Everything In Life Begins With A Thought

I’m reading the book Sexual Revolution: the Naked Truth about Moral Purity by Kris Vallotton right now and it’s powerful.  In the chapter entitled, Rules of War he says,

“Ultimately, true success lies in your ability to manage your inner life, the secret kingdom that lives within you.  It is really impossible to control your behavior long term unless you master your thoughts and subject them to the virtues that you have chosen to live by.”

“Your virtues train your attitudes, attitudes dictate your choices, choices decide your behavior, and your behavior determines your destiny.  The way that this whole process begins is by giving your virtues authority over your thoughts.  If your virtues do not govern what you allow yourself to think about, this process of reaching your destiny will be sabotaged.  Trying to behave inside your virtues, without taking control of what movie is being shown in the theater room of your heart, simply won’t work.”

“Learning to control your thoughts, instead of allowing your thoughts to control you, is probably the single greatest secret to successful living.”

In the previous chapter, The Great Escape, Kris said,

“Once you decide who you are supposed to be, life is much simpler.  All you have to do is live like you believe it.  You’ll know when you really believe in your own destiny when you start treating yourself as you have envisioned yourself.  You communicate to other people how to behave in your presence by the way you treat yourself.”

“If you treat yourself like you’re worthless, you are inviting other people to do the same.  If you carry yourself like a prince or a princess, others will relate to you like one.”

“I believe that many times we just don’t have the guts to look in the mirror and ask ourselves the hard, soul-searching questions that lead to real change in our lives.”

We have to begin to really realize who we are allowing to have control in our lives and minds.  Are my passions and desires (emotions and hormones) ruling my thoughts and heart or are my values and destiny the watermark for where my thoughts are directed and what my actions demonstrate?

Romans 8:5-6 in the Amplified version says,

⁵For those who are according to the flesh and are controlled by its unholy desires set their minds on and pursue those things which gratify the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and seek those things which gratify the [Holy] Spirit.

⁶Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever].

The ESV says it a bit more simply,

⁵For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. ⁶For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,  casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NKJV)  I love how the Message puts this verse, “The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.”

When you take every thought captive, what do you put in place of the fleshly thoughts/desires that try to assault your mind?  Do you know what the truth is?  Do you use your weapon of the Word, your Sword of the Spirit to continually re-focus your mind back to the Lord?  It’s time to ask ourselves hard questions and honestly evaluate, answer, and change where necessary.

We Are Far To Easily Pleased

C. S. Lewis said, “If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit that this notion has crept in from Kant and the Stoics and is no part of the Christian faith. Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” (The Weight of Glory, 26)

Desiring God Ministries kicked off their Pastor’s Conference last week with a thought provoking video based on this quote.  You can watch the video on the Desiring God Blog by clicking here, I wasn’t able to get it embedded here on my site.  I have to say, I was impressed at the quality of their video, good job DGM!

Furious Love

There is a sequel to the Finger of God movie called Furious Love that is about to be released on February 14th. This movie looks really really intense. The same man who didn’t believe in manifestations of the Spirit and traveled around the world and filmed those in Finger of God did the same thing with God’s love overcoming darkness and traveled to the darkest corners of the world to prove it could…it’s going to have some very intense scenes (not appropriate for children) of deliverance and manifestations. You can watch the trailer for the movie here.  I know that they’re going to be streaming it at Bethel on ibethel.tv on February 7th but I’m not sure if it will be free or for subscribers only.  Another good reason to subscribe to Bethel!   Just a note on the preview below, it is pretty intense and does show scenes of people manifesting and occult objects/people.

Finger of God trailer – also an amazing movie.  It looks like you can watch the whole hour and a half long movie in 10 parts on YouTube or you can order it online.  There’s also a 12 hour extended version available in the iBethel.org store.

The Sounds of Revelation

We’ve had a group in Boulder reading through the book of Revelation every week and last time I was there it struck me that the song in Revelation 4 totally changes when the Lamb appears in Revelation 5.  Rita commented on this a bit during her teaching.  Thinking about that is pretty wild, imagine the sounds involved: you have the voices of the living creatures saying day & night “”Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” (I wonder what their voices sound like - are the animal heads saying it with their own sound or do they have voices like men? So you could also have the sound of lions roaring, eagles crying, and oxen lowing(?) as well as a man’s voice – is it deep?), on top of that there’s the sound of the elders falling and their crowns crashing on the ground before the throne at the sound of the living creatures as they cry out their own song, “”Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”  There’s the rushing wings of the angels, the fire crackling before the throne, rumblings (could be voices or sounds in ESV) and peals of thunder from the throne itself.  Then an angel shouts out “Who is worthy?”  Did silence fall when the angel shouted his question?  How long had it been since there had been silence in heaven?  Now there is just the sound of John loudly weeping.  Then an elder tells him to stop weeping because the Lion of the tribe of Judah, has conquered and can open the scroll.  John looks up and sees the Lamb who was slain standing among the elders and creatures, He steps forward and takes the scroll.  At once a new song bursts forth!  First sung by the elders and living creatures, and then by miriads of angels, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”  (PS, they’re singing about us – try getting your mind around that.)  Then every living creature in heaven, on earth, in the sea, under the earth…says “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.” Imagine what that must have sounded like.  I’m wondering, did the elders to back to the old song or did they continue to sing the new one?  I would guess that they continued with the new one, or maybe it’s spontaneous.  But you have all the sounds back – all the voices, the thunders, the fire, the creatures, the crashing crowns.  Close your eyes for a moment and try to imagine what that sounds like and looks like!  It’s overwhelming!  That is part of what we have access to, we are seated there, implanted with Jesus in heaven, we can hear those songs.  Haha, whew!

Faith and Action

This is an entry from Come Away My Beloved, a devotional by Frances J. Roberts.

“According to your faith let it be to you.” Matt 9:29

My promises are of no avail to you except as you apply and appropriate them y faith.  In your daily walk, you shall be victorious only to the degree that you trust Me.  I can help you only as you ask.  I will meet you at every point where you put action alongside your payers.  Only as you walk will the waters of adversity be parted before you.  Overburdened as the world is with trouble and sickness, I need those who have proved My sufficiency in everyday, personal experience to lead the suffering to the fountains of life.  I need those who have found Me as burden-bearer to help bring deliverance to the oppressed.  Never begrudge time given to chronic complainers, but recognize in each encounter the opportunity to speak a word that may lead to their liberation.  No case is too hard for Me.  Never be taken by surprise when I use you to change a pattern.   Do not judge a man by what he appears to be, but see him as what he can be if he gives himself unreservedly to me.

God is so funny, I feel like He’s not talking to me, and then I read that, and then the reading in Streams in the Desert is on “My grace is sufficient for you” haha which I’ve been studying.  It’s really good.  This man lost his child and is going to preach on that verse and realizes that he is not experiencing it in his own life (highly paraphrased) and so he kneels and prays “God make your grace sufficient for me” and looks up and sees the verse framed on his wall and it says, “My grace is sufficient for you.”  (haha, “we’re going back to the wilderness…” is playing in my house right now, fitting)  He felt like the Lord said, ” How dare you ask for something that is?  I cannot make my grace any more sufficient that I already have made it.  Get up and believe it, and you will find it to be true in your life.” (agreement haha!!)  Then he says, “Never change God’s facts into hopes or prayers but simply accept them as realities, and you will find them to be powerful as you believe them.”  H.W. Webb Peploe

Then there’s this poem at the end:
He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
To added affliction He addeth His mercies,
To multiplied trials His multiplied peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

His love has no limit, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth and giveth and giveth again.

HE’S SO GOOD!!!!  May I never doubt His goodness!

God’s Media Army

Ok I know I already wrote a post tonight but destiny is burning in me and I have to get some of this out.

I recently watched a prophetic word by Julie Meyer about God raising up His media army (watch the video here.)  She describes a dream in which God gets out His check book and sings that He’s going to write a check and give the money for “the great invitation for the Divine interruption in media.”  Yes.  Media.  It blows my mind later in the video when she said that people scoffed and said that “God would never use media.”  Seriously?  This is the attitude that has allowed us to get to the point where we are today, where the Church and “Christian” media is viewed as pathetic and devoid of creativity.  She prophesies worship leaders winning secular awards and last night one of my friends informed me that such a thing had just happened.  A worship leader named Aaron Strumpel branched out into a creative realm of music and recorded a CD that is obviously about God and full of life and he won a major competition and opportunities to play at some amazing (totally secular) venues in Chicago.  A worship leader just won American Idol against a gay guy, and the second runner up was another worship leader.  I cannot even fathom the thought that God wouldn’t want to use media.  It is one of those things that as we look at where the enemy is moving, trying to release a counterfeit (to usurp the worth of the real product) that is where the Lord wants to move, and is moving with the elect!  Now I’m not saying that we keep our eyes on the enemy to see the Lord’s plan.  Rather we should seek the Master Strategist (the Holy Spirit) for His plan and begin to put that into action and release His Kingdom into the earth in every area of society and then enjoy the confirmation of the counterfeit that the enemy is trying to release.  My last post about counterfeit identity is exactly what I’m talking about.  The enemy is using media, a realm of great power and influence which much of the church seems to have released to him entirely, to influence the identity and destiny of an entire generation.  If he is using it to release a false view of the Father and our identity as adopted children then how much more can the Lord use it to release His heart?  And not in an obvious, sun light pouring from behind Touched By An Angel moment.  I’m talking creative, modern, stinking awesome invasion of media, technology, entertainment.  There HAS to be a place where we can step into these realms with our identity, mantles, authority, full of the spirit, and release the heart of the Father.

There was a season where I really wanted to be part of the social media/techy community in Boulder and I was kinda trying to sneak in the back door on it, without being overtly Christian and without really feeling peace about it – and it was miserable.  Utterly miserable.  I didn’t get anywhere and when I did I didn’t like it.  I was going to totally give up on that idea and throw it away as being just a selfish desire and not something from the Lord, the only believers that I had seen go into that realm had fallen away from the Lord or were just lukewarm.  Lynne Hart challenged me to ask the Lord what His desire was for that and to release it to Him.  She said that maybe other believers felt the same way and He had me there for a reason.  So I did, I gave it to Him and waited to see what He would do.  Later, I ended up having the opportunity to step into that realm through the front door, with mantles on my shoulders that I could literally feel as I walked though the door, where I was moved by the host of the conference I was at from the back seat in the back of the room to the front and center seat in the room (her own seat.)  I was honored multiple times by several speakers and affirmed in almost every creative area that I walked it at that point.  It was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had.  Almost surreal.  The team I was on that was strategizing for a social media solution for a company won first place.  It all had so little to do with me or what I was doing and was so evidently the grace and favor of the Lord that was recognized by the people there, over and over.

We have access to the most creative being in all of the cosmos, the Holy Spirit, the Father, Jesus…the One who created it all to begin with – the One who is the author of all creativity.  It is almost unthinkable that the church would be in the position that we find ourselves.  The world should be looking to us for inspiritation in creative expression!  Not because I want to promote myself, but because my King has need of it.  We cannot afford to write off media, entertainment, and technology.  Look at the Shack, it was on the number one best seller list of books and audiobooks for months.  People were reading a book that was openly about God.  I didn’t agree with everything said in that book, but it released a view of God that is more real than the secular media is releasing with movies like Stepfather.  Daddy is coming home this fall, and He’s not coming to kill but to offer life and identity.  We must step up in this crucial moment in time.

In my own life there are so many areas where I want to go creatively, most of which I know virtually nothing about.  But I want to go after them anyway!  I don’t care if I’m not good at it at first.  My tendency in the past has been to go after something with passion and then burn out when I’m not super good at it immediately or I get bored with it.  I’m determined not to let that happen anymore.  I started painting a couple weeks ago, I’d never done it before but I just wanted it.  I’ve only liked about one in every three that I’ve done so far and sometimes not that many, but I’m still going after it.  I’m learning what I am good at, and how to find my own creative expression in it.  The Lord released a spirit of skill to artisans who were designing things for the temple in the Old Testament.  If we really have a better covenant with better promises why are we not tapping into things like that?  Let’s go for it!  Even Jesus did creative work with His hands as a carpenter.

I know multiple people at this point that have wanted to do something and started and been amazing almost immediately, it’s like they received a download and they flow with it (cooperate) in the Spirit.  My brother Joseph just started playing piano one day (“non-religiously” as he put it) and he’s amazing.  My friend Anne just started painting one day and she’s really good.  I started playing djimbe because I want to and I can do it when I relax and allow myself to move with the music and not think about it or over analyze it.

Join God’s media army.  The time has come.  Grab your paint brushes, instruments, sewing machines, cameras, video cameras, pens, laptops, clay, wood, stone…anything you can get your hands on and allow the Holy Spirit to move through creatively you to transform it into something that will change the world.  Let’s go!

Counterfeit Identity

I went to watch Terminator 4 with David at the theater tonight.  Wow!  What a powerful movie.  When we were leaving I noticed again two posters that were side by side that had caught my eye on the way in.  They were such an obvious counterfeit of what God is doing right now.  It’s so true that if you watch what the enemy is doing he tries to counter act the movement of the remnant.  Get this, the two posters were as follows: “Stepfather: this fall, Daddy’s coming home” & “Orphan: something’s wrong with Esther.”  Seriously.  They’re both freaky horror movies.  In a season when all that the prophetic church can talk about is an Esther generation and God is releasing His Father heart and love everywhere those are two of the movies coming out this summer.  Thank you Jesus that you’re moving in the opposite spirit.  I’m so encouraged to go out and release a spirit of adoption everywhere possible and the loving Father heart of God all over everyone that I see because now I know for sure that’s what God is doing (as if I didn’t know before) ha!!!  When the picture of an “adoptive” father is one that is angry and kills his children, is out to harm them and cut off their lives we MUST release a true image of our loving heavenly Father!  When they are releasing a movie called “Orphan” whose tagline is “something’s wrong with Esther” that portrays an obviously depressed, orphaned, closed to love, devoid of identity or family child we know exactly what to release.  Identity, community, family, love, joy, hope.  One of the last things that they say in Terminator 4 is that the only thing that separates us from the machines is that we have a human heart.  That indomitable human spirit (made in the likeness of God’s own spirit) that won’t be suppressed, that cannot stand for injustice, that loves beyond all reason, that maintains hope in the darkest of circumstances, that’s what sets us apart.  That’s because we were made in the likeness of a Father who is the epitome of all those things.  He is love.  He is hope.  He is faith.  He is peace.  He never gives up.

Wikipedia defines counterfeit as: “A counterfeit product is an imitation which infringes upon a production monopoly held by either a state or corporation. Goods are produced with the intent to bypass this monopoly and thus take advantage of the established worth of the previous product.” With the intent to take advantage of the established worth of the previous product.  It’s the identity and destiny of a generation.  If their identity can be portrayed as that of an orphan and their “father” as an angry killer then why would they turn from the things which are holding them captive?  Oh that we could release a true identity through the media, God raise up your media army!!!  Let us take back even that counterfeit of your true design!  Our generation is being so obviously assaulted with a false identity and destiny, the enemy is not even trying to hide or disguise it!  The name of the Orphan is Esther.

I am so thankful to God that we have received the spirit of adoption and that through Him we can extend it to the world around us.  What greater priveledge can we have than to step into a world of darkness and offer them light?  What greater joy than to see someone who is full of death suddenly filled with life?  Thank you Daddy!!!  Help us to receive more of your heart so that we can release even more into the world!  Show us more of the identity and destiny that you have for this generation.  Let Your Kingdom COME!!!

Daddy’s Heart for Boulder

Last night I had the opportunity to gather with a small group of the beloved to learn about and do some prophetic intercession for the city of Boulder.  If you want to ready the notes from the teaching and learn more about prophetic intercession see my last post entitled “What Is Prophetic Intercession”

I want to share some of what the Lord revealed of His heart for Boulder through our intercession. Basically what we did was worship (amazing take-us-straight-into-the-heart-and-presence-of-God-in-one-song worship w/Ben), then we heard a short teaching on prophetic intercession by Lynne Hart, and then we waited on the Lord together.  The theme verse for the evening was Isaiah 62:4 (NJKV) “You shall no longer be termed Forsaken, Nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate; But you shall be called Hephzibah (my delight is in her), and your land Beulah (married); For the LORD delights in you, And your land shall be married.”

Thoughout the time of intercession there was an obvious theme of the Lord alluring, tenderly loving and drawing this woman with His lovingkindness.  The story of Hosea is very applicable to the way that the Lord views Boulder.  There was much about her being unveiled to be seen as she really is.  The Lord started speaking to me about the woman in Matthew 9:20-22 who had the issue of blood for twelve years, talk about desolate and forsaken.  A woman in that condition would not be desirable to marry, she would be unable to have children, her body would be weak and ravished.  But she had faith that just one touch on His garment would heal her, and it did.  There is such spiritual hunger in Boulder, if only her people would reach out for one touch of Him they would be healed and restored!  Turn that hunger to you Father!!  He was talking about her children – there is a generation that is rising up in Boulder, a generation like Samuel that will be dedicated to the Lord.  (1 Sam 1:11)  He is removing her reproach.  People proclaimed verses from Isaiah 58, 60, & 66 which is all about birthing & the children.  Isaiah 58 talks about her children resoring the desolate places & repairing the breach.

The enemy portraying her as a drunken woman, a harlot, unsavable, unlovable, beyond help.  This is also, in my opinion the view that much of the world and the church as of Boulder.  I belive that Boulder has been like the prodigal son who will return to his father’s house and the older son – the one who remained, needs to be aware that Boulder is coming home!!  The Father is waiting with arms outstretched.  At one point one of the girls was praying that the Lord would reveal Boulder as His beautiful bride, that the deception of the enemy would be removed and that she would be seen as He sees her.  That the harlot would become the beautiful bride.  Many things had been spoken out and declared about Boulder by this time, I wasn’t able to write it all down.  One of the girls had a revelation from the Lord about going into the secret place (the sprinkler control room) and receiving revelation from the Lord to release his rain, flood, springs, over the city.  I had a vision of keys being released that were made to order, as we feed on Him we will know his heart and what to even ask for.

As one of the girls was praying I saw a vision of a shower head with water streaming out of it, but there was no one standing at it.  Then the Lord pulled back the curtain and I saw her crouched in the corner in almost a fetal position, with wild hair and large wild eyes trying to stay out of the flow of the water.  You could see the fear and the sense of unworthiness.  Then I saw that the Lord was kneeling by the side of the tub with a sponge in one hand.  He began to gently wash her saying softly, “You’re worth it, you’re worthy, you’re worth it, you’re worthy.”  His justice is His mercy!  All of the shame, guilt, fear, rejection, and pain of Boulder was placed on Jesus on the cross and He looked out and saw her timidly turning – like the prodigal son – back to Him and He knew that it was worth it.  This is His heart toward the lost in general.  This is why we can lay down our lives.  Right as we were ending I saw a single red heart-shaped balloon floating up over the city, flying past the flatirons, He is releasing His heart to this city.  Those who have been forgiven much love much.  (Luke 7:47)When I saw that vision I felt so strongly the heart of the Lord, His great compassion and love toward this beautiful, wild-eyed woman.  She is His bride, the one that He is pratiently preparing for His son.  This is the Kingdom.

What is Prophetic Intercession?

Last night I had the privilege of gathering with a small group of believers in Boulder to learn about and practice prophetic intercession.  Lynne Hart, a dear friend and mentor, came and released some of her knowledge & experience in these things to us.  A lot of what I’m writing here are my notes from either her teaching or our discussion.  For anyone who doesn’t know what it is, prophetic intercession is asking the Lord what is on His heart and praying/declaring those things out into the atmosphere.  The prophetic is speaking forth the word of God either for the future or from scripture.  And intercession is speaking on someone’s behalf, standing in the gap, pleading for a person, place, city, region, situation, nation…vs prayer which is more the normal communication we have with the Lord.

We learned about the different ways that the Lord comes to us, how He manifests Himself differently depending on the circumstances.  He can come to us either as the Father (more nurturing, protective, authoritative), Jesus (relatable, friendly, lover, warrior – Captain of the Hosts, redeemer), or as the Holy Spirit (more physically tangible, corrector/instructor, comforter, teacher, truth, healer, wisdom, power, strategy – always pointing to Jesus).  It was fun – and I would challenge you to try – to wait on the Lord and see what way He came to us.  It may be different every time.

When we approach intercession we must start at the place of His heart, we must come from the position of knowing and standing in His very great love for us first.  I can start by declaring my Daddy’s love for me, how big it is, all of the things He does for me just because He loves me.  We can begin to ask him, as my dear friend & mentor Lynne Hart says, “How big is the operational power (grace) of Your love today?”  and then wait and see what He does – write it down! 

When we do prophetic intercession we can begin with petitioning prayers, where we are asking/pleading, to proclaiming prayers, where we are declaring what has happened.  Anything that God has said is already done can be proclaimed – we can proclaim His promises (all 8700 that are in scripture)!!  To proclaim means to shout it out to the heavenly hosts, to announce, to speak forth.  There are kingdoms waiting for our words – both the Kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness – either angels or demons are released to action at our words.  Angels are waiting to move at His word (Ps 103:20.) When you proclaim be sure that you are covered first, that you are under authority, that you are operating withing the realm of authority that God has released to you, and that what you are doing is something that He has specifically released you to do.  We are given authority (as He leads) to proclaim to businesses, cities, nations, regions, mountains of influence, creation…We are to speak with fearlessness, power, and love (2 Tim 1:7), we are to lift our voice mightily in love – speak with authority as if we are speaking to all of heaven & hell (because we are.)  Get up high, both physically & spiritually.  We are seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus at the right hand of the Father (Eph 2:4-7), but there is also authority in being in a physically high place above what you are proclaiming to.  (Is 40:9) You must be in the Word, the enemy knows and twists the Word, but it is our sword, our weapon. The sword of the Spirit in Galations 6 with the armor of God is the now word of God spoken aloud with authority – that’s what we fight with.  We can pray the Word, meditate on it, & speak it forth. We sapeak without fear, there is no fear in love because perfect love casts out fear and we are perfectly loved! (1 John 4:18) We can remind the enemy of his defeat – he as already been defeated!  He has no authority over us, not in the name of Jesus!  We can remind the Lord of all of His promises, they are yes & amen in Jesus! (2 Cor 1:20)

Some Visual Food for Thought

This is a mimed skit from Eddie James Ministry about radical believers throughout history