11-18-2023      I HEAR YOU KNOCKIN’

 

Revelations 3:19-22

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten, therefore be zealous and repent.  Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if any man hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and sup with him and he with Me.  To him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I overcame and set down with My Father in His throne.  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.   

This passage speaks to three things pertaining to salvation: receiving, obedience and reward

Salvation   I stand at the door and knock, if any man hears My voice …

      Receiving  I will come in to him and sup with him and he with Me

Salvation comes by hearing the Word of God.  Usually because someone has shared it with us whether it be a priest or pastor in a church or the man in the street (Rom. 10:13-17).  Blessed are the feet of those who bring good news (Isa:52:7).  Yet, when a man is most observant, he can see God in creation, around us (Rom. 1:19-20) and know that there is someone greater than himself.

God does not force His way into our hearts.  Jesus knocks on our heart’s door and waits for us to answer, then He will abide with us and in us (Rev. 3:20).

Jesus provides an opportunity for us when He says “I am the way, the truth and the life.  No man comes unto the Father but by Me (John 14:6).  We face the choice Joshua faced when he said “… choose this day whom you will serve … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Josh.24:15).

Because of our sin, Jesus stands the gap reconnecting us with the Father.  Without the shedding of blood to cover sin, there is no remission of sin (Lev. 17:11, Heb. 9:22).  Jesus is our propitiation (took our place) cleansing us and enabling us to reenter into the eternal life which God originally intended for us (Rom. 3:23-25, 1 John 2:2).

So why do we choose God?  God so loved he world that he gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes on Him shall not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

      Obedience   To him who overcomes

We’ve chosen to let Jesus into our heart.  So now, we need to love Him with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and because we now love God, we show that love towards others around us (Mark 12:29-31).

Our goal now, is to become one with the Lord.  Jesus asks Father to keep (protect) us.  We know that God’s joy will be in us.  Jesus asks Father to keep us from evil, though we are still in this world.  He sanctifies us through His Word which is truth.  And He prayed this for all who believe (John 14:15, John 17:9-23)! 

However, as a parent with his child, Father does correct us to keep us on the right track. So, we shouldn’t despise God’s correction.  It is for our own good (Prov. 3:11-12).  It is to help us to grow closer to our heavenly Father.

      Reward    I will grant to sit with Me in My throne 

So, why even be concerned about receiving Jesus into our heart?  Let’s look at a couple of things.

God created Adam and Eve to be eternal beings.  They had access to the tree of life, to eat its fruit (Gen. 3:22, Rev. 2:7).  Yet, even though tempted, Adam and Eve couldn’t leave well enough alone and ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 3:1-23) and separated man from eternal life with this act.  So, Father set a Cherubim to guard the tree of life from Adam and all man (Gen. 3:24).

So, we stand on John 3:16 (see above) because through our ‘salvation’, Jesus gives back to us that eternal life (John 10:27-28), reinstating us into good standing with Father.  We don’t have that eternal life in hand yet, but as we live for Jesus, He has promised that we will be with Him throughout eternity (again John 3:16).

Jesus is preparing a place for us so when He comes does back for us we will be with Him (John 14:1-3.  We will be rewarded for our ‘good works’ in this life, whether they be great or small and, maybe because we didn’t have the opportunity to do good works, because of our faith, we will still be in His presence (1Corinth. 13:11-15).  But while we are waiting, He will supply all our needs here, in his life (Phil. 4:19).  In everything, He is our provider (Matt. 6:31-34), comforter (1 Corinth. 1:3-4) and teacher (John 14:26).  What more could we want?

Oh!  And because we have run our race faithfully (1 Corinth. 9:24), He grants us the privilege of siting with Him in our Father’s throne (Rev. 3:21).  Now the Greek word for throne is thronos, (G2362), and is translated throne, stately seat or power.  Did not Jesus promise that when the Holy Ghost is come upon us we shall have power (Acts 1:8).  Power is the Greek word dunamis (G1411) which is violent or explosive power.  Power to do that which Father has called us.  Get the picture?

      Truth  (xtra credit)

 

Many hear, but who is truly listening and opens the door?

Job declares that he knew about God, but after all that he went through, he said that ‘now’ he has seen God face to face (Job 42:5).  Come to know Father on a personal basis, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.  The experience is awesome!

Have we confessed Jesus Christ as our personal Savior?  Have we been baptized in water or allowed the Holy Ghost full operation in our lives?

Over time, too many people have professed to know Jesus and even have been baptized in water, but as we see in the parable of the sower we see some fall away –  discouraged, swayed by the wants of the world.  Too many to never return (Matt. 13:3-23).  We have to run the course (1 Corinth. 9:24-27).

Father tells us throughout the Old Testament how He desires us to treat others, with love, compassion and edification.  What do we do to edify, to build up those with whom we come into contact?  I remember from my childhood an old slaying “If you ain’t got nutthin’ good to say, don’t say mutthin’ at all’.  Good advice.  Death and life are in the power of the tongue and they who love it shall eat its fruit (Prov. 18:21).  That means, we are what we profess ourselves to be and even what we profess upon others will fall upon them. What we say to or about others shows our heart towards them.

As we read the Old Testament, we see where God gave Israel chance after chance to get their act together.  As it is, Israel is still waiting.  However, look at what good He bestowed upon them, encouraging them back into His kingdom.  He also will do likewise for us.

We say that we know God, but have we truly let Him into our heart?  Are we living for and in Him and He in us?  Are we following His example of life?  Do we seek Him in all things?  When we are in Him, whatever we ask in His name, He will do (John 14:14).  Should we stray, ss long as we can take a breath, He gives us second chances.  He is the second set of footprints in the sand.

Until we let Him in, Jesus is continually knocking at the door desiring to abide with and in us. 

As with Job, have we just ‘heard’ about God, or do we really ‘know’ Him?

Is Jesus still knocking at our door?  Or have we opened it and truly let Him into our heart? 

Amen

 

 

11-4-2023 Dry Bones and Today - Revisited   

                                Dry Bones                                                Spiritual Explosion

Wars, rumor of wars, murder, political corruption, rampant sexual immorality, lying, cheating, the world’s a mess.  Why has God abandoned us!  The government has to do something about all this!  Buzzzzzzzz!  Think again.

About ten years ago, Father brought my attention to Ezekiel 37:1-4, the valley of dry bones.  In the blog of 8/12/23, I posted some of what Father had explained to me.  How meaningful is this passage for us today?

Father’s intentions are to rebuild His body, the church.  All those fellowships who fly under that banner of Jesus Christ, so that we truly look like His church.  That is, as Jesus walked with His disciples and after His ascensions 2000 years ago.  A church on fire, devoted to our Lord and our Savior. 

Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and the life.  No man comes to the Father but by Me (John 14:6).  We were first called “Christians’ at Antioch (Acts 11:19-26).  Until then, we were the ‘Way’.

If you missed the August blog, please continue reading.  If you have read it, I’ve made some adjustments.  It is still the same, but I discovered that I missed a few words in the original publication.  If you haven’t already, to get the full picture, I urge all to read the bible references cited in this entry

In the Fall of 2014, Father brought my attention to Jeremiah 1 and Ezekiel 37.  In Jeremiah, a caldron pot is tipping over and pouring out.  This represents Father’s wrath against Israel because of their disobedience. 

Look at today’s church.  How obedient is today’s church to God’s will and word?  I’m talking about keeping to God’s truth and not changing it to man’s ideas.  Especially look at how man’s concept of the bible has changed over the past century.  Too much of the Word has been ‘watered down’ or even meanings changed. 

In Ezekiel, Father explains how He wants Israel rebuilt – from the inside (dry bones) out.  Now, Father wants to rebuild today’s church from our dry bones. 

When I was young, I observed that too many Christian denominations believed that theirs was the only true church in Christ Jesus and everybody else was doomed to hell because ‘those people’ just didn’t believe exactly as they did.  First, we ARE the body of Christ.   All who profess Jesus as Lord.  We cannot call Jesus Lord except by God’s Spirit (1 Corinth. 12:3, 1 John 4:1-3).  Paul explains a body has many parts, eyes, feet mouth, etc. (1 Corinth. 12:12-27, read the whole chapter), so as Christians, we each have a job to do.  No matter how small or big!    

In the 1/2/2016 entry into this blog, we spoke of the dry bones from Ezekiel 37.

Before we get into Ezekiel, let’s back up a bit.  The dry bones in the valley are significant to today’s church.  Jesus called the Jewish church of 2000 years ago a ‘whited sepulcher (Matt. 23:27) because, even though they look pretty good on the outside, there was no true faith in their heart.  If you will, they were the ‘walking dead’ (spiritually).  How many half or incomplete truths, or even lies are being shared with today’s ‘churched’ people?  All of this adds up to ‘dry bones’! The true power of the Holy Ghost is seriously lacking.

Fear not.  God always has His faithful (Rom. 11:1-4).  There are those in the church who, when they confessed Jesus, truly believed in their heart that He is the Messiah, our Redeemer and that God raised Him from the dead (Rom. 10:9).  Thank God for these folks.  And, yes, I remember the seed (Matt. 13:1-8) where some seed falls by the wayside, some on stony ground, some among the thorn bushes but other on good soil.  Some people have started in the church with the best of intentions, but for whatever reason, they have fallen away (while leaving the church or still remaining in it).

But, alas, salvation is only the first step.  We also have a responsibility.  Jesus says that if you love Me, keep my commandments (John 14:15).  We now need to show love from within our heart.  When we don’t love, we have no part in God for God is love.  So when we love God, love will flow through us (1 John 4:6-11).  Loving is doing things because we desire to, not because we’re supposed to or ‘have’ to or because we are the only warm bodies available.  This means helping others as we are able, supporting God’s work here on earth and sharing our faith with others.  We have a genuine desire to use what God has given us to do God’s work, edifying those around us, in whatever capacity.  Yes?

Love means we need a personal relationship with Father. We have to ‘get to know’ Him.  Father speaks to us through His written word (the bible) and other Christians (pastors, priests or brothers and sisters in Christ).  Oh, and because the Holy Ghost resides within our heart, He also desires to speak directly to each one of us, mano e mano, person to person.  We do have to learn to hear Him, as with the prophet Samuel (1 Sam. 3:4-10). Listen and receive when and how the Holy Spirit speaks with us.  It is Father’s preferred way of speaking to us but, He will connect with us in any way we permit.  

All too often, churches put people in ministry who are not yet actually ready.  I’m not challenging a true desire to serve, but this can bring novices and those with personal agendas into positions of authority in the church when they are not ready.  Where is their heart?  The scriptures do give some basic qualifications for those serving.  Good qualities are being filled with the Holy Ghost, being honest and using wisdom, (Acts 6:1-7).  And persons with these qualities should also be inclined to prayer (Eph. 6:18, 1 Thess. 5:17).  Yet, despite man’s shortcomings, God always has His number (1 Kings 19:13-18, Rom. 11:1-4) of those who are truly living for and in Him, with all their heart.

We are in a ‘new season’.  So, how has Father been preparing His church for this new season?

First, was modern man’s decision to make the bible available to the common man.  In the 1300’s, John Wycliffe translated the Latin Vulgate into English and in the 1400’s Johannes Gutenberg created the printing press which could produce bibles (as well as other books) a whole lot faster than the handwritten copies.

Then, in the1500 & 1600’s, Martin Luther inspired what we call the Protestant Reformation which produced men such teachers as William Tynsdale and John Calvin and later John Wesley.  Who, along with other reformist, started a multitude of Christian denominations.  Thinking started to change from traditional thinking, only the priest or pastor could understand the bible to that which the common man, also, could and should understand what the bible was saying.  Unfortunately, it also created unnecessary schisms, concepts which divided God’s church, the body of Christ.  New found freedoms brought the need for greater understanding but tolerance missing.

Then, there were the “awakenings” in both the 1700’s & 1800’s, which were an attempt to bring the church back into holiness, that is aligned back into God’s Word and Will.  Read the Old Testament, Israel also experienced this.  Then there was the Pentecostal Movement of the late 1800’s & early 1900’s, the Charismatic Movement of the 1960’s-1970’s, each which were experiencing a re-connection of the full operation of the Holy Ghost in our lives. Since the 1990’s and early 2000’s, the prophetic movement has entered the picture, focusing more and more on to what the meaning of a  personal relationship is with our heavenly Father through Jesus Christ because the Holy Ghost is alive and well within our hearts.  Jesus tells us that His desire is that we are one, as He is one in the Father (John 17:1-26).  Ergo we all become one (at least in thinking and doing).  Father desires to interact with each one of us personally.

All this bring us to where we are today!

Through the prophet Ezekiel, Father promises a new, revived, relationship with Him (Ezek. 37:1-14). 

As we read the bible, we see where today’s church has experienced many of the conditions prevalent in the Hebrew church of the Old Testament.  It had a vibrant relationship with God, then it cooled down to where the church has all but forgotten who God is.  Then a renewed passion for our Lord, then a cooling down again and today, a resurgence of desiring a better relationship with our heavenly Father.  Jesus reminds us that in the latter days, there will be a falling away in the church, (2 Thess. 2:3).  As Christians, it is our job to reconnect – in love.

Now, today, God is breathing life back into that package of dry bones (we call today’s church) by bringing His children back into a true relationship with Himself.  A relationship He (God) experienced with Adam and Eve (Gen. 2:8), which He showed us through Jesus (John 17:21-24) and which He has desired from the beginning.  His true desire is for us to acknowledge Him as the one, true, living God (Jeremiah 24:7) and that we not just live for Him, but in Him.   Not only has He given us the power to live this life, but to be witnesses for Him (John 14:14:12, John 20:22-23, Acts 1:8) and to do the things Jesus called us to do.  This IS what Father is doing with the churches of the New Covenant today!

All of Father’s true churches, all of Father’s prophets are all talking about walking in a closer relationship with the one true God Who created all that is.  Things that I read, things that I hear, people with whom I talk are all in agreement about our striving towards the goal (1 Corinth. 9:24-27) and then God is bringing us into that closer walk through Jesus Christ, our Lord because the Holy Ghost does abide in us.

Father started sharing with me back in September 2014 (interestingly during Rosh Hashana) that three seven year periods were beginning.  ‘Officially’ January 2015, but Rosh Hashana of Sept. 2014 could be tan actual starting date.  Depends if one starts using the Hebrew or Julian Calendar.  I’ve gone with the Julian, January 2015.  Rosh Hashana is the Jewish new year (9/2014).  The first seven year period is a foundation period where Father is establishing many of His prophets to be ready for the second period.  The first seven year period ended 12/2021.   

In the second seven year period, Father starts sending the prophets, who are ready, out, but this is also a continuing growth period as prophets continue to mature and as they are ready, then they are sent out.  As this season grows, what God is doing will become more and more prominent.  You’ve heard about the revival in Kentucky?  There was talk about activity moving into California but I haven’t seen or heard about much bout that yet.  However, I am hearing about small events taking place in various places around the U.S and how, over the past several years, God has already been working in places like Africa and India.  The prophets and preachers I do hear have been talking about this revival for about two years now.  Take note: ‘they’ are calling this movement a ‘revival’.  GOD is calling it a Spiritual explosion.  Why?  Because the Holy Ghost WILL reveal Himself in the actions of today’s ‘prophets’ AND disciples just as He did 2000 years ago!  Jesus said as we follow Him, we will do the same works He did and greater (John 14:12).  Did you hear me?  I said disciples!  That’s not just the famous preachers we know and love.  A disciple is one who follows Jesus and this means you and me will be capable of doing what Jesus did!  It’s a matter of faith.  How close are we willing to walk in Jesus’ love and what are we willing to sacrifice to do so?

Those, who are already talking, are talking about restoration and restitution.  Are we willing to actually seek the Kingdom of God first (Matt. 6:33) and then abide in God’s love – true love – agape love?  God is our strength to run this race (Phil. 3:14).  All we have to do is be obedient to the leading of the Holy Ghost and then do it (John 14:14-17)! 

Father showed me three numbers which are pertinent to what is currently going on and that which is yet to come.

Several years ago, Father had me check out the biblical meanings of numbers.  I looked at seven or eight lists and they all pretty much agreed with the two lists I mention here:

Biblenumbersforlife.com

http://www.gods-kingdom-ministries.net/teachings/books/secrets-of-time/appendix-e-the-biblical-meanings-of-numbers/

My definitions are taken from these two lists.

We are now in the second year of the second seven year season. 

2    =    union, division, witnessing

The church is split, but coming into the place where God intends for us to be one in Spirit – unified in faith.

The division represents the various talents and callings He has placed on each of our lives.  That is our capabilities or God-given ‘gift’.  And as we deploy our gifts (at whatever level we are), we further the kingdom of God.

Witnessing, again we are being prepared to witness for Jesus Christ as never before, not just in word, but in deeds as well.  To be true, living representatives of His Word.

The blessing, restitution and restoration is to develop us into those true witness for Jesus and which has, to some degree, already been taking place.  That is Father has already been establishing souls, sending some out (already) and growing all spiritually and this continues throughout this season.  As we ‘ripen’, Father will also send out more and more to do His will.

This season is bringing a great evangelical outbreak, an outreach explosion, a soul harvest.  Evangelism is just getting ‘saved’, but now, we are also learning to truly live for and in Jesus Christ!

The total of both seasons equals fourteen years

14  =    Deliverance, salvation, spiritual perfection.  This is Father’s intent by the end of the  second seven year period.  If nothing else, a deeper understanding of Eternal life!

By the end of the second season, fourteen years in all, Father may be bringing this soul harvest to a conclusion.  That is, the powerful thrust of this period will diminish in impact compared to what has been happening.  But note what has been happening during season two, Father will have grounded His church so they are living for Him through Jesus Christ, no fears, no doubts, no hesitations as souls have been prepared  for the harvest.  Souls will have been delivered from all sorts of oppressive demonic influences and they will know they now belong to Jesus Christ, lock, stock and barrel.  That is signed, sealed and waiting to be delivered! 

There will be no doubt about our salvation (1 John 5:13-15) and how to show love towards Father through Jesus as well as our neighbor.  Our hearts will be knitted in one with God, through the operation of the Holy Ghost in and through our lives.  Souls will be rocketing towards spiritual perfection.  Of course, we won’t reach this perfection until we are literally with Jesus, but souls will be walking as close as possible until that day Jesus does call us home, whether through natural death or rapture.

Twelve years have almost passed since the onset of these two seasons

12 =     governmental perfection, God’s power and authority

The perfect government resides under King Jesus, the perfect King, and Christians are already experiencing His power and authority.  God is perfecting His Spiritual government even now!

Unless our eyes are closed and we have earplugs in our ears, we should already be seeing and hearing a shift in the atmosphere.  Yes, the world seems to be getting worse and worse, but underlying that turmoil people are getting hungrier and hungrier and soon they shall realize that Jesus is the only answer -left.  He IS the way, the truth and the life!

Don’t be surprised at the world’s condition.  Whenever God moves, Satan does his best to counter attack so people stay embittered and disillusioned and refuse to come to the Lord.  As children of God, He will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5).   Remember the footprints in the sand.  It is Jesus carries us.   We are bound with Jesus through His yoke (Matt. 29-30) that should we falter, it is His strength that carries us on.  He is always helping us, through the Holy Ghost and those around us, to press on.  Jesus gave disciples authority over sickness and to cast out devils (Matt. 10:1, Luke 10:1-20 - exousia).  And He has given us the power to backup that authority (Acts 1:8 - dunamis).  Resist the devil, he will flee (James 4:7).  ().  And remember God always has the final say (Rom. 13.1).

So what is the third seven year period about?  Could it be  the beginning of tribulation period the of which the bible speaks, leading to Armageddon?  Don’t know.  Father refuses to clue me in on that third period is about.  But it doesn’t matter because Father is always in control.  I just know He’ll do things according to His timing and be assured that Father is bringing all of His children into a deeper relationship with Himself that we can be all that we can be in Christ Jesus, doing all that we can do for His glory, serving and ministering to the needs of the people whom we encounter.  Loving others is the least that we can do.  He is preparing His children to truly live for and abide in Him.  AND we are in the beginning of a magnificent evangelical explosion, NO, a Holy Ghost explosion, coming to grow the body of Jesus Christ into its fullest. And this generation can and will be, wholly or in part, involved in this explosion. 

Amen