The Plan

The Plan

And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep (see Genesis 1:2).The Hebrew word that is translated "without form" is tohuw (to'-hoo), which is defined as "a desolation, desert." In the KJV this word is also translated "confusion, empty place, nothing." The point is that the Holy Spirit can make a glorious creation out of the most desolate place. He can also bring forth a glorious new creation out of the most desolate, confused, and empty life. The most important step in any journey is the first one. If we are going to get where we are going, we must know where we are. The Lord also seems to delight in beginning with that which is formless and void. Or, we could say, He likes to start with a clean canvas. One of the most wonderful truths of Christianity is that when we come to Him, we are born again, and all things become new. Part of the good news of the gospel is that in Christ we can start all over. We do not just start a few things over, but everything! When the power of His cross begins to work in our lives, we are redeemed, and the power of redemption flows through us to redeem everything in our lives. Some translators have rendered "formless and void" in Genesis 1:2 as "chaos." That too, has an important application. If the Holy Spirit took the earth that was in such chaos, and brought forth a creation of such beauty and symmetry, He can do the same with any life that is offered to Him. Regardless of how much chaos our lives are in, He not only will straighten it all out, He will make it glorious. By watching the Holy Spirit bring order and new beginnings to lives, we can learn much about the Lord and His ways. Even though we begin again afresh, let us not make the same mistake of thinking that we have the wisdom and knowledge to do it right. When we are born again, we come to know our complete dependence upon our Creator. This alone will enable us to avoid the traps ahead so that we do not fall again to the same mistakes. The Apostle Paul stated:
For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised, God has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are, that no man should boast before God (I Corinthians 1:26-29).Every fresh new move of God in church history began with those who really did not know what they were doing or where they were going. Like Abraham, they had to leave the country that had form and substance, to seek God in a place that was still formless and void of definition. Just as Paul had to be struck blind in the natural so that he could see in the spirit, we too must become void of our own visionbefore we will look to Him. However, the Lord does not leave us in this state, but begins to show us what He is building. Then He can give us the plans for the mansion He wants us to add to the glorious city thatHe is building. At the beginning of our journey, we must understand that we are not just taking a random course, but it is a part of His plan for us. Everything seems to be formless and void at first, but as we follow the moving of His Spirit, a beautiful creation, our new life in Him starts to take shape. In fact, God's plan for us is so comprehensive that He knew us before the foundation of the world, and our calling was known at that time. The foundation of our purpose is for us to become conformed to the image of Jesus Christ—that we become like Him and do the works that He did. This calling is upon every believer. He has also given each of us a very specific part to play in His overall plan. It must be our quest to search for our part in His plan. Abraham may not have known where he was going, but he did know what he was looking for. He left everything to be a part of what God was building. This is also our quest, to be a part of what God is doing.

MorningStar ministries

Charting Our Cours Into the Future

Charting Our Course Into the Future

The true Christian life is the greatest adventure and the most glorious quest that can ever be known on the earth. Nothing Hollywood has ever produced can compare with the reality of the true Christian life. There is nothing as exciting, as fulfilling, or as compelling as getting to know our King and learning His ways. When this is our daily quest, the focus and devotion of our lives, we will find the path of life that is the bridge between heaven and earth. It is never too late, or too early to start this journey. As we do, we will be used to bring true life to the earth, and bring defeat to our ultimate enemy, which is death.

The goal of these Fifty Days devotionals is to impart a vision for what the Christian life is intended to be from an uncompromising, biblical foundation, with a historical perspective. I purposely sow into each of these devotionals some repetition and review to increase retention. My goal for writing is not literary or artistic achievement, but to promote spiritual fruit-fulness and an irresistible devotion to our purpose for being on this earth.

We are living in extraordinary times. Great changes are sweeping the world. Great changes are also taking place within the church. There are some things, such as sound biblical doctrine, that must never be changed. There are other matters in the church that desperately need to be changed. In general, the structure of the modern church is more an invention of medieval, institutional Christianity than the biblical model for the church. When the church rediscovers her true purpose and makes the necessary changes to fulfill it, there will be no greater force on earth, or one more relevant to the time. In fact, she will begin to live by the power of the age to come.

The changes needed to make the church relevant to the time are not just to make the church "seeker-sensitive," but to enable her to become the living, powerful force that she is called to be. The Reformation of the church has been more than a five hundred year process, but it is far from complete. In fact, there may be as much reforming left to do as has been done to date. Will this take another five hundred years? No. It can even be done in a day. As we are told in II Peter 3:8:

But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord

one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

This implies that the Lord can do in one day what we think would take a thousand years. The Lord is certainly patient and, therefore, will probably take a little more than one day to complete this job; but the radical changes that are needed to bring the church into her full purpose can and will happen quickly.

Some of the greatest changes coming will involve the structure of church life and function. We can learn much by looking back at the first century church, however, we cannot fully understand what the church is called to be by looking at the past. We are not called to be the first century church, but the twenty-first century church.

If we are going to understand the church's full purpose, we must begin to look beyond the church to the kingdom. The Lord did not send us to preach the church, but rather the kingdom. We cannot fully understand what the church is called to be without understanding her purpose in preaching and preparing for the coming kingdom of God. As the Lord said in Matthew 24:14:

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world

for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come."

This is not the gospel of salvation, which is generally what comes to mind when we think of the gospel. Of course, we will be eternally grateful for the gospel of salvation, but the gospel that must be preached to all nations is more than this—it is the good news that Jesus is the King of kings and He is returning to rule over the earth. This is the message that must be preached to all nations before the end will come.

That His kingdom would come, and His will be done on the earth as in heaven, was the focus of the prayer He taught His people to pray, and what we have been praying for nearly two thousand years. This prayer will be answered. We are living in the times when this message will be proclaimed across the earth. Not only will this message go forth, but the foundation for His kingdom will also be laid.

To preach this message we must believe it ourselves. If we really believe it, we will begin to live in His kingdom now. To live in the kingdom we must live under the Lord's rule and authority. Is His authority growing in our lives? Are we becoming more obedient and more sensitive to His leading?

If we are abiding in His kingdom our message will not just be in words, but in demonstration of His authority and dominion. As we are told in I Corinthians 4:20, "For the kingdom of God does not consist in words, but in power." Unprecedented power is coming to the messengers of the kingdom to preach the message of its arrival with authority. This is what we are preparing for.

MorningStar Ministries

Marching Forth-Out of the Battle into the Glory

"Marching Forth—Out of the Battle into the Glory"

As we "spring" into a new season, the Lord wants to bring refreshing to the Body of Christ, as is written in Isaiah 43:18-19: "Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert."

Alleluia! God's Word is so amazing as it disciplines us. By it we learn to take every thought captive so as not to call to mind former things but, rather, march forward with the mind of Christ. For, beloved, if we look back, we draw back. Surely, rivers in the desert will sustain us as we prepare for a great harvest of souls.

Friends, there have been many long, hard-fought battles, and sin has tried to enter in, but righteousness will have its way! Holy Spirit recently reminded me of the woman at the well who had become entangled in darkness, possibly due to wounds from her past (see John 4:9-15). But Jesus met her right where she was at, even as a spirit of death (sin) crouched at her door. Jesus offered her exactly what she needed—living water, life...abundantly. Praise God!

He offers this "living water" to each one of us, no matter what has transpired on our journey—by nature or by nurture. For the Lord sees each person created in the image of God, and "there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28). How exciting to read of the Samaritan woman hearing of eternal life and running from the well to share the Good News—whose name was Jesus. Beloved, we too are being called to run and share truth as living waters now flow from our bellies (see John 7:38). You are a well—go!

Healing Waters Healing Wounds

Many years ago, I had a vision of the Body of Christ, the army of God, marching but wounded. Thousands of men and women hobbled along, clothed in bandages, using crutches to prop them up as they moved forward on the battleground—ever so slowly, but not so surely.

Following the vision, I witnessed outpourings around the world as our Commander in Chief, yet loving Father, poured out His Spirit. It was truly a spirit of love likened to that of a compassionate parent kissing the wounds of precious children—bringing comfort and healing. Of course, that balm is always available as needed. But, His "army" is much stronger today, and we know that offensive troops gain ground quickly. It's time to occupy, Church!

Bless the Lord as He hands out "prescriptions" for wisdom. For if we don't draw upon the healing waters, allowing deep cleansing of the wounds, then spiritual infection can enter in. Bitterness, for example, can become cancerous to the soul if it remains as unresolved revenge. Internal poisons can become like deadly cells, multiplying and attaching to peace and joy—killing and destroying. Wounds that have superficially scabbed over can create barriers, interfering with intimacy with the Lover of our Soul.

The fact is, all warriors for Christ can be wounded in the battle, dear ones, so we must be attentive to the ploys of the enemy. It's crucial to remember, we march on a victorious battleground, so it is actually the deep, inner infection and poison that is the real war. But aren't we blessed to have the cleansing Blood of our Savior to bring healing and total forgiveness to us? Oh friends, ALL things work together for good, for God, and nothing the enemy throws at us is a challenge to the King.

Yes, we encounter temptations and if we're not careful we can create landing strips for the enemy. But we must keep in mind that satan only has as much power as God allows. So what the devil wants to use to draw us away from the Lord, Holy Spirit wants to use to draw us closer to the Lord. In actuality, battles can produce increased Christlike character in us, for godly purposes, and allow His Kingdom to be advanced with power.

If you've been wounded friend, today is a good day to let go and let God. Hebrews 9:22 is a living, active Word that can wash your wounds of all infection. It says, "Without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." In other words, no church, no therapist, no religion can do the cleansing Jesus can do, because the shedding of His Blood paid for every sin. There's power in the Blood yesterday, today and forever.

The Power of Choice

Sometimes I think we underestimate the power of choice—a power we see in mankind initially in the Garden of Eden. Beloved, each time we're wounded we can choose to become bitter or better. We can choose to inquire of our Heavenly Father as to how He wants to use every circumstance in our lives to conform us to the image of Christ. In other words, how do we process an event with the mind of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 2:16) so we do not allow sin to take a foothold? We must realize poor choices can cause distance in our relationships with our Savior and His/our family.

Question: What choice did our role model Jesus make each time He was hurt, wounded, betrayed? Answer: Love was always His greatest aim.

Another great example to follow is our brother Paul. We see in Acts 9:16 he was destined for pain in service, even before he was an apostle. The Scriptures read, "I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake." There we have it...we're in good company.

Friends, have you ever been falsely accused? If so, you have even more in common with Paul. He was being falsely arrested in Jerusalem and ended up in Rome as a prisoner of the empire (see Acts 21-23). However, it's amazing that while in prison he wrote the letter to Philippi—the epistle of joy. May we do the same, shouting joy unspeakable—salvation—to the world during times of darkness, and letting them know there's an eternal joy from above that the world cannot give and the world cannot take away. We must let them know we can all be faithful, even in the hard times because we know eternity is coming!

Are you imprisoned in some manner, today? Perhaps in your mind, your circumstances, your finances? If so, the epistle of joy clearly gives us keys to freedom. Paul kept his eyes on God! He knew God's peace, God's glory, God's salvation, God's effort and God's ownership. He kept his eyes on Jesus! His hope was in the return of Christ. He kept his eyes on the Gospel, on humility, on obedience, on faith, on knowing Christ, on the power of resurrection, on the sufferings of Christ, on the ownership of Christ, and on the grace (see Philippians 1-4). Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!

Of course, the devil would like to bring the focus back on ourselves, getting us to focus on our comfort or lack thereof when there's tribulation. But the Lord has created a divine plan whereby we can put our focus on others, defusing the pain of the battle. "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves" (Philippians 2:3).

Paul recognized wounds as tools to advance the Kingdom. Listen to what he wrote in Philippians 1:12, "Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the Gospel." He had made a choice to go through anything and everything for Jesus. He went on to say, "More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ" (Philippians 3:8).

Spiritual battle wounds can be very productive tools if we allow them to complete a work in us—if we consider it all joy when we encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of our faith produces endurance. If we let endurance have its perfect result, then we lack nothing (see James 1:2-4). Did you catch that, friends? We lack nothing—Alleluia!

March Forth into Revival Glory

Okay, we know if something needs reviving, it must be dead. And we always rejoice in a God who causes ALL things to work together for good. How amazing—every spiritual battle wound can help crucify the flesh, allowing us to walk in the Spirit.

So we might ask today—Death, where is your sting? Praise God! Jesus, our Forerunner, conquered death thousands of years ago, and the same power that raised Him from the dead dwells in us—resurrection power. Therefore if we've been crucified with Christ, is it not time for revival? Beloved, if you've been wounded in the battle, if you know the Lord is near the brokenhearted and saves those crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18), then contrition can equal revival. This is one of the keys, Church, for God has promised to "revive the heart of the contrite" (Isaiah 57:15).

A contrite heart has been broken and crushed. It's like particles of clay that can be molded into beautiful vessels, ready to carry the glory of God. A contrite heart contains inner brokenness that weeps over sin and sinners and leads others to be revived by the King of kings.

Contrition is powerful! It creates a heart of habitation. For the Lord says, "'Heaven is My throne and the Earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? For My hand made all these things, thus all these things came into being,' declares the LORD. 'But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word'" (Isaiah 66:1-2).

Oh, yes, out of the battle into the glory!

Onward Christian Soldiers

For Christians, the battle wounds we really need to be concerned about are the ones in our souls, when we choose to think sinfully. We must also be alert for the wounds we refuse to pray about or choose to hang onto, not forgiving others, for those can become poison from the pit. Yes, the war rages friends, but the battleground is victorious. Jesus has given you all that you need to win—it is finished. Walk it out, be watchful—recognize spiritual warfare as choosing good or evil.

Each time we find ourselves in a spiritual battle, we must remember that we are overcomers! It's not about the battle, it's about the victory! It's about slaying the giants and advancing Earth as it is in Heaven. March forth! Don't allow any dark cracks in your armor, beloved. You've made it through boot camp with the Lord of victory—so claim your inheritance as sons and daughters of the King! You are not prisoners of wounds from the past but totally free to walk in your true identity.

Take off the grave clothes as He prepares a crown of beauty for His Bride instead of ashes. He gives you the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair (see Isaiah 61:3). Adorn yourself with faith in God, knowing that all discomforts and sorrow are covered by the Blood of Jesus. Forgiveness is mingled with forgetfulness. Arise, and put off despair as you clothe yourself in the praises of the Lord.

Fear not! Even the heat of fresh fire you may walk through only burns up more infection and ignites more anointing of His Presence. Your light has come! No more hobbling along—prepare for acceleration.

Prepare to MARCH FORTH, aggressively, occupying the land for the King of kings! YOU are a revival!

Elijahlist

Enduring Love

Enduring Love
Today I want to talk about the second great test of love, which is endurance. This is what the Lord referred to in His rebuke to the church of Ephesus in Revelation 2:4-5:

"But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
"Remember therefore from where you have fallen,
and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you,
and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent."

The most common understanding of this term "first love" is the passionate love for the Lord that they had in the beginning. Certainly it is rare for any married couple to maintain the fire they had for each other in the beginning of their marriage for more than a year or two. Usually marriages move from the fiery passion they have in the beginning, to a love that continually fades in passion. Most claim that this love is actually deeper and more fulfilling, but is it?

What most consider the fiery passion of love is more physical attraction than emotional, intellectual, or spiritual. Sex is a wonderful gift from God that is intended to strengthen the bond in the marriage relationship, but it is far from being the whole relationship. If the bonding does not go beyond sexual attraction to emotional, intellectual, and spiritual bonding, it will be a tenuous relationship at best.

The same is true of our relationship to the Lord. The initial fire and zeal we had when we first met Him is wonderful, but we must go on to know His heart and His ways. The more we get to know Him and His ways, the more deep confidence and faith we will have in Him. Because the fire and zeal that we have for the Lord in the beginning is not a physical attraction, there is no reason it should diminish. In fact, we should become even more excited as we get to know Him better. There is no thrill in the universe like getting to know the Lord.

There is a phrase some of the great saints of the last few centuries have been fond of using. It is "moving deeper into God." There have also been movements called "deeper life" movements. Those I know from these movements usually have a rich and deep relationship to the Lord that is special. However, with few exceptions (and there are some), there seems to be an unwritten rule with many of these that the more mature you are spiritually, and the deeper your walk with the Lord, the less emotional you will be about it. I have even been told their love "goes beyond feelings," which I think is a basic deception. I do not believe any love can go beyond feelings. How would you like for your spouse to say to you, "Darling, I don't feel anything anymore, but I still love you."

I realize many immature believers exhibit their emotions or physical manifestations as evidence of their relationship to God. Yet, even the great angelic beings that dwell in the presence of God, and have since before the creation of the world, still tremble, marvel, and seem to constantly be in awe of the unfathomable wonders of God. After millions of years they will still be going to higher and higher levels of ecstasy and glorious wonder as they behold more and more of Him. I am sure we will all be crowding around doing the same thing.

There may be other galaxies, and worlds to behold and learn from, but there will never be anything in creation more wonderful, or inexhaustibly fulfilling, than knowing the depths of God. Stars may fade after a few million years, but the glory of God will never fade. It is not possible to truly get closer to God without getting even more excited about Him. Much of what some refer to as "the deeper life," may be learning more about God, but anyone who is truly getting closer to Him will grow in their passion for Him as well. It is impossible not to.

If we drift from the passion we first knew, it can only be because we have drifted from Him. Because the church is first and foremost His temple, when we drift from Him, we are no longer abiding in Him, and we will therefore stop manifesting Him. We can still do ministry, and learn deeper things about Him, but the true measure of our spiritual lives will always be by His manifest presence in our lives.

In II Corinthians 2:14 Paul talked about how he "...manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place." If someone comes into the room that is growing in knowledge, it is not likely to get your attention. However, when someone enters a room, who has been in the presence of the Lord and is getting closer to Him, everyone's attention will be irresistibly drawn to them. As Paul continued in II Corinthians 3:7-11:

But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory,
so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses
because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how shall the ministry
of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? For if the ministry of condemnation
has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory.
For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory on account of the glory
that surpasses it. For if that which fades away was with glory,
much more that which remains is in glory.

Because Moses had been in the Lord's presence, he reflected so much glory that he had to put a veil over his face. We are also told here that what we should be experiencing in the New Covenant is supposed to be evenbetter than that! One of the ultimate questions we should be asking is: where is the glory? It is in His presence. When we learn to draw close to Him and dwell in His presence, we will experience something even greater than what Moses did. Moses met with Him face-to-face, but we have Him living in us. Hebrews 12:29 tells us "…our God is a consuming fire." If we are truly getting closer to Him, the fire in our lives will be growing.

MorningStar Ministries

You are Leaving Your Comfortable Captivity and Entering into New Vision and New Authority

"You are Leaving Your Comfortable Captivity and Entering into New Vision and New Authority!"

Border Wars in our Lives!
If you will remember, one of the words to start the year with was, "Watch the Border Wars!" Things are changing around us very rapidly. The enemy could convince you that calamity is on its way, have you retreat instead of advance, and stop you from contending for a greater field. I do not see some overwhelming calamity that changes the course of the way we process life! Therefore, tell dread that could lead you to poverty to leave your sphere. However, I do see a "greater captivity" if we shrink back from contending for the promises for the next season.
These are times that each of us finds ourselves in our own "Border War." We each have a portion! We each have an inheritance! God's covenant plan in your life has borders. The enemy seems to have crossed the line and occupied our portion. Many times he seems to be ruling with an upper hand. However, there are great changes that are manifesting in God's people. There are many adjustments that each of us are going to make. You will defend and secure the borders and boundaries of your portion!
Leaving the Comfortable Structure and Falling into the New!
At the beginning of March, Sheryl Price gave the following word:
"There are those of you that feel you are on the verge of being captured…like pirates came in and took over your ship, and you feel as if you are being forced to walk the plank and go into a place that is not of your own choosing! I hear the Lord saying:
'This is Me! I have caused that place where you have been comfortable in your last season to begin to be disrupted. Even as you walk that walk of faith and go off the last plank (of what you know as secure) and believe you will fall into the sea, I tell you that it is not the sea of destruction, but it is the 'see of faith!' I will cause you to see what you have not seen in the past because your comfortable place has narrowed your vision. I am getting ready to open your vision in a way that you would not think possible!
There is so much for you to see that has been held back by the blinders of the last structure that surrounded you. This is a time of leaving the comfortable structure and falling into the new! I am releasing you from that old structure. Do not seek to return! Seek Me and SEE! I will cause you to see the way I see you! You will be amazed at what you see and what you are called to be in Me. You will be amazed at what you see that you have not seen!'"
Heaven's Play is Being Sent In!
I want to add by prophesying what I recently heard stirring in my inward parts very early one morning:
"This is the time that from the depths of your being you are going to release a new sound. For some of you, the sound will be a shout. For some of you, the sound will be a laugh. For some, the sound will be the groan of travail! For all, the sound that is beginning to rumble in the bellies of My people will stir the old atmosphere that has been filled with stale unbelief. This sound must come forth! This sound must come forth now!
"This will be a day that the enemy will keep pulling toward the left. The sound that comes forth will cause you to break to the right. This sound will look unruly, but the power of the sound will break fear and remove the old structure around you. Like Gideon threshing in the winepress, you will come out of the structures that have wrongly defined My Kingdom identity because of the fear that has developed in your life in the last season.
"Your confining enemy will think you are going up the middle in attempt to score but instead My Spirit is shifting your stance and you will be running an end-around. I tell you today, the sound in your deep inward parts that has been captured will surprise the enemy. You will get past his defensive wall and into the end zone.
"This is a time that I will surprise the enemy with My people's move. The sound in them will create the movement. As you make your end-around, the sound that is in you will stop the enemy's blockade. This sound will send the demonic team that has been sent against you into confusion.
"Get ready, I am making Heaven's play and sending the play in by My messengers! This play will cause the journey from your here to your there that has been stalled to begin to move. The move 'to go ahead' has begun! This is a time of acceleration! You have energies in you that I can unlock and use to burst you past the enemy's line.
"Do not fear the thief that has captured many of the spoils from the past season. I am healing the breach of entry where he entered and established a squatter's residence in your portion. You will burst past his captive strategy. You will leave and then you will return. You will understand the power that he has used to hold you in captivity and then you will return and demand your sevenfold increase.
"I will light your path of freedom. Rejection can't hold you. Past failures won't stop you. The unknown will not make you hesitate. Soul ties from relationships that have been built through emotional dependence rather than covenant alignment will now dissolve. Take one step at a time and keep going. Step! Speed up! Get on your new path and move forward!
"Do not keep starting over at ground zero. You are moving forward. Pick up where you left off and advance. I will fill in the blanks you need for the victory ahead. If you will keep going then I will make you stronger and more efficient. You will have a grace infusion of what you need to know. Pieces will fall in place that you were striving to get positioned. Keep moving on. I have new territory for you to occupy."
Blessings,

Chuck D. Pierce

Elijahlist

Serving the King

Serving the King
There are some teachings in the Bible that are hard to understand, and others that are hard to live by. However, the Lord gave us a mandate that does not allow us to pick and choose which teachings we want to accept and which ones we do not. As we read in Matthew 28:18-20:

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me
in heaven and on earth. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo,
I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

To summarize, because He has been given "all authority," we are to go and make disciples of all nations, by teaching them to observe all that He commanded. This is an all-inclusive mandate. It is the Lord's obvious intention to return all of creation to His ultimate authority.

However, we are not fit to go forth with this great commission unless He is the Lord of our entire lives. This is not to imply that we must be perfect before He can use us, but how can we go forth teaching others to observe all that He commanded, if we are not devoted to such obedience? Do we live our lives under His authority? Or do we like to teach about it while continuing to live for ourselves, doing our own thing? Do we even know all that He commanded?

This is obviously a tall order, and the first thought that would come to many of us might be, how could we even begin to find the time to accomplish all of this? We should first ask ourselves, what do we do that is more important than this? If we are in fact redeemed, we have been bought with a price and we no longer belong to ourselves, but to Him. Those who have been redeemed are no longer to live for themselves, but for the One who redeemed them.

First, we must come to know all that He has commanded before we can go forth and do it. Did you know if you read just two chapters of the New Testament every day, you will read through it entirely three and one half times a year? If you have been a Christian for twenty years and began reading just two chapters in the New Testament every day, you would have read it through seventy times! You would not only know very well all that the Lord commanded, but His Word would be flowing through you continually, washing and transforming you by the renewing of your mind.

If you added reading just two chapters of the Old Testament every day, you would read it entirely through every year. This would also give you an overview of the entire unfolding plan of God every year. As we are told in I Corinthians 10:11, concerning the events of the Old Testament, "Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come." They were written for our instruction, so we must need them.

Now we may think this is a lot of reading, and yes it could take thirty to forty-five minutes every day. That seems like a lot, but how much time did you spend watching television today? The average American spends between two and four hours a day in front of the television. Is that more important than learning what the King expects of us?

What would happen if we spent just as much time feeding our souls as we do our flesh every day? Do we give the King of kings even less time than we do our stomachs? The lives of most Christians would be radically transformed if they just spent as much time each day cleaning up their inner man as they do washing and grooming their physical bodies. Which is more important?

The truth is we give time to the things that are really important to us. This is why Jesus said in Matthew 7:21, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven." Many call Him "Lord," but how many really live under His Lordship?

We tend to think of the Lord as we do other human authorities who compel us to do what they say or suffer immediate consequences. However, we are in the age when the Lord is calling those who will serve Him because they love Him and they love the truth.

It says in Ecclesiastes 8:11, "Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil." Jesus is the Lord above all rule, authority, and dominion, but for the purpose of revealing hearts, He has chosen not to execute judgment quickly in this age. Because we are able to get away with things without swift punishment, many drift in their devotion and obedience. This reveals our true hearts.

The reverse is also true. The rewards of righteousness are seldom immediate. Therefore, many drift from righteous devotion. This also reveals our true heart. Even so, the judgment day will surely come. As both Jesus and Paul explained, it will come upon the world like birth pangs upon a woman in labor. That is, as we get closer to the birth, the contractions will become more intense and more frequent.

We have been given a kingdom that cannot be shaken. We build our lives on that kingdom by obedience. It is too late to start building our houses on the rock after the storms have come, just as we are told in Psalm 32:6, "Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found; surely in a flood of great waters they shall not reach him." As our King Himself admonished in Luke 6:46-49:

"And why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say "Everyone who comes to Me, and hears My words, and acts upon them,
I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house,
who dug deep and laid a foundation upon the rock; and when a flood rose,
the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it,
because it had been well built. "But the one who has heard,
and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house
upon the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it
and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great."

MorningStar Minstries

Expansion,New Levels,Brightness and Favor!"

John Belt:
"Expansion, New Levels, Brightness and Favor!"
"Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes." Isaiah 54:2

Things are accelerating in the Spirit. This is a time of God's favor and overwhelming blessing in the midst of testing times. As we anchor ourselves to Him, building our house on His Words, we will not fail to discover the place that He has prepared for us in this hour.
"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you." John 15:7
A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon: "Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain." Psalm 127:1
We are in a season of building and expansion. The Lord is building the house. In a vision I saw someone adding another addition to a house. I was surprised at just how fast it was progressing. One minute it did not even exist, then the next it was there.
"'Behold, the days are coming,' says the LORD, 'When the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; the mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it.'" Amos 9:13
Then I noticed that there was barely enough room for the expansion. For what God is getting ready to do, there will need to be bigger vision and the capacity to be flexible and go with the flow. Change will be an ongoing thing because of the rapid pace and acceleration of God's moving. This will need to be integrated into the fabric of our thinking so that we can just take it in stride and be prepared.
"Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes." Isaiah 54:2
A Time of New Levels of Authority Being Released
"To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'" Revelation 3:21-22
The authority of the Lord is going to increase as we pursue Him. In conjunction with this expanded territory of His dominion there will be a coinciding authority released to steward the work that the Lord is doing. With every new thing that God grants to us there is the responsibility that comes with the territory. The new authority is needed, for with the new territory comes new challenges that can only be handled by it.
A Time of the Brightness of His Glory Being Released
"For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising." Isaiah 60:2-3
In this new place that God is building there will be a bright release of His glory. The highlight will be the "brightness" of His glory. As we partake in His glory, we will reflect His glory. There will be a brightness upon our faces. Just as the children of Israel could not stand to look at the face of Moses, so God will restore to us such a glory that the world will be able to see a difference. Because the Lord is building the house, our labors will not be in vain and will not be out of religious ritual and tradition but out of the ongoing influence of the Spirit in our lives.
"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen." 2 Corinthians 13:14
Communion with God is no longer a chore because we have broken ties with the prevalent evil that seeks to bring God's people into bondage and under a "heavy yoke mentality." You can always tell you are under a religious spirit when your communion time becomes "work." You have lost the "easy yoke" of Christ and have come into a place of superficiality that breeds "striving in the flesh" to accomplish things. In Him there is not striving of the flesh but an ease of flow, because you are simply yielded to the Holy Spirit and find your pleasure in Him. It is never work when it is a pleasure to do something.
Ask the Lord to release a fresh oil upon your head to remove the weights and chores mindset, that He may replace it with a joyful desire to be with Him. What a concept! In that place we will find the brightness of His glory upon our face.
"As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness." Psalm 17:15
A Time of the Favor of God and His "Famous" Anointing Being Released in an Unprecedented Way
"For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield." Psalm 5:12
God will release His unprecedented favor or "famous" anointing upon His people. Because our hearts are to make HIM famous, He will release this anointing upon our lives. Due to the absence of "self-promotion," God will do the promoting and bring His Joseph Company into the places of prominence that He has destined for this time from the foundation of the world.
The wealth of the wicked has been stored up for those who walk with integrity before Him. They will not spend this wealth on their own fleshly desires but will funnel it into His Kingdom purposes for the glory of God. God has tested and tried choice vessels for this purpose.
"A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous." Proverbs 13:22
These are those who have been found trustworthy to handle the wealth of the world. He who has been faithful with little shall be entrusted with much. Those who covet this wealth will not be the recipients, but only those who covet the Lord. This is not any wealth, but a special wealth that has been set apart and is "holy to the Lord."
His favor is for a lifetime. He does surround His righteous ones with this favor like a shield. The pure in heart shall see God and glory in His love, goodness and grace.
The Timing of God is Perfect Yet Offends the Natural Mind
The timing of God is perfect, but it does offend the natural mind. God has His own economy. It is completely separate from the world.
"When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices..." Proverbs 11:10
When the economy of Heaven is functioning in His righteous holy ones, the city rejoices. What this means is that when the righteous tap into Heaven's realities and function from that realm, the realm of Heaven gains access through the gateway of the heart of His people into the earth. The people of God are the channels of blessing that funnel the unlimited resources of Heaven into the earth.
Just as Jesus multiplied the loaves, so God uses His people to release His blessings and provision into the earth. In this way, He gets all the glory. It is beyond our natural (worldly) understanding, because the blessings are from a heavenly outsource. This is why it is of utmost importance that we function by faith with our trust in Him, believing in His faithfulness and desire to be our sole Resource in the earth. It is "In God We Trust."
In His Overwhelming Love,

John Belt

Elijahlist

God Says,

God Says,

"You Are About to See Me Part the Red Sea Once Again"
The following prophetic word was given by Eileen Fisher on March 3, 2009 during her weekly Prophetic School of the Holy Spirit meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The Lord says, "I am not the God of forgetfulness, but I am an eternal, covenant keeping God. I am an eternal God, the beginning and the end. I have called My own by name. I have numbered and held the stars in My hand. I have kept the universe in balance. My strength is still flowing through you, My people; My strength is still flowing through the land; and My strength is still flowing through your households.
"For There is a New Move Coming Over the Face of the Earth"
"Even when you don't see My hand, trust My spirit. Do not be like those who followed, chasing sign after sign after sign and missing My very presence. For I would say unto you, I long for fellowship. I long for fellowship. I long for you to be in My presence.
"For there is a new move coming over the face of the earth," says the Lord your God. "There will be stillness like you have never experienced. You will even see people on a platform who will be stunned because they will not know what to say because of what I do. You are about to see My agenda being released on the earth in a new way.
"You are about to see Me part the Red Sea once again. But this time it will be different. This time I will come in and part evil from good and good from evil. For that was the purpose for the crossing over of the Red Sea. For they had to leave back the evil things and go forth into the land of milk and honey. You will know this move and you will feel this move. Even in your households I will begin to expose things. Idols will be brought forth, but only to be broken.
"For you are moving into a season where curses have been ruling and reigning. You are going to see them flipped over and move into a season of blessings. You are going to cry out, 'Our God reigns.' You will call forth the agreement that I have been seeking the earth to and fro for, saying, 'Who will believe and wait for the hand of the Lord?'
"For I say unto you, you are a Believers group. Believe, for that is what you are called. Believe, for that is what I ask of you. Believe, for that frustrates the plans of the enemy. Believe, for that causes your faith to rise up. Believe, for that sends the enemy running and scattering, and you'll receive the guidance of My Spirit," says the Lord your God.
"But if any man lacks wisdom, did I not say that I will give it to you?" He says, "Tonight, wisdom is being dropped into your spirits." He says, "Tonight, wisdom is the gift that is being placed in your spirit heart. For you will have decisions made in the knowing of your spirit man, that you will have discernment in the working of My Spirit, for you will no longer work beside My Spirit.
"You Are Going to See the Marriage of the Spirit and the Word Come Back with Faith"
"I am raising up an army who will become radical," says the Lord. "For they will be Spirit-led people, and their Body would be one of restraint. For now, it is the Body who is trying to restrain the Spirit, for you will see that flip," says the Lord your God.
"But you do not understand that some who have been in caves, I am saying to them to come out of that cave, come out of that dead, cold thinking. Come out of that which would only give life, now move into that which would promise the life. For others would say come here for this is life, only to find out that it was a different kind of life than that of My Word," says the Lord your God. "For My Word is alive, and My Word is active, and My Word is true. You are going to see the marriage of the Spirit and the Word come back with faith like you have never seen before.
"Things will get darker around you. Do not, and I say again do not look at circumstances, but walk on top of them in the Spirit. For if you learn this lesson well, you will understand dominion and you will understand what it means to rule and reign in Christ Jesus, not beside Me but in Me because My Spirit is in you," says the Lord your God.
"Long to be controlled by My Spirit for He longs to control you that My Kingdom come and My will be done. That the earth may know and all who live that Jesus Christ not only died but rose again as an everlasting Intercessor. Know that your Redeemer does live and you'll begin to know Me as your Redeemer," says the Lord your God.

Elijahlist

Knowing and Believing

Knowing and Believing
I have been privileged to travel widely throughout the body of Christ, and have been exposed to almost every kind of major Christian denomination or movement. Presently, many of these groups are in conflict with each other, and some always seem to drift into serious delusions. However, even in its present state I marvel at the brilliance of the church. She is, without question, the greatest creation on earth. Even so, her true greatness is yet to be realized. What could be more wonderful, or more of an honor, than helping to prepare her to be the witness of the unfathomable wisdom of God that she is called to be for all ages to come?

Having begun as the most powerful religious and social force the world has ever known, the church fell into extreme spiritual poverty during the time that it became the most powerful political force in the world. Correction, reform, and maturity have now continued for centuries. The church has proven overall to be a wineskin that can expand to receive increasingly pure new wine.

Certainly there is still a long way to go before the church attains her prophesied maturity of not having spot or wrinkle, to be known for her love, and to be clothed in the glory of God. Those without a historical perspective may have a hard time seeing much progress toward this end, but it is certainly being made. Much of the old is presently experiencing renewal, and there are great new movements constantly pouring new transfusions of life into the universal church. These are certainly wonderful times to be alive and to serve in the household of faith.

From the historical perspective it is also apparent that the Lord did use His church even in her worst condition to speak to every age. The Lord has never required one to be perfect before being used, and He has never required His church to be perfect before using her. We do not get perfected in order to get close to God, or to be used by Him, but we get perfected by getting close to Him and being used by Him. In fact, as He demonstrated with Peter on the Day of Pentecost, He seems to delight in using us in a great way right after a major failure. Like a loving parent with a child, He is always quick to pick us up when we fall, and encourage us to keep going.

It is quite revealing that the Lord sent out His disciples to preach the kingdom, heal the sick, and cast out devils before He even taught them to pray! I am not implying that it is supposed to be this way for us, but I do think that we need to re-examine many of our basic concepts of Christian maturity. Many of those who claim to have the deepest understanding of God and His ways are the least used by Him. Why?

The Apostle Paul warned that "knowledge puffs up," and it does seem that many who seek deeper knowledge fall to the pride that disqualifies them from being useful to the Master. However, before we completely write off those who are great with knowledge, let us consider that Paul himself was an exception to this pattern. Even so, he had to be struck blind in the natural before he could see in the Spirit.

In Matthew 22:29 Jesus said, "…Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God" (KJV). This seems to still be true. Those who tend to know the Scriptures err because they do not know the power, and those who know the power err because they do not know the Scriptures. We will continue to fall to error until we know both.

I once asked the head of one of the most successful insurance companies how much training his agents needed to sell their products. I was surprised when he answered that "over-education" was the greatest threat to an agent's success. He himself did not understand why, but they had very solid data indicating that those who were prone to want to know too much before they got started were inevitably the least successful. He said it was the ones you couldn't hold back to sit in a classroom for very long that were always the best. He lamented over the fact that they had such great products that they wanted them to be understood, but he said it was simply a fact that enthusiasm sells ten products for every one that is sold by knowledge.

It is an interesting fact that believers who lead others to the Lord will lead more than 90 percent of them to faith during the first two years after they themselves have been born again. Very few Christians lead others to the Lord after they have been believers for more than two years. The reverse should be true. As we mature and grow in the knowledge of the Lord's ways, and as we walk more and more in the light, we should lead more and more out of the darkness. Why does knowledge, or even Christian maturity, seem to have this very negative effect?

The first is obviously what Paul warned about, that knowledge can lead to pride. It is rare to meet someone who is devoted to deeper knowledge who is not correspondingly prideful and delusional. It is also rare to meet someone with has great knowledge who also has the substance of that knowledge in their life. This should not be.

When I was a flight instructor the most difficult and dangerous students were those who had studied the training manual so much that they thought they knew how to fly. Reading the manual and flying the airplane are quite different matters. I would rather try to teach someone who thought he or she was a great pilot because they stayed in a Holiday Inn Express, than those who were overly devoted to knowledge without experience.

Yet, it is also true that the Lord lamented in Hosea 4:6, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest...." As we have mentioned, there is a ditch on either side of the path of life and few seem to be able to stay on the path that is between them.

I love the company of those who love knowledge and are always seeking more understanding of the Lord and His ways. I also love the company of those whose faith is effective and are walking as the Lord walked, healing the sick, casting out demons, and shining light into the darkness to set free those who are bound. These should all be in the same group but presently they rarely are. This must change if we are going to attain what we are called to. We must learn to combine growing in understanding and walking in faith, which are both required to do His work.

MorningStar Ministries

Heavenly Armor

Theresa Phillips:
"I Am Opening Up Revelatory Realms and Many will See Heavenly Armor"
During a particular moment in time, I was caught up in a world of the naturally unseen. It is a realm of mystique and wonder. I saw myself being transported to a place of unnatural proportions. I call it "God's own tabernacle of the Heavenlies." The Presence was powerful; I was being lifted beyond my own imagination, and there I was suddenly standing on a surface filled with an atmosphere of grace and power.
The Making of Heavenly Armor
Directly before me was a huge, black onyx pillar; I was amazed at the beauty of it. The black was a color of black not known to me before, so I became very curious. The Spirit directed me to look at the base of the pillar, where my eyes became fixed with fascination. My spirit became excited and fearful at the same time. A holy fear had entered me. I saw an archway filled with amber colored light. This light was illuminating from the archway. Instantly I was inside this archway.
My eyes were being transfixed on the events taking place before me. I was standing in a room of what appeared to be a factory. Ahead of me was a fire with huge bellows being moved above it. There were several strong figures working. They had on white tunics and dark black belts. Their arms were massive, their skin amber in color, but their height was not grand at all—these beings were rather stout. They were humble and exceedingly powerful, yet moved with such grace.
The Presence that brought me there by the Spirit was on my left side. As I turned my head to the right, I saw a shield just leaning on an object near the surface of this awesome place. Instantly the shield was upon my own chest and was glittering like it was made of diamonds.
Then one of the stout beings came to me with a sword he had drawn out of the fire. He motioned to me to open my left hand. He placed in my hand that sword and took measurements of my hand, and then went back to the fire where the bellows were moving; He never said a word to me.As I looked at the fire, I saw something that permitted my eyes to look further. I was seeing the outside of the pillar. What I had perceived as a solid pillar, was now a transparent shelter. Standing on the outside of that pillar was an army of bright, powerful armor. It had every weapon needed to win a war. More armor than any man could count. The armor was standing at attention. In my mind I was wondering, "Why are so many pieces of armor there?"
The Armor of God
The Presence that was my escort began to tell me this was the very armor that GOD had given man in the book of Ephesians 6, starting at verse 10:The Armor of God
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of peace.
"In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
"Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should."
I asked, "Why is all this armor just standing there?"
I was then told, "This is physical armor, not just a spiritual one. This is the armor that the saints have not put on, yet. It is designed exclusively for My children in battle. It is theirs and theirs alone. No two are alike. Each person has been fitted for this armor to PROTECT them for the tasks I have for them."
I asked, "Why did we not know this before?"
He said, "It is in the very Word you read, but you have not had the revelations of it. I am opening up revelatory realms of My hiding places and many will begin to see this heavenly armor."
The Spiritual and Physical Armor of God
As I began to inquire of this "Godly armor," I wondered one great thing: If it was physical, how can we get it to earth? How is it possible? What is the method?
Then I looked again and I saw an amazing thing. This armor was standing at attention, in ranks and file. It was unmovable. It was strong, it was fierce, it was shining. Then I began to weep, for I knew instantly what it was—what the Spirit was conveying to me. The physical armor is the unity of the Church, established in the heavens before the world began—it is brilliant! It is strong and it is fierce.
It is still being created daily in the forgers' workshop of Heaven with revelations and creative avenues for prosperity, for helps, and for each other, preferring one another over self, and promotion of the Kingdom of Heaven in such a manner that we can believe the Scripture in Daniel 2, verse 44:
"In the time of those kings, the God of Heaven will set up a Kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever."
Yes, it is the armor of the spiritual and physical, fitly joined as one. It is the Body of Christ's Believers of Spirit and Truth, each knowing what they are destined for; each working together to gather in the lost, dying, broken, maimed, fearful and rejected ones. And it is the armor of GOD—the extension of His holy hand, bearing justice and righteousness.
The Church, moving as ONE, clothed in Heaven's armor, is the physical side MOVING His Kingdom—being more than conquerors—for two halves make a WHOLE ARMOR.
Theresa Phillips

ElijahList

"Wounds of Love:

"Wounds of Love:

As Ambassadors for Christ, Each Wound Piercing Our Side is Truly an Honor"
What an exciting time to be alive as the Church walks out Isaiah 60:1—arising and shining. What a marvelous season for the Body of Christ to unwrap heavenly gifts from our heavenly Father. In this hour, we must eagerly seek and operate in all the supernatural gifts. We will see an accentuation of the nine spiritual gifts (see 1 Corinthians 12) and great manifestations of the nine spiritual fruits (see Galatians 5:22-23) in 2009.
As we open our gifts, like sons and daughters at Christmastime, we must run with them outside the four walls of the church and share them with the world. Of course, they must be accompanied by love or we will just be clanging cymbals in the streets and marketplaces.
Friends, how awesome to know that wounds of love are transforming you into vessels of light. You have been prepared for a harvest, gathered in by arms of compassion. You have been comforted by the Lord so you may comfort others, loving them to life.
After years of seeing vacant offices in the church and operating as non-prophet organizations, the Lord is restoring His apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. These are for the equipping of the saints for the work of service to the building up of the Body of Christ. But there's more! We read in Ephesians 4:13 that the building up and equipping continues "until we all attain to the unity of the faith." Oh, how we look forward to attaining maturity so we can possess the full measure of Christ.
So, how do we attain the fullness of Christ and the unity of faith that can empower us to manifest the gifts and see even greater works (see John 14)? How can we be certain we are not clanging cymbals? Well, the key is love, divine love, wrapped in an exquisite, all-encompassing gift named JESUS.
He is the Holy One who was wounded for our sakes. He became vulnerable, even unto death, so love could hold Him on a cross. We, too, must remain vulnerable to love, allowing Christ to transform our wounds into portals, changing us from glory to glory.

ElijahList

Friendship with God

"Friendship with God

In Order to Hear From God, We Must Spend Time in His Presence"
"One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord; where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called Samuel." 1 Samuel 3:2-4

Before Samuel became a prophet of the Lord, he became His friend. No one was hearing from God for the people. Eli had gone to his "usual place" and did not take joy in being in God's presence as he once had. His zeal for God had diminished, and the joy of just being with God in His presence and listening to Him was no longer there.
"In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions" (1 Samuel 3:1). If Eli could not hear from God, the people would not receive messages from Him. The only words that we receive that are of help to people are words from God. If we don't spend time listening to Him, then we will receive no words by which we will bless and encourage His people.
As a boy, Samuel enjoyed the presence of God. We see a picture of this in 1 Samuel 3. Everyone else in the house of the Lord had gone to bed. The lights were dim and the rooms were quiet. Samuel felt the need to go back into the temple and lie down near the Ark of God instead of going to bed. He just wanted to hang out with God. He was probably thinking that since the lamp of God was still burning in the temple, why not go spend the evening in His presence.
At this point "Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him" (1 Samuel 3:7). He'd never heard God speak, but he still enjoyed His presence. I truly believe that it was because of this enjoyment in God that God spoke to him. He and Samuel became friends.
In order to hear from God, we must spend time in His presence. People need to hear from God; they need to hear the word of the Lord. We can only hear from God if we spend time with Him. We can only hear from Him if we have a relationship with Him. Our relationship to God is the most important thing in our lives, therefore we need to give it the utmost care.
Simply Come
Our relationship with God should not be complicated by a lot of manmade rules about how we get "into" the presence of God. We simply need to put our religious sensibilities aside and come to Him as a child. Samuel had no agenda when he went into the temple, he just wanted to spend time in God's presence. We should never go to God with a rule book in hand, but with simplicity of heart.
Several years ago the Lord showed me just how He wanted me to come to Him. I was lying on my bed trying in desperation to touch God. I did not feel His presence and I felt frustrated, not enjoying my time spent with Him at all. "Help me God!" I cried. In walked my three year old son, Cole. He bobbled into the room with a goofy grin on his face. As he sided up to the edge of the bed he said in a very silly, childish voice, "Hi!" Then he walked away. The Lord spoke to my heart at that moment, "That is how I want you to come to Me!"
God wants us to be free from all of our self-made criteria of what we think He expects from of us when we approach Him. He wants us to come to Him as we are - as a child.
God wants to be involved in every aspect of our lives. He wants to help us with even the simplest, most common tasks. He wants us to be one with Him in thought, word and deed. If we are doing the laundry, then He is doing the laundry. As we experience God in the simple areas of life, then we can rest assured that He will be there for us during the trials of life.
He Chooses to Dwell in Us
There is a secret place inside us where God dwells. When we abide with Him in the Spirit in that secret place, we will see the evidence of His presence with us. "He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High God, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty" (Psalm 91:1).
We have the greatest calling to fulfill in all the universe: to live for and with Christ. We are not expected to attain Christ's likeness without God's power living and working through us. We can do nothing without living every moment under the shadow of the Almighty.
His shadow is the shelter of His presence, and we can abide with Him there if we dwell in the secret place. The secret place is not a physical place like it was in Samuel's day. Our secret place is in our own hearts. We can go anywhere and still focus on Him in our spirit and be in the secret place of the Most High. We might be at work, yet we can enter into the presence of the Lord by simply going to the quiet place in our spirit and find Him there waiting for us.
It is in this place where the Lord speaks and we listen. Samuel had never heard God until he spent time in His presence. They developed a relationship with each other. Samuel became one with God; they became friends.
Being God's Friend
Years ago, I went through a season in my life when God shook everything in it. One of the things He shook was my friendships. We moved to another state and the friendships I had previously fizzled out. I tried to make friends in our new hometown, but they just didn't click. I prayed for months for God to open the door to some really good friendships, but nothing came of it. My husband, on the other hand, had no trouble making friends. I was happy for him, but his success heightened my frustration. I cried out to God, "Lord, what about me? Who will be my friend?" He spoke beautifully into my spirit, "I will be your friend; I want you to be My friend." What an honor, what a call, that He would desire to be my friend.
I began to devote myself to a deeper friendship with God than I ever had before. I realized that I had been living as His servant successfully enough, and did not realize the deep friendship I could have with Him. There is no deeper friendship we can have than with our Maker. He created us, knows us, understands us and loves us deeply. We can't convince Him we are anything more than what we are, because He knows us already. When we mess up, He understands why and responds with compassion. When we fall time and again, He is there to pick us up. There is no friend like God.
Hearing the Voice of God
As we develop our understanding of this great friendship, then He can show us how to love others. As we are first filled with the power to truly love others by loving Him and by receiving His love for us, He will give us the words of life that others desperately need to hear. But it only comes through our communion with Christ.
We need to hear the voice of the Lord! We need to hear His voice now more distinctly than ever before, because the enemy, satan, is working overtime trying to deceive us. We can stay out of deception by hearing God's voice. He gives us true wisdom and direction.
Eli had gotten used to residing in his "usual place" in the house of God. We, too, can get too used to our relationship with God the way it is. But God wants us to come out away from our "usual place" and seek Him afresh and anew - to turn from all else and seek only Him. He wants to show His love for us in a new way. He wants us to get to know Him in a fresh way and experience new aspects of His character - to experience new facets of His love.
God is calling you to a deep friendship with Him. Will you except His invitation? Open your heart to Him today and say "yes." Love Him as you have never loved Him before and watch Him enlarge your capacity to love others. Ask Him simply to do it and He will!

ElijahList

The Goal of Life is Life

The Goal of Life Is Life
As we have considered in our study, our goal is not just knowledge or power, but life. In our pursuit of life we will seek knowledge and the power to authenticate our message, but these are just means to the ultimate goal. The life we seek is the person of Jesus—He is the Life.

The life of God is found first in His nature, and then His works. We do not serve Him because of what He does, but because of who He is. Likewise, our calling is not just to do, but to be. Our calling is to manifest the life that is in Christ Jesus, which He wants to give to a world that is dead in its sins.

There are basically three stages in the process of attaining this life in fullness:

1) The first stage is revelation. This is the revelation of what Jesus accomplished on the cross for us. It includes the glory of our deliverance from our old nature, and the glory of our calling and inheritance in Him.

2) The second stage is working. This is the actual working out of this salvation by the renewing of our mind—our very nature in a way that brings practical deliverance from our old nature and establishes His new nature within us.

3) The third and final stage is revealing. This is the revealing through us of the glory of the salvation of God, the nature of the new creation, and the inheritance that we have been given as members of His own household—sons and daughters of God.

We can see these three basic stages of maturity repeated over and over in Scripture. They are seen in Israel's departure from Egypt, the wilderness, and the Promised Land. We see them in the three parts of the Tabernacle of Moses, the temples built by Solomon, and the temple built by the remnant that returned from Babylon. All of these were prophetic outlines pointing us to know Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

The first stage is basically self-centered because we are learning all we can gain through Christ. Self-centeredness is not wrong for the immature, and immaturity is not wrong when we are young. Infants are almost totally self-centered because they are in such a helpless state. Like children, we must also learn who we are and what we can do before we can begin to relate to others with maturity. One of the true marks of maturity is that we become less self-centered and more Christ-centered and devoted to helping others.

Though the transitions between these stages in our natural lives are usually gradual, they represent specific periods of time in our spiritual lives. The first stage, revelation, is fresh and exciting, but usually quite brief. The second stage, working, is hard, but also very exciting and fulfilling, and where we learn, grow, and see the glory of the Lord in a way that starts to change us into His image. We must get through the wilderness to get to the Promised Land. This is where the greatest trials and temptations come upon us to test the life that we have been given, and to prepare us for the authority we will be given in stage three, revealing.

Stage two can seem like a place where we know mostly defeat and failure, but that is the wrong perspective. We seldom pass one of God's tests with a perfect score. Often we have to be graded "on a curve" with added grace from God in order for us to pass at all. This can be a hard and often depressing stage of our development, which is generally due to our perspectives. We are growing, and even though we may go in circles at times in order to retake the tests that we failed, it was in the wilderness that God's tabernacle was built, and it is in this stage of our growth that the Lord builds His habitation in our lives. It is also through our failures that we learn for certain that He is our salvation and victory. Here our faith in ourselves is reduced and our faith in Him grows. This is the level of truth.

The third stage is when all of the dealings of God are applied and we start to possess our inheritance—which is to live by the power of the resurrection life of Christ. This is where glory is not just revealed to us, but through us. This is the place where we start to fulfill our calling and destiny in Him.

The overwhelming majority of Israelites could only enter the Outer Court of the Tabernacle, a few could enter the Holy Place, but only one could enter the Holy of Holies. Likewise, it seems that very few Christians make it past the first stage of maturity. Many shrink back from the dealings of God that would bring them to a place of Christlikeness. These are the Christians whose faith is an appendage to their lives. They may faithfully go to services, but their understanding seldom goes beyond the knowledge of salvation. Much of their lives is in fact still in Egypt, bound to this present world.

A few go on into the wilderness and begin the exciting life of truly walking with God day-by-day. The first generation of Israelites died wandering in circles in the wilderness because of their lack of faith. Likewise, today it seems that most Christians still do not get any farther than this stage. Many spend their lives going in circles, enduring the same wilderness trials over and over because of a basic lack of faith in God. Even so, those who get this far usually accomplish much for the Lord and His purposes. They build His dwelling place, and help raise up a generation that will cross over and possess the promises of God.

Just as only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies, only One can still enter the highest realm. Therefore, for us to enter we must abide in Him. This means that Galatians 2:20 must be a reality in our lives so we too can say in truth, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me." This is our ultimate goal, and this is where we go beyond just beholding the works of God to beholding His glory.

Again, our goal is life. We must know the way and the truth, but life is our goal. If we do not have His life we do not really know the way or the truth either. We do not just want to know about salvation, but have His salvation working in our lives. We do not seek truth for the sake of having knowledge, but to have the truth that sets us free from our old nature so that we can walk in the newness of life. The goal of truth is also life. Our goal is not just to know about our inheritance and the glory of the age to come—we are called to live in it.

MorningStar Ministries

Where Are We Going?

Where Are We Going?
As we have learned, we are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation" (see I Peter 2:9). We are called to be a separate nation within the nations. We are here to live lives that testify of the excellencies of the King we serve. Those who have been born again into this kingdom are a "new creation,"vastly different and superior to the old creation man. We are here to represent the glory and the power of the age to come. We are from the future.

The reason the Lord did not catch us up into heaven immediately after our salvation is because we have a mission on earth. Though we were redeemed from the corruption of the Fall and already have eternal life, we are going through the process of renewing our minds and natures into the new creation nature of Christlikeness. His whole creation testifies that the nature of God is practical and systematic.

The Lord also has a practical, systematic plan for the "restoration of all things." This plan is basically the same as the process of our personal restoration from the old, fallen nature to revealing the power and glory of resurrection life that was purchased for us at the cross. We are going through this process so we can help lead the rest of fallen creation back into harmony with God.

This restoration process will be completed in the age when we rule and reign with Christ over the earth. This is the time that Peter called "the period of restoration of all things" (see Acts 3:21). We are called to be fore-runners and messengers of the coming kingdom. The power of our message will be directly related to the power of the life that is in us. As the Apostle Paul declared in I Corinthians 4:20, "For the kingdom of God does not consist in words, but in power," and the power that we have been given to testify of the coming kingdom is the power of life.

We cannot be witnesses of the Almighty God without power. When we think of power we often think of miracles, but they are only one example of God's power, not the very essence of it. The essence of God's power is the life of God. This is why the author of the Book of Hebrews explains that the Lord's priesthood is based on "the power of an indestructible life" (see Hebrews 7:14-17). Therefore, our goal is not just knowledge or power, but life.

This life is infinitely more precious than anything we could possess on this earth. Many who have walked in the greatest abundance of true life have actually had very few possessions on earth, just like the Prince of Life Himself. There have also been some who have had great possessions, such as the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, King David, and some of the great Christians in history like Count Zinzendorf. However, in all who have true life, there is an obvious focus on things much higher than the treasures of this earth. Those who had true life may have possessed treasures from time to time, but they were not possessed by them.

Our goal is to live and reveal the power of the life that is in Christ Jesus. We use the Way and Truth to lead people to the life. It is our life that makes true Christians strikingly different from all other people on the face of the earth. Again, we are an "alien nation" within the nations. We are a "new creation" that is vastly different from all other men. The difference is not just in our doctrines and beliefs—the difference is the power of the life that we live. We are from another reality and another time. For the message to be fully given to the world, it must be practically revealed by our lives. The body of Christ will arise in the last days as a demonstration to the world, and even to the principalities and powers, of the power of the life that is in Christ.

MorningStar Ministries

Where Are You From?

Where Are You From?
We have been taking a step-by-step approach to establishing a vision of what we are to grow up into as Christians. We have discussed how we are called to be a "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation" (see I Peter 2:9). We are called to be a separate nation within the nations whose very existence testifies of the excellencies of the King who rules over us. Christians should be strikingly distinguishable from all other people. We are in fact the "alien nation" within the nations, as we are a "new creation" that is vastly different from the Adamic nature of man.

This "holy nation" also has a different government. Of course, we honor the governments of the nations that we live in because they too have received their authority from God (see Romans 13:1-6), and they are our hosts. Even so, our main purpose on this earth is to prepare the way for the kingdom that is to come, to serve its interests, not just the interests of the nations of this world. That does not mean that we do not seek to be a blessing to the nations, but we serve another King, Jesus. We must place the interests of His kingdom first in all things.

As we proceed toward the end of this age, the "holy nation" will become more distinguishable. It will increasingly become a bright light set on a hill in the midst of darkness. The Christian community will become just that, a community within itself with a powerful and distinct identity. This does not mean that we must live in separate neighborhoods, but that the bond between Christians will grow so strong that they will be recognized as a community of people within the community. We will live by a faith and a purpose other than those that the world lives by.

To further understand just how we are to relate to the nations of this earth, I want to briefly discuss the two different kinds of governments that presently rule this world. Later, we will elaborate on how they are distinguishable from the kingdom of God in their basic functions.

Basically, the present governments of this world can be separated into two kinds, the lawless and the lawful. The lawless nations may have a strong authoritarian government, such as many of the communist governments. If they have a constitution at all, it does not have any real influence because the true rule is at the whim of those in power. In these nations the courts are not established for the purpose of providing justice, but for enforcing the dictates of those in authority. In contrast to this, the lawful nations are those that are established on a constitution that has real strength and a system of justice based on protecting the constitution and the rights of the citizens who live under it.

Generally, the lawful governments will be much better than the lawless, but both fall far short of the government of the kingdom of God. Even in the most lawful nations, law is an art and not a science. By this I mean it can change because of the influences of justice under the law. One who has the most persuasive lawyers arguing their case can win, the merit of facts actually having little to do with the outcome of the case.

In nations so devoted to the rule of law, such as the United States, right and wrong is often determined by what we can get away with, not what is right or wrong. Even though this may be the case, these systems will probably provide much more true justice than those under a lawless system. However, there will not be true justice until the Judge returns and establishes His kingdom based on truth.

For further study of these two basic types of earthly governments, I highly recommend the writings of Alexander Solzhenitsyn. He lived under the lawless regimes of communism and then spent years under the lawful (or full-of-law) government of the United States. He saw both as falling short of bringing forth the best and highest purposes of mankind. With the eye of a prophet, Solzhenitsyn's address, "A Warning," to the graduating class of Harvard (which was published on the front pages of newspapers throughout the country in 1976) shook our nation as few critics of our country ever have. This was probably one of the two most powerful prophetic proclamations made to this nation in the twentieth century, with the other being the "I Have A Dream" speech made by Martin Luther King, Jr. (We published Solzhenitsyn's address in The Morning Star Journal, Volume 3, Number 1.)

In contrast to the best governments of this world, the kingdom of God is based on the highest moral standard—love. We who live in the kingdom should not be governed by what we can get away with, but by what is right and what is of the greatest benefit to those we are commanded to love. It is true that when the King Himself comes to set up His kingdom on earth, He will come with a rod of iron to judge the nations, but even His judgment is founded upon His love. God who is love, does not do anything out of resentment or retaliation. This was proven for all time by the cross. Even if He must destroy a nation, it is because love makes it necessary.

This certainly is "tough love," but true love is uncompromising in its standards for the sake of those loved. As Proverbs 13:24 declares, "He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently." If we do not discipline our children we are not preparing them effectively for the life that they are going to face, and are therefore harming them, not loving them. For this reason, Hebrews 12:6-11 states:

"For those whom the LORD loves He disciplines,
and He scourges every son whom He receives."
It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons;
for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers,
then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them;
shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?
For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them,
but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness.
All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful;
yet to those who have been trained by it,
afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

In our lives, such discipline in the form of trials we endure is for the purpose of preparing us for His kingdom. His church must be prepared so we are not only ready for it to come, but also ready to take responsibility and authority with Him when He comes. Everything happening in our lives is training for reigning. Don't waste your trials. They are coming upon you because the King loves you and wants to use you for a glorious purpose. It is by passing these tests that we advance step-by-step into the place of being ready for service to the King.

MorningStar Ministries