish. This inefficiency is actually
a greater threat than terrorism because it is
bleeding the country far more than all of the
terrorists’ attacks and the war in Iraq combined.
We will not likely survive another decade in our
present condition. Without powerful, decisive
leadership, we will fall into a recession that, if
needed corrections are not made, will ultimately
lead to a depression, which will threaten the very
fabric of all that we are as a nation.
TRUTH OR SOUND BITES
Too often those who may be the most articu-
late in projecting a vision are sadly lacking in the
characteristics that are required to actually get
the job done. American television has conditioned
us to be responsive to hype and hyperbole, and less
able to judge the true constitution of a person.
Talking and doing are entirely different matters.
In a democracy, such superficial evaluation will
continue to produce superficial leadership.
There are different kinds of leadership. The
qualities that can make a great peacetime leader,
or even one who will be a good leader through
economic crisis, may make a poor wartime leader
and vice versa. One good thing about the long,
grueling American campaigns for President is the
depth of scrutiny that it provides for those who
would aspire to such an important office. However,
the qualities that can make one a good self-
promoting campaigner do not necessarily equate
in proving one’s ability to be a President with its
extraordinary demands. Therefore, the process
by which we choose our leaders needs evaluation
and reform as well. The kinds of leaders we really
need at this time are not likely to be drawn into
the present process.
PAY A LITTLE NOW OR A LOT MORE LATER
As stated, needed changes still almost never
come without crisis or conflict, which is usually
the result of poor, superficial leadership. British
Prime Minister Chamberlain thought that he
would appease Hitler by giving him Czechoslo-
vakia. When the German generals marched into
that little nation and saw its fortifications, they
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 admitted that it was improbable that they could
have ever taken it by force. So, if Chamberlain
had drawn the line there, it would have resulted
in a conflict that would likely have cost thousands
of lives to stop Hitler. However, two years later
Germany was so strong that the conflict to stop
him ended up costing tens of millions of lives.
If we do not pay with a little pain now, we will
pay with much more pain later. It is easier to put
out a match than a forest fire. However, it is the
present nature of our system to hide the little
fires that are destined to be big ones. Because
of this, we constantly have to fight the big fires
at a huge and unnecessary cost. When Churchill
was asked what they should call the war against
the Nazis his reply was, “The Unnecessary War.”
The same is true of far too many of our present
conflicts and crises.
THERE IS A DITCH ON EITHER SIDE OF
THE PATH OF LIFE
During a crisis there is also a much greater
tendency to overreact, and overreaction can
be more damaging than the problems they are
intended to correct. Our government is composed
of many such overreactions which are not only
counter-productive to what they were supposed to
accomplish, they are threatening the health and
welfare of the nation. Change can be good if they
are the right changes and implemented wisely. If
they are not, we will end up in more trouble than
we are in now.
Does all of this sound hard and complicated?
It should because it is. Leadership is hard and
often very complicated. The decisions that can
fix an immediate problem can have unforeseen
consequences over time that are devastating.
Some of the economic policies being promoted
by some of the present presidential candidates
may bring relief to people for a short time, but the
long-term consequences would be so devastating
that they could very well bring the collapse of the
whole economy. Such shortsightedness can no lon-
ger be endured in our government leadership.
THE IMMEDIATE CRISIS
The American economy is fundamentally
strong, but it is like the strength in the legs of
someone who has been carrying around an extra
seventy-five pounds of weight—if the extra weight
is lost that person will feel like they are walking
on air. Our economy will soar for a long time to
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come if the unnecessary weight of overregulation
is removed from it. Even so, we must correct the
problems with wisdom—changing our diet so we
do not get in that shape again.
The subprime credit crisis is the result of
unhealthy practices that were allowed to grow
like a cancer, and if not addressed now, they will
threaten the whole body of our economy. At this
writing, the fact that the Republican candidates
have failed to substantially address this crisis
makes one think they do not really see it, which
is disconcerting. The Democratic candidates
have at least addressed it, but their proposals for
dealing with it are such an overreaction that the
cure in this case would be much more deadly than
the disease.
Clinton proposed placing a moratorium on
foreclosures and freezing interest rates. Remember
what happened when Nixon tried to freeze
prices to stop inflation? It caused even greater
inflation and interest rates soared to over 20
percent for a long time, causing some of the
worst economic struggles the nation had faced
since the Depression. Freezing foreclosures and
interest rates could exacerbate the subprime
crisis in many tragic ways that obviously have not
been considered, or this would have never been
proposed as a solution.
We are in desperate need of proactive leader-
ship that can make radical, decisive decisions, but
the actual changes that are made, how they are
implemented, and the timing that they are made
in are all crucial. If the right changes are imple-
mented the wrong way or with bad timing, they
can be just as devastating as the wrong changes.
Let me give an illustration from flying that is
applicable here.
A pilot is taught to never fly into a thunderhead
because it contains the most violent weather
known on earth. However, a pilot can survive flying
through a thunderstorm if he does not panic or
overreact to the turbulence in it. To do this, the
pilot must keep the plane’s wings level and hold
the course. Inside of a thunderhead, a shaft of air
is falling at five thousand feet per minute next to
a shaft that is rising that fast. This is what causes
the turbulence. Turbulence can add as much stress
to an airframe as it can take. The plane must also
be slowed down to what is called the “maneuvering
speed.” This speed is safely above the stall speed,
but slow enough to reduce the stress levels on the
airframe caused by the turbulence. While holding
the course in turbulence, the wings must stay level
because turning adds stress to an airframe. If the
turbulence already has the pilot close to what the
airframe can take, turning can quickly exceed Some would say that we need to encourage
what it can take. So even if a course change is people to spend more to stimulate the economy,
needed, it should not be made until the plane is but that is a very shortsighted solution and
out of the storm. actually creates bigger problems that will have to
How does this apply to the economy? We are be faced at some point. To prolong facing what
in an economic thunderhead. There are forces caused this crisis will enable serious problems
moving up right next to those moving down, and to grow even more serious. Encouraging people
we have a lot of turbulence. The stress on the to spend beyond their means is what created the
economy is fast approaching about as much as it subprime credit crisis. To the degree that our
can take, and we do not want to add more to it by economy is built on that mentality, it is danger-
making drastic course changes right now. We also ously unhealthy. If we are in a storm, a recession,
need to slow it down to reduce the stress until we why not make the most of it and get things back
can break out into the clear again. to a more healthy foundation?
As I have been a pilot most of What really caused the sub-
my life, the biggest thunderhead I prime crisis was greed on the
have ever seen was only about ten ACTIONS part of the lenders and borrowers.
miles wide. If a plane penetrated MOTIVATED BY People wanted bigger or more
a thunderhead and tried to turn GREED WILL expensive houses than they
around to get out of it, it would end could really afford. Most probably
up being in the storm longer than it ULTIMATELY figured that if the lenders said they
would take to just go straight. Also, RESULT IN PAIN, qualified for the loans, they could
as explained, the turning can afford it. At the same time lenders,
multiply the stress on the airframe
AND WE WILL who only make money by lending,
with catastrophic consequences. NOT ESCAPE THIS fueled this by loaning more to
Panic is what kills most pilots as ONE WITHOUT people than they should have. The
they frantically try to turn to get out lenders gave artificially low rates
of the storms when they should just SOME PAIN. up front, which may have helped
slow down and hold their course. people to qualify who were “on the
Panic by leadership has caused a lot bubble,” but when they raised the
of damaging stress to our economy, such as Nixon’s rates, the bubble burst, and people living on the
price freezing did. edge went over the edge. Such dangerous lend-
As the true seriousness of the subprime ing practices will help stimulate the economy in
meltdown has gripped the nation, the markets, the short-term, but at some point there will be a
the government, and the Fed have all been prone collapse, such as we are now experiencing.
to panic. The Fed’s reaction, by its record rate cut Actions motivated by greed will ultimately
and the economic stimulus plan just passed by result in pain, and we will not escape this one
Congress, almost certainly did more damage than without some pain. Pain in your body is a warning
good. The most basic strength of the economy is that something is wrong, so just getting rid of the
built on confidence, and these moves were rightly pain should not be our goal, rather fixing what
interpreted as panic. That is why the markets and
is causing the pain. If we just take pain medicine
consumer confidence went down instead of up at
without fixing the problem, we could be allowing
the news of them.
the problem to grow. That is what the proposed
Recessions are a slow down, and slowing down solutions to the subprime crisis by Senator
is one of the things that is actually needed to make
Clinton would do. It would alleviate some pain
it through this storm. Recessions are not fun, but
for some for a short time, doing nothing to stop
they can be healthy for an economy if they are
managed right, which means to take advantage the growing crisis, but would delay confronting it
of them to fix some problems. Two of the biggest until the problem is even bigger. This is not just
problems addressed in recessions are that people a bad idea, but a really, really bad one. This could
start appreciating their jobs again, and people be much more than just the straw that breaks the
return to a mentality that encourages them to camel’s back; it is like putting a telephone pole
save and live within their means. on the camel!

5
 Senator Obama then came up with a proposal
that was dumbfounding because it made so little
sense. He proposed a program where the govern-
ment would give billions of dollars to people who
had bought houses beyond their means! Can
you imagine that? The government would go to
everyone who bought a house that was too expen-
sive and basically say, “I’m sorry someone made
you do that, so we’re going to pay for this house
for you.” I think this would make everyone who
was responsible to live within their means sorry
that they did not go out and buy a house beyond
their means! The way the government man-
ages things, we could expect for every billion the
government spends bailing foolish people out of
their follies, to likely cost the rest of the taxpayers
many billions more.
I really do not mean to be disrespectful to
Senators Clinton and Obama, but these proposals
are shockingly immature, shallow, and foolish.
The lenders and the borrowers are both to blame
for the subprime crisis, and it is not just to make
the rest of the nation pay for their irresponsibility.
That sends the worst message we could ever send
if we want to get responsibility back into govern-
ment and the economy. That is bad, but what they
are proposing would set us up for “the perfect
storm” of conditions to release the most dan-
gerous of all economic conditions—stagflation.
Stagflation is a stagnate economy with inflation.
These proposals are shortsighted and dangerous.
Because their plans are now public knowledge, it
is very likely that if Clinton or Obama gets elected,
there will be such a dumping of the dollar on
world markets that it could actually cause the
dollar to collapse.
For the Republican candidates to fail to address
this problem is not the right answer either. We
are in desperate need of proactive leadership that
really understands the economy and will not make
foolish, counterproductive, overreacting mistakes,
but will be decisive and strong. We have never had
a President who seemed to really understand the
depth of the economic issues. That’s right, never.
Presidents have done some things that helped, but
basically we have survived because of the strength
of the free market. We have had some great leader-
ship in industry and business that have been able
to navigate through the mistakes.
The office of the President is so powerful that
just a little action from that position can have
drastic, far-reaching consequences. That is why
the markets like the gridlock caused by having a
President from one party and a Congress controlled
6
by the other party—this reduces the ability of the
President to take drastic action. However, we are at
a place where some very drastic action is needed,
but it is so drastic that it must be done right and
in the right timing. A doctor may love his patients
and want to only do the best for them, but if he is
a bad doctor, he can kill his patients. This may be
unintentional, but the patient is still dead.
AN ECONOMIC HURRICANE KATRINA
We do have the winds increasing and the waves
rising for what is the equivalent of an economic
Hurricane Katrina. If the typical Democratic solu-
tions to such problems are implemented, it will be
the equivalent of the levee breaking. If the typical
Republican solutions are used, it will be like the
equivalent of the FEMA meltdown. We need new,
fresh, wise but proactive leadership. Things are bad
now, but they can get much worse, fast. This is a
crisis that could quickly overwhelm the govern-
ment’s ability to deal with it. So what can we do?
First, do not put too much of your trust in the
government to help in the crisis that is looming.
Those who have put too much of their trust in the
government to take care of them are in danger
of being tragic victims again. Therefore, basic to
being ready for the times is to have our trust in the
Lord, to be personally responsible and personally
resourceful.
To many Christians, trusting in the Lord
and being personally responsible seem mutually
exclusive. They are not. The Holy Spirit is called
“the Helper” (see John 14:26), not “the Doer.”
Even when God intervened in the most powerful
ways in history and Scripture, He required some
participation on man’s part. The wisdom that we
need is beyond human wisdom, and the strength
that we need is beyond human strength. Even so,
faith is not passive, but active. He will require us
to do our part.
THE CRISIS OF LAWLESSNESS
Crisis reveals, and absolute crisis reveals
absolutely. To understand some of the true
conditions of our country, we became vitally
involved in the Hurricane Katrina disaster, and
we did learn many important things. One of the
biggest was how entitlement programs will be the
root cause of the lawlessness that both Jesus and
the apostles prophesied would come upon the
earth at the end of this age.
 With the Hurricane Katrina disaster, it was very great honor to help them, as the Lord said that
easy to tell who lived on entitlement programs or as we did for the least of His little ones, we have
welfare, and who worked for a living. Those who done it for Him (see Matthew 25:4). However, when
were the most obnoxious and demanding were someone does not need charity and they become
inevitably the ones who lived on welfare. This was addicted to it, it forms a terrible and cruel yoke of
not a matter of race, but simply whether they bondage that can deprive them of even their most
worked for a living or not. The ones who were basic dignity, as well as their sanity.
the most patient and the most inclined to help
others, even after they themselves had often just LOVE WORKS
lost everything they had, sometimes even family After the Korean War, the South Korean
members, were inevitably those who worked for economy was understandably devastated. Charity
a living. Why did those who worked for a living tend poured in from Christian churches and missions,
to have such a radically different perspective and as well as from other charities. However, because
demeanor from those who did not? The answer to of the charity, the South Korean economy was not
this question is one of the most important that kicking into gear. Who wanted to make things to
we must understand or the consequences will sell when they could be had for free? In a bold
threaten us all. move, the government asked for
When God created mankind, the charity to stop, and immedi-
He created us first to be His com- ately the South Korean economy
panion, and second to cultivate came to life. It is now one of the
the garden—to work. Therefore,
WELFARE most powerful and resourceful
no human being will ever know IS ONE OF economies in the world. It is also
peace or fulfillment without these noteworthy that during that time,
THE WORST one of the greatest revivals in his-
basic needs being met—loving God
and accomplishing something FORMS OF tory came to South Korea, and
meaningful. We have spent many BONDAGE AND some of the largest churches in the
years addressing how we must love world grew.
God, so we will move now to how
OPPRESSION.
Charity is an essential Christian
crucial it is to have meaningful devotion, but too much charity
employment. It is so important or implementing it unwisely can
that even psychologists have deter- actually hurt people. This is now
mined that any person who is happening in many third world
deprived of meaningful labor will go nations that we have sincerely
insane. If they do not go insane, they will die. This wanted to help, but we are not helping them by
may be why people often pass away quickly after just giving them money and resources. That is why
retiring from a job—even a job they didn’t like. when we started our project to dig fresh water wells
Even a bad job is better than no job. This is also in Africa, we did not just dig them, but helped the
a root of the insanity that rose up in New Orleans African’s dig them, and the result of this is seen
after Katrina, which even caused people to start in some real transformation. They have taken
shooting at their rescuers. We have been tragically ownership of those wells because they dug them.
set up for this kind of lawlessness to be released in Could this be why the Holy Spirit is called “the
the world by making people think they could trust Helper” and not “the Doer?” He does not come to
the government to fix every problem and meet all take over and do everything for us, but to help us
of their needs. Welfare is one of the worst forms do the will of God. The Lord could have created
of bondage and oppression. It is a time bomb that the earth perfect, not needing man’s cultivation,
is ticking, and events are about to start setting it but He created man with the need to accomplish
off. Hurricane Katrina was a warning that we need and create things, because man was made in the
to learn from or the consequences will be more image of the Creator. This is a basic and profound
terrible than we can imagine. need of mankind.
There are some people who really need charity The rage and lawlessness that broke out after
to survive. As Christians, we should consider it a Hurricane Katrina was because of the fear that rose

7
 up in people who were living off of entitlements.
Those folks were used to being taken care of by
the government and did not know how to take
care of themselves. When the government was
not there for them, fear gripped them because
they did not know what they were going to do, and
then it turned into rage at the government who
had let them down.
Our people who served at our Katrina relief
base were in the most terrible and dangerous
of conditions, and most of the people deeply
appreciated it. I do not think we even received
one thank you from someone on welfare. Those
who worked for a living would jump up to help
when they saw something that needed to be done.
Those on welfare would be offended if we asked
them to help do something, even though they
were very able-bodied. They just wanted to stew
in their victim mentality and demanded to be
served. As far as I know, not one of them rose up
to start serving others. One of the quickest ways
to get over grief or sorrow is to become engaged
in something productive or help someone else.
Self-pity and bitterness kill us! As Dudley Hall
once said, “Being bitter is like taking poison and
hoping someone else gets sick.”
The mismanagement during the Katrina crisis
was not due to racism, but rather the kind of over-
all mismanagement that is the present culture of
government. FEMA could have been several times
more effective without the red tape they were tied
up by. However, that is the state of the government
right now. Anyone who is trusting in the govern-
ment to meet their needs, especially in a crisis, has
been set up for a terrible disappointment. When
they discover how deceived they have been, they
are going to go from terror to anger, fast. So, how
do we fix this problem? Very slowly.
SET THE CAPTIVES FREE AND THEY WILL
SET US FREE
When someone is in prison for more than a
couple of years, their “decision maker” gets
broken because they have had every decision
made for them for so long. They cannot make
even basic, simple decisions without a terrible and
painful struggle. I have watched someone who just
got out of prison shut down just trying to make
the choice from a menu for his lunch. This is why
so many who get out of prison will purposely
commit crimes—they know they will be caught.
They want to get back into prison where they feel
secure because all decisions are made for them.
8
For those who “make it on the outside,” there
is a struggle to regain a basic decisiveness that can
literally take as many years to recover as they have
been in prison. Most on welfare are in this same
state. It does not matter who is to blame for this;
the goal must be to help set them free.
For this same reason, we are in need of basic
prison reform, which could radically reduce crime
in this country by cutting off the culture of crime.
This would be far cheaper than what we are now
spending on prisons, insurance, and losses caused
by the crime, but that is another subject. For now,
let us consider the tragic prison that welfare is.
We need a long-term, step-by-step, compassionate,
and wise strategy for this. We also need to do this
in a way that does not condemn the helpless who
really need the help.
I want to leave you with a truth that will be
interpreted by some as stereotyping, but it is
nevertheless an important prophetic truth. The
African-American community is in general the
most industrious, hard-working, and resourceful
people group in our nation. Some will protest by
elaborating on the present conditions, but like
I said, this is a “prophetic truth.” It is the basic
nature of this great people to be this. When the
African-American community is truly set free, they
will help set the rest of us free. That is their calling
and their destiny.
Why does it seem that as a community we
see the opposite at this time? Because as a
community they still have not been freed from the
yokes of slavery. If any other race of people had
been subjected to what African-Americans were
and continue to be subjected to, it is not likely they
would be doing nearly as well. What do you think
slavery did to the “work ethic?” When this great
people are truly free, they will be the most industri-
ous, prosperous, joyful, and free, and will help set
many others free. The inner cities of America will
also become one of the most powerful economic
engines, not only in America, but in the world.
CONCLUSION
As stated, in a bulletin there is a limit to the
depth that we can address these issues, but the last
Bulletin, “Putting the Ax to the Root of the Tree,”
received more response than any I have written in
years. As long as there is a demand to hear more,
we will seek to go deeper and wider in addressing
the crucial issues of our times.
NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS
BREAKTHROUGHS EVERYWHERE
It was prophesied that this would be a break-
through year for MorningStar, and there now seem
to be breakthroughs on many fronts. From the local
church meetings to the conferences, a spiritual charge
is in the air as if lightning is about to strike. At times,
such a sense of the presence of the Lord is here. Some
have said that even when the building is empty, they
had to stop and catch their breath.
We have known for many years that a revival was
going to break out in the Charlotte area that would
have a worldwide impact. At times, waves of the Holy
Spirit have come through that were so intense that
we did not want some meetings to ever end, and
thought that they might just go on. The wave would
seem to recede a bit, but then another, bigger one
would come. We finally recognized that these were
“spiritual contractions” like those that come upon a
woman in labor. During every one of these contrac-
tions, we wondered if it was the one that would bring
revival to birth. Every time it receded we would be a
bit thankful, knowing we needed to be more prepared
when it did come.
We are not saying we are in revival now, but without
doubt, we are in the beginning stages of it. During
each contraction, the anointing on teaching and
preaching, miracles, the prophetic gifts, and the sense
of awe increases. Even though the wave may recede a
bit, the advance that it created remains, and there is
substantially more ground taken spiritually.
In childbirth, when the baby’s head starts to show
it is called “crowning.” This, too, is prophetic. The
Apostle Paul wrote that he was in labor until Christ
was formed in His people (see Galatians 4:19). Christ
is what is being born in His people, and true revival
is basically a reviving of His people to return to their
first love so that He might be formed in them. This
brings salvation to many because there is not a more
powerful evangelistic force in the world than a church
that is in love with Jesus and begins to manifest Him.
When He is lifted up, not the church, and not just
good projects, all men will be drawn to Him. When
the crown of Jesus is revealed, which is the revealing
of who He is, and His authority, revival comes.
COME JOIN US
Because there is a sense of something like a
spiritual critical mass beginning to form here, we
have decided to open up many of our hotel rooms at
the Heritage Grand for long-term stays by those who
need to be here. If you feel called to come and be with
us for a few days, a week, a month, or even longer
for a personal retreat, or while you are in transition,
we have made our rates as affordable as possible. We
also have a number of efficiency apartments in our
bunkhouses on the property. For more information,
call us at 800-542-0278 and ask for long-term rates
at H.I.M.
100 MORNINGSTAR CONFERENCES
By the end of this year, MorningStar will be
approaching the 100th conference that we have
hosted. Individual conferences have been attended by
people representing up to sixty-five different nations,
with a large international presence and a large cross-
section of denominations at all of them. Because it is
a basic vision of MorningStar to help edify, honor, and
promote the entire body of Christ, this is especially
gratifying to us. However, there is one blessing at
these conferences we value even more than this—the
grace that has been on them to keep going to higher
levels.
What do we mean by “higher levels?” We have had
visitations of the manifest presence of the Lord at
conferences that were so spectacular that the news
of them went around the world almost instantly.
However, the definition of “higher levels” has prob-
ably changed somewhat with each conference,
because it usually happens in unanticipated ways. At
one conference, we may experience an unprecedented
anointing on prophetic ministry, at another on the
worship, at another on the teaching and preaching,
and then another, all of these together. Even so, after
every conference we inevitably acknowledge that
this has been the best yet—that it undoubtedly went
higher. We are thankful for this and claim no credit.
However, this year they seem to be leaping forward
two or three levels at a time.
The Lord talked about new wine, and in Isaiah we
see on that great day, when the Lord serves His people,
He will serve “aged, refined wine.” He also said that
a wise man brought forth from his treasures things
both old and new. That describes what is happening
with the MorningStar Conference ministry. This year
we are having several “first ever” conferences, all of
which seem to have a special commission and energy.
The following is a brief description of our upcoming
conferences:
“HONORING THE FATHERS,” MARCH 20-22, 2008
AT H.I.M.
This conference is in response to a dream that Rick
Joyner was given that if we would honor the spiritual
fathers, the Lord would bring revival to America in
six months. A systematic, relentless attack is on both
fathers and manhood in America, and though this
conference is not about being macho, it will release
something crucial into the spiritual atmosphere. We
are joining with Paul Keith and Wanda Davis, and
White Dove Ministries to host this one at H.I.M. We
will focus on leaders from a movement Rick saw in
this dream—the Healing Revival of the 1940s and
50s. Expect miracles.
9
NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS
Next year we will host an “Honoring the Mothers”
conference for the same purpose.
THIRD ANNUAL “WOMEN OF THE KINGDOM CONFER-
ENCE,” APRIL 3-5, 2008 AT H.I.M.
This conference began at a high level and went
much higher last year. Many who came said it had
a major impact on them and was one of the most
important times of their life. There will be exciting
speakers and workshops, but the level of personal min-
istry everyone receives who comes to this conference
is extraordinary. Come and you will almost certainly
meet some of your best friends whom you do not know
yet. The special guest speaker this year will be Denise
Goulet from the International Church of Las Vegas.
“THE BUSINESS OF THE KINGDOM,” MAY 1-3, 2008
AT H.I.M.
When the Lord commanded His people to “go into
all the world” (see Matthew 16:25) with the gospel
of the kingdom, He was not just talking about geog-
raphy. One of the most important new dynamics of
twenty-first century church life is to see the kingdom
brought into every aspect of life, including business,
the arts, media, government, sports and recreation,
the military, and even Sunday morning services!
Speakers at this conference include some of the
great prophetic strategists in this crucial focus to
prepare the way for the Lord by preaching the gospel
of the kingdom. These include, but are not limited to:
Bob Frazier, Bob Hartley, Rick Joyner, Gene Strite,
Lance Wallnay, and David Yarnes.
“CONFERENCE ON HEALING, DELIVERANCE, AND
MIRACLES,” MAY 19-22, AT H.I.M.
Speakers include Bill Johnson, Rick Joyner,
and Steve Thompson. Never has there been a more
important time for us to know Jesus as our Healer,
and for us to walk in the power of miracles that He has
given to every believer. This will be a time of important
teaching, releasing, and imparting.
These are just a few of the important confer-
ences we are hosting over the next three months.
An anointing and an impartation will be released
in these conferences. A special commission of
MorningStar is to host gatherings that will help to
edify, equip, and release high impact Christians into
their destinies and purpose. This is the purpose for
which our facilities at Heritage were built.
With every gathering of God’s people at H.I.M.,
there also seems to be an impartation which comes
back to us of an increasing manifest presence of the
Lord. Because of this, most of our core leadership
team have greatly reduced their travel schedule to bet-
ter serve those who are coming from around the world
to meet with the Lord and His people right here.
10
If you have never been to a MorningStar confer-
ence, make this a year to remember by coming to
one. Your life will be changed. You will leave with
greater vision and knowing His voice better. Personal
prophetic ministry is made available for all who attend
our conferences. Special group rates are available, but
whether you come with friends or come to meet some,
come especially prepared to meet with the Lord.
THE REFIREMENT CENTER UPDATE
To comply with the biblical command to “honor
your fathers and mothers” (see Matthew 19:19), we
have planned to complete the 21-story high-rise building
we purchased as a part of the Heritage property into
the finest “Active Adult Community” (AAC) of its type
anywhere. Called Heritage Towers, there are still some
reservations available for the 1 to 5 room suites.
Even though this will be more like a super resort
in some ways, our main goal for this facility is to make
it an “on ramp,” for active adults 55 and up, who want
their senior years to be their most fruitful in the Lord
for ministry and missions, including teaching in our
schools, writing, composing, prophetic art, and the
release of teams of apostles, prophets, evangelists,
pastors, and teachers for the last-day ministry of the
church.
There will be over 200 units in our 21-story high-
rise at H.I.M. Life leases for these units will range
in price from below $150,000 and up, depending on
the size and options. Our goal is to provide the finest
facilities at the very best value.
The basic requirement will be that this is for
committed Christians who are devoted to the Lord’s
service. You can reserve your place with just a $1,000
deposit, which will be taken on a first-come, first-serve
basis. This deposit is fully refundable at any time, for
any reason. If you would like additional information
or would like to reserve your place in this community,
please contact us at:
1-800-542-0278, email us at: Refirecenter@
MorningStarMinistries.org
or write us at: The Refirement Center, 375 Star
Light Drive, Fort Mill, SC 29715
Please include your vital information, such as your
address, email, phone number(s), etc. You will be sent
a confirmation with your number and a questionnaire
soon after we receive your deposit. Beginning in Sep-
tember, we will start scheduling time for you to visit
the facilities and begin your planning with the aid of
our staff.
Our goal is to make the entire process enjoyable,
and as easy as possible, and in every way make every-
thing even better than you expect. Thanks for your
interest, and we look forward to meeting you soon.