DRAWING NEAR- PART 5

ARE YOU READY TO LEAD?

I have had a great life and I thank God for His mercy and love. As many of you know, when my wife Cheryl and I married, we began to seek the Lord and searched the Bible together at home. We were convinced there was more to the Christian life than just going to church and even though we had a wonderful foundation of Biblical information we wanted to experience the higher levels of spiritual truth. We were hungry to learn about subjects like divine revelation, being filled with The Holy Spirit, the gifts and miracles, the anointing and spiritual authority within the blood covenant of Jesus just to name a few. So we decided to branch out and listen to other teachers while praying and asking the Holy Spirit to lead us and instruct us. There is a beautiful illustration found in Ezekiel 47 about spiritual growth that reveals God’s revelational truth being represented as a river of water and as the “measurements” are made, we see the potential of spiritual progression and the potential to advance starting at the ankles, then on to the knees, the loins and eventually swimming in the depths of His presence. These types and shadows help us understand that we CHOOSE our spiritual growth with our free-will decisions. As I have said before, when people are taught that eternal life is simply believing in Jesus, the passion to grow and serve Him seems to be unnecessary. In other words, our nature begins to have a heart to heart talk with our mind to ask why we should sacrifice our life when our salvation has already been paid for and our seat is already reserved for us in heaven. Thus we have one reason why 95% of the church world is perfectly willing to let the five percent do all the work. Will spectators be honored? Only God knows but it seems highly unlikely.

The truth that needs to be taught (but many times seems to find its way at the bottom of the requirement list) is that true Christianity will cost us everything. God’s concept is that salvation is free – but NOT cheap! He gives us a new life in EXCHANGE for our old life. The problem is that people want the promise of heaven but do not want to surrender their will. When our maturity level is somewhere in the middle, we actually believe we can make everyone happy and be loved and embraced by the world with open arms and still give Jesus everything He wants also. This is only an illusion. Yes, God will take care of us but there is a deception if anyone is convinced that we can love and serve the world AND love and serve Jesus at the same time. I see it in the way of percentages. If we are 60% dedicated to Christ that leaves us 40% committed to the world and ourselves. Of course God’s plan is that we learn as a student under His direct teaching and that as we become more wise in His Word and receive the revelations from His holy knowledge, we will begin to grow in His absolute truth. The goal is to filled “100%” with God which will cause our identity to “melt” within Him as we become one with Him. Allow me to add that seeing is one thing but doing is another and the ultimate goal as we run the race of our destiny is that we might DO what He says instead of just discussing it. In the book of James we see that it is much better to DEMONSTRATE our faith by our works. And in Romans chapter 6 it says that we are all servants to whom we obey which reminds us that we ALL obey someone in this life. There are no independents, no self-made people and no one that is NOT accountable to someone. If we are NOT trusting in God – we are trusting in some other power.

One of the greatest personal revelations in my life is that we can HAVE as much of God as we want! I realize we hear these words frequently but do they pin us up against the wall and leave us breathless or do they just roll off our intellect as we yawn and eat another pretzel? There is something wrong with anyone that declares they are a remnant disciple of Jesus if they are not pierced with conviction when faced with that statement. Those who are backslidden and lukewarm may not be excited about anything associated with the Lord – (including reading this article) but absolute truth enlightens us to a higher dimension of consciousness and causes the seeker to step back and consider that God is literally waiting for us to advance toward Him. We have the choice to come as near to Him as we desire every minute and this is more profound than we are reacting! This is NOT a theory, a possibility, a fantasy or a psychological illusion – this is a divine REALITY that we will be demanded to give an answer as to WHY we did not have the desire to advance toward Him and ABIDE in His presence after we understood this wisdom. Since Luke chapter 12 declares that “to whom much is given, much is required” we understand that when we learn and know, there are no more excuses as to why we do not walk accordingly. The more we know the more we will held accountable to and we should begin now trying to think about how we are going to answer WHY we did not want more of Him in our life. Since I realize that I can have as much of Him in my life as I choose, my only reason for not abiding in the Holy of Holies with Him constantly is because I do not want to.

As many of you know I was told years ago through a prophetic word from the Lord that I would be required to walk out the words that I write (you can listen to this prophecy on my website) and as I have said all along – it has been some HARD WALKING (and it is NOT becoming any easier as time goes by). Please do not misunderstand me – I have NOT arrived by any means and fail miserably all the time. In fact I have only scratched the surface of understanding and still fall prey to the devils attacks, snares and buttons that cause me to fall on my face. BUT – lately I am crying out to Him and seeking Him as diligently as I ever have and He is responding to my pleas for help. HE WILL COME if we are truly sincere and are serious about change. This is what He waits for all of our lives! He wants us to realize that we CANNOT truly live for Him until we learn, that the less there is of me – the more of Him there can be. How can we be filled with God’s perfect “will” when we are filled with our own? The surrender and abandonment of our will are the keys to Jesus becoming our LORD and until we embrace this revelation we are in danger of being calloused beyond restoration and this opens the door to devastating judgment from HIS hand. “And do not fear them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear God which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28). What does this mean? Men have very little power to do anything especially when it comes to eternity but GOD is the master of all things and should be feared with reverential respect as the one who holds the keys to eternal live and eternal death.

I personally believe that what the Lord is showing me lately is directly associated with the end time outpouring of the Holy Spirit that is quoted in Acts chapter two from the original passage found in Joel 2:28 that says, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will POUR OUT My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions” and so on…I am convinced that God is stirring in the hearts of those who are truly His and awakening them to the importance of holiness so they might become what God is calling them to be. The wedding garments of the bride will be WITHOUT spot or wrinkle and in these last hours we must realize how serious God is about purity and obedience. Those who are NOT born-again will not be interested or even able to hear the still small voice of God speaking within their heart about spiritual renewal and transformation and sadly, they will continue doing exactly what they are doing now until they HEAR and RESPOND to the gospel of Jesus Christ. If a person in this hour continues to run away from God and refuses to listen, they are in danger of having their conscience seared as with a hot iron and their love becoming cold like the wax of a candle that has being extinguished.

Today let us ask God to reveal to anything that is in our heart that should not be there. Do not hold grudges, resentment, offences or unforgiveness – let it go. If someone has trespassed against you – do not hold on to this resentment. It is a snare trap that keeps you in bondage. As you release this from your anger, pain and hatred – you in turn are released into His beautiful and peaceful freedom. Jesus wants to help us become clean, to fill us with His light and purify our conscience. The blood of Jesus is the ONLY power that can wash us white as snow. Whatever you “know” in your heart that is not right – remove it! Whatever God is calling you to do – start doing it now! We do not know how much longer we have. I know we are busy trying to live but we choose our priorities; “That I may KNOW Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His SUFFERINGS, being made conformable unto His death.” (Philippians 3:10) This is NOT the time to FEAR or PANIC! This is the hour for God’s people to rise in the love and wisdom of the Lord Jesus! Fear is seeing God through the eyes of circumstance – faith is seeing circumstance through the eyes of God. For those who know prayer is real, for those who believe in the power of prayer – pray! Make an intercessory prayer journal, a confession list, and find a secret place to take prayer seriously. This will be your precious lifeline now and when the world falls apart. Start now and ask God for an extra measure of faith – we will all need it. Ask Him to help you be a leader when everyone turns to you and wants to know what to do (this will happen). Prepare NOW! We are not stockpiling or “prepping” because we are selfish. We want to be ready to help others physically as we help them find Jesus. The last day revival may not be held in the cathedrals where choirs are in robes and preachers wear $2000.00 suits. The true end time revival may be bringing someone into your shelter that is afraid and starving and God using you to lead them into the Lord’s amazing grace. Whatever the tribulation or trial, we can face it victoriously as long as we are sensitive to His still small voice and holding on to His hand.