Word From the Lord 2012 (29)
"TBN Message"
October 18th, 2012
Wow! THANK YOU ALL for the words of encouragement and overwhelming amount of emails regarding last night's TBN broadcast! Emails are still coming in from all over the world! All glory be to the Lord!
I would like to emphasize a part of last night's message:
When reading Gen. 24, you will find much written in the opening of the story when Rebecca is introduced and the journey on the camel is about to begin. You will also find scripture verses that detail the end of her journey and her final destination...Isaac. But the Bible is silent in regards to the MIDDLE of the story, and gives us no details of her 500 mile journey THROUGH the desert. There is no mention of how difficult the journey was; no mention of the blistering wind and torching heat; no mention of Rebecca's questions "Did I really make the right decision?" "Where is this camel taking me?" "Why is this journey so hard?" "Will I survive this desert?"
No mention of how SLOW the camel was walking; no mention of how LONG the journey seemed; no mention of the loneliness she felt; no mention of the weariness she endured. NO MENTION OF ANYTHING pertaining to the hardships of the journey. WHY? The Apostle Paul answers the question in 2 Cor. 4:17
"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;"
Notice... Our "LIGHT" affliction! All the suffering and hardships and heaviness we endure are considered "light afflictions" to God. And the journey on earth in comparison to our eternal home in Heaven is just a "MOMENT". Think about what Paul is saying here. All of our troubles and trials compounded together STILL cannot outweigh the WEIGHT of GLORY that is going to be revealed in us! THAT ALONE SHOULD MAKE YOU SHOUT WITH JOY TODAY!
The reason that the Bible omits Rebecca's HARD journey through the desert is because the focus of your life is NOT the trials! The focus of your life is NOT the disappointment and the hard-times! The focus of your life is SEEING JESUS face to face! We are journeying through this earth (desert), but what we have to endure here pales in comparison to the reward that is waiting at the end of the journey! An average life span of 70-80 years on earth is only a "moment" compared to eternity! So I encourage you today...KEEP RIDING YOUR CAMEL! Don't get off! For though the walk is slow, each step is taking you closer to your Isaac (JESUS)! And though you feel alone, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! The Holy Spirit is leading you through the desert of this world. And He knows the path that you have to take that will lead you to your Isaac. Remember, NO PRICE is too high to pay, to see HIM face to face!
I love you-all and I bless you today in the name of Jesus!
One request...I ask that you please "tweet" TBN via your twitter account, and let them know if you were blessed by last night's message.
"The Price of Compromise"
August 9, 2012
Today, I will expound on the visitation from the Lord mentioned in the August 7th post. The Lord placed great emphasis on Samson, as He was speaking to me about the condition of today’s church and the “suddenly” moves of God. To fully understand what the Lord is saying, we must see the symbolism in the life of Samson and how it relates to the “church of Jesus Christ” today. First of all, Samson was a Nazarite. A Nazarite by definition is “one who is separated unto God”. Because of his calling, He was greatly anointed by God to fight against the Philistines, the enemy of Israel. The word Philistine means “a wanderer”. The Philistines got into the Promised Land, but NOT by the way of the Red Sea or the Jordan. They were able to get into the land “another way”. Though Samson walked in a great anointing and was used mightily by God, it was his connection to the Philistine “women” that became his downfall. His first mistake was marrying a Philistine woman. After her death, he continued have relationships with other Philistine women which led him into a life of immorality. But God still gave him grace and the anointing continued to rest upon him, until one day, he awoke, and SUDDENLY the anointing had departed! Delilah had managed to charm him into telling her the secret of his strength. When he awoke from sleep, everything changed. Judges 16:20 says, “Then she called, "Samson, the Philistines are upon you!" He awoke from his sleep and thought, "I'll go out as before and shake myself free." But he did not know that the LORD had left him.” The Bible says that the Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes. The strong, invincible Samson was reduced to a weak, helpless and blind captive. Now what does this story have to do with us today? Why did God mention this to me on Tuesday night and why did He say, “WARN MY PEOPLE”? Here is the explanation: Samson is a type of the “church” today. We are called of God and anointed to war against the enemy. We are fierce in battle, strong in the power of the Holy Spirit; we are Nazarites (separated unto God). God has anointed us to live a super-natural life. But instead of remaining “separated” unto God and being “in the world, not of the word”, we have compromised “WITH” the world. The word “Philistine” means “a wanderer” and links with the “rolling (looking left and right) of the eyes” or “eyes that wander”. Samson got off track when he took his “eyes” off the Lord and placed them on the Philistine women. His wandering eyes brought defilement to his life. The lust of the eyes led him to the life of immorality. The Philistines did not get into the land the way that Israel did. Crossing the Red Sea and Jordan represent the “cross”. The Israelites went the way of the cross, but he Philistines got into the land “ANOTHER way”. The Philistines represent those who PROFESS the Christian life but don’t POSSESS it! They have not come to God by the way of the cross. They had “another god” named Dagon. Dagon was half man and half fish. Here we see “mixture”. Professing Christians who worship a foreign god! It is exactly what the “priests” of Ezekiel’s day were doing in the Temple of God in Ezekiel 8. Because we have “set our eyes” on the world, we have allowed mixture to come into the PURE Christianity. Our wandering eyes have led us astray from the path of holiness and righteousness and we have embraced the system of the world, taking the GRACE OF GOD for granted…thinking that we can continue to live a life of mixture and God’s anointing will remain upon us. But we wake up one day and realize that the anointing has departed. Compromising with the world and its ways will cause us to experience Samson’s captivity: He lost his eyes; He lost his anointing; He lost his freedom. He was bound to a mill and walked blindly around in circles. This, sad to say, is where many of God’s people are today. We have become Laodicea. Read the words of the Lord to the Laodicean church in Rev. 3:17, “You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and BLIND and naked.” We have lost our spiritual vision! We have lost the anointing! We have lost our freedom in Christ and are in bondage to sin! We are walking around in circles, around and around the same mountain because we are doing it in our own strength and have lost the power of God in our lives! It’s interesting to note that the very thing that caused Samson to fall into sin (the lust of the EYES) is the very thing that he lost! Before I continue, I must let you know that I am shedding tears are I write to you today. How does the heart of God break to see the condition of the church today? We are the ones that He has entrusted with His anointing so that we can preach the Gospel to the world so that they can be saved. But look at us! We need to be saved! We are lost! We are blind! We are in bondage! May God open our EYES to see our condition so that we can repent and come back to Him in full surrender. Though the story of Samson seems like a loss, God is going to change what seems to be a LOSS into a GAIN! For at the end of Samson’s life, he PRAYED. What an emotional prayer that brings one to tears… “And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.” Notice his prayer, “REMEMBER ME and STRENGTHEN ME”. In other words, “God, I know I failed you, but I repent and I ask you to use me ONE MORE TIME. Restore the anointing ONE MORE TIME. Strengthen me ONE MORE TIME. Use me against the enemy ONE MORE TIME!” …And God heard His prayer… Samson was used ONE MORE TIME, but this time it was the greatest. The Philistines were EATING, DRINKING, and MAKING MERRY in their temple. They were having a party and celebrating Dagon. As they brought Samson into the temple to mock and ridicule him, the Spirit of the Lord came on Samson ONE MORE TIME. God used him to destroy the Philistine temple all who were inside. He killed more of his enemies in his death than in his life!
So what is God saying through all of this?
Though the church of today is backslidden in sin and in bondage to the world and has lost their vision, God still has not given up on them. Just as God SUDDENLY removed the anointing, God will SUDDENLY return it to a REPENTANT church. God is warning us today because of His love. It is the stubborn love of God that continues to cry out for His “wandering” children to come home. How long can we continue to live without vision, operate without the anointing and keep going in circles around the same mountain? Salvation is a free gift, but it will COST YOU to follow Jesus. Our Lord’s words in Revelation 3:18 must be heeded, “I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire…” Pay close attention to His words! He does not say, “TAKE OF ME”, He says, “BUY OF ME”. To “buy” something means that there is a PRICE involved. WHAT IS THE PRICE? The price is “full surrender”. And friend, “full surrender” is much easier said than done. Full surrender costs you EVERYTHING. There can be no mixture. It’s all or nothing. Full surrender is “YOUR ALL on THE ALTAR”! It is DYING TO SELF! When Samson died to self, his spiritual vision was restored. The only way is the way of the cross. Any other way is the way of the Philistine. Pay the price of full surrender now or forfeit your vision. We all face this choice every single day. God is truly bringing a message loud and clear to His church today. “Compromise with the world will bring SUDDEN destruction”. We can be sure of this fact that God is going to bring SUDDEN destruction upon the world. We have seen it in the past, but we are about to see it again in greater measure. He is warning His people because He loves us. May we all become “Nazarites” again. May we become “separated” unto God and live the life of holiness, righteousness and full surrender. May we be in the world, but not of the world. May our vision be restored. May the anointing of the Holy Spirit COME UPON us again and empower us to RISE U against the forces of hell. May our latter years be GREATER than our former. We are now in the 8th month, meaning “new beginning”. A new beginning awaits all who will hear the voice of God today and pay the price of full surrender. There is still so much more to be said regarding the visitation and Word that the Lord spoke on August 7th post. I will be writing more in the days to come as the Holy Spirit continues to reveal it to me.
The Lost Glory
August 1st, 2012
The Lord has been speaking to me these past 2 months regarding the condition of the Church and its parallel to the book of Ezekiel. When reading Ezekiel, we find the glory of God departing from the Temple in stages. First it departs from the Holy of Holies; then to the threshold of the Temple; then to the door; then it was seen hovering over the mountain. Finally, it disappeared. The reluctant departure of God's glory proves His long-suffering. His love is so great for us that He lingers in hopes that we will repent and come back to Him. But when we continue in our sin, He must remove His glory. The only reason that Nebuchadnezzar was able to destroy the Temple completely, including the Holy of Holies, WITHOUT Divine judgement, was the simple fact: THE GLORY OF GOD WAS NOT THERE! And WHY? Because the priesthood of that day had failed God. They were continuing the "traditions" but the glory had departed. Because the priesthood put their "traditions" before God, they lost intimacy with God. God became a "tradition" and they opened the door to "idols" that they began to worship in the Temple. Because the priesthood failed, the people failed. Because the priesthood stopped praying and living a life of holiness, the people stopped praying and living a life of holiness. So in the book of Ezekiel, we find a "prayerless" "unholy" priesthood who were carrying on the "tradition" but VOID of the presence of God. They were so religious that they had no inclination that the glory of God was leaving the Temple. Even when it totally departed, they continued in the same old way, taking His glory for granted, believing that it would always be there. They had replaced Him with their idols. Have you ever wondered why America is in the condition it is in today? Well the simple answer lies in the book of Ezekiel. The priesthood (the leaders) have continued to have "church" as usual, but the "church" as usual is void of God's glory. Because the church has declined, the nation has declined. Many churches across America continue to preach a message; but the message is powerless to change because it is mixed with tradition and idolatry. We preach opinion; we preach that which "tickles the ear"; we preach what will make the people give "large offerings" so we can build a "bigger building". But where is the GLORY OF GOD??? When is the last time you walked out of a Sunday service weeping before God, convicted of sin, and wishing that the service would continue ALL DAY? When is the last time that you DID NOT look at your watch and lost track of time during a service? When is the last time that you were willing to forget about lunch and you hungered more for God than food during a service? Come on friend! Let's get real here! God doesn't care about how many friends you have in church and how great your little club is. He doesn't care how many pot luck dinners you have and how many activities you have for the kids. He doesn't care about all your mens, womens and singles groups events. IS HE GLORIFIED? IS HE HONORED? IS HIS GLORY MANIFESTED? That is what matters most to Him! Look at the church in ACTS 2 and look at the church today. They BEGAN WITH PRAYER; they OPERATED IN POWER; they CARRIED HIS GLORY! Where are we today in comparison?
One of the most interesting things about Ezekiel is the fact that he was not only a prophet, but he was a priest. Because the "priesthood" of that day FAILED, God raised up His own priest in Ezekiel. He was a man who feared God and walked in the ways of holiness. He was a man of prayer whose mouth was filled with the Word of God. Today, God is raising up His "Ezekiels". He is raising up men and women all across this nation who will carry His glory. They have no agendas of their own; they are totally surrendered to Him and only seek to honor Him. They have been hidden away, but now is the time for them to come on the scene. And they will prophesy the "TRUE" Word of God and will walk in the path of righteousness and holiness. They will be the same in front of the people as they are behind closed doors. There will be no hidden idols in their lives for the fear God with holy reverence. They will not be bound up in dead religion and dead tradition; they will have a fresh fire and a fresh anointing because they have been in the presence of God. They will bring "fresh" bread to the people for they are the "new wine" that God is pouring out in these end-time days. And because God is glorified in them, God will bring back the lost glory to His Church! The Lord declares, "I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind..."
"Prophecy Against the Prophets!"
July 18, 2012
Before I share what the Lord spoke to me this morning in prayer, I must preface by saying that we must understand the "spiritual" season we are in and what God is doing right now. In 1 Chron. 12:32 we read that the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, knew what God was saying to the nation. In this current season, God is "getting His house in order". Meaning, He is dealing with the sin in the camp. For it is time that "everyone who names the name of the Lord to depart from iniquity." Because there have been so many who have preached a mixed doctrine and used the house of God for gain, God must expose the sin and cleanse His house. Because the leaders have not upheld the standard of God, much of the church have fallen away and are living in sin. God gives us time to repent, but if we abuse the grace of God and continue in our ways, He will have to deal with the sin. The Word that the Lord spoke this morning in prayer is found in Ezekiel 13. Here He is addressing the false prophets. He pronounces a "woe" to them and declares that they have prophesied out of their flesh and have made the people to believe a lie. Have you ever wondered why so many Christians are drawn to those who claim to be "prophets" or who have a "prophetic ministry"? Yes, there are true, genuine prophetic ministries that God has raised up, but they are few and far between. Why? Because it takes TOTAL CONSECRATION to be a true prophet of God. How many who claim to be prophets today have agonized and wept and carried a burden for their nation like Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Daniel and the rest? These men were not in the ministry for GAIN. They were true vessels of God who God used in very "strange" ways. They were not trying "to win friends and influence people" to build their database, in fact, they were rejected and persecuted for their prophetic utterances. Nevertheless, they did not waver, but stayed true to the course. And it was the prayers of these men that saved their nation. Their message was not "appealing" to the masses; but their message was the TRUTH! Now, to answer the question of "why are so many Christians drawn to prophetic ministries"? For the most part, people want to know what God is saying about "them". They want someone to give them "a word" from God but how many want to pay the price to get the word from God for themselves? I remember, years ago when I just began the ministry. Someone invited me to a Sunday service in which the "pastor" was a "prophet". The person told me these exact words..."You will love the service. People come from all over to hear him because he will lay hands on everyone and give them a personal word from God." When I arrived at the service, I was stunned at the hundreds of people who had filled the hotel conference room. I remember this crowd of people, gathering around him, waiting for him to see them and give them "a word" from God about their lives. I knew that SOMETHING WAS WRONG! I knew that the Holy Spirit was grieved by this as they were looking to a "man's words" instead of God. When he approached me, I turned and ran to the exit door. As stated earlier, there are TRUE prophetic ministries that God has established that speak the truth. But a true prophet has wisdom. He only speaks as GOD permits. He does not speak to "please the people". Prophets should not be acting like "fortune tellers" who look into a crystal ball and tell you your future. But sad to say, that is what many have become. Read Ezekiel 13:9-10..."And My hand will be against the prophets who see empty, false and delusive visions and who give lying prophecies..." "Because they have seduced My people saying, Peace, when there is NO PEACE..." Today, in this season, God is exposing the lies that have been coming from the pulpit. PAY ATTENTION to verse 6: " They have seen falsely and prophesied LYING words while saying that "the Lord hath said". And the Lord HATH NOT SENT THEM! Yet they have made others to hope in THEIR word..." Friend, a true prophet, called of God, with the Word of God on their lips and in their heart is not in the ministry to please people so that they can get their financial support! They are only in the ministry because GOD called them. They do not boast in their seminary degrees, nor care to put a title before their name. It matters not to them whether they speak to few or many. All that matters to them is that they "HEAR what the Spirit is saying". They fear and reverence God and His holiness and are careful to only speak HIS WORDS. They don't have to refer to themselves as "prophet this or prophetess that"...the anointing SPEAKS FOR ITSELF! It is time for us to be wise and not be taken in with the "who's who" list of names and titles. If we are in tune to the voice of God, we will know what God is saying and the "prophetic voices" will only be a confirmation of what God has already spoken to us. Let us be like the "men of Issachar", who were in tune with God and understood the times. MANY CHANGES are coming in this last 6 months of 2012. Let us bow the knee and open the ear so that we can hear the voice of the Holy Spirit.
"The Power of the Little Cloud"
July 11, 2012
Yesterday in prayer, the Holy Spirit spoke to me about "the little cloud in the shape of a man's hand". When reading the story in 1 Kings 18, we find that Israel has experienced 3 1/2 years of drought. There has been no rain, the land is parched and dry, the people are starving, and Israel is in desperate need of a miracle. But Elijah continues to pray, just as he has for 3 1/2 years. But now God is about to move. Elijah is on Mt. Carmel praying and he sends his servant to look "toward the sea" for a sign of rain. The servant returns and said, "There is nothing." Elijah tells his servant to go back and look 7 times! Finally, on the 7th time, the servant comes back with this report, "Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, in the shape of a man's hand". And from that little cloud, God sent a "GREAT RAIN". The Holy Spirit began to speak to me yesterday in prayer regarding this story as it has much relevance to what He is doing in this season. We have been in a "spiritual drought" for so long. People are dry and thirsting for the water of the Spirit; people are hungry and starving for the Word of God. The church of Jesus Christ needs a miracle! We need a RAIN of the Spirit to pour down upon us again. Notice that Elijah continued to pray even in the 3 1/2 years of drought. He continued to believe even when there was no sign of rain. But the day finally arrived, that God would open up the Heavens and his prayers would be answered. It all began with a "little cloud" that his servant saw "over the sea". And this little cloud was in the shape of a man's hand. The "little cloud" speaks of a remnant. It is the remnant (a small company) of people, dedicated to God, who have continued to walk in holiness and righteousness, who have not been defiled by the world nor compromised their walk, that God is using to bring a "GREAT RAIN" upon the land. The shape of a man's hand represents "power". Just as God had 7000 who had not bowed their knees to Baal, so God has His small company of people who have remained true to Him and who have continued to pray with power and intercede for the nation. It is the prayers of the "righteous man and woman" that AVAIL much! We are about to see a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit in these end-time days. In the midst of judgment, God will bring a "RAIN of Revival". Let us not be weary, but continue to press in deeper and deeper in prayer. The "little cloud" is about to be used to bring in a "GREAT RAIN!"
God’s Cry for America!
July 1, 2012 4:30 a.m.
America, My America how hast thou strayed from My commandments! Oh, hast thou strayed from thy First love. For I have favored thee, I have exalted thee, I have blessed thee; I have made thee a leader among the nations; I have set My banner around thee and I have blessed thee. But My America, you have forgotten Me; you have strayed away; you have brought shame to My name and have blasphemed me with your abominations and your idols and you have set a mark against Me; you have opened the door to idolatry and you have brought pollution into the land that I have consecrated holy unto Me. For your founding fathers honored Me and My word; but you have strayed away; strayed far away from what I have established you to be. I have given you time to repent; I have given you mercy; I have given you grace; but you have not come back; you have toiled and pained and grown weary; you have been mixed in your doctrine and allowed seducing prophets to come into the land with lies and My people know not My voice anymore. And My people know not My ways anymore; for My people are in darkness as those who have never known My name. This generation does not know Me! This generation does not know Me! And I have cried out to thee America; I have used voices that have cried out to you to repent; to repent from your ways, but you have not. My coming in nigh at hand and unless you repent the judgment upon the land will be severe; for there will be devastation! There will be devastation! THERE WILL BE DEVASTATION! For my Spirit is moving through the land, searching for those who will honor and obey Me; those who will stay pure in the midst of the defilement, only they shall be saved. But the judgment and the desolation will come to young and old alike. For sin is an outcry against my holiness, and America, you must come back to the cross. I give you one more chance to turn from your wickedness; I give you this 6 months to get right with me; I give you one more chance. But in the midst of this 6 months I will begin to judge pockets of this land like never before unless you cry out with all your heart and repent; only then will I release My hand against the severity of the punishment. But there is a great destruction coming upon the world. America you have been favored but you have forgotten Me. Cry out! Let the leaders of My temple cry out! Cry out Pastors! Cry out Evangelists! Cry out Apostles! Cry out Prophets! Cry out Teachers! Lead the people to mass repentance NOW! For I have already released the 6 men; they are already walking on the earth now! The Man with the inkhorn is looking for those who are crying out for the abominations of the land. Put aside your agendas church, put aside your agendas! Pastors, put aside your agendas and bring My people to prayer, for only unity and prayer and repentance and turning away will spare the severity of the judgment that is coming upon this land. For people will wander aimlessly; they will stand in awe of what will happen; because My wrath is going to be poured out upon the land. Heed the Word of the Lord for the time is short. Heed the Word of the Lord!
*Note: The text referring to the 6 men walking on the earth and the Man with the Inkhorn is found in Ezekiel 9
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The Eyes of the Lord are Searching
June 28th
2 Chron. 16:9 "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him." The Holy Spirit represents the "eyes" of the Lord. Just as the servant was sent on a mission to "look for" and "seek out" a bride for Isaac, so the Holy Spirit was sent to earth from Heaven to "look for" and "seek out" a bride for Jesus. And what is it that qualifies one to be the "bride"? It is the "perfect" or "loyal and devoted" heart. When our heart is fully and completely devoted to the Lord, the Lord will prove Himself strong on our behalf! Prov. 4 declares, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." To "keep" means to "protect". In our world today, our heart is tempted to turn away from God. There are so many distractions all around us, and we find ourselves slipping further and further away from purity and holiness. Our heart becomes so "shaped" by the world's way of thinking, that we lose our love and devotion to God. But we must remember to "guard" our heart. To "guard" is to "protect". Just as we know that an unhealthy diet weakens and ultimately destroys the heart, so it is with an unhealthy spiritual walk with God. It will weaken your heart and ultimately destroy your relationship with the Lord. But those who protect their heart by feeding on the "Word" daily, and seek to remain close to the "heart of God", will be found by the "eyes" of the Lord as one who is "pleasing" in His sight. God spoke these words to Solomon, "...acknowledge the God of your father, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you..." May we all "search" our hearts today and remember that His eyes are constantly scanning the earth, "searching" for those that He can find FAITHFUL!
A New Season
June 29th
As we countdown to July 1st, we are approaching the exact MIDDLE of this year. This Sunday marks the beginning of the next 6 months of 2012. Expect things to change quickly! This morning in prayer the Holy Spirit began to speak to me regarding this "new season". Just as Israel waited 40 years to see the fulfillment of God's promise...many of God's people have been waiting years and even decades to see the fulfillment of God's promise. But the day finally came that the wait was over. They crossed the Jordan and entered the "PROMISED Land". It was called the "PROMISED Land" because it was the land God promised! And if God makes a "promise", He will keep it! For His Word will not return void; it will come to pass! There are so many things happening right now in the Heavenlies. GREAT CHANGE is coming...not only to America, but the world. We are going to face very difficult times ahead. But in the midst of it all, the Word of the Lord will stand sure and whatever He has promised, we shall see it come to pass. We need to advance with faith into this new season. We need a greater anointing and a greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit's power upon our lives so that we can have greater endurance to run the race. "...let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." LET US BE PREPARED and in EXPECTATION for this NEW VISITATION!
Holiness, God's Fashion Statement
June 13, 2012
"And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD." (Ex. 28:36) The "mitre" or "headband" worn by the High Priest was engraved with the words, "HOLINESS TO THE LORD". Wow! What a statement! Not one designer today has fashioned those words on the runway! It only proves that "holiness" has become so "old-fashioned" and practically "extinct" from our way of life. It has been removed from our vocabulary and Mindset and replaced by sensuality, lust and idolatry. But God's "fashion" never changes. He has one "image' and one "standard" that remains timeless and unchangeable. He is a HOLY GOD and HOLINESS is the foundation of Who He is. If holiness was removed from God, His very throne would waver. It is HOLINESS that makes God God! And it is HOLINESS that makes US LIKE GOD! We cannot be "like" God, nor be "sons" of God unless we are transformed into HIS FASHION and image which is HOLINESS! But notice the location of the headband..it was placed "on the head", meaning Holiness must RULE our mind. Our thoughts must be subject to His Holy standard. Remember, every sin begins with a thought. But if we surrender our thoughts (mind) to the Lord, He will transform our way of thinking. Instead of being governed by the world's way, we will be governed by God's way. Phil. 2:5 states, "Let this mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus." Rom. 8:6 "For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Because we all live in the world, the world does it's best to set the standard for our lives. The world infiltrates the way we think and teaches us how to think. No matter where we go or what we do, we are surrounded by the influence of the world on our MIND! THINK about it...television ads influence our minds on what we should buy; the news media influences our minds on how we look at the world; fashion magazines influence our minds on our personal image; movies influence our minds on how we should live including moral (or should I say IMMORAL) standards and our acceptance of profanity as commonplace in our vocabulary; and the list goes on and on and on... How far have we fallen from the original standard of God which is holiness? Friend, it is so far that we rarely hear the word "holiness" spoken, even in our churches today. So what is the solution to our modern day contemporary fashion dilemma? Repentance! Only when we see the error of our ways and repent before God, can we then be forgiven and allow His nature of Holiness to begin to take over our lives. The Bible BOLDLY declares that "without HOLINESS, NO MAN OR WOMAN will see God. It's that clear and that absolute. We are the generation that must wake up and go against the modern day society of Godlessness. We must not be ashamed to wear the Headband of Holiness. We must LIVE first and then declare God's standard to this world. For it is His holiness that carries His love to this lost and dying world. Once our minds are renewed and we begin to meditate on His Word, His thoughts, His ways...then the holiness of God will infuse our lives and begin to make the change within. That change within will impact the change without. There will be total transformation of the body, soul and spirit as holiness consumes the life. I pray that you will take the time today to meditate upon the holiness of God. Ask the Lord to make you Holy in thought, word and deed. When we think with His thoughts, we will speak with His words and walk in His ways! "For you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood and HOLY nation..." 1 Peter2:9
Dying to Live
June 12, 2012
"Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." -John 12:24 It is interesting to note how the Lord compares us to "wheat" in this portion of scripture. In a wheat harvest, the wheat ripens in "heat". It also bows it's head toward the ground when ready to be harvested vs. The tares, which stand straight and tall. From that moment, the wheat is then cut and brought to the "threshing floor". At the threshing floor it is beaten continuously until the grain is separated from the chaff which surrounds it. The next step is "winnowing" in which it is thrown into the air. At this point, the chaff is blown away by the wind, and only the wheat grain remains. When Jesus spoke these words in John 12:24, He was inferring much more than the natural. He was making a parallel to the spiritual. First of all, we are likened to "wheat". We only ripen or "mature" in "heat", or the fiery trials of life. When we finally come to the place of total surrender, it is then that we "bow", as the wheat, to the ground and yield completely to His will. The Lord then takes us to the "threshing floor". OH, could I preach message upon message about the "threshing floor"!! The threshing floor is the place of crushing. It's the place we all dread and only wish God would omit this part in His plan for our lives. But we ALL have to face the threshing floor. There is no other way for the flesh to die. The threshing floor is the place of beating and bruising. It is the place of hardships and suffering. It is the place of rejection and abandonment. It is the place of "coming to the end of yourself". It is the place of "death of self" in EVERY WAY POSSIBLE! Even if there is just one small area left that the chaff (the flesh) is still seen and is still in control, you will have to remain on the threshing floor of God until it is removed! This is precisely what Jesus was referring to in His statement, "UNLESS a corn of wheat FALL TO THE GROUND AND DIE...) It is death....death to the self-nature. That is the only way we can live the life of Christ. Only when God separates and removes the "chaff", can we "bring forth much fruit". Notice, IF IT DIE, it brings forth much fruit. Just as the crushing of the olive produces oil, so the crushing of the threshing floor produces the "fruit of the Spirit". What is God really looking for in your life? The FRUIT of His nature. The Character of Christ. And "character" is not developed in one day. It takes time and trials and testings and many trips to the "threshing floor", but it is all working together for our good. For it is the threshing floor that will prepare us for the GLORY. Remember what Paul penned in Romans 8:18, "...the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." That is the end result that God is after...it's HIS GLORY being revealed in us. Adam lost the "glory" in Eden. Jesus came to restore the lost glory to His saints! I know that we are all going thru our share of "threshing floor" experiences. We are all facing trials, tribulations and difficult situations...but remember that He knows what is best, even when we feel forgotten and forsaken and overwhelmed by our personal battles. He is with us and we are never alone. He is teaching us "total dependency" upon Him and His Word. So be strong today, Soldier! Know that this trial is going to produce great fruit in your life and you will be stronger and reflect His image! I leave to you today with a poem quoted by Kathryn Kuhlman many years ago: "For every stone that bruised my heel; for every hill I've ever climbed; for every heartache I've ever known; I do give thanks to Him, for these are the things that made me strong."