New Equipment For This Harvest

One night a few months ago as I was praying while trying to get to sleep, I began to see old rusty and broken down farm equipment headed into a field.  Off to the side I saw a massive field of grain.  I heard the Lord say, "You need new and updated equipment to bring in this harvest.  Yesterday's anointing and methods cannot be relied on.  You need fresh revelation, a fresh anointing and strategy of the Lord to bring in the coming harvest.  It won't be like the past, but in some ways it will seem similar to the untrained.  You must submit to the training of the Lord to be ready for this harvest. Today is the day of preparation.  It cannot be church as usual.  I am coming in power and glory, a glory that has not been seen before, in a measure that hasn't been experienced before.  Much of what is being called glory is not My glory.  It is a demonstration of anointing and power, but not glory."

I believe this is a word for the body of Christ to press in to receive the necessary training and equipping from the Lord to bring in the harvest 

To be honest I tried to leave out the last couple of sentences, but felt like I needed to put them in.  So I put it out there for you to judge.  

Isaiah 43:19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. 

Amos 9;13 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed;

Nothing Can Separate From God's Love

Romans 8:38-39  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Nothing can separate us from God's love, not even sin.  Sin will bring a separation in the relationship, but doesn't change God's love.  God is and always will be love.

God always loved Israel, even when they were in sin.  Judgment had to come upon them, not because of lack of love, but because of love.  God's judgment on sin and love are not opposed to one another.  Just like when a parent disciplines a child it is because he/she loves the child.

I believe our perceptions concerning this get distorted when we get disciplined or punished out of anger or frustration. Or when we receive inappropriate discipline because of the mood of the parent. God never has a bad day.  So we never have to walk around "on egg shells" hoping not to upset Him.
The following two commonly known scriptures from Jeremiah are found in the midst of God telling Israel of the coming judgment upon them for their sin. Within these we see God's continued love and care for them in spite of their disobedience and the need for judgment/discipline.

Jeremiah 29:11-14  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive. 

Jeremiah 31: 3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

In the following verses Jeremiah is remembering that God is indeed a loving and merciful God, even as he grieves over the condition of Israel/Jerusalem as a result of the judgment.

Lamentations 3:21-24 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22 It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

Unmingled With Evil

Romans 16:19 ...but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.

In the Greek, the word "simple" in the above scripture means innocent or unmixed.  It could also mean not mingled.  When I became aware of these possible meanings for this word, it caused me to think a little differently about this scripture.

In our culture it can be difficult to be unmixed with what is evil.  It can be difficult to not get the things of this world mingled into our everyday lives.  The ways of the evil one are all around us, especially in the media, which we are bombarded with.  Because of what is before us on a regular basis it is often difficult to be innocent, unmixed or unmingled concerning evil.  Sometimes this stuff gets on us without us even being aware of it.

I asked God how do we keep this from happening to us.

1) Avoid the media and situations that can defile as much as possible.

2) Be filled with and attentive to the Holy Spirit.  As a result, when your soul is being assaulted with evil you will be very aware of it.  You will be vexed even as Lot was over the lawless deeds he saw and heard (2 Peter 2:7-8 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) )

3) Cleansing daily.  Daily come before God and ask the Holy Spirit to cleanse you of all the defilement of the day.  Just like in Jesus day they washed their feet because the dust of the road they were traveling on got on their feet.  We need to regularly have the dust/defilement of the day washed off of our souls.

Let The Children Come

Mark 10:13-15 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

Jesus still desires for the children to come unto Him and He desires to see them trained up in the ways of God.  The children need to be led into a relationship with God, taught to hear the voice of God, and to minster in the gifts.

In Tommy Welchel's book about the Azusa Street Revival he shares stories that were related to him by people who were there as part of that revival as children and teenagers.  God used the children and teenagers to minister as part of what He was doing at that time.  I praise God that the adults at Azusa Street did not push the children aside as the disciples tried to in Jesus' day. ("They Told Me Their Stories" by Tommy Welchel)

I believe in the coming outpouring/harvest God desires to mightily use children/teens/young people once again.

Recently I was in a service at a church where the children were encouraged to prophesy and pray.  It was great to see children, as young as 5 years old, prophesy, read or quote scripture God had inspired them to share, and to pray for people.  This all happened as part of an evening service in which the . adults doing the same.  It was wonderful to see this in action.

I believe God is saying, "Watch what I will do.  Allow the children to come unto me and see what I will do in and through them."

Quite a few years ago I heard someone say that other religions, especially the Muslims, train their children, while the Christian church in this country entertains their children.  God is desirous of seeing the children trained up in the homes and within the churches to be vessels through which He can manifest His glory.

There is a wonderful book titled "Visions Beyond the Veil", by H.A, Baker, missionary to China. (the grandfather of Roland Baker of Iris Ministries in Mozambique) The book is about the heavenly experiences that children in a Chinese orphanage had and how God ministered through them as a result.

God is no respecter of age. May we all become more childlike in our relationship with our God.  May we all do our part in allowing the children to come to Him and making room for them to be trained and grow in the things of God.

Toward or Away

The coming shaking will either push/press people toward or away from God. There will be those that run into the arms of Jesus and develop a closer relationship with Him. There will be those who turn from Him and some that even shake their fist at God and rage against Him.  Any trying situation can make us bitter or better.  The same heat melts butter and hardens clay.  Trying situations show what type of material we are made of and the bent of our heart.

My prayer is that whatever happens that I will run into the arms of my God.  May I ever burn hot in zeal for the Lord.  May my love for Him never grow cold.

Matthew 24:12-13 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 

Romans 12:11  Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 

Revelation 3:15-16 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 

Under the Canopy of the Lord

Some of this is going to be a repeat of a previous post.  But I really feel like I should share it again.

Last summer I had a vision in which I saw a small group of people standing under a white canopy.  The wind was blowing very hard. Even though the wind was blowing quite hard the edge of the canopy was barely fluttering.  It was not going anywhere.  I heard the Lord say, "The winds of change are blowing and everything that can be shaken will be shaken. But we have a kingdom that cannot be shaken."  We have the kingdom of God within us. Every place where Christ rules is His kingdom.  His kingdom cannot be shaken and will stand forever.

Hebrew 12:25-29 ESV See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire. 

I then saw that the people were standing on a rock and the canopy was anchored into the rock.  This caused me to think of Matthew 7:24-25 Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 

The canopy of the Lord and the Rock are not going anywhere.  We need to find and stay in that place on the Rock and under the canopy of the Lord, in that secret place of the Most High.  We must abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91 is the place we must live.  The wind is beginning to blow and things are beginning to shake  and there is much more coming.  Now is the time to be prepared.  Now is the time to find that abiding place and stand there in faith.  And when the things swirl and shake around us we need to keep our focus on the Lord.  

Psalm 91:1-2 ESV He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. 2  I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” 

A New Decree

In the same way that Mordecai refused to bow to the evil Haman, the righteous remnant will stand and not bow to the evil forces at work in the land.  And like Mordecai the righteous remnant will "mourn in sack cloth and ashes" as a result of the evil decree meant to bring destruction to God's people.  Like Mordecai, this people will challenge Esther to arise and petition the king. The result will be those who have perpetrated this evil will be hung upon the same gallows they have built for Mordecai.  And a new decree will be released that enables the people of God to stand and defend themselves against the intended evil.  The result will be great victory for the people of God and His Kingdom.  (In this case I believe Mordecai and Esther can be the same people.)

Since reading of the ruling by the Supreme Court I have felt a great grief and tears rising from deep within for the past couple of days.  Yesterday, while in prayer I began to write what is recorded above.

The spiritual battle we are in just ramped up to a new level.  In this fight we must remember that our fight is not against flesh and blood but against the evil forces at work behind the people functioning in the earth realm. So I do not believe it is prudent to attack the individuals involved in the ruling or those who are rejoicing over it. Our fight is against the evil forces that have deceived these people and have captured them and taken them into bondage.  Yes, some of the fight will manifest in the earth realm, but the real war is won in the spirit realm.  We must petition our King and receive a new decree by which we can stand in victory in the days ahead.

Mourning for the sin of the nation is in order, true repentance and not a pointing of the finger.   Repentance like that of Daniel and Nehemiah (Daniel 9:3-22; Nehemiah 1:4-11) who identified themselves with the sin of their people, as if they had committed the sin themselves.  They were connected to the people who had committed those sins.  So in prayer they repented as if they had been the perpetrators.  They stood in identificational repentance.

2 Chronicles 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

The Puzzle of My Life

There are many places God has taken me and many ways God has led me.  They are like puzzle pieces in my hand.  As I look at them I may not know how they all fit together. Sometimes I try to make them fit together, but it just doesn't quite look or feel right.  As I press on in God, I have even more puzzle pieces.  But I am not to be dismayed or perplexed trying to figure it all out.  It is part of the faith walk.  In due time God will give me the box for the puzzle pieces with the picture on it.  He will show me the picture of how the pieces fit together and I will be amazed at the masterpiece my life has become.  God had the finished picture in His mind from the very beginning.  I just need to trust that He really does know what He is doing and continue on in faith, even though I may not see how the pieces fit together.

Psalm 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Jeremiah 29:11  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 

Acts 17:26 (NIV) From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 

The Roar of the Lion

God is raising up a governmental people in this day who will stand up and roar with the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.  He is preparing a people who can stand in the face of opposition and persecution and roar as the Lion of Judah.  They will stand in the authority of Christ against the darkness with no agenda of their own, only the agenda of the Lord Jesus Christ.


Joel 3:16-17 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. 17 So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more. 

ROCKING CHAIRS

A few nights ago I had a vision of a circle of rocking chairs.  They were filled with people busily rocking back and forth and conversing with one another. A new person even came in and pulled up their rocking chair and joined in the fun.

I asked God, "Why am I seeing this? What does this mean?".....The response I heard was, "a lot of activity but going nowhere."  I felt that God was saying much of the church is very busy but not moving forward with God into what He has for us individually or corporately.

Oh  Lord, may we be done with the busyness and get on with Your business. May we stay in step with You moving forward with You day by day, step by step, not lagging behind, not running ahead.  May we not just be content to stay where we are because it is comfortable.  May we not fail to go on because we are afraid of the battles ahead, like the children of Israel who failed to go into the Promised Land because the giants looked too big.  May we not get distracted with the things of this world and fail to move on with  You.