Tag Archives: #Discipleship

The Church’s biggest crisis?

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Detail from Eagle-eyed by John Mark Long: www.propheticartists.comBiggest crisis? I think not! Nor that ‘Christianity is facing a catastrophic collapse in Britain’, as one religious affairs editor sensationally posits. I agree in the main with Gillan, especially that the church has failed in its duties, and that our encountering Jesus is key. This must be personally experienced and practised outside church walls. Yet how many have that personal, continual relationship? How many encounter God in church today? How many ministers allow His weighty glory to come into ‘their’ meeting? That is, does God attend church?

Thankfully, our Lord’s rectifying the lack of anointed leaders who regularly meet and hear Him, and who can thus teach and disciple ‘hard-core believers’ in doing so too. (Last week I met one such 30 years-old who’d visited the underground Chinese church. They have to worship in silence yet their deafening praise arose before God’s throne!) So it’s not only an intellectual issue as Gillan explains, but also and more essentially one of moving into revelatory and prophetical insight as well as accessing heaven direct.

Imho, the remedy is for church to be remodelled upon the pristine New Testament Church where the presence of Jesus was the sole authority, and Holy Spirit the sole power base for all ministerial and missionary activity. Then, the designation ‘Christian’ would revert to its original meaning of ‘Little Christ’, or ‘Anointed one’: those functioning with the very same power and authority as did their Lord and Saviour. Then, will real revival to which Gillan refers – and others foretell – begin. And it will. Father is already making the Bride a suitable spouse for His Son…

Invisible Jigsaw

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INVISIBLE JIGSAW was this blog’s original title, but the present one was impressed upon me for launching by Advent 2011 – yet it’s a good fit  for why I’m writing. But both titles  work, for God is working globally to perform His will: it can be likened to His placing massive, states-wide, jigsaw-shaped pieces onto the earth and dropping them into our times – like completing an invisible jigsaw puzzle.  He and the heavenly hosts are the only ones who can see it – unless we can penetrate the veil…

The name of this invisible jigsaw puzzle is, ‘Thy Kingdom Come!’

I’d forgotten completely about all that until a new-post advice for a contributor’s blog popped into my email’s in-tray.  This was the latest of Tony Puccio’s dreams/visions: When you come Together…The Body of Christ. Therein, he writes.:

1 Corinthians 14:26 NIV ‘What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.’

The Lord showed me a vision 02/26/2013 and in this vision I saw people gathered around an oval table. The table was low to the ground so that you had to sit on the floor. The people I saw sitting there around the table each had a piece of a puzzle. As they all worked together, the image  on the puzzle began to take shape and when they were finished, the picture was of Jesus Christ. He was the center of the meeting. Each one had to do his part in finishing the puzzle and it was not left to one person to do the work of the group. This is how real relationships are built and what church done Jesus’ way should foster.

This is church.

The only reason for the gathering of believers was to re-assemble the body of Christ with each part, ie., the foot, the hand, the eye, etc. doing its part so that the church, Christ’s body on earth may be edified and that Christ may be glorified.

They did not gather because of a charismatic leader, I.e., a pastor.

They didn’t gather because of church programs.

They didn’t gather because of the worship team.

I then rebogged that post with this comment:

This….was delivered by ‘God-incidence’ just now to my email’s in-tray.  It’s so very appropriate because, after waking this morning, I was contemplating how the Lord connects and reveals things to me as a thread or ‘train’ of scripture, teaching, thoughts and insights – but the idea of their also being pieces of a jigsaw dropped (appropriately) into mind!

A couple of days later Tony was given a follow-up, which is as follows:

I had a dream 02/28/2013. In this dream I saw a huge crayon. What was unique about this crayon is that it had no wrapper on it and the crayon had a multitude of colors the first being white.  This is significant because in light, white is the presence of all colors, and, we are to walk in God’s light and in so doing, But if we live in the light in the same way that God is in the light, we have a relationship with each other. And the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from every sin. (John 1:7) Even though white is the presence of all colors in light it is the absence of all colors when it comes to pigment. 

I saw this crayon color everything white, pretty boring, I know. But the only way to get to the next color in the crayon was to totally use up the white. Even though the crayon contained all these colors white was the only on visible. I then saw the colors in the crayon separate and when this occurred things began to take on a whole new look. Colors were mixed and reds and whites became pinks, other colors were paired with each other and provided contrast. While the white in the presence of light represents our fellowship with one another and the Lord; the pigment represents the physical aspects of color. In fact, in pigment, white is the absence of color. I believe that the colors in this dream are representative of people’ s personalities and characteristics all of which were apart of the crayon but until separated into their respective individual colors they remained hidden from view.

In my previous posting, I mentioned people coming together each having a puzzle piece and that the completed picture of Jesus was dependent upon the cooperation of the individuals gathered. So it is with the crayon in my dream. We must realize that none of us have the capacity to draw and color the picture by ourselves. We need the cooperation of the body….a description of this provided by Oksana who blogs under the name Talitha Kum [and may be found in commentary to Part 1 on above link].

In my humble opinion, these are exceptionally significant and related to how the Lord is building His Church in this ‘new season’, as at the close of my previous post.  There are a few issues on this, however, which I’d like to address soon – perhaps over a cuppa?

[Jigsaw image is courtesy of Thanunkorn at FreeDigitalPhotos.net]

Sit alongside prophetic teachers in conversation

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Thank you to Andy for publishing this video on Decree because it reminded me to watch this fascinating discussion. We were privileged to have heard and met these two mighty men of God several times in the UK.  I unequivocally recommend readers who want to learn more about the Kingdom of God to set aside an hour to listen to these two friends.

First, however, let Andy introduce them to you…

Faith Changing Testimonies and The Great Cloud of Witnesses, and lots more – Paul Keith Davis with Bobby Conner

“I love watching this discussion and teaching time in this very special episode of the Voice of The Bride Webinar, where Paul Keith Davis sits down with dear friend Bobby Conner.

“They dive into wonderful conversation concerning these last days, commissioning of the sons of God, and the Great Cloud of Witnesses.  We also hear some incredible stories from Bobby that will challenge your faith and encourage your spirit!

PKDavis“Paul Keith and Wanda Davis founded WhiteDove Ministries after the Lord sovereignly sent a beautiful white dove to them as a prophetic sign of their calling. They now travel extensively speaking at conferences and churches, imparting the end-time mandate of preparation for the Glory and Manifest Presence of Christ.

“Paul Keith has a unique gift for imparting prophetic understanding of times and seasons with a message of preparation and expectancy for the Lord’s Empowering Presence. He spent many years in extensive study highlighting the ministry of revelation and power exemplified throughout the church ages with an emphasis on the 20th century church. His heart’s desire is to see the full restoration of Biblical Apostolic ministry manifested through the Spirit of Truth residing in God’s people, expressing salvation, healing and deliverance to the Glory of God and His Christ.

bobbyconner“Bobby Conner is a ‘Gentle Giant’ uniquely anointed with refreshing humor and razor-sharp prophetic accuracy that’s been documented around the world. Bobby’s dynamic capacity to release outstanding demonstrations of the miraculous — healings, signs and wonders — reveals the very heart of the Father toward us! Surviving a dramatic abortion attempt by his mother, being rescued again by the hand of God from drug dealing and suicide, the story of Bobby Conner is a display of a man who now walks in his God-ordained destiny to set others free! Out of his deep intimacy with Jesus Christ, Bobby is super-sensitive to what the Holy Spirit is now doing throughout the world! The Father-heart of God, expressed so beautifully through Bobby and his wife, Carolyn, lastingly transforms lives in every service.

“Bobby has an extensive ministry background as a Southern Baptist pastor and he ministers in a high level, proven prophetic anointing. He believes his calling is to equip the Body of Christ to hear and discern God’s voice in these times. He is well-loved and best known the world over for his sensitivity to and leading of the Holy Spirit. Highly esteemed as an internationally acclaimed conference speaker, Bobby has ministered effectively to over 45 foreign countries as well here in the states for many years.”

So, my dear reader, be blessed with this presentation. Your comments below are most welcome…

7 great lies in church today – Steve Hill

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Thank you to my friend Revd Bill of Blandford for emailing me with news of Steve Hill’s message published in Charisma Magazine and its News Blog.  I first heard him deliver it in March at the Revival Reunion of worship leaders, preachers and leaders who were in the Brownsville/Pensacola and Bay of The Holy Spirit revivals. So, it’s good to see it in print.

steve-hill-portraitAs with all Steve’s calls for repentance, it is deeply moving  and the fact of his personal ‘resurrection’ brings a poignant emphasis to the urgency of this vitally important matter. It is essential for each of us to make sure we’re in right standing with the Almighty.

Steve refers to a raft of deceptive doctrine and errors severely affecting believers’ lives, especially in the United States, namely:

  • overemphasis on prosperity
  • exaggerated view of grace
  • antinomianism – ‘anything goes’
  • deification of man (humanism)
  • challenging the authority of the Word
  • rejecting doctrine on existence of hell
  • universal reconciliation.

The full content of this message may be read here. It is directly connected with Steve’s warning given from a dread vision of a spiritual avalanche, covered earlier here.

Bill makes these observations:

Having spent a couple of weeks among believers of diverse backgrounds, it is easy to see whole areas of misunderstanding of the truths of scripture. How vital that we encourage all to focus on Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth.

[I’m grateful our church minister, Lindi Masters, is firmly against easy grace and taught in depth on grace and ensured familiarity with foundational teachings listed in Hebrews 6:1-3; The Peril of Not Progressing is NKJV’s very apt heading for these verses!]

To listen to Steve deliver his profoundly moving message click here and scroll forward to 2hr 16min. This commences with an introduction by Revd John Kilpatrick and Steve begins in acknowledging his spiritual heritage from mentors David Wilkerson and the   English evangelist Leonard Ravenhill, whose mentors were A.W. Tozer and Smith-Wigglesworth.

Abiding in God’s Word: continued

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“ALL ABOARD!” 

DSC_4592ed

DSC_4612Let’s return to our seats in the third carriage of our ‘time-travel’ train. New passengers wanting to board should first get their ticket by clicking here. All new passengers will need to go back in time and walk through the carriages, as explained in the ‘ticket’ so they may fully appreciate what’s next on our journey together. (A brief summary appears below.)

DSC_4603Doubtless this seems an unusual, even novel, way of time travelling? Each ‘carriage’ represents one day within a week when I discovered some new things about the Word of God (ie. the Holy Bible). Here, in the 3rd carriage I dig out my notes and we consider what’s being taught and how we can abide in God’s Word.

First , let’s recap with Jesus Christ’s rebuke to the Jewish teachers. They’d recognised the authority of his cousin John the Baptist but were slow, if not blind, to comprehend who Jesus is. And so he told them God’s own testimony about himself was being shown though the work he was doing for them! His closest disciple recorded this as follows.:

“But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. 37And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. 38But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. 39You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life…” [John 5 NKJV emphases added]

The meaning of verse 38 can be otherwise summarised:

“The abiding word that is written has to become real so that it becomes the manifest Word – and then you believe and see miracles!

Sometimes we pray for revival or change and when it comes we don’t recognise it. Or, we even reject it because it doesn’t fit into our (Biblical) box…

“The abiding word is what positions us for the next thing that God is going to do!”

NOTES

That was where we’d got to in this 3rd carriage on the journey. Now we’re back onboard lets continue with my notes as our train ‘rocks on’…!

In Jesus’ day the Jews were praying for and expecting their Messiah or Anointed One who would lead them out of subjugation to ungodly Roman rule. The parties of scribes and pharisees were experts in interpreting and understanding their ancient scriptures. These included words inspired by God and received by their prophets about His plans for this special people and their forthcoming ‘Son of David’. But Jesus was forthright in denouncing those ‘authorities’ for not recognising who he is and that God had indeed sent him, as in the above quotation.

The very same applies to us, does it not?  That is, we cannot recognise who Jesus truly is unless God’s Word abides within; which means, it lives deep inside our whole being.

What is The Abiding Word? The private instruction Jesus gave to his close circle of disciples on the eve of his trial and crucifixion included this explanation:

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away;[a] and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will[b] ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. [John 15 NKJV emphases added]

Herein, Jesus is making a connection between access to the unlimited AND what is abiding IN our heart.

Meditation is key

  • Not worldly/Eastern meditation, however, because that is ’emptying’ the mind.
  • Biblical meditation is filling the mind and does not make one vulnerable to outside influences.
  • This meditation is taking what God has said and pondering it in our heart, or ‘chewing’ and contemplating (also known as Lectio Divina – not the theological analysis of scripture but regarding Christ as key to its meaning).
  • Abiding puts us in a position for I N C R E A S E.
  • Access to unlimited increase is directly related to how we abide in what He’s already said.
  • Revelation from scripture must lead to a God encounter.
  • The Canon of scripture is designed to lead us into an encounter with The Holy One.

Continuing the first above quotation from John 5:

41 “I do not receive honor from men. 42 But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. 43 I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. 44 How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” [John 5 NKJV emphases added]

Faith and fear of man cannot co-exist. So, do I want God’s approval or man’s?

God waits to pour honour on His people.  Therefore, the life of extraordinary faith usually has a lot of favour following within it.

[All railway photos were taken on the Mid-Hants Watercress Line’s World War II day in 2012, a fun day and opportunity for re-enactment groups to dress appropriately.]

When we come together…the Body of Christ

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Courtesy of James Mark Long ; propheticartists.comAmen…A note of this post by Tony was delivered by ‘God-incidence’ just now to my in-tray.  It’s amazingly appropriate because, after waking this morning, I was contemplating how the Lord connects and reveals things to me as a thread or ‘train’ of scripture, teaching, thoughts and insights – but then the idea of them also being pieces of a jigsaw dropped (appropriately?) into mind!  So thank you Lord for this vision, and to Tony for publishing it…

Tony's avatarMy Dreams and Visions

1 Corinthians 14:26 NIV

What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be
done so that the church may be built up.

The Lord showed me a vision 02/26/2013 and in this vision I saw people gathered around an oval table. The table was low to the ground so that you had to sit on the floor. The people I saw sitting there around the table each had a piece of a puzzle. As they all worked together, the image  on the puzzle began to take shape and when they were finished, the picture was of Jesus Christ. He was the center of the meeting. Each one had to do his part in finishing the puzzle and it was not left to one person to do…

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Keep in time with the Lord

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Personally, yesterday’s Lion Bite is particularly apposite in view of my remarks now and then about an acceleration in what God’s doing around the world.:

“Get in step with Me at this time, as I move at a greater pace across the nations,” says God. “Move, accelerate, catch up and get in step with Me!”

The Spirit of the Lord is calling, “Catch up! Catch up!” – because many are ‘missing the bus’ (so to speak)… as if many are dawdling or ambling along instead of moving in time with God.

So how do we ‘catch up’?

Day to day this looks particularly like a call to specific intentionality as we seek the Lord for the daily detail, and the ‘fine print’ of the long term vision/goal for our lives. We are to be ones who become more specific and deliberate with our prayers and decrees.

Sometimes the generic prayers of ‘More Lord!’ are pertinent but the Lord is highlighting the need to also get specific and ‘catch up’ in our prayers with His Spirit as He moves across the nations. Intercessors: you are being called to greater level of detail in prayer language; The prophetically-gifted and the seers are being called to a new height of specificity in what you decree, see, speak and describe. All of us are called to keep ‘apace’ with the Lord and not get left behind in this.

There is a great level of ‘infilling of detail’ the Lord is doing – even to words He has released in the past season – to allow a greater revelation and maximise the response to His Word in this time. This is pertinent to your own life and to the nations. Let us seek Him in this increase of detail and keep in time with the Lord.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

Lion-Bites-logo-2012Footnote: If you too would like to read other words, click on Glasgow Prophetic Centre.

Don’t give up

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Bill is a tremendous encouragement to everyone in demonstrating his incredible faith amidst the trials of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease,” which is a progressive neuro-degenerative disease. This post AND many comments are wonderfully heart-warming. Bless you Bill and the Lord be with you, always.

Bill Sweeney's avatarUnshakable Hope

After reading some of the comments from my last post (“More than just a Dream”), I’m afraid that I might have left the impression that my only hope (for physical healing) is in the next life. If I believed heaven was my only hope for healing, I probably would have checked out years ago. Waiting (for heaven) to be healed is merely my backup plan; it’s my Plan B. Whether it’s through medical science or a miracle from God, even after 16 years with ALS, I’m still hoping for the best outcome here on earth. This is what I believe for others too, regardless of the severity of their trial.

I realize how crazy it sounds for someone who has received a diagnosis of ALS to be hoping for a complete recovery. I’m not naïve; I’ve known so many good Christian people who have died of this and…

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Some encouraging daily words

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Lion-Bites-logo-2012Several uplifting Lion Bites of scriptural prophetic words  have come from Glasgow Prophetic Centre this week, of which I want to share a few of the finest – choice morsels to remind us of our holy calling. Be highly blessed as you chew upon these and deeply savour the Kingdom.:

The pursuit of Holiness

I heard the Spirit of the Lord say,

‘I am the first and the last. I am the Ancient of Days – I am the one who reigns and sits upon the throne. I am a jealous God and I desire your full attention – no-one and nothing should come before or above Me. You must lay all other gods and idols down if you are keen to pursue Me further.’

It is as if we are being presented with one of these moments of ‘no-turning-back’ – like a ‘point-of-no-return’ – as we hear the call to come further on the way of holiness. This narrow road is the place where all things must be let go of that are not of God.As so you will find that the Holy Spirit is alerting you to areas of your life where you have focused on other things above Him; where even ‘truths’ that you have held onto have become distorted over time.
But yet there is grace and encouragement from the Lord to seek Him in this and to follow the way of Holiness with your eyes fixed on Him. This is an invitation – a reminder – to pursue greater levels of purity and holiness in allowing the Spirit of the Lord to highlight those places which need to be laid down before Him.
The invitation is this: ‘Come and pursue Me – come and pursue a greater level of Holiness, my Bride.’

Isaiah 35:8 And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it.

Displaying His glory

Glorify God! That’s today’s mission statement from heaven for all of us! We, the sons and daughters of God, are called to shine, as we allow the glory of our beautiful Redeemer, our Saviour Jesus Christ, to shine out from within us.
Church! Rise up together like the sun on a bright morning and shine – shine as one. Display His glory for all the world to see.

John 17:20-25 “I pray also for those who will believe in me through [the disciples] message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.”

Kingdom carrier

Beloved, I have not only chosen you to be loved but to love. Not only do I want you to know My power and manifest presence for yourself, but I have made you to demonstrate My power and carry My manifest presence to those who don’t know Me.
The world is yearning for My Kingdom to be demonstrated and I have made you to be a Kingdom carrier. You have often felt disqualified in this and you have asked Me to send someone else into situations that face you. There are times when you have asked Me to send someone else to speak a word to those who need to hear My voice.

I say to you today: I have sent you to carry, demonstrate and advance My Kingdom to those around you. Are you ready and willing? As you say ‘yes’ to my call to you to be a Kingdom carrier, watch as I give you opportunities, daily, to preach the gospel, heal for the sick and to love the unloved.

Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Amen, amen, and again I say amen.

Thank you so much David and Emma.

Forgiveness

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RJBLife’s far TOO short for NOT loving one another. I recall a morning’s teaching at a seminar on healing years ago near Streatley, Berks, where a delegate asked if forgiveness has any relevance. He was thanked for mentioning it because that had been overlooked and the trainer said, “Forgiveness is key to healing. Remember, Jesus forgave the soldiers as they crucifed Him!” Then I knew why I’d kept being impressed with a memory of an image of one of the Stations of The Cross that I’d seen as a boy. In her Catholic Church, my mother used to sit near the sculpted picture of Jesus being nailed to the cross! (Many years later Nina would be blessed with a demonstration of this truth, as here.) So, thank you Lord for your marvellous sacrifice for each of us.

morningstoryanddilbert's avatarMorning Story and Dilbert

The hospital was unusually quiet that bleak January evening, quiet and still like the air before a storm.

I stood in the nurses’ station on the seventh floor and glanced at the clock. It was 9 P.M. I threw a stethoscope around my neck and headed for room 712, last room on the hall. Room 712 had a new patient. Mr. Williams. A man all alone. A man strangely silent about his family.

As I entered the room, Mr. Williams looked up eagerly, but drooped his eyes when he saw it was only me, his nurse. I pressed the stethoscope over his chest and listened. Strong, slow, even beating. Just what I wanted to hear. There seemed little indication he had suffered a slight heart attack a few hours earlier.

He looked up from his starched white bed. “Nurse, would you –” He hesitated, tears filling his eyes. Once before…

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Abiding in God’s Word

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Jesus told the Jews who believed Him, , “IF you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32 emphasis added)

COME, take a train ride with me and consider the relevance of Jesus’ claim for today.

DSC_4616Why on a train? Another intriguing ‘train’ of thoughts and insights is about to pass by, like one of those old-time steam locomotives. They amble along, which allows time for passengers to chat as well as to explore carriages. I can rummage around looking for any interesting ‘cargo’ and such ‘trunks’ often hold hidden gems.  Also, conversation with passengers may bring a confirmation, an affirmation or even a revelatory word from the Lord. So won’t you go back three weeks and share my latest ‘trip’ with me?

It’s a free ride, so no need to buy a ticket as we dash through to the platform where its entrance acts as a ‘portal’ and we jump back three weeks in time. On board this short, now moving train we’re welcomed by a kaleidoscopic collection of inter-linked thoughts and insights. Let’s check what’s in this first carriage before we move further along the train…

1st ‘carriage’

Here I sit to dig out of my briefcase some prophetic words I’d been given in 1996 (see Why I’m writing). This sheet of paper opens by stating how the day started with a call from someone who’d heard the Lord instruct them to call me with verses 3, 5 and 9 in the Book of Joshua. Re-reading that first chapter now, however, my gaze fixes upon verses 6 to 8 leading into verse 9 and some words seem to have an added emphasis, as below.:

[1After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2“Moses my servant is dead. Now then…]7…Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

JoshuaMy study Bible says this account of the Israelite tribes’ journey into the land that the God of Abraham had promised him and his descendants was written about 3,400 years ago!   I note the fact that Moses’ closest assistant was told to keep entirely  focused upon what Moses wrote and upon nothing else. Only by so doing would Joshua and all his people prosper, and God would be with them where they were about to go!

[What Moses wrote is known as the Pentateuch, a Greek term meaning ‘five-volumed book’ and derived from its Jewish designation, ‘five-fifths of the law’. The Israelites knew it as ‘Torah’, meaning ‘instruction’.  It is the first five books of the Old Testament: namely Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.[

Then came an insight: the Torah was the only Standing Instruction this national leader had for his guidance. Furthermore, it was and is the word of God – Holy Scripture. That five-fold book was all they had to believe and follow as holy writ – unlike today with 61 more books comprising later history, poetry and prophetical writings inspired by God’s Holy Spirit. The first 5 books were all Joshua had to go on!  Even so, God promised to be with him.

So, about 3,400 years ago Joshua had his instructions but must have gained so much more under the oversight of the Living God. Over the next 1,400 years the descendants of those ancient Hebrews received many more writings inspired by God. And then about 2,000 years ago, God once again drew alongside them as ‘Immanuel’. [A Hebrew word meaning ‘With us is God’ and a title for Jesus Christ, as used by the OT prophet Isaiah when he prophesied Jesus’ virgin birth 700 years earlier – Isaiah 7:14 refers.]

By the time this later Joshua (which means ‘saviour’) lived amongst the Jews as Jesus of Nazareth, their scripture had grown from 5 to 39 authoritative books, and which are  known to Christians as the Old Testament. [Some traditional Christian denominations recognise a few more books: see How many books are in the Bible?]

Jesus taught the people with an authority greater than that of their priests because His words came direct from God. [See John 8: 25-39 for His declaration on this issue and which leads into the opening verse of this blog. The last part of v 32 is often quoted but ignores the specific condition for achieving freedom – ie. abiding in God’s word.]

Within a few decades of Jesus’ life another 27 books written by apostles and disciples were recognised as being inspired by God and collated into the New Testament as a complete Bible. So we Christians have a huge Standing Instruction.

Another insight comes: As in Joshua’s time, Jesus’ first followers had God’s promise to go with them, only this time they wouldn’t be going into just the small area of land at the eastern end of the Mediterranean. This time Jesus, the Son of God, commissioned His followers to ‘go to the ends of the world’ after the Holy Spirit would visit and stay upon them.

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. [Matthew 28:18-20]

Like Joshua, those Apostles’ and disciples’ Standing Instructions were based upon an existing body of authoritative scripture that was augmented not only by Jesus’ teachings but also by continuing personal direction from Jesus and the Father. That is, this time God’s promise to always be with them was not just for one person only but for many, and His Holy Spirit would be present within them as an endowment of power! Thus, they then lived and moved with God’s Spirit upon them.

2nd ‘carriage’

The week I’m re-visiting personal prophecies I also come across Bobby Conner’s word for 2013, Calling All Warriors. It stirs me deeply and seems so appropriate for today. (It also connects into the ‘warrior’ word from the UK Prophetic Council, as published here.)

Awaken Your Might - credit; James Nesbit www.jamesnart.com

Awaken Your Might by James Nesbit – purchase from http://www.jamesnart.net

On the Saturday, a mentoring day, I see an inspirational picture matching Bobby’s word.  Also that morning, Dr Stone states that the 1st chapter of Joshua is important for these days. So I open my old NIV at that very place and grin. What do you know!  As I do so Sharon emphasises her message by quoting the verses I’d just seen and which I’d highlighted many years ago (as in above image).:

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” [Joshua 1:9]

I’m astounded, as you may have realised from my published account of that day (here). Sharon prophesies that the Church will be moving into what it was always meant to be like, but it will not be easy – as when Joshua led the Israelites into their Promised Land.

3rd ‘carriage’

The next day at church our minister teaches about ‘Abiding in His Word’ – and for me this directly connects into Joshua again!  As we considered in the 1st carriage, ‘Abiding’ was God’s Standing Instruction to Joshua, and repeated by Jesus to His followers!  The minister then opens this topic by stating:

“The Bible is not a fence that contains God, that is used to restrict Him and His works – it reveals Him!  It is guide-lines to indicate who He is and what He can/will do. The Bible is a platform from which He operates!”

Next, she quotes Bill Johnson of Bethel Church, California. (It so happens I’m reading  Healing Unplugged, which is a deep discussion between him and Randy Clark about their personal healing ministries. We’ve listened enthralled to Bill several times for he greatly loves teaching from the Word, thereby giving listeners fresh insights.) Now, our minister quotes him as follows:

“It’s hard to have the same fruit as the early Church when you value a book they didn’t have more than the Holy Spirit, whom they did have.”

That reflects in part my earlier thoughts. Next, she goes on to refer to what Jesus told the Jews about God’s own testimony about Jesus being shown though the work He was doing for them:

“But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. 37And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. 38But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. 39You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life…” [John 5 NKJV]

Our South African minister Lindi summarises the meaning of verse 38:

“The abiding word that is written has to become real so that it becomes the manifest Word – and then you believe and see miracles!

Sometimes we pray for revival or change and when it comes we don’t recognise it. Or, we even reject it because it doesn’t fit into our (Biblical) box…

“The abiding word is what positions us for the next thing that God is going to do!”

Wow, all this is amplifying and enhancing my meditations during the week.

4th ‘carriage’

The very next day I’m prompted – and I don’t know why I should do so – to check that a link on an old posting is working. This is the source’s homepage for The Bridegroom Cometh, but I find it’s dead!  So I check again a few hours later, but this time I’m so utterly astounded to see there the picture I’d bought only two days ago and hangs in the study!  (As above under ‘2nd carriage’.) Moments later Nina enters the study, sees the picture on-screen and her jaw drops!

IS IT ANY WONDER I was absolutely stunned? (As first reported here)

What is our Lord and God saying and indicating? 

Can you hear Him?

May I summarise?…

God gives plenty of instructions for us to meditate upon, to follow and live by so that we will always remain, or abide, in them. In addition to that He gives us Himself – so what more could we possibly ask or want?

Here’s one of my favorites on abiding from that very special, private teaching time in the upper room on the eve of Jesus’ trial and crucifixion.:

“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?”

23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me…” 

Then, when talking about His being the True Vine, Jesus again stresses the great importance of abiding in God’s holy word.:

“If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love…”

These are from John 14 and John 15 respectively in NKJV, but it’s much better to read the whole event and thereby gain its full context. So why not invite the Lord to be with you as you read and meditate upon chapters 13-17 of the Gospel according to John?

May He be with you in Spirit…

Our train halts in a station for a quite a while and we take a break to walk around the station. Here we find a number of civilians and military personnel dressed as though they’re in the 1940s!  We recognise one distinguished figure boarding as we’re called back on board and enter the 3rd carriage to continue on our journey (click to proceed).

Steve Hill WARNS – Stop Spiritual Avalanche!

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steve-hill-portraitOn 11th Dec 2012 Steve Hill wrote.:

This is coming to you from a man who has just passed through the valley of the shadow of death. Since my close call with eternity just a short while ago … everything has become clearer. I can hear His whisper. Unabated obedience has become my mandate. That is why I’m writing this word from the Lord..:

THE SPIRITUAL AVALANCHE THAT COULD KILL MILLIONS

Avalanche - credit Steve Hill

A few days ago, after enjoying quality time with Jesus, I was surprised by an alarming vision. I saw a massive, majestic mountain covered in glistening snow. It reminded me of the Matterhorn in the Swiss Alps. Its peaks were sparkling white and I was amazed by God’s attention to detail. It was so realistic I wanted to go skiing! But I sensed that there was more that the Holy Spirit was about to reveal. As I closed my eyes, I was in a winter wonderland bustling with thousands of vacationers. The ski lodge, condos, hotels and cabins were at full capacity at this popular resort.

Day quickly turned to night as the skiers, snowboarders and sports enthusiasts were settling in. Anticipation grew as the snow began to fall. Everyone headed to bed believing tomorrow would be a day of sheer enjoyment on freshly covered slopes. For an avid skier, the exhilaration of being the first one to race down a new blanket of snow is a dream come true.

Throughout the night, winter storms dropped several feet of new snow on the slopes. The night ski patrol was put on full alert. Their mission was clear. With the potential of killer avalanches they took to their posts.

I began to weep as the vision continued to unfold along with its spiritual application.

The ski patrol operated like a well-trained platoon. Some boarded helicopters manned with small bombs, others jumped on snowmobiles loaded with hand-held explosive devices. What seemed to be a strategic group of sharpshooters were stationed at the base maneuvering anti-tank weapons aimed at the snow-covered peaks. They fired their weapons at strategic points in the “avalanche zone” to force avalanches before the snow accumulated to a life-threatening depth. Left unchecked, the accumulation of heavy, dense snow packed on top of lighter snow could easily slide down with incredible speed and force, resulting in enormous damage and loss of life.

The Lord began to speak. I trembled. The fresh, new snow represented the false teaching that is steadily falling on the ears of the body of Christ. It has been, and is, a heavy snowfall. The skiers represented believers and non-believers, trusting the resort for a safe and memorable experience. As Christians, we have been warned to be sober and vigilant (1 Peter 5:8). However, the present, awe-inspiring teachings have lulled many into a deeper sleep.

The layers upon layers of snow have been steadily covering the solid traditional truth of Christ. The truth is that foolish teaching in these days will become so fashionable even the most dedicated believer could become deceived (Matt. 24:24). It’s happening before our eyes. One (of our) spiritual leaders said the other day: “You guys are old-fashioned ‘holiness,’ we are modern-day ‘grace.’ You live in bondage while we can do anything we want.

Pastors and teachers worldwide have succumbed to heretical teachings including universal reconciliation, deification of man, challenging the validity of the Word of God including His judgements, and even lifting any boundaries, claiming His amazing grace is actually “amazing freedom.” You are free to live according to your own desires. Sound familiar? “They had no king and did what was right in their own eyes” (Judges 17:6). These popular self-proclaimed ministers of the gospel are covering the “slopes” and will be held accountable for the spiritual death of millions.

Just as the ski patrol did in this vision, those who are aware of what’s happening must take swift and accurate action. Their weapons of warfare must be aimed at the peaks and the ‘avalanche terrain’ to dispel the lies. Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers must be willing to drop spiritual bombs, fire anti-heresy missiles, and even drive into the danger zones armed with explosive truth to confront this potential avalanche. The generals of this generation must leave the war room and put their years of experience on the front lines.

Friend, I humbly encourage you to heed this vision and take it before the Lord. I’ve written it just as it was given. My responsibility is to share with the body of Christ His words to me. The ears that hear and the hands that obey are out of my control. This is not just Steve Hill telling a story. Most of what the Lord shares with me is personal and remains in my heart. But I sincerely believe that this is a warning for this hour.

Satan is “snowing the saints” but it can be stopped. In the vision I heard explosions. I saw dedicated Christian soldiers scrambling to do anything it took to bring down this avalanche before devastation occurred. One of the most powerful weapons we possess to combat this onslaught is the tongue. Let God set yours ablaze by preaching ALL the words in RED. If we take action now the result will be a tearing down of false teaching and a remaining layer of solid, God-given, Biblical instruction that will save the lost, heal the sick and strengthen Christians to do the true work of the ministry.

Footnote by RB

Underlining and emboldened text are added. My post of 12th December, Does David Cameron’s decision line up with the Bible?, closes with reference to Steve’s article.  His stirring message at The Revival Reunion was about the implications of living in or near Sodom in Lot’s day, as it applies today. In passing, Steve mentioned a vow he’d made to the Lord as he was about to die. He vowed that, should he be restored back to life, he’d continue evangelising for the sake of millions of Muslim souls!

In the circumstances, therefore, it behoves every reader to take the preceding message extremely seriously, as though issued with the holy ‘imprimatur’ of Jesus Christ Himself.

In case anyone’s puzzled or got questions…

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Readers and visitors to this blog who aren’t Christians probably have questions about the previous post’s references to a spiritual enemy. Some explanation, therefore, would be helpful for those unfamiliar with the Holy Bible, or Christian doctrine. And, in fact, the good Lord already had that in hand for you!  Some timely basic doctrine behind the last post has ‘co-incidentally’ turned up.

So without further delay, I repost an email received today – Part 6 of Rick Joyner’s series on The Great Commission (Jesus’ parting instruction to His disciples, Matt 28).:

RJoyners WftW_eNL_T_1

THE BRIDE OF CHRIST

As we have been covering, “all authority in heaven and earth” has been given to Jesus, but He has not taken that authority over the earth yet. His kingdom is going to come, and His will is going to be done on earth as it is in heaven. All of heaven lives under the domain of the King. Only Satan and the angels who followed him have rebelled from the heavenly realm and were cast down to the earth when mankind rebelled against God. Now the only rebellion against God in all of creation, the physical or spiritual realms, is found on planet earth.

John wrote that the whole earth lies in the power of the evil one. It does presently lie in his power, but as we are told in Psalms, the earth and all it contains belongs to the Lord. The authority over everything in heaven and earth is under the Lord’s domain, but He has not yet taken His authority over the earth. He could have taken dominion over the earth immediately after His resurrection, but He did not for our sakes. He left it under the domain of evil for a time for one reason—to find those who loved Him and His truth even more than they loved their own lives. They will prove this by living for Him and obeying Him against the opposition of virtually all who are on the earth and hell’s minions as well.

The Lord is all-powerful. He could dispatch of the devil and all of his demonic hordes with the flick of His finger. The Lord could have cast Satan and his hosts into the lake of fire immediately after His resurrection. He had redeemed mankind, and the earth, and it was His to take. He left it as it was for another purpose—He is seeking a bride to rule and reign with Him.

Jesus is called “the last Adam” in I Corinthians 15:45. There was a legal reason for this. The first Adam had been given dominion over the earth. When Adam succumbed to the temptation and chose to obey the evil one instead of God, Satan was able to exert his power over the earth, and we become the slaves of the one we obey. We are told in Romans 6:16:

Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?

When man fell, all that was under his dominion fell with him, and the earth became the domain of the devil. It was a usurped domain, but this gave the evil one power over the whole earth. The reason why Jesus had to come as a man to redeem the earth was because authority over the earth was given to mankind. This is why Jesus always referred to Himself as “the Son of Man.” Only a man who walked in perfect obedience to the Lord could redeem the earth from the consequences of man’s disobedience. Jesus perfectly fulfilled this and took back the authority over the earth that had been lost by the first Adam.

We can have authority over something and not possess it yet. We could be given a car, the title could be put in our name, and it is at the dealer waiting for us to pick it up. However, until we pick it up, it is not in our possession even though it belongs to us. The title to the earth was put in Jesus’ name immediately after the cross. He just has not come to claim His possession yet in order to allow the conditions on the earth to help prepare His bride, the church, to rule with Him.

The bride of the first Adam lived in the most perfect conditions yet chose to disobey. The bride of the last Adam, Christ, will have lived in the most difficult conditions, and against the onslaught of all the powers of darkness, she will chose to obey. No other creation of God will have endured what she will have endured, and yet she will be faithful. This will be a witness to even the principalities and powers that their time is up over the earth. Even the angels will marvel at her and consider her worthy to be their judges. She will be a worthy bride and joint heir for the Son of God.

God does not tempt us with evil, but as stated in Jeremiah 20:12 and other places, He does allow us to be tested. A test is different from a temptation, though a temptation can be a test just as it was for Adam and Eve. We are tested by the Lord to help us grow and to qualify us for advancement, just as we took tests in school to see if we could be promoted to the next grade. Advancement in the Lord includes more authority. (RB’s emphasis)

As Francis Frangipane likes to say, “You never fail one of God’s tests; you just keep taking them until you pass.” That is basically true. Israel kept going in circles for forty years in the wilderness because they could not pass certain tests that were required before they could enter their Promised Land. Many Christians do the same thing and keep going in circles in their spiritual life because they keep failing the same tests. It is now time to pass the tests and go on to possess our Promised Land.

Links:

“Having an enemy is a fundamental requirement” – Dr Sharon Stone

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Lionheart – Richard Coeur de Lion!  The above image spoke about my boyhood hero as soon as I espied it.  Alone, it lay amidst paintings by James Nesbit at Dr Sharon Stone’s Mentoring Day last weekend.  Whilst sipping a quick coffee after arrival, I saw the vendor getting her goods ready. “It’s mine!” I exclaimed and explained why.  The meeting was just about to start and so the lady kindly put it aside for me.

This painting complemented several personal impressions and words over the last few years, as well as more recent words brought by prophetical folk (eg. my remarks about HMS Warrior here). But little did I know how it would plug straight into what Sharon was going to say, and into a few things recently happening as well as some destined for the following week!  (See previous two postings and comments.)

Below are my notes, hastily scribbled in keeping up with Sharon as she delivered her message entitled.:

Having an enemy is a fundamental requirement!

Rev Dr Sharon Stone, Senior Minister Christian International Europe; courtesy CIEThis season suits God’s prophetic people better than any I’ve known, because we were made for seasons of conflict when people need to hear us and what God is saying. That is, it’s not so much a time for the ministries of apostle, pastor, teacher, evangelist as it is for the prophet.

More than at any other period, we now need to be on time with prophetic words.

Critics say spiritual warfare is no longer required as we can function from a position of  ‘rest’.  That’s deceptive because our use of weapons needs to be updated from ‘hand-to-hand’ to our enforcing Jesus’ victory by means of decrees from the ‘heavenly courts’. Our enemy – ‘that worm’ – is to be kept underfoot!

We’re at a new level of time. One where we become warriors and overcomers.  So having an enemy is a fundamental requirement to achieving that goal !!

  • We can’t find and move into our destiny without having and overcoming an enemy. King David’s enemy Goliath defined him.
  • God changed his life as a result of killing that giant. Shepherd boy David moved from obscurity into notoriety as a national hero.
  • God’s ‘suddenlies’ do occur but we need to deal with our personal giant and not live under its shadow.
  • God promotes us when we deal with giants.
  • We never go back to the same defeated giant!

The spiritual enemy signals the part of our life (eg family/generational issues) in which he’s afraid of us because, were we single-minded in it, he would be overcome. That is,  issues are not our weakness but our unrecognised strength – we just need to keep up  the  m o m e n t u m!

The present season is going to show who are heroes and who are cowards!

THIS SEASON IS WHEN THE WORLD AND CHURCH WILL SEE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CHRISTIAN AS OUR FAITH GOES ON TRIAL – AND GOD IS WATCHING HOW WE RESPOND AND STAND.

  • He wants us to be vulnerable to Him and to being inspected by Him.
  • It’s our faith that refines us by fire and aligns us to our destiny.
  • All we have to do in this season is to be strong and courageous and to learn as we progress –

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” [Josh 1:9]

[I’d already referred to the early verses in Joshua, which are highlighted in my Bible because they led into the personal prophetic words received in 1996 – as here]

THIS IS THE SEASON FOR THE CHURCH TO BE DEMONSTRATED IN THE WORLD LIKE IT’S NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!

In what we’re not, in all aspects of being a warrior, then we are to be fearless because Jesus Christ is in us and fulfills all that we need; as in 1John 4:4

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.  5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Also, ‘for a great effective door has been opened but there are many adversaries’ (1Cor 16:9).

Whenever an enemy pops up this signals that we’re moving from one season to another through a ‘new door’.  [Note: the ‘open door’ again!]

Footnotes:

Waiting upon the Lord a few weeks ago I had a vision of the huge dark green side of a mountain bursting up through the ground in front of me and close to my feet. I believe this may indicate the time has arrived for the manifestation of an open vision I had for the UK.  That first vision meant that, as society fell apart, the solid rock that is Jesus Christ would appear (see Comments upon collapse of society). Hence, the imperative need for believers to take a stand upon The Rock.

Readers may wish to read > In case anyone’s puzzled or got questions…

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Detail from Eagle-eyed, John Mark Long: propheticartists.comAndy, I’m absolutely stunned by your including this particular illustration of armour with the word from Bobby. I printed a copy from Bobby’s site last week but several events prevented my reblogging it. BUT at the start of the weekend I bought the only copy of this picture at a meeting! After that I heard Dr Sharon Stone deliver a message on dealing with our enemy!  My wife has now come into the room and her jaw dropped in amazement!  Clearly, the LORD has a most important encouragement and instruction for 2013 – and there’s this inspirational video!!

A visionary word for 2013: “I am tempering you…”

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Credit_ JesusIsComing_th-1Thank you to Tembisa at Jesus is Coming for this vision received by Susan O’Marra, and for this graphic. Swords and associated imagery of our Ephesians 6 armour (see below) have been coming to my attention of late. This account therefore gels with my spirit, so thank you Susan. Thus, I submit her ‘vision 1’ and the Lord’s word for careful weighing by fellow believers, and for waiting upon Him.:

On 01-01-2013, I awoke to a vision of a sword hovering in the air. It was being dipped into different things. The first thing it was dipped into was a vat of sand. The next was a container of wool. The third was a vessel of a silvery liquid. Over and over, the sword was dipped into each thing, one at a time, and repeated many times in it’s circuit of sand, wool, and oil. Then the final thing was the sword was then placed within the folds of a beautiful garment that hung in the air nearby.

Then, the Lord spoke:

“I am tempering you.

“I am rendering you impervious to cracks, to fractures, to schisms, and to divisions.

“I am hardening you to temptations and to demonic assaults.

“I am making you inflexible to compromise and to mixture of any kind.

“I am making you rigidly righteous, and strong in your faith in Me, so that I can wield you fully.

“I am polishing the last of the smudges in your personality that mar My image from being fully seen.

“I want you to gleam with Me in a new sensitivity and reveal a brighter countenance of Me.

“I am enfolding you into each other, My Robe, My Church, and I am adding into your layers a new corporate strength.

“I have tempered you each individually, now I will form you corporately into a formidable weapon for Me.

“This is the Year 2013, when I will form, I will assemble anew, and bring My End Time Army into full battle view.”

Scriptures:

Exodus 30:34 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight: 35 And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy: 36 And thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy.

1 Corinthians 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

1 Corinthians 12:23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked. 25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

2 Peter 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

1 Peter 5:8 Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour. 9 Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset–rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same (identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world.

Ephesians 6:16 Lift up over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one]. 17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God. 18 Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God’s consecrated people).

Susan O’Marra 01-01-2013

http://www.intheimageofhisglory.com/

First things first…the Good News

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Now that we’re into a New Day, let’s consider what the much-admired political blogger Cranmer kicks off 2013 with – in his own inimitable way.:

THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION

Cranmer martyr“There being an interregnum in the See of Canterbury and a vacancy in the Chair of St Augustine, His Grace is back in town. It has been decided (in Twitter conclave) that he will be in charge for the next 34 days (or 80, if one goes by the spiritual Enthronement of +Justin rather than the temporal election according to statute). He was going to (re-)commence his ministry with the abolition of the CNC and much-needed reforms to the General Synod, but (on reflection) it seems wrong to begin another archiepiscopal stint with navel-gazing issues of church governance.

“One must begin with the gospel; the all-sufficiency of Christ’s mercy for salvation…

Click to continue reading his laudable summary wherein he briefly explains…

Behind the doctrine of the all-sufficiency of Christ’s mercy lurks the omnipotence of God in salvation. If humanity plays no part in his own salvation, everything is in God’s hands….

There is doctrinal mediation to be had and theological dispute to be entertained, but ultimately there is One Mediator between God and man, and that is Christ Jesus. It is through His passion that we are saved; not through any pantomime of politics fused with a religious veneer of holiness.

Amen.

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AMEN and thank you for this timely reminder Sharanelle. I’m intrigued to have received this just after having commented upon a reader’s query about aligning with Israel (here).

Not Happenin On My Watch | Blog's avatarNot Happenin' On My Watch | Blog

“Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.  Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and [that it may be] well with you, and [that] ye may prolong [your] days in the land which ye shall possess (Deut. 5:32-33).”

Many of us want the blessings of the Lord but we don’t particularly want to line up with the Word of God or His will for our lives.  We want to select the areas of our lives that we want to surrender to Him.  How many of us can truly say alignment“for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.”  God has allowed us to see a brand new year!  Those of us that have had a relationship…

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An angelic perspective upon Jesus’ birth?

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Jesus & Holy Spirit - credit kzlam36.blogspot

When the angelic host appeared to shepherds outside Bethelehem and announced the birth of Jesus they must have been aware of the full identity of this new-born baby. I’d submit that their understanding would have been quite similar to what an ex-pharisee named Paul – who never claimed to have met Jesus in the flesh – wrote years later to non-Jewish followers of Jesus. Paul was exhorting them to become like Jesus and in so doing gave away a fundamental insight. In the middle of a letter written whilst imprisoned in Rome, he wrote, as translated from Greek.:

Let this same attitude, purpose and humble mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God, possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God, did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained, but stripped Himself of all privileges and rightful dignity so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.

And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself still further and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross!

Therefore, because He stooped so low, God has highly exalted Him and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should (must) bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue frankly and openly confess and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11 Amp – emphases RB)

This famous passage stands well on its own in explaining the divinity of Jesus Christ, but is much better read in its full context, which you can do here.  The Amplified version is quoted because it gives a fuller appreciation of the original. A study of doctor Luke’s carefully researched account of the birth of Jesus (here) and of the early church (Acts of the Apostles), as well as parts of Paul’s letters attest to his acquaintance with Jesus as being through supernatural means. That is, I’m of the opinion Paul was often in direct contact with Jesus after His Ascension and was, thereby, blessed to receive heavenly revelations and Holy Spirit inspiration.

May the above holy scripture enable you dear reader, if you don’t know Jesus, to lead to a personal encounter like Paul and I had with Jesus. Or, if you’re already a believer then may it encourage you to follow Him more closely in 2013.

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Thank you for this inspirational piece Shenine, and to Tembisa for drawing my attention to your encouraging blog. May you bless many readers for, as you say in your profile, “God is amazing”…