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Fire and RevivalPosted: 2009-03-09 07:29:43 by: David Nelson
(2-23-09) “Our God is a consuming fire.” He wants to burn up the dross and sin in our lives and purify us as fine gold, like silver heated up seven times to keep cleansing us more and more. He is a refining fire to change us so that we offer right sacrifices to Him. He burns with fire to destroy sin and may burn up the individual whose heart is not right or who disobeys His commands (as the two sons of Aaron the High Priest and the one who tried to steady the ark of the covenant (which was only to be touched by those appointed to carry it)). He also came to Moses and the people of Jesus said He would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Tongues of fire were on the heads of the anointed disciples at Pentacost. So what does the fire signify? In our vocabulary today we have such phrases as: he has a fire in his belly (great motivation to succeed), or his heart is on fire with passion for someone or something. It says in the Song of Songs in the Scriptures that love is as a fire that cannot be quenched or put out (even by many waters). So, do we have a fiery passion for anything or anyone? Maybe at times in our life we have been ablaze with desire for knowing God and/or His causes. It was said of Jesus, “Zeal for God’s house has consumed Him.” He was so angry and passionate about the Now, when you consider revival with the word fire how do these two fit together? Jesus is calling His Bride (the Church) to come close to Himself. It is a wooing into a much more intimate relationship than we have known before. This call to a deeper walk and a deeper love for the Lord will create a new zeal and fire in our hearts for the Lord. I call this individual revival. It is a restoring to our hearts the Lord’s rightful place in our desires, affections, and He becomes our supreme focus as the things of the world grow dimmer. As the famous song says, “Cast your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.” This is revival fire, God restoring us to our true destiny, in pursuit of our Lord. Song of Songs sets forth this mutual attraction and pursuit of our Lord and His bride to be. Also there will be corporate fire and revival. When a person has spent time in the presence of the Lord in prayer, spent time before His throne, a fire or anointing gets on their feet, their hands, their faces, and even our clothes. (see Exodus 30:22-33 and Ezek. 44:6-19) Moses had this experience where his face glowed from being in the presence of the Lord (but then it faded with time). But the Scriptures say in the New Testament that our anointing will not decrease as Moses’did but we will ascend from glory to greater glory by the Holy Spirit. Be aglow with the Spirit the Scriptures exhort! When the Lord speaks to us His words become fire in our hearts and in our mouths when we speak with His anointing. (True prophetic words are like fire in our mouths and like a hammer that breaks rocks, see Jer. 23:28 and 29) It also says in I Cor. 12:6-11 that when we move in a spiritual gift it is inspired (or God breathed) by the Holy Spirit through us and it becomes a manifestation of the living God. Is this not anointed fire from heaven! Yes, it is, and when each one at a meeting flows with the fire of God from one heart to the hearts of all present, all must admit, God is in our midst, He is speaking, He is making Himself known, He is a consuming fire and we are conduits of that fire to each other. This is corporate revival fire. It is a greater fire than just one alone (one stick burning) but it is a whole pile of sticks and logs burning in a greater fire to the greater glory of God! Yes, God vehemently yearns over the spirit He has put in us, that we might love Him alone with all our heart and soul and strength. But He also wants a people who gather around Him and flow to one another with His fire. He is in our midst, He is our King, His presence is to be manifested with His multi-faceted beauty and glory in a gathering of His precious children. The love and oneness He wants to teach us will also add to the brightness and true nature of who He is. He has always wanted this. He wanted it in the Old Testament at His Holy mountain but the people said no, they just wanted Moses to hear and speak for God. But God still called some up to Himself and 70 elders (plus others named), and they went up, saw God in a glorious way, and ate together. (Ex. 24:9-11) God wants to be with us again in even a greater way than anything we have read about or experienced before. It is His time, He is preparing a Bride for Himself, nothing will stop Him from having a Bride without spot or wrinkle and one that is passionately in love with Him. We must hear His call (and many of you do, I know). He is building and perfecting and making a people ready for Himself. Oh what a glorious hour we live in. Please keep hearing His call and have an ear to hear, and do not say “no” today when you hear His voice. Wonderful blessings to our great God and Savior, the Father and His Son Jesus! PM Iowa Website UNDER CONSTRUCTIONPosted: 2009-03-07 09:44:29 The PM Iowa website is now UNDER CONSTRUCTION! There will be a new "LOOK" and more interactive web pages, with a portion of the new pages listed below:
In Christ's love, Sybil N FREE SUBSCRIPTION!Posted: 2009-03-07 09:44:27 TO RECEIVE THE LATEST PAGE WEEKLY WRITINGS DIRECTLY TO YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS, click on this link info@propheticministryiowa.comMORE prophetic writings in the ARCHIVES!Posted: 2009-02-28 16:30:30 MORE prophetic writings can be found in the January, February, and March ARCHIVES at the BOTTOM of this web page! Excerpts from "Reimagining Church"Posted: 2009-02-28 12:04:37 by: Frank Viola (I (David Nelson) do not necessarily agree with all that is said in the above book but I am very encouraged by much that Frank Viola has written in this book). The following is a very important message for the Church with some of my own thoughts in parenthesis. Quote by Shane Claiborne (thesimpleway.org): The prophets call us back to our (true) identity (as the Church). We shall not settle for anything less than God’s dream for (the Church). Quote by Charles J. Wilhelm: What if the word church in ordinary conversation called to mind…’where God has His way’ instead of pews, parking lots and preachers? What if church were not a place to learn religion but the best tangible proof of God’s existence? Page 11: I (Frank Viola) left the institutional church (or institutional Christianity) in 1988 and have never returned. Instead, I’ve been meeting in what I call “organic churches.” When I am asked, “So where do you go to church?” It seems awkward but I say, “I belong to a church that doesn’t have a pastor or a church building, we meet very much like the early Christians did and we are consumed with (focused on) Jesus Christ (as our Head).” When they hear this they often look at me as if I came from one planet beyond Pluto. Page 12: When you hear what is said in this book some will say, Thank goodness, I’m not crazy! I thought I lost my mind. I’m grateful there are others who feel the same way I do about church. This book has (put into) language the feelings and beliefs I’ve had for years. Page 16: We are in quest for a church experience that better fits the deepest longings of our hearts. Just as Copernicus surprisingly said that the planets revolve around the sun (and not around the earth) we are now in a paradigm shift to show that the church revolves around a living Christ and should be organic (led by the Lord) not institutional (led by men). Page 19: Quote by Hal Miller: The Institutional Church is like a train on a track that can’t stop (very easily) or change direction even if the people on board wanted to. And they hope they are going in the right direction. Organic churches are like a group of people out for a walk. They can turn at a moments notice. They are genuinely attentive to the Lord and to each other. Page 51: Today “church services” are designed for worship, the hearing of a sermon and in some cases evangelism. But in the 1st century church the purpose of the church meeting was for mutual edification. “What is the outcome then brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.” (I Cor. 14:26) Page 52: Each Christian had something to say by the Holy Spirit… with their own unique gift. “For all can prophesy in turn (one by one) so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.” (I Cor. 14:31) Page 53: Christ is to be the center of every meeting. He is to set the agenda and direct what takes place. Although His leading is invisible to the naked eye, He is clearly the guiding agent. In this type of gathering, the Lord Jesus is free to speak through whomever He chooses and in whatever capacity He sees fit. (He is not to be boxed in or pushed out). It is a “round table” principle not a church with a pulpit (at one end) and a passive audience (at the other end). Page 54: The Holy Spirit so governs the gathering that if a person receives an insight while another is sharing, the second speaker is free to interrupt his or her thought. (I Cor. 14:29, 30) What would happen today if you interrupted a pastor in the middle of his sermon with your insight? Page 55: Ask yourself…are you free to stand up at any time in your church services (when all the members are present) and give a word of testimony, a teaching, an exhortation, a song, or whatever else the Lord has laid on your heart? More importantly, are you encouraged to do this? Page 56: So what is the theology here? All believers in Christ are spiritual priests called to offer up “spiritual sacrifices” unto the Lord. We must pour out of our hearts what God has poured into them as a functioning part of the Body of Christ. Past revivals came to be, preachers stopped giving sermons for months. Instead, God’s people would gather and sing and testify and share from the Lord for hours. These were open meetings led by the Holy Spirit with little or no human control. Page 57: We will grow when each part is working properly (Eph. 3:16-19) Page 60: God’s goal is to manifest His Son to us and to all (make Him visible). The church is the Body. The purpose of the Body is to express the life that is within it. We gather together so that the Lord Jesus can manifest Himself in His fullness. The scriptural way that Christ can be properly and fully expressed is when every member of the church freely supplies that aspect of the Lord that he or she is meant to give in their particular gifts. The Lord Jesus is not to be fully disclosed through a few members (pastor, song leader, elder). He is far too rich for that (Eph. 3:8) So if the foot or hand or eye cannot function or is not encouraged to function we see a lop-sided, blind, limping body. With each piece of a picture puzzle added, the entire picture comes into view. Not only is Christ seen fully but we are fully encouraged and edified. Page 62: Have you ever received an insight about the Lord or had an encounter with Him that filled you spiritually to the point where you felt you were going to burst if you didn’t share it with others? If so, just imagine an entire church experiencing this. If the Spirit of God were to leave an institutional church the “business as usual” program would forge ahead. Singing would continue, sermons would continue and the liturgy of the service would continue. Page 63: If in the “organic church” people were getting cool spiritually it would first be noticed in cool, chilly meetings with more silence than usual. What is more, if the Spirit of God left the meetings for good, the church (which is supposed to be completely dependent on Christ) would collapse altogether. Page 65: If some say it wouldn’t work in “my church” to let every one share, this may be because the people have not been taught and prepared and acclimated to this type of open leading of the Holy Spirit. Page 66: (There also) may be a need to help those who over participate to step back a little and those who under participate to be emboldened to share a little more. Page 83: If someone asks, “So where do you go to church? And your answer is, “I attend a church that meets in a home.” Here is what people may think: “Well, that’s strange (or different). He must be a religious misfit of some sort. Or he’s probably part of some cult or flakey fringe group. Or there must be something wrong with him. If there wasn’t, he would be going to a regular church. Or he has to be a rebel of some sort, a loose cannon on the deck-unable to submit to authority. Else he would be attending a normal church-you know, the kind that meets in a building.” Page 84: The Page 85: When the assembly got too big it split up and met in more than one house. Pages 86, 87: They could have built synagogues but purposely didn’t to conserve the idea that we are a building of living stones built together into a temple for the Lord. Page 90: In big buildings people can hide from each other, in a living room you get to know each other. In a building an audience faces the place where they get their input (they receive, the pulpit gives (but only a few members of the Body give)). Also, the pulpit and stage are elevated to portray a show that you are to watch. Pews are not set up for interaction with each other but for facing one direction. Page 98: A chief metaphor for the church (in the scriptures) is Family. (Gal. 6:10 family of believers, Rom. 8:29 many brothers, Eph. 2:19 members of God’s household, I Tim. 5:1-2 Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters). Page 100: Three points to be made here: (1) Do members take care of one another like a family? Isn’t it true that you take care of your natural blood relatives? And they take care of you? The early church did. The church is to be a close loving family. (2) Do we spend time with each other beyond gatherings? Do we eat together and fellowship like the early church did? Every day they continued to meet together…they broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts. (Acts 2:42, 46) Page 104 A real family (brothers and sisters) knows how things are going in one another’s lives. (3) Do we have affection for one another? Do we salute fellow church members from across the street and yet don’t even want to be with them? Are the hugs and kisses we give real as it would be for a blood family member? Page 106: People are looking for authentic community and they don’t see it in the Church. (people who genuinely love and care for each other). People are looking for genuine organic Christianity (as it is supposed to be). Page 118: If God has accepted you as a member of His Body and Family then you belong to the Church and I must accept you. All the believers in a city should accept one another. (But the way it is now, we must go to a particular church and fit in to be accepted by them.) Pages 128, 129: If Jesus has accepted you, I must accept you despite how lacking in light you may be or how incorrect your views of the Bible are. And you must accept me on the same basis. Other wise I would have had to disfellowship with myself 15 years ago (for I still am learning and changing, we all see in part). Ask this: has God accepted this person? Does the life of Christ reside in him or her? Is he or she part of the Body of Christ? They may not be clear on many spiritual things. Their personality may conflict with ours. Their worship style may be distasteful to us. They may be immature and have struggles in areas that we’ve surpassed. They may be painfully eccentric. Their understanding of the Bible may be poverty stricken. They may make mistakes that they regret. They might just hold to some false ideas. Yet the fact that Christ dwells in them obligates us to accept them as family members. Not just in word but in deed and in truth (I Jn. 3:18). Page 136: Some have made this comment to me, “It is each person’s transformed life that is the key, the church is really secondary, right? We should not separate the individual’s life from the Church corporate life because it is what God wants and what He wants to create. It is His eternal purpose. God the Father is after a Bride for His Son and a house and family for Himself. This is the heart of God. (Yes, you as an individual are everything to Him as though you alone lived, but He wants more than you alone to show the fullness of Himself, and that we might learn love for each other also. That we might love one another and be one as the Father and the Son are one and how they love each other, so that the world will see this and be drawn to Him). Page 140: God has an eternal purpose that humans were to fulfill before sin entered the scene. And He has never let go of it. He has a purpose not just for us but for Himself. Page 142: We are to become a new man (like Christ) that doesn’t build things like Babel for himself or of his own making but looks for things that God builds (organic things, living one day at a time, entering His rest, ceasing from our labors, receiving His manna daily, not trying to save manna for our own use and our own security, a perfect walk with Him trusting in His love and in His providing, etc.) Page 143: We are to be Image Bearers: man in corporate can show the corporate image of God to the world, to angels, to principalities, to the animals and creation. We are to rule over creation (have dominion). A garden or an interface of two realms. Two realms touching, where God’s sphere and man’s sphere intersect. A marriage of two realms. A wedding of the spiritual and the physical, divinity and humanity. Page 146: Ultimately God will bring heaven to the earth as it was in the Garden of Eden. (this would include healing for the sick, setting the captives free, helping the poor, healing the broken hearted, etc.) Page 148: We are a colonial outpost for the coming kingdom. We are a spiritual “ Pages 154-163: The Word says that we should not be like the Gentiles (Nations) in the way we conduct ourselves as leaders. (The world loves to have position and power over others). But God values childlike meekness and sacrificial service and godly character. My leaders, says the Lord, are to be as the younger. For the nations greatness is position, in the kingdom greatness is humility and servitude. Don’t be called Rabbi, Teacher, Father, don’t be called Leaders, for you have one Leader. The congregations are at fault too for “they have set up kings, but not of Me; they have made princes, and I knew it not.” (Hos. 8:4) (they did this so that they could relax more, a buffer between them and God). Clergy have become to their congregations like parents whose children never grow up, like therapists whose clients never become healed, like teachers whose students never graduate. Pages 171, 172: The church doesn’t belong to the elders. The Lord Jesus alone has the right “to walk in the midst of the…lampstands.” (Rev.2:1) Decisions in the church should be made by consensus of all the brothers and sisters. In one group that I met with 3 men emerged as elders but were never named “elders,” and if you attended one of their meetings you couldn’t tell them from anyone else. Page 176: Elders would emerge in the Scriptures usually some years after the church started (when they were appointed, they were just being recognized). Until they emerged and were recognized Apostles would help them get on their feet. Also elders are always a plural in a church. (Page 190) Page 193: Consensus was how decisions were made. ”It seemed good to the elders and the apostles and the whole church.” A lack of unity and cooperation among the members reveals a failure to embrace (the mind of the Lord). Page 195: The meaning of consensus: all have come to the place where they have set aside their objections and can support a corporate decision in good faith (albeit not always with full enthusiasm). Page 198: Leadership is characterized by the ability to weld the church together to reach individual judgments on critical affairs. Any person who does this at any given time is leading at that moment. (Spiritual leaders, elders, apostles, etc., all have a place in God’s plans (and should not be thrown out). We should respect true leaders and consider what they say. But leaders are equal with all the other brothers and sisters, it is just that they have a different gift (they are not to be better than others). Whatever gift each has we can make mistakes in giving our gift or in whether we should have accepted others gifts or not. We will all have to answer to God as to how we gave our gifts or whether we followed another’s gifts or not. Was it God’s will that we followed what they said or was it God’s will that we dismissed what they said? It is for each of us to decide, and each of us alone will answer to God for our decisions. No one is to make us do anything. If we obey or disobey a spiritual leader, a husband or wife, a policeman, the advice of another even if the idea comes from a child, we will either be rewarded as right or wrong according to whether it was of God or not).
Pages 199-205: Who is our covering? Who are we accountable to? Our accountability is exclusively to God (even when there are spiritual leaders). Who is the covering for a pastor, a church board, or a denominational board? (They are accountable directly to God as we all are). Here are some verses that teach this: “We shall all stand (alone) before the throne and give account for what we have done. So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.” (Rom. 14:10, 12) “It is before our own master that we stand or fall, so do not judge others.” (Rom. 14:4) “My sheep hear My voice and they follow Me. The voice of a stranger they will not follow.” “They shall all know Me from the least to the greatest.” Page 201: Quote by Jon Zens: “While the ‘clergy/laity’ distinction is embedded and assumed in religious circles, it cannot be found in the New Testament. The ‘clergy’ practice is a heresy that must be renounced. It strikes at the heart of the priesthood of all believers that Jesus purchased on the cross. It contradicts the shape that Jesus’ kingdom was to take when He said, “You are all brethren.” Since it is a tradition of man, it nullifies the Word of God. The clergy system stands as a monumental obstacle to genuine reformation and renewal.” Page 216: Organic authority is when the Head (Christ), who is the source of all authority signals the hand to move, then the hand possesses the authority of the Head. The hand, however, has no authority in itself. It derives authority only when it acts in accordance with communication with the Head. Insofar as the hand represents the will of the Head, to that degree the hand is an authority. (It is the same with secular authorities or spiritual authorities, if they tell us to do what we know is against God’s will we must obey God first). Page 255: Quote by T. Austin Sparks: A very heavy price must be paid to solve the great problem of the Church. The essential light may not be given to many, for the Lord knows they won’t be willing to pay the price. It may only be a “remnant”-as of old-who will be led into God’s answer because they will meet the demands at all costs. Page 257: Is the Mega church the answer? The latest advertising, marketing techniques, something for everyone, seeker friendly, big screens, multi media worship, comedy, prominent charisma of the senior pastor, choreographed drama presentations, minimal commitment, you don’t have to know anyone, corporate business paradigm. Doesn’t this seem worldly and secular? Does this look like Christ’s group or the early church meetings? Pages 259-261: Is the “third wave restoration” the answer? Here we see Charismatics and Pentacostals who want to restore the apostolic and the prophetic. They may emphasize the power of the Spirit before the death to self message of the cross. But the Spirit cannot do His deepest work through uncrucified flesh. Are we questing spiritual power rather than spiritual character? Mystical experience without godliness or holiness? Unrestrained, soulish excitement without sound discernment? Demonic counterfeit without divine reality? And they go to the “Christian Meccas” desperately wishing to be touched by God. We want phenominational experiences. There is also “Christian guruism” where prophets and apostles are revered as spiritual icons who bask in the limelight of fan-club followings. But where is the mutual ministry, relationship, community and freedom in these “new wine” but old wine skin formats? They emphasize the five fold ministry but where is the priesthood of all believers? Page 263: Some churches have one big meeting a week and cell groups during the week. But this still has the big leader with little leaders of his own making over each cell group. This model might be described as a “longer leash” church. The big leader is still running the show. What is being hampered still are relationships, the direct leading of Christ and the full expression of the Body. Page 267: God may be using all of the above but is it His best? The good is often the enemy of the best. T. Austin Sparks says, “God has used what has been but do we not feel in our spirit that much delay, limitation, and weakness due to departure from the first and full position of the first years of the church’s life and do we not have a heart-burden for a return thereto? We cannot accept the present “disorder” as all that the Lord would or could have.” Page 269: Quote by Arthur Wallis: If we try to do the new things that the Lord wants along and beside the old ways there will always be a quiet struggle going on between the new measures and the old structures and you may be sure the old structures will win in the end. The new patch will never blend in with the old garment. It will always look incongruous. Page 271: Here is what we must do. In the book of Haggai a few came to lay a foundation for a new temple (a remnant) and they were hoping for a measure of revival. (Ezra 9:7-8 and Hag. 1:14) There was a call of God to Page 272: We must abandon the old, we must begin on entirely new ground. We constructed our own house, now God wants to construct His house only on the ground of the Lord Jesus Christ. Pages 276, 277: We need not renewal of the old but a new wineskin, a new garment. (Lk. 5:36-38) Fredrick Buechner says, “What goes on in (support groups) seems to be closer to what Christ meant His Church to be, and what it originally was, than much of what goes on in most churches I know. These groups have no buildings or official leadership or money. They have no programs. They make you wonder if the best thing that could happen to many a church might not be to have its building burned down and to lose all its money. Then all the people would have left is God and each other. Page 278: Everyone’s normal till you get to know them. 15 minute Prophetic word to the world and the ChurchPosted: 2009-02-28 08:45:32 15 minute Prophetic word to the world and the Church (2-9-09)
This is the beginning and the essential basis for all the depths of God that will come after. Jesus is the answer all people are looking for. All of our questions will be answered in Him. Jesus is alive in heaven and is still seeking for men and women to follow Him. He is calling out to all men. He will manifest Himself to you and speak to you if you seek Him and open your heart to Him. Jesus is the key and the door to everything you need or seek for in your heart of hearts. The one and only way God has provided to reach Himself is through His Son Jesus Christ.
Just as the Lord spoke to Noah to build an ark in the Bible, He spoke to Abraham to leave his home and told him of some of his future destiny, He spoke into the heart of David to kill Goliath and that he was to be the king of Israel, He spoke to Isaiah what to prophecy and what to write in the Bible, He spoke to John the Baptist to preach in the desert, He spoke to Paul to believe in Jesus and build churches in various cities, and just about every person in the Bible God spoke to clearly to do thus and thus, God wants also to speak to you today and show you step by step what His plan is for you. These in the Bible all completed their life plans and destinies and now God is looking to us who are alive now to show each one who is willing to hear what they are to do.
The problem is we are so busy and so pre-occupied with worldly pursuits that we are side-tracked from hearing God. If we hear Him a little that is of some good but He wants us to hear Him a lot more and more clearly.
Many of us know and are seeing that the churches with their buildings and services are not emphasizing hearing from God or how to hear from Him. Also, they are missing the mark of what the Lord wants in other areas too. But the one thing God is wanting is for us to hear His voice. We are to stop playing games, going through the motions, business as usual and say, “I want to hear God, what does He want me to do, where is the Lord in my daily life, in my week, in my religious activities?” If you will say seriously and intently, I will begin to seek God to hear clear and pure instructions from Him. I will seek Him till I find Him. I will make steps toward Him till I sense He is making steps toward me, and then what will He say to me at “my burning bush” experience? What is His plan for me, show me Oh Lord, speak to me as you spoke to all those in the Bible!
Once we begin to hear from God clearly (and at first it will take a little trial and error and practice), but God has always been in the business of taking people from where they are to where He wants them to go, if they will seek and search for him with all their heart. Will you make it the one, major priority of your life now? That is what God is calling all who are willing to, now!
Yes, there is much wrong with the Church but He is planning to fix and restore His Church to what we are supposed to be. He will do this through a mighty move of God in your heart and in the hearts of many others who will hear, He wants to put His fire of revival in your heart. A fire to know Him, love Him, and follow Him. He will make you equal to the task ahead for your transformation and the transformation of His true Church, His Bride. He wants to use you as you change, to bring this good change to the Church and touch the world.
What will result is your closer walk with the Lord. This is key. But there will also be a new connecting of one person here and one person there who are also hearing the same call of God and are being transformed just like you are. There will be a divine networking as God brings people together to get to know each other. Jesus will build His Church, placing living stone to living stone as He designs this Body of His for His glory. Not only will He make divine connections between people here and there but He will teach us to love one another with a love never before seen since the 1st century love of the disciples for each other.
God desires to create a love and oneness and a knitting of our hearts among His children in a love so rich and deep that the world will notice and see Christ’s love in us in a way the world has never seen or known before. He will teach us how to do this and the world will see and know God is alive in us.
Yes, we will love God with a passion and intimacy and run after Him as He is also pursuing us, and we will be on fire with desire for Him. And His great goal to make us be together and be one and love each other as He loves us will unfold. The meetings in homes, out doors, in whatever buildings He wants that will result will be led by the Lord 100 % because we want only 100 % Him. All will be able to share their spiritual gifts and have a voice as the Spirit leads and gives utterance and our meetings will not be the words of just a few but the words of God spoken through the least and the greatest of vessels, everyone as He leads. His presence will be in our midst in an awesome way, He will be the center and He will be with us.
This will be real revival. This is what the Lord wants. This is what He is doing right now as you read this. Don’t you feel it? It is what God is doing now. We are running after Him (He Himself is drawing us and calling us to Himself), knowing and walking with Him closer and hearing His voice more clearly (His instructions and words to each of us), divine connections with others in preparation for meetings together with 100 % God guiding our gatherings, wherever and whenever He leads, with everyone being used by Him speaking and giving the oracles of God. What a great revival, and it is now happening, here and there and everywhere for those who want only God in purity and clarity and truth. Excerpts from "Your Christ is Too Small"Posted: 2009-02-27 16:42:17 by: Frank Viola Excerpts from “Your Christ is Too Small” by Frank Viola The Lord dwells in all of us, and He is a speaking God. But (one of) the primary vehicles He uses as His mouthpiece is His Body. Therefore, you and I will not know Christ (as) deeply and intimately (as we should) unless we (have some connection or are in some community with other) believers where each member is free to open their mouths and speak. (In many churches every member is not free to speak, or at least they are not encouraged to share). We (more fully) learn Christ by being a member with other believers. Through many years of church life I began to understand that my brothers and sisters in Christ were part of Christ (His Body), and I learned to listen to my Lord through them. (This includes what the Lord has said through others in the past). Another lesson I have learned is how the Lord, when we first meet Him, makes Himself quite irresistible to us. He wins us over, He conquers our heart, He draws us near to Him. And we love Him. Then we may receive greater revelations of the Lord, ones that move us from shallow waters into the depths. It’s the peril of allowing our first seeing of Christ to shape the way we recognize Him for the rest of our lives! (But He wants us to learn more about Him and these lessons may not be easy to take). If we are pressing on to know the Lord, He will eventually come to us in a way that (we may not like). Some Christian groups have felt that they have a corner on knowing the Lord (but the Lord cannot be put in these type of boxes for long). In the beginning when He wooed us to Himself (we saw Him one way); but that season will eventually end. And just when you think you have laid hold of Him, He will bring us higher (and will seem to slip out of our grasp). He (may) appear to us as a stranger (like on the road to Emmaus, He was not recognized at first), but upon second glance, we’ll soon discover it is the Lord. We all wish to cling to the Lord that we know now. But mark my words: He will come to us in a way that we do not expect…through people who we are prone to ignore and inclined to write off. Perhaps they don’t talk our religious language. Perhaps they don’t use our vocabulary. Perhaps they don’t share our jargon or parrot our religious idioms. And so we cling fast to the Lord that we recognize…only receiving those who talk our language, use our jargon…and we end up turning the Lord away. When we fail to receive Him when He comes to us in an unexpected way (He waits) and our revelation of Him ceases to grow. I’ve seen churches and movements stop dead-in-the-water, living off of a revelation of Christ that was delivered to them twenty or thirty years ago. And they never got beyond it. This in fact is the very root of denominationalism and Christian movements. It works like this. A group of Christians see an important aspect of Christ. That insight usually comes from a servant of the Lord whom God has raised up to restore a certain spiritual truth to His Church. The group is captured by it. Even changed by it. And they stand on the earth to promote and express it. But then, subtly, they build a circle around it. And then a castle…and then a wall…and then enshrine it. And when someone else comes in contact with them with another aspect of Christ to share, they blow it off with monumental disinterest. Why? Because it’s different from the original sighting of the Lord that they have received. In effect, the group refuses (or at least is not welcoming of these new people and their new ideas) to have fellowship with other Christians who are not like them. To have fellowship means that I receive what the Lord has given you and you receive what the Lord has given me (or at least give it an open listen). And both of us will be enriched. That’s fellowship. If I only fellowship with those whose beliefs were the same as mine and their understanding of the Lord the same as mine, then I couldn’t have fellowship with myself 10 years ago! Fifteen years ago I would have had to excommunicate myself from the Jesus Christ is richer, larger, and more glorious than any of us could ever imagine (and greater than we know now). When Peter, James and John saw the transfigured Lord on the holy mountain, Peter wanted to build a tabernacle for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. But God would not allow it (We must keep listening to the Lord!) There is something in our fallen nature that, like Peter, wishes to build a monument around a spiritual encounter with God and remain there. But the Lord will not have it. He will always break free from our frail attempt to pin Him down, box Him up, and hold Him in (one) place. And He does so by coming to us in new and unexpected ways. Many Christians fear diversity… and we tend toward uniformity. Diversity, however, is part of the nature of the Body of Christ (and who God is). It’s also woven into the universe. Look at creation. What do you find? Diversity with God’s harmony. Diversity is a sign of fullness. (We do not want to take away from unity but there is unity in God along with the richness of who God is). (If we have a great truth revealed to us from the Lord and we want everyone else to embrace it or conform to it, we should not push it so hard that we cause a church split). If you feel that the Lord has given you a particular insight into an important truth all may not embrace it with the same zeal that you do, or they may even not want it (right away). Every believer is at liberty to embrace and share his or her understanding of Christ and (in time) the members of the Body may learn how to incorporate one another’s insights into their overall understanding of the Lord. (In the mean time, each individual is free to follow his own heart and understanding and wait patiently for others to see things from the Lord themselves. If they never do, it is between them and the Lord). Until our Lord returns, we will continue to “see through a glass darkly.” Consequently, a church ought to learn the fine art of weaving together the varied experiences and insights each member brings to it. (as long as they don’t contradict the Gospel). Sometimes these experiences and insights will constitute a paradox. That is, they will appear to stand in contradiction to one another. (Example: Should we fight what we think the devil is attacking us with or should we accept some things as coming from the Lord?) Throughout the years I have come to see that the great bulk of Divine Truth is paradoxical. For that reason, I have learned (how) to live in the presence of (apparent) spiritual contradiction. So much so that I can take a nap in the face of it. But there is something more. With every new seeing of the Lord, there is the temptation to become proud of that new seeing. There seems to be a subtle arrogance that seeks to seep into the human heart when one experiences a deeper experience or understanding of Christ. But there is nothing more opposite to the Spirit of Jesus Christ than the spirit of pride or arrogance. We find Christ in only one issue-poverty. “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” A spirit of poverty says, “I need to know Him more, I don’t have a corner on Him, I am a child in this business, I’m still in school, I’m still learning, I haven’t arrived, (there is much more).” (Even if a church group does get some special blessings and sees many wonderful things from the Lord, beware of thinking that you are special, better than other Christians, and the real Church (with others outside your circle). It is in times of great revelations that we need the humility of Christ the most. Recall Paul’s thorn in the flesh? (God put it in his life to keep him from being too elated over the numerous revelations he had received). (No matter how many insights you have don’t stop pursuing Him. He will probably not let you go very far away from Him without pulling the rug out from under you, if you keep your eyes on Him and it will be all by His grace for all these things. Don’t get stuck or stop where you are no matter how much you have learned. Hold on to the good you have and keep seeking Him). A sure mark of spiritual poverty is a wide heart. If you have a narrow heart, you will only recognize Christ through some of His people. And you will be blind to Him through others. Jesus Christ is a lot larger than what most of us have thought, and He works through a lot more people than we would expect. Is your Christ too small?
Excerpts from "A Statement and Appeal Regarding Lakeland"Posted: 2009-01-27 17:18:03 by: Dutch Sheets
Preface by David Nelson to the following article by Dutch Sheets After I read the following article by Dutch Sheets I felt that Prophetic Ministry should say something important to the Body of Christ. The Lord has been showing for some time now both to us and to many others that there are serious problems in the Church at large. We have been saying that each individual Christian must have such a relationship with the Lord that he must know His voice much better now than has been in the past. “They shall all know Me from the least to the greatest.” “My sheep will know my voice and they will follow Me, a stranger they will not follow.” Yes, there will be some who are spiritual leaders, but each one of us will stand before the Lord by ourselves, not with our spouses or spiritual leaders beside us, and we will answer to the Lord alone as to whether we followed His voice to us or not. But did we value as top priority knowing His voice and were we willing to follow Him wherever He led us? Even though there are many gifts in the Body all around us, including spiritual leaders, we will be responsible alone to hear the Lord through these gifts and also what the Lord says directly to us. The day that the Lord is bringing us into allows and expects that every person is important to the Body of Christ and is needed, and that we should be careful not to follow others without the Lord speaking in our own spirits also. There will be much deception but there will be much restored truth too. We must know the difference by knowing our God, each for himself. When Dutch Sheets says in point #3, “How do we fix this mess?”, I think this is a key statement. The Church at large is in a mess. But there is an emerging Bride that is shunning the worldliness that has come into the Church and is pursuing purity, holiness, righteousness, and a restoration of what the Lord has always intended for His Body and which was seen to some extent in the book of Acts. Yes, there is a return to the Lord sincerely and fervently by some but it is not always easy or popular to answer the Lord’s call to follow Him in our day. It will be by God’s grace that He will make and build a Church after His heart and whoever wants this will need all His grace to hang on and become all that He wants us to be. And as we desire to become what He wants He will give us compassion and love for the Church at large. What to do for them and for us all must be shown by the Lord in His timing. The Lord loves His emerging Bride and His wayward Church and will do what He has planned to bring about His highest glory. Each one of us must hear Him and do our part. Regarding Dutch Sheets final point #4, I too am sick over the hype in the Church as seen often on TV. We should not mistake hype for anointing. We should reject what we see as false and accept what we see as true. There is much error but there is much truth that we need to embrace also which is coming forth in this day from the Lord. And even though many are cynical about the Church, young and old, for good reason, the “real thing” will arise. “In a day of great darkness the glory of the Lord will arise upon us, and the world will see it.” (Is. 60:1-3) Yes, a time of cleansing and healing for all of us (as Dutch Sheets has put it), really has already begun. It has been developing and growing for some time now. The Lord is doing something wonderful behind the scenes in each one of our hearts who is wanting to hear Him. It is my heart too (with Dutch Sheets sentiment) to help shape a movement, the fruit of which will last till the coming of Jesus and forever. I too have great expectations for this. We do not know all that has happened at Lakeland, Florida, but we understand the problems Dutch Sheets is addressing concerning the Church at large and that there is need for change in the Church. We are mainly trying to focus on how to help the Church and not pointing at ministries unless the Lord directs us to. Excerpts from “A Statement and Appeal Regarding The Bigger Picture
Excerpts from "The Saint Must Walk Alone" by A.W. TozerPosted: 2009-01-26 17:12:55 Preface by David Nelson to the following article by A.W. Tozer I do not believe that this article is trying to teach that each one of us must walk alone without being connected to the Body of Christ. But what I believe it is trying to convey is that each one of us must bear his own cross which is unique to each individual and that each one of us must hear for himself and follow the Lord’s leading. This “aloneness” that we will feel is important for each of us to focus on the Lord supremely and never let anything or anyone come between us and our relationship with the Lord. We will need others and the gifts of the Body of Christ to come to our fullest potential as we listen to the Lord through others. Excerpts from “The Saint Must Walk Alone” by A.W. Tozer The pain of loneliness arises from the constitution of our nature. My own comment (David Nelson): We even, who have heard His call to come closer (to the Lord) may be feeling a bit overwhelmed by the worldliness all around us. It is on the TV, it is in our work places, it is in the Church. The Lord Jesus said, when He comes will He find faith on the earth? If it were possible even the elect would be deceived by so much that will happen upon the earth so that the days will be shortened by the Lord. Here is my only hope, II Timothy 4:17, 18 says, “The Lord has stood with me (when many others forsook me), and He has strengthened me. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” And Jude 24,25 says, “Now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless (and blameless) before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God and Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” Let us continue in hope, faith, and love, looking to Jesus as the author and finisher of our faith. We will need each other and the Lord as our Shepherd and Keeper.
Excerpts from "Visions Beyond the Veil" by H.A. BakerPosted: 2009-01-17 19:11:55
Excerpts from “Visions Beyond the Veil” by H. A. Baker, missionary to
Pages 1 and 2: In this visitation from the Lord all (involved) were treated impartially. The oldest and the youngest, the first arrivals and the latest comers, the best and the worst, all sitting together around their common Father’s table were alike treated to His heavenly bounties. The children and young people upon whom came the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. And through whom came these visions and revelations were members of the Adullam Rescue Mission in
Pages 9 and 10: One morning at the end of (our regular) prayer meeting the Lord was near and the presence of the Holy Spirit could be felt in our midst. (some left prayer and some stayed). (The meeting went on longer than usual and some who had left returned). This meeting went on hour after hour. I (as the leader of the home) had nothing to do or say, the Lord seemed to have complete control, I just tried to keep out of His way.
Pages 11 and 12: The children didn’t go to sleep until a late hour that night (I had allowed the meeting to continue on all day). At 6:00 A.M. the next morning the last words of prayer were said. This lasted for two days and then seemed to subside. On the morning of the 3rd day at our 7:30 A.M. prayer time, one shy and quiet 8 year old kept praying, hidden behind the organ till 12:00 noon. Normally shy but now he was boldly crying out to the Lord in prayer. This new outpouring lasted for one week.. Eating and sleeping became less important. People would eat when they felt led and then they would come back to the Lord’s mighty outpouring. Nearly all day until late in the night some were under His power.
Page 13: This outpouring demanded nothing on the part of us missionaries except our keeping out of the way, taking care not to interfere with His wonderful work. We just were to open up our own hearts that we , too, might be taken deeper into the heavenly blessings that were falling…. Our presence or absence in the meetings made little difference.
Pages 27 and 28: After 2 or 3 weeks nearly all the children wanted to preach, even the younger ones. They preached with great unction and authority. At the Chinese New Year one of the older boys had prepared a sermon on a new year theme. But when the preaching began the power of God fell so that this boy suddenly spoke in tongues and another interpreted. One small boy after another preached as interpreter. As soon as the Lord was through with one interpreter he would step back and another felt the unction to preach. As soon as this one stepped into the circle he would get the interpretation. This went on for an hour or two while many people listened who could get near to hear. We seemed to see something of what preaching of the church was in the beginning and what it seemed so clear the Lord wanted it to be in the end. (This at least was part of the Lord’s method of preaching according to I Cor. 14, not necessarily meant to be always the regular order of preaching). Before utterance the speaker does not know what words the Spirit will speak through his lips. This is pure prophetic preaching. (Not necessarily meaning that we should not study or make notes, but the Lord is to guide and give us Holy Spirit utterance).
Page 24: When the Lord spoke through one, whether the smallest or humblest child, there was something about the voice, the penetrating power of the words, a heart-gripping power, that cannot be described. We had never heard such a gripping voice from God in any sermon in all our days. We all knew we were hearing directly from the Lord.
Page 38: In one prophecy (where the children were caught up to heaven) the Lord said He had made heaven big enough for everybody.
Page 42: In heaven there were beautiful golden streets, buildings side by side, a room for each person, every room opening unto the street. Upon the door and about the front were precious jewels. The name of each occupant was above the door. Inside the room were golden tables, a Bible, a flower vase, a pen and book, a golden chair, a golden chest, and a golden bed. In each room a jeweled crown, a golden harp, and a trumpet. The walls were gold. They could put beautiful flowers of their choice in the vase.
Page 46: Heaven was near (not far away) just out of sight.
Pages 51-53:
Page 82: Revelations of the last days: there will be famines, diseases (pestilences), war, desolation that will be attended with persecution of the people of God, whom He will especially equip in this crisis.
Pages 100 and 101: A very important message of Christ through a sobbing boy: “I weep tonight. I am heart-broken. I am in deep sorrow because those who believe in me are so very few. I planned and prepared heaven for everyone, having made room for all the people in all the world. I made the New Jerusalem in three great cities, one above the other, with plenty of space for all men. But men will not believe me. Those who believe are so very few. I am sad, so very sad. (This message was given between heart-rending sobs and floods of tears from the boy.) Since men will not believe me, I must destroy the wicked earth. I planned to visit it with three great calamities, but it is so wicked that I have added a fourth. “If you have any friends, tell them to repent quickly; persuade all men as rapidly as possible to believe the gospel; but if people will not listen and will not accept your message the responsibility will not be upon you.
Get the baptism of the Holy Spirit. If you will tarry and believe, I will baptize you. The devil deceives you by making you think you will not receive the baptism, but wait and seek and I will baptize you, and give you power to cast out devils and to heal the sick. Those who receive the seal of the Holy Spirit are to preach and testify, and I will be with you to help and protect you in times of danger.
“If you think perhaps you will not get to heaven, that thought is of the devil. I will not destroy my own children; I will protect and save every one; not one of mine will perish. I will overcome. Pray for Mr. and Mrs. Baker and I will give them power to cast out devils and to heal the sick. The children in the home should obey. Do not fight. Do not lie. Live at peace. When you pray, pray from the heart. Do not let your love grow cold.
“Tell other churches they, too, should seek the Holy Spirit. All churches must press forward.
“The devil is coming to earth in a few years, and there will be a great tribulation. Do not worry; I will protect and care for you.
“People everywhere will gather together and fight in one place, after which I will come to punish the earth. You must not fear, for those who believe in me will be caught up to blow trumpets and to play harps.
“I will destroy two of every three. When I come everything must obey my voice. Houses will tumble down; mountains will fall; trees will be destroyed. There will be utter destruction where I will not leave one blade of grass. Those who worship idols will perish. All sorcerers and spiritist mediums shall be cast into hell. Only those who believe the gospel will be saved.”
Page 111: In the New Jerusalem everybody is “in love.” Everybody is in love with everybody else. Our earth in our encumbrance of this deprived tabernacle there is a song in the soul. In its struggle for expression (and realization) there are times it seems to break out of its restraint for a second (or a time, or a season) but as quickly the perfect chord (struck) is lost (again).
*(My own thought (Dave Nelson)-We are sincerely seeking for the Lord to come to us greater than ever before, for our day. The Lord is preparing us for this coming “revival” individually and corporately. He is calling us to it. We will be tasting of heavenly things with the Lord close to us, and hopefully our true joy in revival will continue till the coming of the Lord. Revival is coming and it is already here, and beginning. But at the same time there will be great darkness and evil all around us (see Is. 60:1-3). And the true people of God will be persecuted. But we must press in to what the Lord is calling us to. We will be so amazed at what He does. We will be so blessed in this “revival.” He truly will be with us and will make us ready for all that is ahead. We should not be afraid. It is a very exiting time for us. Let us press on in this good walk with the Lord all the way till we see His wonderful face!) |
