I've been seeing the number 77 a lot recently. Not only seeing it, but receiving it, hearing it, and accidentally typing it! One of the more unique ways that Yahweh speaks is through numbers. These messages often point to future acts--so their delivery usually have prophetic significance. God wants us to know what's going on!
John Paul Jackson on Numbers
Numbers typically relate to symbolism. For example, this "77" theme was confirmed through a friend, who prophetically delivered Genesis 41 to me:
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.
And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river:
And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow:
And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness:
And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine:
And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke.
And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good:
And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them:
And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me.
And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.
The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.
And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.
This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.
Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:
And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;
And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous.
And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
There's a lot of symbolism here! But what is the message for me, at this point of this current season? Basically, it's to save money!
That's the main message, but not the only one. God often weaves several elements into one message, into one symbolic theme. Notice that He gave Pharaoh a very multifaceted dream that delivered one prophetic instruction. Several things converged to give one main instruction--one main call to action.
77 is also one of the numbers representative of Yahshua. Why? Because He was born of the 77th generation after Adam. Redemption complete! Fittingly, Jesus Himself instructed us to forgive our brother 77 times (Matthew 18:22). That's an appropriate command to be given by the One who brought forgiveness to all! Yahshua's command here is one of just many that subliminally pointed to Himself
Our Heavenly Father gives us numbers to speak holistically to every arena of our lives. He uses numbers as a sort of comprehensive prophecy, to meet us where we're at right now.
God will speak to you through numbers, if you're open to it. He'll give you a sign. He'll show you and re-confirm to you the Spirit's streams of teaching in your life.
Showing posts with label Forgiveness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Forgiveness. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Saturday, September 5, 2015
Communion: It's Different
Communion is awesome--yet it's also not for everyone. We need to walk on the right path so that we can take the Elements faithfully. We need to be woven into Jesus by the Spirit. If we know the truth, then we'll have been set free. If we've already been set free, then we are free to take communion!
Communion is for Believers: It's through our belief that we are justified (Romans 10:10). If we have the faith of God, then we will be blessed in our doing. In other words--If you know Jesus, remember Him thru communion. Receive what He's done with thanksgiving and reverence--Yahweh does not give as the world does (John 14:27).
Communion is a Proclamation: When we partake of the Elements, we are proclaiming the Lord's death until He comes (1 Corinthians 11:26). And when we proclaim God's will in faith, it is established for us (Job 22:28).
So as we take communion, we are having Jesus' death established--fulfilled-- in our new life. We realize that One died for all and that therefore all died (2 Cor. 5:14). We proclaim Communion as the most sure Word of prophecy (2 Peter 1:19)--the most reliable prophetic word. It is the most powerful positive confession. We proclaim that God really did send His Son for us.
Communion Requires Discerning the Body: We need to treasure what Jesus has purchased--our brothers and sisters, for whom He died (1 Cor 8:11)! We need to be perfected in forgiveness and love (Matthew 5:48). And because God's already done the perfecting, we just need to choose to yield to it. This means having the faith to discern that Jesus is enough.
We need to acknowledge that Jesus came in the flesh (1 John 4:2). With that, He destroyed the sinful nature once and for all (Romans 6:6). Let's receive the grace of freedom from sin (Romans 6:18). We are a sacrifice of Holiness! We have received the sinless body of the Lord.
Communion Requires Discerning Yourself: The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and of righteousness (John 16:8). He shows us a wonderful paradox--we were sinful in the flesh, but now we are flawless in His Spirit.
If we are convicted of our own righteousness, if we know that Christ is in us, then we can turn from sin and understand how we need to yield to God's growth. We can discern how we've went wrong and see communion as a marking point of change. It's so important to remain in His purifying fire.
Communion is Seperate: Do you know what the word 'Holy' means? It's original meaning is different, set apart, other. We are a holy priesthood, a chosen nation (1 Peter 2:9)! We have been selected and set apart by God, and communion can activate our living like it.
The Holy Spirit is saying come away, He's saying come out of oppression. He's saying be in the world, just not of it (John 17:16)! Communion is a spiritual force that draws us away from the world and into the wonderful, sacrificial Love of our Saviour. It's a blessing for those who are worthy, and a curse for those who are not. It's a torrent of God's love for those who believe, and the cup of His wrath for those who do not (Matthew 26:42). When we receive the needed belief, we receive the abundant blessings!
Communion is for Believers: It's through our belief that we are justified (Romans 10:10). If we have the faith of God, then we will be blessed in our doing. In other words--If you know Jesus, remember Him thru communion. Receive what He's done with thanksgiving and reverence--Yahweh does not give as the world does (John 14:27).
Communion is a Proclamation: When we partake of the Elements, we are proclaiming the Lord's death until He comes (1 Corinthians 11:26). And when we proclaim God's will in faith, it is established for us (Job 22:28).
So as we take communion, we are having Jesus' death established--fulfilled-- in our new life. We realize that One died for all and that therefore all died (2 Cor. 5:14). We proclaim Communion as the most sure Word of prophecy (2 Peter 1:19)--the most reliable prophetic word. It is the most powerful positive confession. We proclaim that God really did send His Son for us.
Communion Requires Discerning the Body: We need to treasure what Jesus has purchased--our brothers and sisters, for whom He died (1 Cor 8:11)! We need to be perfected in forgiveness and love (Matthew 5:48). And because God's already done the perfecting, we just need to choose to yield to it. This means having the faith to discern that Jesus is enough.
We need to acknowledge that Jesus came in the flesh (1 John 4:2). With that, He destroyed the sinful nature once and for all (Romans 6:6). Let's receive the grace of freedom from sin (Romans 6:18). We are a sacrifice of Holiness! We have received the sinless body of the Lord.
Communion Requires Discerning Yourself: The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and of righteousness (John 16:8). He shows us a wonderful paradox--we were sinful in the flesh, but now we are flawless in His Spirit.
If we are convicted of our own righteousness, if we know that Christ is in us, then we can turn from sin and understand how we need to yield to God's growth. We can discern how we've went wrong and see communion as a marking point of change. It's so important to remain in His purifying fire.
Communion is Seperate: Do you know what the word 'Holy' means? It's original meaning is different, set apart, other. We are a holy priesthood, a chosen nation (1 Peter 2:9)! We have been selected and set apart by God, and communion can activate our living like it.
The Holy Spirit is saying come away, He's saying come out of oppression. He's saying be in the world, just not of it (John 17:16)! Communion is a spiritual force that draws us away from the world and into the wonderful, sacrificial Love of our Saviour. It's a blessing for those who are worthy, and a curse for those who are not. It's a torrent of God's love for those who believe, and the cup of His wrath for those who do not (Matthew 26:42). When we receive the needed belief, we receive the abundant blessings!
Friday, September 4, 2015
Communion: It's Important
And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.…
Communion is so important, yet it is so overlooked in much of the church today. We are ignorant of communion and all of it's glory to our own loss.
The receiving is in the believing. Let's choose to trust Jesus when He said that His flesh was real food, and His blood real drink!
Saturday, December 20, 2014
Grace to the Humble
God gives help to those who acknowledge Him. He doesn't want us to turn away and be independent. Instead, He wants to help the humble. If you ask for help, He will be quick to answer.
Today I was listening to Christian radio and heard James 4:6: ..."God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble". Those who have no desperation for God in their hearts, because of their own pride, will not have easy access to God. Pride causes God to set Himself against us. Now that can seem harsh, but it's the truth. And the redemptive factor is that He is quick to relent once we realize our foolishness and commit to change!
Confirmed: Here is a recent article from the Elijah List by Phillis Ford. There is a trend of humility, submissiveness and repentance in this word. Below is an italicized excerpt. Later on, there is great insight into how God's great Grace allows us to come into His Glory.
As we cry out before the Lord with hearts of repentance, we will make great strides. As we embrace the truth of Jesus Christ, having passion for the things of God, we find the strength to dismantle feelings of complacency and battle weariness. The reality is that we shall be a people that the Lord is establishing now.
Those with the greatest passion will be on the front lines, but know that your position doesn't exempt you from going through more of the perfecting process of grace. Those will be led by the Spirit of God if they submit to the process to grow. These are major decisions that must be determined in the hearts of God's people. Those that say I am not a part of this because I am above this, or who say I don't need the Lord's help will find themselves in painful experiences until they submit willingly to God. We are approaching serious times, and the Lord is purifying His people.
Submit to God. Agree with Him that He is Lord of all, and willing to be fully devoted to. Humble yourself before Him, and He will lift you up. When David cried out to God, it is written that the Lord "reached down from on high" and took hold of him (Psalms 18:16). Doesn't that sound wonderful? It sure does to me.
There is an ongoing cycle here. This pattern is meant to draw us closer and closer to God--two steps forward, one step back, if necessary--until we are living like the true sons and daughters that we are. The Lord has been speaking to me about this process recently.
1)We fall into sin and confusion (Lamentations 1:20)
2) We acknowledge our sin (1 Chronicles 21:8)
3) We call out to God in the spirit of humility (Psalms 119:145)
4) God rescues us and draws us near (Psalms 18:16, like above)
5) Nearness to Him burns out our uncleanness (Hebrews 12:29)
6) But He gives us more Grace (James 4:6)
Look at steps 5 and 6 here. When we become near Him, we get burnt in the flames of purification. We offer up our sinful habits as a burnt offering. "Fire" has been such a thematic word recently. We do this, because it must be done if we are to draw near to Him. Look at James 4:8. If we want to approach Him, we must purify ourselves first. And as He draws closer, He purifies us more and more. He cleanses us and upholds us for His name's sake!
God makes us pure because He is a jealous God. The Holy Spirit within us is jealous, and He cannot take pleasure in anything we do that doesn't give honor to Jesus. The Holy Spirit is God's tabernacle fire. When He "reaches down" for us--and He always does--He will prompt us to say, "whatever it takes". He shows us how to give every single bit of the Glory to God. If we are led by the Spirit, we will stay away from the world.
How do we do this? This is where step 6 comes into play. How do we be purified to the extent that we have lost all earthly distractions? That sounds hard! And it is, or else James 4:6 would not acknowledge it as so. "But He gives us more Grace". Glory to God! He gives us more grace, and He gives us the Spirit. By His grace he gives us more of His Holy Spirit, and by His grace He gifts us new wineskins to hold His riches in (Matthew 9:17).
Praise Him for amazing Grace. It's a gift that keeps on giving. But we need to use it to draw near to Him! We need to accept it as an opportunity to be made new! His Grace leads us to become slaves of righteousness. God cannot be mocked. Grace given to water down sin is no grace at all. Repent and now that He has forgotten your sins. Repent and receive that new wineskin. And give glory to God and His grace!
Confirmed: When I was close to finished with this post, Vanessa came in and told me good news from a family member. They've been returning to God, and it's fantastic to see. This person has just submitted to God in a new way. Among other things, they've professed to our Lord: "I want to lose myself to you. Consume me in your fire". Just like that, even the small things in their life have been saved (Romans 10:10). Hallelujah!
Today I was listening to Christian radio and heard James 4:6: ..."God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble". Those who have no desperation for God in their hearts, because of their own pride, will not have easy access to God. Pride causes God to set Himself against us. Now that can seem harsh, but it's the truth. And the redemptive factor is that He is quick to relent once we realize our foolishness and commit to change!
Confirmed: Here is a recent article from the Elijah List by Phillis Ford. There is a trend of humility, submissiveness and repentance in this word. Below is an italicized excerpt. Later on, there is great insight into how God's great Grace allows us to come into His Glory.
As we cry out before the Lord with hearts of repentance, we will make great strides. As we embrace the truth of Jesus Christ, having passion for the things of God, we find the strength to dismantle feelings of complacency and battle weariness. The reality is that we shall be a people that the Lord is establishing now.
Those with the greatest passion will be on the front lines, but know that your position doesn't exempt you from going through more of the perfecting process of grace. Those will be led by the Spirit of God if they submit to the process to grow. These are major decisions that must be determined in the hearts of God's people. Those that say I am not a part of this because I am above this, or who say I don't need the Lord's help will find themselves in painful experiences until they submit willingly to God. We are approaching serious times, and the Lord is purifying His people.
Submit to God. Agree with Him that He is Lord of all, and willing to be fully devoted to. Humble yourself before Him, and He will lift you up. When David cried out to God, it is written that the Lord "reached down from on high" and took hold of him (Psalms 18:16). Doesn't that sound wonderful? It sure does to me.
There is an ongoing cycle here. This pattern is meant to draw us closer and closer to God--two steps forward, one step back, if necessary--until we are living like the true sons and daughters that we are. The Lord has been speaking to me about this process recently.
1)We fall into sin and confusion (Lamentations 1:20)
2) We acknowledge our sin (1 Chronicles 21:8)
3) We call out to God in the spirit of humility (Psalms 119:145)
4) God rescues us and draws us near (Psalms 18:16, like above)
5) Nearness to Him burns out our uncleanness (Hebrews 12:29)
6) But He gives us more Grace (James 4:6)
Look at steps 5 and 6 here. When we become near Him, we get burnt in the flames of purification. We offer up our sinful habits as a burnt offering. "Fire" has been such a thematic word recently. We do this, because it must be done if we are to draw near to Him. Look at James 4:8. If we want to approach Him, we must purify ourselves first. And as He draws closer, He purifies us more and more. He cleanses us and upholds us for His name's sake!
God makes us pure because He is a jealous God. The Holy Spirit within us is jealous, and He cannot take pleasure in anything we do that doesn't give honor to Jesus. The Holy Spirit is God's tabernacle fire. When He "reaches down" for us--and He always does--He will prompt us to say, "whatever it takes". He shows us how to give every single bit of the Glory to God. If we are led by the Spirit, we will stay away from the world.
How do we do this? This is where step 6 comes into play. How do we be purified to the extent that we have lost all earthly distractions? That sounds hard! And it is, or else James 4:6 would not acknowledge it as so. "But He gives us more Grace". Glory to God! He gives us more grace, and He gives us the Spirit. By His grace he gives us more of His Holy Spirit, and by His grace He gifts us new wineskins to hold His riches in (Matthew 9:17).
Praise Him for amazing Grace. It's a gift that keeps on giving. But we need to use it to draw near to Him! We need to accept it as an opportunity to be made new! His Grace leads us to become slaves of righteousness. God cannot be mocked. Grace given to water down sin is no grace at all. Repent and now that He has forgotten your sins. Repent and receive that new wineskin. And give glory to God and His grace!
Confirmed: When I was close to finished with this post, Vanessa came in and told me good news from a family member. They've been returning to God, and it's fantastic to see. This person has just submitted to God in a new way. Among other things, they've professed to our Lord: "I want to lose myself to you. Consume me in your fire". Just like that, even the small things in their life have been saved (Romans 10:10). Hallelujah!
Friday, December 19, 2014
Snapshot: Repentance brings an Atmosphere Shift
A few days ago, I was really having a rough time with thankfulness. All I could do was get angry at things, and honestly, I surprised myself. I knew what God was pleased by, but I just refused to do it. I was definitely not walking in the Love of God.
The next morning I was in the Word and kept coming to rebuking messages. I read about Saul's downfall and His being tormented by an evil spirit. I read about the harsh actions of wicked men in the psalms. And I kept coming to more 'negative' verses, some of which were obviously condemning, some of which were not.
After a little while, I realized that there was a hole in my spiritual armor. Thankfully, there is no condemnation for us, as we belong to Jesus (Romans 8:1). But if we are not abiding like He'd want, we are vulnerable to condemning thoughts or signs. It is satan, the accuser of the brethren, who places these mindsets in. And the only reliable way to overcome him is to be cleansed by God (see Zechariah Chapter 3).
So, by Grace I realized something had went wrong. I realized--the Lord laid it on my heart-- that I needed to repent for my sins, namely anger and disobedience, the day before. I thought I'd already done this, but He revealed to me it wasn't quite heartfelt. I didn't fully tell Him, "sorry". Nor did I commit to future change.
At that point, I repented. I humbled myself and apologized. And just like that, I knew I was forgiven! Our Lord is so quick to do that. I felt Him tangibly take that burden of my shoulders. My vision opened up, and I felt remade as new. With great faith--it comes from a great God--I opened up my Bible to another place and began reading what I saw first (for more on reading the Word, click here).
"...that He may lift you up in due time" 1 Peter 5:6
And that's exactly what He does. If you humble yourself, He will lift you up. If you repent, He will forgive. These are His promises! And when you repent, you enter freely into the Kingdom. Just like that, the power of our Lord and His angels is at hand. Just like that, we know what it means to have a yoke that is easy, and a burden that is light. We can be sure that He has forgiven us. We can be sure He has claimed us as His own and silenced the accuser. We can see and take great joy in the reality that He has turned our darkness into light (Psalms 18:28). His life becomes our light. Glory to God!
The next morning I was in the Word and kept coming to rebuking messages. I read about Saul's downfall and His being tormented by an evil spirit. I read about the harsh actions of wicked men in the psalms. And I kept coming to more 'negative' verses, some of which were obviously condemning, some of which were not.
After a little while, I realized that there was a hole in my spiritual armor. Thankfully, there is no condemnation for us, as we belong to Jesus (Romans 8:1). But if we are not abiding like He'd want, we are vulnerable to condemning thoughts or signs. It is satan, the accuser of the brethren, who places these mindsets in. And the only reliable way to overcome him is to be cleansed by God (see Zechariah Chapter 3).
So, by Grace I realized something had went wrong. I realized--the Lord laid it on my heart-- that I needed to repent for my sins, namely anger and disobedience, the day before. I thought I'd already done this, but He revealed to me it wasn't quite heartfelt. I didn't fully tell Him, "sorry". Nor did I commit to future change.
At that point, I repented. I humbled myself and apologized. And just like that, I knew I was forgiven! Our Lord is so quick to do that. I felt Him tangibly take that burden of my shoulders. My vision opened up, and I felt remade as new. With great faith--it comes from a great God--I opened up my Bible to another place and began reading what I saw first (for more on reading the Word, click here).
"...that He may lift you up in due time" 1 Peter 5:6
And that's exactly what He does. If you humble yourself, He will lift you up. If you repent, He will forgive. These are His promises! And when you repent, you enter freely into the Kingdom. Just like that, the power of our Lord and His angels is at hand. Just like that, we know what it means to have a yoke that is easy, and a burden that is light. We can be sure that He has forgiven us. We can be sure He has claimed us as His own and silenced the accuser. We can see and take great joy in the reality that He has turned our darkness into light (Psalms 18:28). His life becomes our light. Glory to God!
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Revelation on Communion
Today we took communion at Church. Unlike last week, I had my heart prepared. God wants us to take heart in Him. So, Vanessa and I went up and took communion together. While we were walking up to the front, I felt God's Love upon us and was given a vision of the nature of communion.
In this vision, I felt the weight of God's watchful eye over us. I felt Him examining our hearts. I felt His jealousy on behalf of His sacrificed son, and at once I understood the wrath of God that results from taking communion in vain. I was given wisdom on the seriousness of partaking.
But praise God that He gives us forgiveness. What I was most aware of was His Love. I sensed His watching us, and I sensed His searching our hearts, and I sensed the punishment possible if I wasn't justified before Him...but most of all, I felt a covering of His Love.
Once in the vision I saw the covering as a type of space enveloping us. Inside this cloud of His Love, we were clean and blameless, while outside of His presence there was only emptiness, condemnation and jealous anger. We had been covered by the blood. We had been atoned for already. There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1); instead, we can overcome by the blood of the lamb (Revelation 12:11). Hallelujah!
God really showed me the importance of communion. He wants us to take it in remembrance, but our hands must be clean, and our hearts need to be pure. Otherwise we are just inviting judgement. But if we confess our sin, He is so faithful to pardon!
Then we need awareness of forgiveness. He calls us first; we love, only because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). He calls us and offers us forgiveness for all our sins, and healing for all our problems. The only acceptable thing to do is accept it...but to accept forgiveness, we need to repent first. He is waiting for us to repent! We don't need to wait to be forgiven. Once again, it is awareness of His forgiveness that motivates our repentance. It is communion that motivates our heart change and allows us to remember Him.
In this vision, I felt the weight of God's watchful eye over us. I felt Him examining our hearts. I felt His jealousy on behalf of His sacrificed son, and at once I understood the wrath of God that results from taking communion in vain. I was given wisdom on the seriousness of partaking.
But praise God that He gives us forgiveness. What I was most aware of was His Love. I sensed His watching us, and I sensed His searching our hearts, and I sensed the punishment possible if I wasn't justified before Him...but most of all, I felt a covering of His Love.
Once in the vision I saw the covering as a type of space enveloping us. Inside this cloud of His Love, we were clean and blameless, while outside of His presence there was only emptiness, condemnation and jealous anger. We had been covered by the blood. We had been atoned for already. There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1); instead, we can overcome by the blood of the lamb (Revelation 12:11). Hallelujah!
God really showed me the importance of communion. He wants us to take it in remembrance, but our hands must be clean, and our hearts need to be pure. Otherwise we are just inviting judgement. But if we confess our sin, He is so faithful to pardon!
Then we need awareness of forgiveness. He calls us first; we love, only because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). He calls us and offers us forgiveness for all our sins, and healing for all our problems. The only acceptable thing to do is accept it...but to accept forgiveness, we need to repent first. He is waiting for us to repent! We don't need to wait to be forgiven. Once again, it is awareness of His forgiveness that motivates our repentance. It is communion that motivates our heart change and allows us to remember Him.
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Victory through Repentance
This morning, I surrendered some things to God. Honestly I was long overdue in doing this. So, I surrendered to God and repented for the things I had been clinging to. "Pet sins" are very dangerous. Fleeing from sin is the best response to it. We need God's help to do this.
"Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing! Come out from it and be pure, you who carry the articles of the LORD's house." Isaiah 52:11
God spoke to my heart that I was forgiven and restored to Him. I had come out of my sin, and then He made me pure. It is His grace that does this.
I was instructed to "bear fruit in keeping with repentance" (Matthew 3:8). Repentance to me means turning away from one thing and changing mindsets. It means looking down on sins that separate from God, and looking forward to His new opportunities.
God gives us grace so that we can return to Him. As long as we want to and repent of our past sin, we can return. After returning, obedience is especially important. It is a yielding to His Spirit that allows us to bear fruit "in keeping with", or worthy of, repentance. If we are not bearing good fruit, we probably aren't fully repentant.
Once forgiven, I felt an influx of God's love. It feels so good to be accepted and redeemed! It feels to good to partake of the heavenly gift. It feels so good to be judged righteous.
The Lord God gave me a vision of a person standing victorious. This person had a large diamond planted behind them, but only the top quarter was showing. So the only part of the diamond exposed to the outer world was a small triangle. They were victorious through their belonging to God, which demonstrated itself in true change. Victory was found in bearing fruit!
Diamond Representation: Represents our portion in Christ, our spiritual origin. God polishes us as diamonds in the rough, glorifying and reflecting Himself through His good works in us. There are so may unseen treasures stored up for a child of God. "All creation" has been groaning "for the revealing of the sons of God" (Romans 8:19-22). The Holy Spirit wants to reveal Jesus in all of us.
"Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn". Isaiah 51:1
Small Triangle Representation: This was the top of the diamond, the "tip of the iceberg". Seen things are only a small portion of the glory of God's Spirit living in us all! And there's a price to pay for more of God to unveil itself through in us. So, this small triangle is the fruit of the Spirit, that "fruit worthy of repentance", that other people see. Remember that a triangle represents change. Change follows repentance, if we belong to God.
Put together the pieces of this vision, and you'll see a clear message unveiled. True Victory comes from true change, which comes from true repentance, which is made possible by our inheritance and belonging to God. Glory to God!
"Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing! Come out from it and be pure, you who carry the articles of the LORD's house." Isaiah 52:11
God spoke to my heart that I was forgiven and restored to Him. I had come out of my sin, and then He made me pure. It is His grace that does this.
I was instructed to "bear fruit in keeping with repentance" (Matthew 3:8). Repentance to me means turning away from one thing and changing mindsets. It means looking down on sins that separate from God, and looking forward to His new opportunities.
God gives us grace so that we can return to Him. As long as we want to and repent of our past sin, we can return. After returning, obedience is especially important. It is a yielding to His Spirit that allows us to bear fruit "in keeping with", or worthy of, repentance. If we are not bearing good fruit, we probably aren't fully repentant.
Once forgiven, I felt an influx of God's love. It feels so good to be accepted and redeemed! It feels to good to partake of the heavenly gift. It feels so good to be judged righteous.
The Lord God gave me a vision of a person standing victorious. This person had a large diamond planted behind them, but only the top quarter was showing. So the only part of the diamond exposed to the outer world was a small triangle. They were victorious through their belonging to God, which demonstrated itself in true change. Victory was found in bearing fruit!
Diamond Representation: Represents our portion in Christ, our spiritual origin. God polishes us as diamonds in the rough, glorifying and reflecting Himself through His good works in us. There are so may unseen treasures stored up for a child of God. "All creation" has been groaning "for the revealing of the sons of God" (Romans 8:19-22). The Holy Spirit wants to reveal Jesus in all of us.
"Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn". Isaiah 51:1
Small Triangle Representation: This was the top of the diamond, the "tip of the iceberg". Seen things are only a small portion of the glory of God's Spirit living in us all! And there's a price to pay for more of God to unveil itself through in us. So, this small triangle is the fruit of the Spirit, that "fruit worthy of repentance", that other people see. Remember that a triangle represents change. Change follows repentance, if we belong to God.
Put together the pieces of this vision, and you'll see a clear message unveiled. True Victory comes from true change, which comes from true repentance, which is made possible by our inheritance and belonging to God. Glory to God!
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Food and Idolatry
Many times in street ministry we see people who have all sorts of back or joint problems that are apparently caused by being overweight. God heals them just like anyone else. From a natural perspective, these people put their ailments upon themselves by eating too much. But who can say that they deserved to be healed? Besides, we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against unseen forces in the spiritual realm. These people who spend years harming their bodies through eating too much receive the promises of God just like any other believer can, and in Jesus' name all their pain is taken away. What grace! I often wonder where these people went wrong. I believe they fell prey to the evil nature of today's food system. But more on that later. First, let's look at what the Word says about affliction and sin.
"Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities were afflicted". Psalm 107:17
I believe that affliction is often punishment for sin. It is a way for God to turn us away from lawlessness. Sickness can be God's will, if it brings us closer to Him.
"It is good for me that I was afflicted; that I might learn your statutes". Psalm 119:71
But praise God that there is a way out! Repent and be delivered! In "returning and rest" we will be saved. We will be delivered into the care of Him who "bore all our diseases".
Back to today's food system. I believe many, many believers overlook the destruction that the enemy has done in this area. We have chemicals of all kinds being put into our food and water, and we have processed foods available everywhere we look. These 'foods' are manufactured to be so tasty that they are impossible to put down. We have produce that is genetically modified, and we have semi toxic products being sold as health food. Satan is the father of lies and deception, and I believe that he has made it nearly impossible for us as Christians to "touch no unclean thing". Is it sin to eat pop tarts, drink HFCS-filled soda, or feed your children genetically modified apples? Surely God, in His mercy, is punishing Christians for their terrible eating habits, right?
I don't think so. Based on the Word of God, and also my experience in ministering to people with weight-induced problems, I do not think that being overweight is a sin in itself. In my opinion, a lifestyle of bad eating habits is not inherently sinful. The flesh profits nothing, whether we feast or fast.
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God". I Cor. 10:31
That being said, I still believe that weight-induced diseases (joint damage, diabetes, heart problems, often sleep apnea, etc.) are afflictions usually brought on by sin. What is the sin? Often one of two things--idolatry or fear. Let's look at idolatry first.
Food Idolatry as Sin
God is a jealous God, but He also honors free will. Often He turns people over to their selfish desires. Many believers, often strong ones, have not put away their selfish desires, and as a result are constantly being punished by reaping the results of food idolatry. How many people live in chronic pain, how many live dependent on insulin or sleep medication, how many even die prematurely, because they are serving this food addiction alongside The Lord? Praise God that He is more gracious than I am. We need to delight in His law and His boundaries so that we do not "perish in our affliction". I feel like this is a major overlooked problem within the church . The Lord, by His Spirit, gives us a supernatural source of "power, love, and self-control"! How many are not yielding to it. These people reap what they've been sowing. Don't forget, though, that God continues to heal people from the results of such actions. He is not mocked, but what a wonderful thing Jesus did for us!
"The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace". Romans 8:6
Instead, God gives us His Spirit...if we do not ignore His leadings, we can act with the same self-discipline that Jesus had. Don't forget that Jesus fasted for forty days. Don't forget that his food was to do the will of His father. Also remember that Satan tempted Jesus in the desert, by telling Him to make bread to eat out of the rocks. How many Christians today just need to learn how to say "no" and resist the temptation of food? I'll say it again, I believe that food idolatry is a widespread, marginalized problem within the Church. The enemy is still tempting God's children with the false satisfaction of unnecessary food, and at this point in time (in modernized countries, at least), he has nearly endless resources at his disposal. How many churches serve coffee and donuts, or host giant potlucks, when they could be out on the street doing ministry, or still worshipping The Lord in the sanctuary?
Note that I'm not perfect myself. I like food more than most. Jesus is always willing to heal. He is willing to forgive, too. Just the mention of His name is enough to eliminate pain caused by bearing excess weight. His name is enough to cure diabetes. His name is enough to eliminate cancer caused by a lifetime of eating artificially colored and flavored foods. His name can and does "destroy the works of the devil".
What I want to do by writing this is not to pronounce judgement. Mercy triumphs judgement...or else these healings would not occur! I am not fit to judge others anyways. But I encourage believers to seek The Lord about the presence of food idolatry in their lives and the lives of others. Let's exhort eachother into God's truth! The problem is not wheat, it is not sugar. The problem isn't GMOs. It's not even red #40 or aspartame . The problem is idolatry.
More on this in the next post. There is another false attitude towards food that I really want to address. Many Christians go the opposite way, and in trying to eat healthy take their eyes off of the divine health offered in our savior Lord Jesus. Please remember that these posts are not condemnation. Many of the things God's shown me have been taught through my own failures. I am guilty without forgiveness and repentance just like any other. But we must be desperate to stay blameless in God's eyes!
"Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities were afflicted". Psalm 107:17
I believe that affliction is often punishment for sin. It is a way for God to turn us away from lawlessness. Sickness can be God's will, if it brings us closer to Him.
"It is good for me that I was afflicted; that I might learn your statutes". Psalm 119:71
But praise God that there is a way out! Repent and be delivered! In "returning and rest" we will be saved. We will be delivered into the care of Him who "bore all our diseases".
Back to today's food system. I believe many, many believers overlook the destruction that the enemy has done in this area. We have chemicals of all kinds being put into our food and water, and we have processed foods available everywhere we look. These 'foods' are manufactured to be so tasty that they are impossible to put down. We have produce that is genetically modified, and we have semi toxic products being sold as health food. Satan is the father of lies and deception, and I believe that he has made it nearly impossible for us as Christians to "touch no unclean thing". Is it sin to eat pop tarts, drink HFCS-filled soda, or feed your children genetically modified apples? Surely God, in His mercy, is punishing Christians for their terrible eating habits, right?
I don't think so. Based on the Word of God, and also my experience in ministering to people with weight-induced problems, I do not think that being overweight is a sin in itself. In my opinion, a lifestyle of bad eating habits is not inherently sinful. The flesh profits nothing, whether we feast or fast.
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God". I Cor. 10:31
That being said, I still believe that weight-induced diseases (joint damage, diabetes, heart problems, often sleep apnea, etc.) are afflictions usually brought on by sin. What is the sin? Often one of two things--idolatry or fear. Let's look at idolatry first.
Food Idolatry as Sin
God is a jealous God, but He also honors free will. Often He turns people over to their selfish desires. Many believers, often strong ones, have not put away their selfish desires, and as a result are constantly being punished by reaping the results of food idolatry. How many people live in chronic pain, how many live dependent on insulin or sleep medication, how many even die prematurely, because they are serving this food addiction alongside The Lord? Praise God that He is more gracious than I am. We need to delight in His law and His boundaries so that we do not "perish in our affliction". I feel like this is a major overlooked problem within the church . The Lord, by His Spirit, gives us a supernatural source of "power, love, and self-control"! How many are not yielding to it. These people reap what they've been sowing. Don't forget, though, that God continues to heal people from the results of such actions. He is not mocked, but what a wonderful thing Jesus did for us!
"The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace". Romans 8:6
Instead, God gives us His Spirit...if we do not ignore His leadings, we can act with the same self-discipline that Jesus had. Don't forget that Jesus fasted for forty days. Don't forget that his food was to do the will of His father. Also remember that Satan tempted Jesus in the desert, by telling Him to make bread to eat out of the rocks. How many Christians today just need to learn how to say "no" and resist the temptation of food? I'll say it again, I believe that food idolatry is a widespread, marginalized problem within the Church. The enemy is still tempting God's children with the false satisfaction of unnecessary food, and at this point in time (in modernized countries, at least), he has nearly endless resources at his disposal. How many churches serve coffee and donuts, or host giant potlucks, when they could be out on the street doing ministry, or still worshipping The Lord in the sanctuary?
Note that I'm not perfect myself. I like food more than most. Jesus is always willing to heal. He is willing to forgive, too. Just the mention of His name is enough to eliminate pain caused by bearing excess weight. His name is enough to cure diabetes. His name is enough to eliminate cancer caused by a lifetime of eating artificially colored and flavored foods. His name can and does "destroy the works of the devil".
What I want to do by writing this is not to pronounce judgement. Mercy triumphs judgement...or else these healings would not occur! I am not fit to judge others anyways. But I encourage believers to seek The Lord about the presence of food idolatry in their lives and the lives of others. Let's exhort eachother into God's truth! The problem is not wheat, it is not sugar. The problem isn't GMOs. It's not even red #40 or aspartame . The problem is idolatry.
More on this in the next post. There is another false attitude towards food that I really want to address. Many Christians go the opposite way, and in trying to eat healthy take their eyes off of the divine health offered in our savior Lord Jesus. Please remember that these posts are not condemnation. Many of the things God's shown me have been taught through my own failures. I am guilty without forgiveness and repentance just like any other. But we must be desperate to stay blameless in God's eyes!
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