Faith Exchange

~Pastor Dan Stratton

8 p.m. est

We had an amazing turnout Wednesday Night. Who was here Wednesday Night?  Show me your hands. Today, we are here and some of our key leaders are elsewhere due to obligations - mainly due to blessings that have come their way -- I speak of Taharqa, Angela and Sam - whom we have come to enjoy as our praise and worship leaders.  Still, our team flourishes under the anointing as our team continues to grow in grace and in the anointing.  Glauco, Judi, Andrea, Chris, Eric, Martin and I love serving you and I ask that the rest of you step forward, stirring up the gift in you as many of us are going to be asked to go as we grow in the coming days. This afternoon, we will be holding a Master Class -- immediately following our regular church service we will be treated to a meal, prepared by one of our newer members, Van Sanders and a team of devoted volunteers.  Please stay and partake.  Fellowship.  Make a new friend.  Then stay and participate as we share with you the purest imitation of Yahshua's ministry that we have been able to discover -- we call it My Deeper Life.  Listen as we ask, "How May We Serve You?"  This is not a rhetorical question.  We are trained to wait for the answer. We have been given tools to serve those that Yahshua connects us to as friends.  This Tuesday night we will gather on a conference call which is one of the tools that we use.  The call in number is 712-432-3100 and the conference code is 473379.  Every day from 7:45 to 9:15 -- the call in number is 712-432-3100 and the conference code is 889559.  Another tool that we use. These three tools are tools to help us stay in rhythm.  You see a house divided against itself cannot stand.  We are endeavoring to be together.  We are trying to learn to enjoy being unified in thought, speech and deed.  It is not enough to be together.  We must learn to enjoy being together.  Mishpocah = Family and Moschiach -- Anointed Ones -- are very similar in their walk in the earth.  We believe therefore we speak.  Being together and fellowshipping together gives even the more timid amongst us confidence that we might not normally possess. We also have a tool that you might want to pick up in our book store called the My Deeper Life Handbook.  It sells for $25.  I guarantee that you will be happy that you purchased it.  Also, Very Few Fathers ($10) is a worthwhile read as well.  We Win, Let's Play will position you for the Victorious Mindset that every believer must have. I encourage each of you to make these part of your libraries. I welcome you to Faith Exchange. Now that you are here, you will notice right away that we are not your typical Christian Church.  There are no crosses.  You will see a Menorah.  You will also hear some Hebrew used.  You will hear Yahuah and Yahshua as well as Yahweh and Jesus.  You will also hear the Hebrew language referred to repeatedly and the importance of the remembering that the Word of God is alive.  Also that Yahshua is Yahuah or Jesus is Lord or Jesus is God.  Don't be frightened.  We are not a cult.  Quite the contrary.  We are true followers of Yahshua - true followers of the bible, the Holy Spirit and servants/sons of the One True Yah. Scripture teaches you to Ask, Seek and to Knock - so I encourage you to do that from  your first visit.  You will find me approachable.  But if you would rather ask someone from the congregation please do so.  You can reach me at [email protected].  You can find me on facebook as Dan Stratton.  You can also call my assistant Rachel at 201-370-7709. Our website is www.faithexchange.org   Much of our latest teaching is available there.  I am sure that you will enjoy it. Our services are Sundays and Wednesdays.  10:30 and 7:30 respectively.  We also have a noon hour service for prayer on Wednesdays. How may we serve you?

Service times: Sundays 10:30 a.m., Wednesdays 7:30 p.m.

  “The strong foundation that was constructed in me by your love and teachings has prepared me for these challenging times. I can literally speak to the storm.... To stay connected to you and the resources in you has kept me in that place of faith, strength and assurance of His Word that you have sown in me. Thank you for the blessing you have been to me and my family.(my daughter just last weekend mentioned her love for you...she remember you as a little girl the influence you had in our lives...spiritually and personally).You are loved Pastor Dan.” ~ Jenna Rattan Stevens

Enjoy!

And it will exceed your imaginations for I declare from Heaven through His eyes and through your eyes -- unencumbered by your senses. Your risen self knows. Be still and Know that I am Yahuah. Come unto me all who weep and are heavy burdened and I will give you rest. Take this yoke on you, for it is easier than the yoke you are currently under. I will never leave you nor forsake you. I give you the keys to the kingdom. Allow me to give you the desires of your heart. Take no thought for tomorrow. I know what you have need of. Seek first My Kingdom and all these things shall be added unto you. Now take this word in its' entirety. Send to your three. Put it in front of their eyes. Soon, this instruction will not reach just a few -- it will reach the entire world. I love you so much -- There is no condemnation in my words and no judgement. I come to reconcile you completely back to the Spirit where abundance is easily accessed. Say yes to your promotion. Say yes to your access. Say yes to your commission to distribute. Say yes --- Now Be Still -- Let no corrupt communication proceed from your mouth -- setting other priorities ahead of your movement towards your higher purpose. Finally, When you read this Communicate with me -- either here or at [email protected]. Send me your thoughts. Tell me of the love that you are experiencing in the Vine. Tell me of the wonderful plans of kindness that you are planning for your friends in the Vine for this month. Tell me. I spoke to one man in the Vine about a job for three others in the Vine. I was able to help arrange an apartment for two men in the Vine this month. There are new people coming to the Vine. We must be ready to serve them. Promotion and true transformation is taking place. Stick to the tools. I am going to read more of Corinthians now. Spread the Word. Follow Me. Much love to you and yours. Make your supply available.

I woke up this morning and found myself stationary for a moment having to do the perfunctory purging. Seeing that I was separated from my Bible which I really wanted to read, I reached for the closest thing which was the October issue of marie claire, lower case of course, like facebook. As I always do, I just open these books, for they are encyclopedias of ads to the middle and start paging through. Did you know that Janelle Mona'e is from Kansas and that she will be on Saturday Night Live in the coming couple of weeks. It was just last night that I had barely heard of her and now I know what she looks like and what her parents names are. I don't think she wears ruby slippers, being from Kansas, but she has been called a star. And in the same magazine, I read about a story from a female writer who wrote about learning how to use a chain saw and how it showed her how closed up her thinking was. She talked about her feeling superior to those women who loved power tools and as she thought about it, she felt superior to a lot of people who did things that she didn't want to do. Interesting she thought, until after learning to take down small trees with the pull of a cord and a few well placed strokes, she had actually done something powerful and necessary. Yesterday, I couldn't get myself to watch football as I read the entire book of Ecclesiastes and with Vanity and Vexation booming in my ears, it was difficult to care whether Missouri beat Georgia, which they did by the way or Michigan beat, funny -- I can't remember who they played. Yale did lose to Dartmouth 20-13 and this isn't good for the Bulldog's hopes of an Ivy League Title, but I digress. So, as I flipped the channels, I came to PBS. Tom Moyer was interviewing a man. I still don't know his name. He spoke of the gospels with humility and he spoke of the issues of the day with clarity and poignancy - reminding both young and old to slow down to find significance. He reminded us to care about what we should and could care about -- that which was closest to us. He said that we should take great care for our homes and the land surrounding our homes. We should treat animals well, even the animals we must slaughter to eat, giving homage to God - remembering that it was He who crafted the system. Next year I will be born - again 30 years October 21. From that day I began to share the gospel as I began to separate myself awkwardly and sometimes needlessly from people and things that I thought were unnecessary or unfruitful. I began my journey and am still on that journey. Today, I see the gospel everywhere. I hear the good news in my kitchen now as my dogs snore at my feet and the clock ticks above my head, the second hand moving clumsily but steadily, clockwise for sure. As you can see, even I like to tell a joke in the middle of my writing, as I write for you and me -- for Him and me and you and Him and me and you. In Proverbs 2 -- which I can't seem to get out of my mind these days there is an exhortation. It tells us to incline our ear. In Mark 1, the scribe writes, "The time is fulfilled, the Kingdom is at hand, Repent and believe the gospel!" The Angel Gabriel tells Zachariah that his "son shall have the spirit of Elijah, that he shall cause the hearts of the fathers to turn to the children, to turn the disobedient back to the wise and that he shall prepare a people to serve Yahuah." The twin towers are gone. There is one tower in it's place. Just this past week they placed a minaret on top of it. A minaret is what is used in Mecca, where the Imam goes to the graduated balconies calling the faithful worshippers of Allah to prayer, five times a day. Yahusha told us to let the wheat and the tares grow together. That His Father would separate them, and He will, but that doesn't mean that the evil one is not here, mocking us and mocking HIm in the meantime. In the book of Genesis, Yah tells the serpent. The seed of the woman shall crush your head. The seed of the woman and the seed of Satan have always been separate, as depicted in the twin towers. In DNA there is a straight set of 23 and a coiled set. My one dog is gurgling right now. He doesn't sound much like a dog -- weird? I tell you all of this, to let you know that I am not asleep to what is going on around me. I am aware of the silliness everywhere. Our president wears a ring that is inscripted -- no God but Allah. I cannot walk with a man who denies Yahusha. I cannot deny Yahusha. Sometimes I get a little tired of saying the same things over and over again, but truth is truth and right is right. The answer to every question is still a person and Yahusha is the answer. However, the Yahusha in the Bible must become The Yahusha in your heart, hands, eyes, back and feet. Most importantly, He must be Yahusha of your mouth. His Word must become your word. Satan, as a roaring lion is seeking whom he may devour. Wisdom is also crying in the streets. Whose voice will you hear? Whose voice are you hearing now? When someone tells you to read your Bible a certain way, what do you do? When someone tells you to adhere to a certain rhythmic protocol, what do you do? Do you listen and do? Do you wait to see what will happen or do you simply disregard those words? The book of Ecclesiastes is clear. Repercussions for bad habits are seldom immediate, but they are severe. I love you my friends. It is now 6:43 a.m. My coffee tastes real good. It is still dark outside. Miley Cyrus is looking up at me from the cover of Bazaar. "Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing; and a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment. Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him, for he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?" My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if you criest after knowledge, and liftest up THY voice for understanding; if YOU seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures; tehn shalt you understand the fear of YHVH, and find the knowledge of Elohim. For YHVH (is the only one who) giveth wisdom; out of His mouth comes knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the path of judgment, and preserveth the way of His saints. Then shalt THOU understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity, yea, every good path.

It's a beautiful Sunday in DC. It's a little warm for my taste, but the sky is clear blue with wisps of white. Planes have left tracks in the sky, yet things are quiet. The news of the day speak of government shutdowns, motorcycle hordes harassing drivers on the west side highway and a shooting at the White House where a mother was gunned down as she drove recklessly and dangerously - and what I hear now is that the lawyers have been commissioned and sent out to sue and to advocate for each party involved while the press meets to decide who should win and who will benefit by those victories. Very few of these people involved in these activities are reading the bible, making it all the more important that you DO read your bible. My daughter turned 21 on Thursday and we celebrated our 28th Anniversary. We attended a concert at the Kennedy Center where a piece was performed depicting the words of George Washington. The music was discordant and extremely harsh on the ears, leading us to infer that citizen, general and president George Washington was extremely confused and cluttered. References to God were references to Providence and when George made them he did so with such reverence and with such a personal knowledge of His Providence that this was in fact his constant inner thought. Abundance, Providence and Clarity are here at all times. In the fog, in the face of gunfire, when confronted by insurmountable force, when allies make promises and fulfillment is slow and when family and personal resources are at risk, Providence Himself is on this founder's mind and in his heart. Providence is on my heart this morning. Providence is defined as being guided or cared for by His divine voice. It is God's power sustaining and guided human destiny. Provident means to make provision for the future, to be prudent, to save and to be efficient. Thinking ahead and looking to Providence are indeed required of leaders. The well-being of all and overall fairness is on the mind of Providential leaders. But where are these people? Where are the Creators, creating solutions that serve to provide the wisdom, the structure and the support that leads to decisions that individuals are free to make to bring prosperity, safety and voice to people who should possess and treasure these God-given privileges? Today, voices are being developed. Families everywhere are making decisions and adjusting to the blessings and the after shocks of decisions made and decisions avoided. Finding the right place to put your trust and the right place to get counsel and support is precious and necessary. Creating that place is the first step. Teaching people to utilize that resourceful place is quite another. Many detracted and even fought against the Colonial cause. There were traitors and those who chose to watch as those who chose to fight for truth and change risked everything. We are in a similar place today. There are those who will take everything you have worked for and allocate it as they feel necessary. That which you have created does not belong to you, they say. What does Providence say about that? You should know. How may I serve you? How long will I be with you? How often can I show you the efficient flow which will bring you to a place of productivity and impact? We need a dedicated group to adhere to the principles of Providence. We must think larger and inclusively. We must become a family and a team. Send this piece to your friends and loved ones. Study the My Deeper LIfe Handbook. Ask those who have studied it before you to help you with the questions that you should have and most certainly will have. Remember, that this is a tool book, not a rule book and that you must consider the Why of the Book as much as the What and the How of the Book. Much love.

Just this past Sunday I stood on a balcony overlooking Central Park in Manhattan. The sky was clear and the view was spectacular. I was there as part of a management team that is bringing world class solutions for drinking water. Already we have served 500,000 people who have been drinking poisoned water and it wouldn't be a stretch to say that we have saved their lives from arsenic poisoning. Politicians from all political parties in Mexico are using our products to get elected in Mexico. They purchase from us, put their ads on our products and then take credit for delivering clean water to the voters. You might be confused because we sell to politicos that spout rhetoric from the vast spectrum of belief and policy. Still, at the end of the day what has happened - real solutions were delivered. A water solution that actually takes poison out of the water was delivered. Lives were saved. Stop listening to the fool. Stop engaging in argument that will waste your time and incense your emotions and begin to deliver solutions. My son, if you wilt receive my words and hide my instructions with thee; so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, searchest for her as for hid treasures; ; then shalt thou understand the fear of The Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For The Lord giveth wisdom; out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. He lays up sound wisdom for the righteous; he is the buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keeps the paths of judgment and preserveths the way of his saints. Then shall thou understand righteousness, and judgment and equity, yea every good path. The word of God is alive. It is sharp. It shows me the thoughts and the intents of my heart. The word of God is amazing for doctrine - a way to live my life. It challenges, corrects and guides me. When I put it in my mind by reading it, my ear is inclined to hear it when I am going about my day. I hear truth when His word is in my mind. The Dean of Innovation at MIT was speaking with me on that balcony. The solutions that are being created to bring life-saving solutions are better than any you see on the shelves today. Before a product is built, a study takes place in the region where the people drink their water -- right at the point of use. But his concern was at the Macro level and as we spoke we had agreement for God has placed a message in his heart and mind and that message is the same one that you and I have. I could hear God in this man. He was so frustrated with government. He was so frustrated that bureaucrats have become antagonistic towards innovators and risk-takers. As I listened to him speak, he shared with me the stories of meetings with White House staff and military leaders. He spoke of those individuals sitting on the funding for all scientific research and he said that they were coming to him because these bureaucrats do not know what to do. They don't know where to turn. They do not know what is good or bad, right or wrong. They really don't know what will work. AND, most importantly, they are jealous of and have put themselves at odds with the innovators and the risk takers who are willing to spend the time and money - doing the work to find the truth. Now translate and meditate. When my friend says Innovator - you hear Creator. When my friend says risk-taker - you hear believer/person of faith. Do you know what the readings are this month? Have you thought about getting on the prayer call that happens every morning from 7:45 until 9:15? (east coast time) Have you prayed about the acts of kindness you will perform today? Have you considered your friends and what you will do to nurture those friendships that you cherish? Let's get this writing out to the people that you are serving in the Vine. Last night both Callie and Ellson Bennett were on the call. Debra and Sam Smeltzer were on the call. I am praying as to how I can better serve the people that live on the West Coast. I am praying about how not to abandon the friendships that have begun. It is important to fight for love, for truth and for solutions. Eddie Othon was on that call from Arizona as well. We don't gather as My Deeper Life, officially until Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks - the first weekend in June of 2014. However, we still have every third Sunday a Master Class and all of you are invited to be with us on those days. If you communicate with us and let us know that you are coming - perhaps one day there will be a spontaneous conference. Yah will speak to each of you, quietly, and you all will come at one time and we will assemble by the Spirit -- with your friends and new initiates -- to begin to form the groundswell that will provide the solutions that will build the Kingdom that will bring the truth and the solutions. I love each of you. I need each of you. I beseech each of you to love Yah on purpose. I implore you to love the helpers through to their free place as Yahshua has loved you so that you can and will help. We are the solution for we are Christ. We are Messiah. We are anointed. We are connected to Truth, Wisdom, Righteousness, Deliverance, Life and Love Himself. So, Go.

In April of 1987, I experienced a real windfall. Sticking to the discipline that I learned on the trading desk at Goldman Sachs, J. Aron division - I was able to stay involved in an extremely volatile market. While many people pulled out of the markets calling them untradeable I was able to see what was going on and stay involved and because I wasn't afraid I was able to pull out close to $500,000 in one day. This amount of money was a real blessing to my team and to my family. It was enough to change my life at that time, but one of my partners pulled me aside and gave me some advice that has stayed with me to this day. George Kaufman, a principal at T and S commodities, pulled me into his office. He sat me down and looked me into my eyes and said. "Dan, you are an amazing trader. You really had a great day. I watched your calm and your patience on what was an extremely chaotic and dangerous day. I have one piece of advice for you and I hope and pray that you listen to me. But before I give you this advice, I want to tell you that I have given this advice to other good traders and almost none of them have taken this advice and they are all broke today. Ready? Ok Dan, here it is. You have rules right? Those rules allowed you to stay in the market? Right? You have discipline and habits, right? You have a system, right? Ok -- now don't let this money change you. Don't change a thing. Stick to your basics. Stick to your disciplined habits. Ok, now get out of my office. My conscience is clear." There is a beauty and a harmony that takes place that is uniform at every level. Truth is truth and what works works. Good habits are good habits and vanity is vanity. Waste is waste and is always waste. Words always have power and should never be used without that thought in mind. What works at the 1 dollar level will work at the 10 dollar level. If you want to lose a pound, you work the same principle to lose 10 pounds and more. What this means is that once you adopt good habits based on sound principles based on Godly truth then you can produce on into infinity. So, let's start with a principle that we are already aware of. Seek and you SHALL Find. Knock and it SHALL be opened unto you. Ask and it SHALL be given you. Then, convert this Godly truth into action. How do you seek? How do you knock and how do you ask? So, get specific. Get out an index card. Believe Yah for something. Write it on the front of your card. A new job? A dollar amount? A healing? A new client? An opportunity? Now begin to create the opportunity, by declaring that it will happen. Purpose to do this for 30 days. As you meditate this happening, declare that it will come to pass. Allow no negative or contrary thought to be spoken regarding your goal or desire. If you meditate or speak against your desire. Repent and start a new 30 day process.

The time is fulfilled. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel. In the past few weeks we have been doing the work of Yah. Even if you weren't physically with us, you were with us. You were on our minds. We came together around the Feast of Tabernacles. We gathered to celebrate the gospel and the truth that Yahshua is. Yahshua. Yahshua. Yahshua. Love Yah and love people. Love Yah with all that you are and love Yah the way Yah has loved you. And there appeared unto him an angel of The Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of The Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to The Lord their God. AND HE SHALL GO BEFORE HIM IN THE SPIRIT AND POWER OF ELIJAH, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS TO THE CHILDREN, AND THE DISOBEDIENT TO THE WISDOM OF THE JUST; TO MAKE READY A PEOPLE PREPARED FOR THE LORD. The "Inside Out" conference that we had in New York City has prepared us to serve. Many are called but few are chosen. Our Navajo ministry was extremely successful. Our people in both places, the teams of helpers and the speakers were in place and serving. Planners, organizers, sound, drivers, speakers, financial supporters and attendees all did their part. Today, we will meet at Faith Exchange. Testimonies will go forth. We over come by the blood of The Lamb, Yahshua and by the word of our testimonies. We are growing in numbers. We must grow in commitment to each other as friends and as helpers. Let us work the five questions helping each person to achieve their place in the Body of Messiah. Let us believe the gospel. Let us repent. Turn from the distractions. Put the basics on your schedule before all else and then begin to measure your life. You will become better parents, spouses, sons and daughters, workers and friends. You will become a fisher of men. Read in rhythm. Attend Tuesday night's call. 8 pm Eastern time. Purpose to do five acts of kindness Give financially to My Deeper Life Call your three and see what you can do to help them. Call the one serving you. Read and master your manual, the My Deeper Life Handbook. Communicate with the rest of us in some way. Testify. I love you. The time is at hand. The time is now. Repent and Believe.

It is the Feast of Tabernacles. It is the third of His High and Holy Festivals in this season. Rosh Ha Shanah - the head of the year was the first. Yom Kippur was the day of atonement and now we have this feast where Yahuah wants us to remember that He is our dwelling place. The Jewish people celebrate this festival by setting up tents in their yards or near their homes and living there to remember the time when their forefathers wandered in the wilderness fed from heaven with the manna that came from the sky. Yahuah is our provider. He is our source. Please come this weekend to be with me and others. I have already heard from some who are in town from Illinois, Colorado and Texas. I am reminded as I set time to be quiet with Yahuah that we are to endeavor to imitate and follow Yahusha. We are to love Yah with all of our hearts and show that love by loving one another. Be like Yahusha. Follow Yahusha. Love one another Be made Fishers of Men. Go into all the world and tell others of Him. Make disciples. Change the World I have given my life to this simple cause. I know that we can walk this out in our life times. There is still time for you to change your plans and get to 95 Leonard Street tonight at 7. We will be here all day tomorrow starting at 10 AM. My friends have come from far away to share His love with you. Tom Waltz lost an eye only to be told that he has 20/10 vision. Ellson Bennett, a Navaho leader and teacher, will be with us. His daughter Callie will lead us in prophetic worship. Rachael Lewinson will bring us a word. She has four children now and is growing in her walk. Matthew Deutsch is coming from Illinois and will be bringing a powerful word you won't want to miss as will JiNan Glasgow. Mylon Lefevre will be with us on Sunday morning. He is a very dear friend and has been ministering with us since 1991. Wow, has it been that long.