"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."-(1 John 4:8)
This is not a test. What you are experiencing is the genuine event. This is neither an elaborate rehearsal for a future experience, nor is it a cruel joke. This is life. This is REAL. You are not in some alternate level of meditation, imagining that this is all unfolding before your imaginary eyes... You are not skimming some surrogate plane of actuality. YOU ARE INDEED HERE. Your spirit-man is inhabiting the molecular manifestation of what is, at its basest level, a divinely-designed spacesuit. The suit, when properly operated, maintained and stewarded over will produce excellent movement and effective results. However, when the protective shell and its fine elements are either abused or is used to project negative output, the gesticulation will be rated as destructive and the fruit will represent manifested impairment. The latter is a direct contradiction to the value and purpose established by the Manufacturer. For further explicit instruction and details, please consult the manufacturer or the instruction manual. I repeat- THIS IS NOT A TEST. Note- The mission objective of this operation is very simple: LOVE.
Why are we here? The Buddhist would say "Because". The Atheist would say "Accidental". The canine would say "squirrel". But the living God who is responsible for every neutron in existence tells us why very clearly in the only valid operational manual. The "Manufacturer" Himself, who created the earth and all that dwell therein (including Buddhists, Atheists and dogs) told us nearly two millennia ago: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”-(Matthew 22:36-40) LOVE. God IS Love. To love, therefore, is to be in God's perfect will. In actuality, the Creator of the heavens and the Earth fashioned us with the specific purpose of communion with Him, in love. He made us in His own image, the mirror of Love itself. We are, in essence therefore, built to yield the produce of God or love. Wow. In its absolute simplicity, that is unfathomably deep. That should end this article. The acknowledgement that "Love is everything" should be the finale of this exhortation of the obvious... Sadly, it is not.
With the fall of man came the viral infection of evil, fear, disease, doubt and the curse of sin and sting of death. With the first and most devastating act of disobedience, and thereby lack of love, came pain and heartbreak. The tears shed on that day were monumental. The entirety of mankind was placed onto a dark path to self-destruction. But we are still here. A planet-wide flood, several acts of extermination and devastation later... We are still here. How is that possible? The Architect of all life, loved us so much that He could not simply wipe the slate clean and start again. He made us from His own substance. Borne of the very heart of God Himself, He could not bear to part with us. It is not a matter of need. It is quite literally, a matter of the heart. Proverbs 4:23 tells us "Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.” If our heart is the wellspring of life, and we are made in the image of God, then He crafted us and granted us life, from His heart. He created us out of LOVE. When love is truly at the center of a matter, giving up is no longer an option. He did not discard us, He restored us back to Himself, out of His love.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."-(John 3:16) It was love that created us, and love that reconciled us back to the source of life. Without love, we are incomplete and thereby, unredeemed. As followers of the Way, the Truth and the Life, we are commanded to love one another. Jesus did not come to do away with the law or the prophets, but rather FULFILL them. He came to complete them, to restore that which was missing. His Love completed the process of redemption. "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."-(John 15;13) Before laying down His life to free us from the curse of the fall, He added to the commandments. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”-(John 13:34-35) So we must love one another. Why bother sharing such a basic principle? What is the necessity in repeating an age-old tenet of our faith to the multitudes? Because, even now, after 2000 years of truth-revealed and gospel-preached admonitions we still lack love. We still harbor resentment and hatred.
We proclaim the goodness and mercy of the God who freely offers His grace, and yet we despise one another. Not you? Consider your heart. Do you hate the sin or the sinner? Be honest. I know that it is painful, but the truth must surface for progress to be established. The honesty of our walk will determine what we refine and glean from this incredible journey. "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free."-(John 8:32) The antithesis of that scriptural revelation is "You shall live in the lie and the fiction will imprison you". When interacting with other "spacesuits" do you love unconditionally the spirit within? What about the homosexual? What about the heterosexual with promiscuity issues? Or perhaps the drug-addicted miscreant? What about the Muslim misguided by the deception of a subverted culture? What about the Gossip, the Glutton, the Unbeliever or the invariably hate-filled evil-doers of the world? Do you look at them through the eyes of the one whose love set us apart? Or do you equate the depth of the sin with the sinner bearing it? Do not be deceived here. “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."-(Matthew 7:1-2) IT IS NOT IN OUR AUTHORITY OR MISSION PLAN TO JUDGE ANYONE. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"-(Romans 3:23) That means you and me. Still, we repeat the pattern of abhorrence within the walls of the church. We replicate the culture of enmity amongst the living stones of the Kingdom itself. Followers judge other followers. Believers curse other believers. "Christians" hate other "Christians". That is not love. That is conditional love, which is in truth JUDGEMENT.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’"-(Matthew 7:21-23) We can call ourselves by the name of the Creator all day long, but if we do not do the most basic, most important of all He commands us, we are not in undisputed relationship with Him. Jesus tells us that it is entirely possible to prophesy, exercise the demonic and even perform the miraculous in His name and yet be unknown to Him. It is our LOVE that gains us true entry. It is our LOVE that creates consanguinity with the Master, not merely our declaration. To proclaim your faith with your tongue and remain untransformed in your heart is double-minded. "For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."-(James 1:7-8) Let me tender this example- Let's suppose that you are a book. You may be a lovely, leather-bound edition with gold-leaf lettering that states without a doubt that you are "The Holy Bible" on the cover and the spine. Are you truly the word of God within? Or perhaps inside that gorgeous, classic outer sheathing you are filled with a conglomerate of literary stews... Your exterior states that you are the Word of God, but inside one would find "Mein Kaumpf", "Thus Spoke Zarathustra", a few issues of "The Enquirer" and "Hustler"? When getting checked back into the Divine Library, the Chief Librarian would discard you as false. I know, I am a strange bird and that metaphor rides the edge of absurdity... But think about it; How often do we profess that we are His children, but act like we are total strangers?
"If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing."-(1 Corinthians 13:2) We are incomplete without the Love of God at the center of all of our activity and purpose. That is the veritable meaning of life itself. To Love, to be LOVE, because we are loved. We are to imitate our Heavenly Father and do what He does, just as Jesus the Messiah did in His ministry here on Earth, in His spacesuit. "We love because he first loved us."-(1 John 4:19)
Do you truly love? I am not speaking of liking what everyone is fond of, or approving the stylistic or cultural natures of others. I am certainly not professing that tolerating sin is equivalent to loving the sinner. I am simply asking you to examine your heart. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."-(Matthew 6:21) If you are in genuine relationship with God the Father, Jesus the Advocate Messiah and His Holy Spirit, then you will find your treasure trove in His courts. If you are in true relationship with the God who so loved the world that He gave, you will give. You will trust Him with your life, your love and your heart and you will GIVE it to Him. That is where to store up your treasure and your LOVE. When we give our lives to Jesus Christ, He can become one with us. When we enter into the most powerful relationship, the greatest love, we give our total trust to Him. We cannot say that we honestly trust Him if we cannot let go and love as he loved. Remember, even as the precious Lamb of God was being nailed to a tree with 9 inch spikes piercing His hands and feet, He cried out "Father, forgive them. They know not what they are doing."-(Luke 23:34) He proclaimed at that moment the nature of our love. To forgive, to minister to in spite of our outward circumstances; to never judge another's motives... To give our very lives to make this adventure and world a better place to learn and care for each other. The greatest love of all creation is to share that treasure with others. Remember the old adage that "people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care". Tell others that the love you have for them comes from the source of love itself. Show them the love that sets the world free and offer them what He offers to all of His children- HIS HEART. That is the meaning of life... TO LOVE.
Pastors Brian and Jeni Stivale travel the globe spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and ministering with signs and wonders following through the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Their ministry of preaching, teaching, prophetic, and worship reaches millions throughout the world via Churches, Conferences, Internet and Television. www.StivaleMinistries.org
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Friday, May 6, 2011
Saturday, April 30, 2011
THE APOCALYPTIC LULLABY
"Do this, knowing the time, that now is high time for you to awaken out of sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed."-(Romans 13:11)
Why do we arbitrarily call out to Him when it is either convenient or when we are wounded? Why do we seek Him only to find His hands, rather than His Face? In a fallen world that is crying out every day as one who is dying and losing their hold on life, clutching at straws to survive, we see, hear, and experience for ourselves the signs of the times. They are imminent warnings of what will inevitably, prophetically, and scripturally come to pass. Disease, Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Tornados, Hurricanes, natural signs and devastations wiping out entire villages, cities and civilizations... Wars, conflicts, abuses, cruelty, murder, slavery, human trafficking, genocide and man's gross inhumanity toward man rack our conscience and hearts with the clanging alarm of a species destined and somehow determined to undermine and destroy itself. The news media blares the authenticity of the havoc and magnifies these significant omens to the point of cacophony, as if the enemy would have us desensitized to the imminence of our calamity. Numbing us with the inundation of tragedy, we crawl back into our safe, quiet, insulated bed-chambers and try to block it out.
But while Satan attempts to lull us back to impotent slumber with the lullaby of lust, self-importance, dissension, greed, complacency, comfort and worst of all, doubt and fear, he sets the stage for the deceived to operate on his behalf. He uses extremists who bear the banner and the Black Flag of the spirit of Anti-Christ to march toward the fulfillment of his designs. We sit idly by, asleep in the midst of chaos and catastrophe as the evil one mounts his assaults. I do not speak of the slumber that Jesus rebukes the disciples for waking Him out of due to a lack of faith in Mark 4:35-40. I cite the type of spirit of stupor that Paul mentions in Romans 11:18 that keeps our eyes from truly seeing and our ears from hearing what is TRUTH. If you are awake right now, you will have had revelation that the adversary has used individuals enclosed inside the body of Christ to cause division from within since the inception of the church. Denominationalism, sectarianism, doctrinal disputes and hatred from one arm to the other in the Corpus Christi here on Earth have been his means to decay the infrastructure of our Kingdom. Division is the cancer destroying the anatomy of Christendom in its interior. We are called to occupy in dominion until Messiah returns, but while we hold fast, we have been, for centuries, more trouble to one another through our self-righteousness and schisms than his minions ever needed be. For millennia, the fallen worship leader of heaven has allowed the church in her own vanity to subversively engage in civil war. But the plot is thickening...
Right now, as you read this in the security of your own personal sanctuary, I would kindly ask you to consider two things. First, ARE YOU AWAKE? "Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep."-(Psalm 121:4) And second, ARE YOU AWARE? "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."-(Romans 12:2) As my bride and I traverse the globe to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and dedicate our lives to discipling the Saints, we do not take lightly the clarion call to quicken the Bride of Christ. We know without the shadow of any doubt that the Holy Spirit has shown us that we are commissioned and equipped, for such a time as this, to AWAKEN and make AWARE. If you are awake, we encourage you to rouse others. If you are aware of the urgency of the times, we would rally you to share the critical nature of the precipice we all stand upon. The end is relatively... well, NIGH.
I remember as a child observing the obscure corner-dwelling, billboard-wearing presumably insane people on the streets of New York City. They were pensive, intensely urgent and purposefully selfless in their efforts to sound the alarm to any and everyone who would harken the almost maniacal cry "THE END IS NIGH!!!", or "Repent! for the End is at hand". When asking one of my teachers on a school field trip to the Museum of Natural History what precisely these seemingly insane people were prognosticating, I received a very secular "Crazies" as an answer. But more than 25 years later, and wiser, I am quite sure that a good percentage of these "Crazies" were more prophetic than deranged. When looking at the grand scheme and juncture in relation to our minuscule lifetimes, and compounding the prophetic timelines it is perfectly feasible to discern that, YES, the end is upon us. Like them or not, in lieu of their unorthodox approach, the placard-wearing "crazies" on the corners are not too far off base. (That is with the exception, of course, of anyone spewing hatred and judgement toward others while using the medium of picketing and rallying to actually aid the forces of evil.)
A dear friend recently contended with me "Well, the news media is magnifying all of the madness and disaster. They thought the world was ending 2000 years ago, and they had no T.V.; there was as much devastation and war then as there is right now". Yes, people have been declaring the end of days for centuries. Each civilization, culture and cluster of mankind has proposed a potential cataclysmic date or season. Christian, Pagan, Atheist, Scientist and Philosopher alike have all identified a looming apocalypse within their own lifetimes. Dating back to the dawn of the Church, we know that there was significant presumption about the end of all things even as the first disciples were being martyred. Each generation has its own potential end waiting in the proverbial wings. However, when denying the reality or truth of the progression and escalation of the inevitable end of all things, it is imperative that we swallow the jagged pill of perspective, particularly when dealing with relative timelines. Considering the age and scale of time that we have been traveling on as a race from the creation until now, it is more than feasible to imagine that we are nearing the inevitable and ultimate renewal of creation. The frequency of destruction is increasing on a level that is historic. The atrocities of human hatred and self-decay have reached a fever pitch the likes of which the world has NEVER seen. "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains."-(Mark 13:8) Anyone who is awake and truly sees their surroundings can acknowledge that there is more devastation, more evil and darkness filling the earth to date than ever before. Without mutating this article into a thesis, or following the rabbit down the hole to side-tracked confusion, I reflect back to the real purpose of writing this. We must not treat our lives as fodder. We must not ingest the lie that we should live as though we will never die, but rather live as though we might die ANY MINUTE... Because WE MIGHT. We must be committed to declare the Gospel and whole-heartedly tell the truth about Jesus the Messiah to the entire world. Without fear of rejection, retribution, loss or martyrdom, we are commissioned to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."-(Mark 16:15) We cannot let the sedative of doubt fill us with paralyzing inactivity. This IS really happening. And there are others, who work for the opposing forces who believe that it is, whether you do or not.
I proclaimed earlier how we preach to the Body of Christ to awaken. Recently, while watching a broadcast of the recent revolution in Egypt, we witnessed something disturbing. As one of the leaders of The Muslim Brotherhood began to speak over the noise of elated "free" Egyptians, he uttered "This is the beginning of the great Muslim Awakening! Muslims around the world will rise up to claim what is theirs!". My jaw dropped. We were immediately aware that this was a direct counterfeit of the same directive that the Holy Spirit has given to us and many others in the Body as a charge to prepare for the coming season of turbulence.
When listening to another man of God recently as he revealed the prophetic and actual timelines that are being fulfilled, he interviewed a former bodyguard who defected from within the hierarchy of Iranian rule who unveiled the consistent and constant dialogue from within the counsels of Iranian and Muslim Extremist Leadership. They believe that the Thirteenth Imam, the Imam Mahdi or "Guided One" has already arrived. If you are unfamiliar with the Mohammedan Prophecy of this "being of light", I suggest that you invest some time into the research. I will tell you that according to Muslim Prophecy and in comparison with Christian Eschatology the comparisons are unsettlingly congruent. They believe that the Mahdi's reign and appearance will be coupled by the return of Hadhrat Isa, better known to you and me as Jesus. Although He is denied by Mohammed as being the Son of God, in spite of being esteemed as one of the highest "prophets" in the Koran. Which leads me to a sidebar of substantial significance: CAN A TRUE PROPHET LIE? If the answer is "NO", then the Koran is false. Ironically, they identify Jesus as "the only one who will have the power to kill the Anti-Christ". I should also mention that the length of the reign of the Mahdi is SEVEN YEARS. He will also purportedly LEAD WORSHIP from Mecca. The counterfeit here is transparent. However, due to its importance and the depth of detail, I will spend more time disclosing my dissertation on this subject at a later date. Regardless of the Mahdi's arrival, the behavior and lifestyles of the majority of everyday people who worship as Muslims and the conduct of the general (rapidly growing) world population of Muslims, there are many in positions of authority at the ready. They hold high the sword of Jihad, Holy War. They are poised for the great cleansing of the infidels. Who, pray tell are the "infidels"? According to Islamic Extremists- anyone who does not believe in and worship Allah and his Prophet Mohammed. Specifically Christians and Jews. With the confirmed death of long-hunted terrorist and Al Qaeda Leader, Osama Bin Laden, comes the imminent rumble of retaliatory plans and a successor who I believe prophetically will fit the bill for the aforementioned "Guided One".
But we stand under the covering of the one true living God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The Creator of the Heavens and the Earth. We worship the God who sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins on a cross at Calvary. We believe on Him. He is called I AM. Is He God or is He not? If He is, then everyone reading this should and must repent of their fleshly ways, receive the shed blood of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, be baptized in His name, discipled through His precepts and examples, and made full with the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. "John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire."-(Luke 3:16) If He is God and His Word is TRUE, then every soul reading this who calls themselves "Christian", "Believer" or "His", should be a liberal soul who sows bountifully out of the increase of their first-fruits by way of tithing to their storehouses (the local church) and offering unto the Kingdom of God above their tithe. "You then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal?"-(Romans 2:21) If He is the Lord of Lords, Alpha and Omega and Father of all Lights to you, then you must love your enemies and pray for all who spitefully use you, curse you and mean to harm you. "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."-(Luke 6:27-28) If God the Father is TRULY the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth, and Jesus, His Son, the Messiah who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and His precious Holy Spirit the paraclete who guides our every step, the we MUST be committed to His cause. “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."-(Luke 9:23) We must be totally, unwaveringly engaged in His call upon us. We must be utterly dutiful, diligent and fervently passionate about His Great Commission. If He IS God. And, dear precious ones, I know indubitably, HE IS GOD.
It is most certainly not a time to celebrate, revel in short-termed, human victory or woefully become complacent in our faith. It is high time that we arise and lift the veil off of our eyes and spirits and stand unwinking and staid in the coming hour. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."-(1Peter 5:8) It is also not a moment to become so heavenly-minded that we are no earthly-good. Neither is it a season to hide away in a cavern or bomb shelter far into reclusive solitude in an attempt to avoid the oncoming storm. No. We must work with more vigor, more passion and more critical persistence than ever before. "We must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work."-(John 9:4) We must stand fast. We must stand firm. "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:28-31) We are called to be AWAKE. We are commissioned by the Master Himself, Jesus Christ to be AWARE, and moreover, galvanize others into this same awareness. Join in true unity with other believers in spite of your doctrinal disputes or human differences. Overcome your fears, doubts and opinionated selfishness and pick up your cross. It is coming... HE IS COMING BACK. We implore you right now- WAKE UP AND GET READY.
Why do we arbitrarily call out to Him when it is either convenient or when we are wounded? Why do we seek Him only to find His hands, rather than His Face? In a fallen world that is crying out every day as one who is dying and losing their hold on life, clutching at straws to survive, we see, hear, and experience for ourselves the signs of the times. They are imminent warnings of what will inevitably, prophetically, and scripturally come to pass. Disease, Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Tornados, Hurricanes, natural signs and devastations wiping out entire villages, cities and civilizations... Wars, conflicts, abuses, cruelty, murder, slavery, human trafficking, genocide and man's gross inhumanity toward man rack our conscience and hearts with the clanging alarm of a species destined and somehow determined to undermine and destroy itself. The news media blares the authenticity of the havoc and magnifies these significant omens to the point of cacophony, as if the enemy would have us desensitized to the imminence of our calamity. Numbing us with the inundation of tragedy, we crawl back into our safe, quiet, insulated bed-chambers and try to block it out.
But while Satan attempts to lull us back to impotent slumber with the lullaby of lust, self-importance, dissension, greed, complacency, comfort and worst of all, doubt and fear, he sets the stage for the deceived to operate on his behalf. He uses extremists who bear the banner and the Black Flag of the spirit of Anti-Christ to march toward the fulfillment of his designs. We sit idly by, asleep in the midst of chaos and catastrophe as the evil one mounts his assaults. I do not speak of the slumber that Jesus rebukes the disciples for waking Him out of due to a lack of faith in Mark 4:35-40. I cite the type of spirit of stupor that Paul mentions in Romans 11:18 that keeps our eyes from truly seeing and our ears from hearing what is TRUTH. If you are awake right now, you will have had revelation that the adversary has used individuals enclosed inside the body of Christ to cause division from within since the inception of the church. Denominationalism, sectarianism, doctrinal disputes and hatred from one arm to the other in the Corpus Christi here on Earth have been his means to decay the infrastructure of our Kingdom. Division is the cancer destroying the anatomy of Christendom in its interior. We are called to occupy in dominion until Messiah returns, but while we hold fast, we have been, for centuries, more trouble to one another through our self-righteousness and schisms than his minions ever needed be. For millennia, the fallen worship leader of heaven has allowed the church in her own vanity to subversively engage in civil war. But the plot is thickening...
Right now, as you read this in the security of your own personal sanctuary, I would kindly ask you to consider two things. First, ARE YOU AWAKE? "Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep."-(Psalm 121:4) And second, ARE YOU AWARE? "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."-(Romans 12:2) As my bride and I traverse the globe to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and dedicate our lives to discipling the Saints, we do not take lightly the clarion call to quicken the Bride of Christ. We know without the shadow of any doubt that the Holy Spirit has shown us that we are commissioned and equipped, for such a time as this, to AWAKEN and make AWARE. If you are awake, we encourage you to rouse others. If you are aware of the urgency of the times, we would rally you to share the critical nature of the precipice we all stand upon. The end is relatively... well, NIGH.
I remember as a child observing the obscure corner-dwelling, billboard-wearing presumably insane people on the streets of New York City. They were pensive, intensely urgent and purposefully selfless in their efforts to sound the alarm to any and everyone who would harken the almost maniacal cry "THE END IS NIGH!!!", or "Repent! for the End is at hand". When asking one of my teachers on a school field trip to the Museum of Natural History what precisely these seemingly insane people were prognosticating, I received a very secular "Crazies" as an answer. But more than 25 years later, and wiser, I am quite sure that a good percentage of these "Crazies" were more prophetic than deranged. When looking at the grand scheme and juncture in relation to our minuscule lifetimes, and compounding the prophetic timelines it is perfectly feasible to discern that, YES, the end is upon us. Like them or not, in lieu of their unorthodox approach, the placard-wearing "crazies" on the corners are not too far off base. (That is with the exception, of course, of anyone spewing hatred and judgement toward others while using the medium of picketing and rallying to actually aid the forces of evil.)
A dear friend recently contended with me "Well, the news media is magnifying all of the madness and disaster. They thought the world was ending 2000 years ago, and they had no T.V.; there was as much devastation and war then as there is right now". Yes, people have been declaring the end of days for centuries. Each civilization, culture and cluster of mankind has proposed a potential cataclysmic date or season. Christian, Pagan, Atheist, Scientist and Philosopher alike have all identified a looming apocalypse within their own lifetimes. Dating back to the dawn of the Church, we know that there was significant presumption about the end of all things even as the first disciples were being martyred. Each generation has its own potential end waiting in the proverbial wings. However, when denying the reality or truth of the progression and escalation of the inevitable end of all things, it is imperative that we swallow the jagged pill of perspective, particularly when dealing with relative timelines. Considering the age and scale of time that we have been traveling on as a race from the creation until now, it is more than feasible to imagine that we are nearing the inevitable and ultimate renewal of creation. The frequency of destruction is increasing on a level that is historic. The atrocities of human hatred and self-decay have reached a fever pitch the likes of which the world has NEVER seen. "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains."-(Mark 13:8) Anyone who is awake and truly sees their surroundings can acknowledge that there is more devastation, more evil and darkness filling the earth to date than ever before. Without mutating this article into a thesis, or following the rabbit down the hole to side-tracked confusion, I reflect back to the real purpose of writing this. We must not treat our lives as fodder. We must not ingest the lie that we should live as though we will never die, but rather live as though we might die ANY MINUTE... Because WE MIGHT. We must be committed to declare the Gospel and whole-heartedly tell the truth about Jesus the Messiah to the entire world. Without fear of rejection, retribution, loss or martyrdom, we are commissioned to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."-(Mark 16:15) We cannot let the sedative of doubt fill us with paralyzing inactivity. This IS really happening. And there are others, who work for the opposing forces who believe that it is, whether you do or not.
I proclaimed earlier how we preach to the Body of Christ to awaken. Recently, while watching a broadcast of the recent revolution in Egypt, we witnessed something disturbing. As one of the leaders of The Muslim Brotherhood began to speak over the noise of elated "free" Egyptians, he uttered "This is the beginning of the great Muslim Awakening! Muslims around the world will rise up to claim what is theirs!". My jaw dropped. We were immediately aware that this was a direct counterfeit of the same directive that the Holy Spirit has given to us and many others in the Body as a charge to prepare for the coming season of turbulence.
When listening to another man of God recently as he revealed the prophetic and actual timelines that are being fulfilled, he interviewed a former bodyguard who defected from within the hierarchy of Iranian rule who unveiled the consistent and constant dialogue from within the counsels of Iranian and Muslim Extremist Leadership. They believe that the Thirteenth Imam, the Imam Mahdi or "Guided One" has already arrived. If you are unfamiliar with the Mohammedan Prophecy of this "being of light", I suggest that you invest some time into the research. I will tell you that according to Muslim Prophecy and in comparison with Christian Eschatology the comparisons are unsettlingly congruent. They believe that the Mahdi's reign and appearance will be coupled by the return of Hadhrat Isa, better known to you and me as Jesus. Although He is denied by Mohammed as being the Son of God, in spite of being esteemed as one of the highest "prophets" in the Koran. Which leads me to a sidebar of substantial significance: CAN A TRUE PROPHET LIE? If the answer is "NO", then the Koran is false. Ironically, they identify Jesus as "the only one who will have the power to kill the Anti-Christ". I should also mention that the length of the reign of the Mahdi is SEVEN YEARS. He will also purportedly LEAD WORSHIP from Mecca. The counterfeit here is transparent. However, due to its importance and the depth of detail, I will spend more time disclosing my dissertation on this subject at a later date. Regardless of the Mahdi's arrival, the behavior and lifestyles of the majority of everyday people who worship as Muslims and the conduct of the general (rapidly growing) world population of Muslims, there are many in positions of authority at the ready. They hold high the sword of Jihad, Holy War. They are poised for the great cleansing of the infidels. Who, pray tell are the "infidels"? According to Islamic Extremists- anyone who does not believe in and worship Allah and his Prophet Mohammed. Specifically Christians and Jews. With the confirmed death of long-hunted terrorist and Al Qaeda Leader, Osama Bin Laden, comes the imminent rumble of retaliatory plans and a successor who I believe prophetically will fit the bill for the aforementioned "Guided One".
But we stand under the covering of the one true living God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The Creator of the Heavens and the Earth. We worship the God who sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins on a cross at Calvary. We believe on Him. He is called I AM. Is He God or is He not? If He is, then everyone reading this should and must repent of their fleshly ways, receive the shed blood of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, be baptized in His name, discipled through His precepts and examples, and made full with the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. "John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire."-(Luke 3:16) If He is God and His Word is TRUE, then every soul reading this who calls themselves "Christian", "Believer" or "His", should be a liberal soul who sows bountifully out of the increase of their first-fruits by way of tithing to their storehouses (the local church) and offering unto the Kingdom of God above their tithe. "You then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal?"-(Romans 2:21) If He is the Lord of Lords, Alpha and Omega and Father of all Lights to you, then you must love your enemies and pray for all who spitefully use you, curse you and mean to harm you. "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."-(Luke 6:27-28) If God the Father is TRULY the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth, and Jesus, His Son, the Messiah who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and His precious Holy Spirit the paraclete who guides our every step, the we MUST be committed to His cause. “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."-(Luke 9:23) We must be totally, unwaveringly engaged in His call upon us. We must be utterly dutiful, diligent and fervently passionate about His Great Commission. If He IS God. And, dear precious ones, I know indubitably, HE IS GOD.
It is most certainly not a time to celebrate, revel in short-termed, human victory or woefully become complacent in our faith. It is high time that we arise and lift the veil off of our eyes and spirits and stand unwinking and staid in the coming hour. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."-(1Peter 5:8) It is also not a moment to become so heavenly-minded that we are no earthly-good. Neither is it a season to hide away in a cavern or bomb shelter far into reclusive solitude in an attempt to avoid the oncoming storm. No. We must work with more vigor, more passion and more critical persistence than ever before. "We must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work."-(John 9:4) We must stand fast. We must stand firm. "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:28-31) We are called to be AWAKE. We are commissioned by the Master Himself, Jesus Christ to be AWARE, and moreover, galvanize others into this same awareness. Join in true unity with other believers in spite of your doctrinal disputes or human differences. Overcome your fears, doubts and opinionated selfishness and pick up your cross. It is coming... HE IS COMING BACK. We implore you right now- WAKE UP AND GET READY.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
RIGHT IN THE EYES
"The eye is the lamp of the body; If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light."- (Matthew 6:22)
Growing up in the bustling NorthEastern United States, just outside of New York City, many axioms of conduct and rules of social behavior were imparted to me. One of the first laws of survival was simply "Keep your head down and never look anyone in the eyes". In a city fraught with veritable maniacs on the verge of violent explosions from the pressures of a life without a horizon line, this made intellectual sense. At any given moment, someone who was a maniac, demoniac or a normal person harboring too much stress could attack... Or at least, that is what the paranoid masses believed. And I was throughout my youth a registered member of the paranoid masses of society. For many years, that is how I lived... Head down, eyes averting contact with anyone. The enemy loves this non-committal, passive approach to social behavior. It divides us.
Only in the past few years have I been given access to the revelation of the truth of the matter. God WANTS us to look each other in the eyes. He wants us to remain connected, just as He is connected to us. "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the Earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him".-(2 Chronicles 16:9) We are made in His image, and therefore are made to do as He does. God WANTS us to look at Him, and to Him at all times. "My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only He will release my feet from the snare".-(Psalm 25:16) Catch this principle, it is powerful.
The eyes are truly the windows of the soul. When we shutter those windows or avert our "soul to soul" contacts, we close communion or communication with our neighbors. People crave and need love. "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart".-(Proverbs 15:30) When we offer our eyes to another, we operate as Christ did here on Earth. Jesus did NOT avert His gaze to anyone. On the contrary, He was filled with utter compassion at all times, and for all people, even as He hung on the cross. "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.". -(Luke 23:34) We cannot have compassion for the lost, dying and hungry of this world if we do not see them as they truly are. That only comes from seeing them completely, inside and out. I encourage you to not feel convicted right now... It happens to every single one of us. The enemy tries to convince us and condition us into the belief that we are somehow "safer" or "protected" when we insulate our gaze. While I believe that to be true for the sake of guarding our eye-gates from sin, I know that it is not God's will that we should be divided by our defenses. The adversary is intent on dividing us by any means he can. "If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand."-(Mark 3:24) Even the very word "division" means "split vision"or "di (meaning two) visions". Think about it. Try looking at someone with the eyes and mind of Christ Jesus, and see what happens. The hurt and wounded will be moved by your contact. Hope will be instilled and perhaps healing can begin. The insecure may avert their eyes, but at least they will see the love in yours. Keep in mind, this may actually scare some people because it has become an almost totally foreign concept. After all, we have been operating under the misunderstanding that we are to be a society of islands unto ourselves. When in truth, the Lord wishes us to be completely connected and in one accord, in Him.
One of our dear friends and an incredible teacher of Personal Mastery and trainer of "Compassionate Samurai", Brian Klemmer teaches a very powerful concept called "Being with". Mr. Klemmer uses an exercise where he has pairs sit facing each other and simply look into one another's eyes. Not merely for a moment, but for long periods of time. Why does this exercise matter? Because in today's society, we have become so self-centered that the power of simply "being with" someone else without spouting our own agendas or touting our accomplishments or venting our complaints is alien. We have forgotten, as a race, how to look INTO one another. Without words, some laugh, others become confused, and some even break down into tears. It is a walled and veiled area of our hearts and minds that was never meant to be as such, but has been trained into that state. Your spirit-man can SEE and be SEEN both in the spirit and the natural. When you dare to connect with another, you make yourself vulnerable and see into their vulnerability. Remember, this is ONLY if you are filled with the Holy Spirit and have the compassionate heart and mind of Christ. If you have evil within you, or fear, you have no protection from the repercussions that may ensue. But on the other end of the spectrum, if you are filled with the Love of God, that is what makes "your eyes good" and "your whole body full of light". And the Love of God is the most powerful creative and defensive force in existence.
While this paramount truth will impact the lost and hurting surrounding us, it is also an effective weapon against the forces of evil. I mentioned early that Jesus the Messiah did not avert His gaze to anyone, in that, I also believe that He NEVER looked away from those who were His enemies either. We are taught from an early age never to make direct eye-contact with dogs. It is widely taught that dogs will attack if they feel threatened by your gaze. But in truth, I believe that it is not the direct stare that causes the attack, but rather the smell of fear. The enemy, like a dog, can sense and smell the spirit of fear. It comes from him. The spirit of fear is NOT of God, and therefore smells like Satan himself. When the enemy or his minions sense that familiar scent, they attack, just like a wild animal or a dog... I have received what I consider tremendous revelation regarding this. You see, not only does it aid the wounded to look into their eyes and thereby their spirit-man, but it will crumble the greatest of foes to pierce their hearts with the inward gaze of that same Love of Christ. When someone filled with evil, be they demonized or simply heartbroken, angry, and lashing out, see the absolutely pure Love that comes from the Holy Spirit LIVING within you, they have no authority over you. When you walk in the boldness of the authority of the blood of Jesus Christ, you cannot be beaten in a good vs. evil staring contest. Evil will always blink. Beware that when they do, you may have some who press the matter further with queries like "Whattayoulookin'at?"; I advise you to use the standard reply for the Sinner and Saint alike: "Jesus Loves You".
This is a basic, powerful principle that is a necessity to become your authentic self. God never designed us to be hermits. Quite the contrary, He created us for fellowship. Why would the Creator make us to be reclusive and self-existing when He himself sought to have communion with us? Therefore, we were made to commune not only with God, but with our fellow man. I believe the most powerful relationships, whether they are marriages of love or purpose, are those where there is absolute connection and thereby, TRUST. Imagine if you will, a couple who, (although blessed with perfect eyesight), never gaze into one another's eyes. They will be, no matter how close they ever become, incomplete. We were made to "see" into each other. Your eyes are a LAMP! I believe that when the Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 5:14 "You are the light of the world", it meant that His light would shine before men through us. YOUR EYES ARE A LAMP. If He is within you, He will enlighten you. That is they key to all of this.
In order to be the "light of the world", you must have Him dwelling within you. To truly and effectively touch others by looking into them and to look through our adversaries, we need Jesus to be looking outwardly from inside of us. That can only be if you welcome Him into your heart, soul, mind and surrender your spirit and life to Him. You need His saving blood, His working power and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of the Living God. If you do not have the gift of salvation, or know that Love of God, receive it RIGHT NOW. It is the greatest gift of all creation, and it is FREE. Ask Jesus the Messiah to come into your heart, into your life and allow Him to be your EYES... TODAY, and see the world and other people in a different light.
Growing up in the bustling NorthEastern United States, just outside of New York City, many axioms of conduct and rules of social behavior were imparted to me. One of the first laws of survival was simply "Keep your head down and never look anyone in the eyes". In a city fraught with veritable maniacs on the verge of violent explosions from the pressures of a life without a horizon line, this made intellectual sense. At any given moment, someone who was a maniac, demoniac or a normal person harboring too much stress could attack... Or at least, that is what the paranoid masses believed. And I was throughout my youth a registered member of the paranoid masses of society. For many years, that is how I lived... Head down, eyes averting contact with anyone. The enemy loves this non-committal, passive approach to social behavior. It divides us.
Only in the past few years have I been given access to the revelation of the truth of the matter. God WANTS us to look each other in the eyes. He wants us to remain connected, just as He is connected to us. "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the Earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him".-(2 Chronicles 16:9) We are made in His image, and therefore are made to do as He does. God WANTS us to look at Him, and to Him at all times. "My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only He will release my feet from the snare".-(Psalm 25:16) Catch this principle, it is powerful.
The eyes are truly the windows of the soul. When we shutter those windows or avert our "soul to soul" contacts, we close communion or communication with our neighbors. People crave and need love. "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart".-(Proverbs 15:30) When we offer our eyes to another, we operate as Christ did here on Earth. Jesus did NOT avert His gaze to anyone. On the contrary, He was filled with utter compassion at all times, and for all people, even as He hung on the cross. "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.". -(Luke 23:34) We cannot have compassion for the lost, dying and hungry of this world if we do not see them as they truly are. That only comes from seeing them completely, inside and out. I encourage you to not feel convicted right now... It happens to every single one of us. The enemy tries to convince us and condition us into the belief that we are somehow "safer" or "protected" when we insulate our gaze. While I believe that to be true for the sake of guarding our eye-gates from sin, I know that it is not God's will that we should be divided by our defenses. The adversary is intent on dividing us by any means he can. "If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand."-(Mark 3:24) Even the very word "division" means "split vision"or "di (meaning two) visions". Think about it. Try looking at someone with the eyes and mind of Christ Jesus, and see what happens. The hurt and wounded will be moved by your contact. Hope will be instilled and perhaps healing can begin. The insecure may avert their eyes, but at least they will see the love in yours. Keep in mind, this may actually scare some people because it has become an almost totally foreign concept. After all, we have been operating under the misunderstanding that we are to be a society of islands unto ourselves. When in truth, the Lord wishes us to be completely connected and in one accord, in Him.
One of our dear friends and an incredible teacher of Personal Mastery and trainer of "Compassionate Samurai", Brian Klemmer teaches a very powerful concept called "Being with". Mr. Klemmer uses an exercise where he has pairs sit facing each other and simply look into one another's eyes. Not merely for a moment, but for long periods of time. Why does this exercise matter? Because in today's society, we have become so self-centered that the power of simply "being with" someone else without spouting our own agendas or touting our accomplishments or venting our complaints is alien. We have forgotten, as a race, how to look INTO one another. Without words, some laugh, others become confused, and some even break down into tears. It is a walled and veiled area of our hearts and minds that was never meant to be as such, but has been trained into that state. Your spirit-man can SEE and be SEEN both in the spirit and the natural. When you dare to connect with another, you make yourself vulnerable and see into their vulnerability. Remember, this is ONLY if you are filled with the Holy Spirit and have the compassionate heart and mind of Christ. If you have evil within you, or fear, you have no protection from the repercussions that may ensue. But on the other end of the spectrum, if you are filled with the Love of God, that is what makes "your eyes good" and "your whole body full of light". And the Love of God is the most powerful creative and defensive force in existence.
While this paramount truth will impact the lost and hurting surrounding us, it is also an effective weapon against the forces of evil. I mentioned early that Jesus the Messiah did not avert His gaze to anyone, in that, I also believe that He NEVER looked away from those who were His enemies either. We are taught from an early age never to make direct eye-contact with dogs. It is widely taught that dogs will attack if they feel threatened by your gaze. But in truth, I believe that it is not the direct stare that causes the attack, but rather the smell of fear. The enemy, like a dog, can sense and smell the spirit of fear. It comes from him. The spirit of fear is NOT of God, and therefore smells like Satan himself. When the enemy or his minions sense that familiar scent, they attack, just like a wild animal or a dog... I have received what I consider tremendous revelation regarding this. You see, not only does it aid the wounded to look into their eyes and thereby their spirit-man, but it will crumble the greatest of foes to pierce their hearts with the inward gaze of that same Love of Christ. When someone filled with evil, be they demonized or simply heartbroken, angry, and lashing out, see the absolutely pure Love that comes from the Holy Spirit LIVING within you, they have no authority over you. When you walk in the boldness of the authority of the blood of Jesus Christ, you cannot be beaten in a good vs. evil staring contest. Evil will always blink. Beware that when they do, you may have some who press the matter further with queries like "Whattayoulookin'at?"; I advise you to use the standard reply for the Sinner and Saint alike: "Jesus Loves You".
This is a basic, powerful principle that is a necessity to become your authentic self. God never designed us to be hermits. Quite the contrary, He created us for fellowship. Why would the Creator make us to be reclusive and self-existing when He himself sought to have communion with us? Therefore, we were made to commune not only with God, but with our fellow man. I believe the most powerful relationships, whether they are marriages of love or purpose, are those where there is absolute connection and thereby, TRUST. Imagine if you will, a couple who, (although blessed with perfect eyesight), never gaze into one another's eyes. They will be, no matter how close they ever become, incomplete. We were made to "see" into each other. Your eyes are a LAMP! I believe that when the Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 5:14 "You are the light of the world", it meant that His light would shine before men through us. YOUR EYES ARE A LAMP. If He is within you, He will enlighten you. That is they key to all of this.
In order to be the "light of the world", you must have Him dwelling within you. To truly and effectively touch others by looking into them and to look through our adversaries, we need Jesus to be looking outwardly from inside of us. That can only be if you welcome Him into your heart, soul, mind and surrender your spirit and life to Him. You need His saving blood, His working power and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of the Living God. If you do not have the gift of salvation, or know that Love of God, receive it RIGHT NOW. It is the greatest gift of all creation, and it is FREE. Ask Jesus the Messiah to come into your heart, into your life and allow Him to be your EYES... TODAY, and see the world and other people in a different light.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
LISTEN... Part 1
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. "-(Jeremiah 29:11)
I know that God has a purpose for our lives. He has designated a purpose in us all, individually and corporately. I wake every day to recall immediately with ardent passion, my purpose. I reflect and meditate upon the complexity and depth of that focal purpose, seeking to hear His direction. You see, just as I recognize that God has a purpose for us all, individually and corporately, I also know that God has a PLAN. KNOWING His plan will be the key ingredient in the manifestation and fulfillment of all of our purposes.
How do we hear His plan? We must bathe in His presence daily, growing in our relationship seeking His Will and receiving His maps and directions. In Isaiah, he prophetically speaks of the Holy Spirit saying "Whether your turn to the right or left, there will be a voice in your ears behind you saying 'This is the way, go in it'."-(Isaiah 32:21) We must listen for the HOLY SPIRIT. It is against my better judgement to go into the details involved in the cacophony of our over-stimulated environmental conditions, and how challenging it is to get to the quiet necessary to hear clearly. The answer to battling against the culture and pace of the world, is to get alone, however you must, with God and BE STILL. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."-John 10:27 Hearing the Master's Will is not something we will usually have success with when we are overwhelmed in the midst of distractions.
When we are operating in God's plans, we are in His Will. When we embrace His directions and dedicate our lives to serving Him and staying under His covering, God grants us an incredible gift. Under His Covering, walking in the direction and steps of His Plans, we receive the benefits of PROVISION, PROTECTION, PROMOTION, PROMISE and POWER. In following the anointed steps which the Comforter specifies, we are cared for, protected, promoted into new levels of responsibility and given greater promises for our future, all the while being provided for and given the power to overcome whatever obstacles stand in the way of God's Design.
Life is a collection of seasons. "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven."-(Ecclesiastes 3:1) When we falter and sometimes miss the direction briefing for the current season, we are missing the specific stratagem needed to remain under that covering of protection and blessing. I have found myself at times holding onto a previous season. When the glory of the Lord moved in those seasons, we must not attempt to make them last past their due time. In holding onto the last season and not actively seeking God's orchestration for the new season, we prolong the time between seasons. God cannot move with us, for us or through us without our obedient response to His specifications. When we are disobedient and fall from under His covering, we miss the providing, protecting, promoting, promising, powerful God who WANTS to see us reach our absolute potential and bear fruit for His Kingdom.
I know that God has a purpose for our lives. He has designated a purpose in us all, individually and corporately. I wake every day to recall immediately with ardent passion, my purpose. I reflect and meditate upon the complexity and depth of that focal purpose, seeking to hear His direction. You see, just as I recognize that God has a purpose for us all, individually and corporately, I also know that God has a PLAN. KNOWING His plan will be the key ingredient in the manifestation and fulfillment of all of our purposes.
How do we hear His plan? We must bathe in His presence daily, growing in our relationship seeking His Will and receiving His maps and directions. In Isaiah, he prophetically speaks of the Holy Spirit saying "Whether your turn to the right or left, there will be a voice in your ears behind you saying 'This is the way, go in it'."-(Isaiah 32:21) We must listen for the HOLY SPIRIT. It is against my better judgement to go into the details involved in the cacophony of our over-stimulated environmental conditions, and how challenging it is to get to the quiet necessary to hear clearly. The answer to battling against the culture and pace of the world, is to get alone, however you must, with God and BE STILL. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."-John 10:27 Hearing the Master's Will is not something we will usually have success with when we are overwhelmed in the midst of distractions.
When we are operating in God's plans, we are in His Will. When we embrace His directions and dedicate our lives to serving Him and staying under His covering, God grants us an incredible gift. Under His Covering, walking in the direction and steps of His Plans, we receive the benefits of PROVISION, PROTECTION, PROMOTION, PROMISE and POWER. In following the anointed steps which the Comforter specifies, we are cared for, protected, promoted into new levels of responsibility and given greater promises for our future, all the while being provided for and given the power to overcome whatever obstacles stand in the way of God's Design.
Life is a collection of seasons. "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven."-(Ecclesiastes 3:1) When we falter and sometimes miss the direction briefing for the current season, we are missing the specific stratagem needed to remain under that covering of protection and blessing. I have found myself at times holding onto a previous season. When the glory of the Lord moved in those seasons, we must not attempt to make them last past their due time. In holding onto the last season and not actively seeking God's orchestration for the new season, we prolong the time between seasons. God cannot move with us, for us or through us without our obedient response to His specifications. When we are disobedient and fall from under His covering, we miss the providing, protecting, promoting, promising, powerful God who WANTS to see us reach our absolute potential and bear fruit for His Kingdom.
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