May I submit to you, beloved of the Lord, a hard letter but full of the love of the Lord……The absence of His love would be for the warnings and heads up of Christ not to be there for us…… While there is time still, we can ask Him to redeem our time here this day.

 

This fifth love letter from the Lord was then for the Sardis church and is now for the current day church….. For He is alive, beloved.  His Word, the Lord Jesus Christ is active. For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the division of the soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, ( Hebrews 4:12). 

So then , beloved, we can stand and know what was and is to come has always been and is and will always be…. Then let us perk up our ears and turn off if any distractions that display the error of  our hearts desire and make our desire in His grace- Him….. Let us hear the Spirit speak and seek for the understanding and wisdom that will produce 30-60 or 100 fold fruit unto the Lord. For we do not want to be found as some were found  in the Sardis church with spotted clothes by the Lord, right? We want our fruit to be of His; full of resurrected power  and full of the Lord’s glory.

Remember, we are always producing fruit—– unto the Lord or unto death- the world.  In chapter 11 of  John, Lazarus is being raised from the dead by the Lord. Martha reminded the Lord, as if He knew not of this subject……- Lord , Lazarus has been dead for four days, and his flesh stinketh!!!     Hmmm….. That is why Jesus came to us and died for us because our lives were  dead and our works were “stinketh” up to heaven. So Lazarus was a type of us, the Lord friends, that were to be raised in Him when He rose from the dead.

Roman 6:4 states: Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in the newness of life.

Verse 13 of Romans 6, And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

Then as verse 19- 23,  I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves  of uncleanness, and of lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things are death. But now having been set free from sin,  and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

As we begin to dig into the Sardis church’s letter- let us pray to have perky ears to the Spirit of the Lord. Ears that make our heart pliable in His hands, the hands of the Potter…………Thank You, Lord, for Your Spirit of Grace.

John 15:1-8 and 16: I AM the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.  

( I have to stop right there and ask—— How do we abide?    – He answers this question coming up-).

I Am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in Him, bears much fruit; for without Me  you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them in to the fire, and they are burned.

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

As we study as in meditating or eating/ abiding in His Word, His Word abides in us. The more the Word is apart of us the active Word is quickened by the Spirit of God……… We are alive unto Him and dead unto unrighteousness. Praise Him……

WE MUST PARTAKE OF THE WORD OF GOD SO HIS WORD IS IN US AND WE IN HIM……… He is the vine we are the branches…….His Spirit is the Sap that produces the Fruit…….whether it is the fruit of His Spirit or the signs that testify of His goodness……… We must read His Word…….

 

As it is written in Hebrews 7 and  Psalm 95, Therefore, as the Holy Spirit, says: Today, if you will hear the His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness, where your fathers tested Me, and tried Me, and saw My works forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, and said, They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways, so I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest.

Revelation chapter 3:1-6: And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.

Remember, therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore, if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.

He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. 

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches………

I wrote out the letter because there are so many factors and important points that we should put our minds on…….and allow our hearts to understand.

This letter is from the One that has the Seven Spirits of God and it is also written by the Seven Spirits of God ………. We are told by God by the prophet Zechariah in chapter 4——Not by might, nor by power but by My Spirit says the Lord……. The Spirit of grace has taken His abode within the children of God, the ones who call on the name of the Lord Jesus……. We are His and His Spirit is within us. We are no longer naked but clothed in the Spirit of God, His righteousness and holiness.    There is no store on this earth that can clothe us in such riches as did our gracious God and Father…….and the Son!

I heard a saying from a preacher on the radio recently. I had to think about it for it had to do with the last days: the dividing of the tares and wheat……. He said that those who profess will fall away versus those who possess………I am still pondering that statement but may it be accurate?  God knows our hearts and whose house we are….If He is home in us by His Spirit…… as it is written in Colossians- Christ in us is our only hope of glory.

Jesus is speaking to His disciples in His final teaching before His betrayal and death in John 14. The Lord is now setting up the new paradigm shift that will be taking place and preparing the guys to believe……. John 14:10-14, Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.

Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. 

Most assuredly,  I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do because I go to My Father.

And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

Revelation 14:13, Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them……..

Then we can conclude before we believed, we are dead….. according to God, our Creator, we are dead…. from our sin nature, we are dead……. So if we accept the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross for our sin…… we then die in Him and then we live……..by His Spirit and from now on…. we live by His Spirit’s direction by and in the Word of God……..  So our works are following us?  The work by His Spirit through us as His vessels.

So as we walk gingerly through this letter to gleam all the Lord is speaking to us today….. We must first remember how we had ears to hear and believe in the Lord……. By His Spirit of Grace…… We heard and believed….. by the gift of faith given to us by the Father by the Spirit of Grace……..

We received the Gift of Jesus Christ to us as our Salvation by the Spirit of Grace pouring forth faith in to our hearts…….

We then started to walk out our new life in Christ by faith being led by the Spirit of Grace who then came to dwell in us….. by faith…

 

Did we do any works here but believe when we started the Great Adventure with the Uncreated One?  No, just as our next breath is in the hand of our God…… All things come from Him and all things will return to Him….. Christ will be all and in all……… as written in Colossians.  Look it up.  As He has stated He is the Author and the Finisher of our faith in Hebrews…….. So…… can we look at our heart and life and say yes, I am alive……. I do nothing unless the Father or our Lord has told us?  Are we sufficient unto our selves or is our sufficiency of Christ? This great life with and in and by the Spirit is always progressive as we gain higher ground with a perspective from heaven.

The word perfect according to the Lord’s eyes refers to maturity……. or complete ……..In the book of James, second chapter states with out works faith is dead….. The Spirit was not saying there were no works but the works were not perfect or mature…before God. So then what are the works—–the works of the flesh?  The works of the flesh are ambition, envy, slander. Well, any work that destroys others to make ourselves be greater….. This is not His way, beloved…..

If we are driven to  do works of the flesh, I pray, we stop….. and wait before the Lord…. for we are short sided to the love of God for us.  His love is so grand to live in and by….. His love takes us out of the mire clay and sets us high on a rock. His loves changes us from nothing in to His beautiful bride. His loves elevates us from the dirt and seats us with princes.  His love takes us in our weak and fearful state and forms us as His warriors.  His love is neverending and will never fail you and me…… There is no greater pursuit on the face of this earth than to behold the love that God has for each one of us……….

There were many who had spotted their garments with the works of the world- the flesh…… The Spirit spoke that those whose garments were white, He would walk with…….. Is it not written in Romans 8:1, There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

Romans 8 further explains in verses 5-17, For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you. He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Sprit who dwells in you.

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors— not to the flesh, to love according to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba, Father.

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs— heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

So we have received the Spirit of adoption. The Holy Spirit in whom we now walk with and breath in. We get our instructions for the day and the night….. Our lives are not our own any longer….. Actually, in truth, they were never our own….. for all things will return to the Lord and He will receive an account of all our works……But we get to fellowship with the Holy Spirit everyday- every minute…… I am still after many years in awe of the love of God given to us by the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus Christ is among us……. Only our God could be so good!!!

So if we walk( abide) with and in the Spirit of God who shows us all things to come as well as remind us of the Words of God, we will remain white – clothed with His garment, His Spirit of righteousness.

What could defile our garments?  What could make our name to be blotted out from the Book of Life?

Works of the flesh- plain and simple…… We can be steadfast in the Spirit of God by praying and studying the Word….. Giving the Lord Jesus Christ first place in our lives will strengthen our hearing and quickly saying yes to the direction and leading of the Holy Spirit.

There is a definite sound of- pay attention here- from the Lord, do you also hear it?    We are not to take lightly the Gift of the Father, the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  If we hold something precious, we value it and take great care to keep it safe……. May we have the understanding and wisdom of God to do the same with the Gift of His Spirit within us…….

The Spirit of God is the Witness of God on this earth as well as the blood and the water as written in the Book of 1 John.   We have His Spirit within….. What a privilege we have been given.  May we heed the voice of warning not to turn back and defile our garments—— We must remember we are the temple of the Living God…… We must not tread on that privilege.

As our Teacher said—– where our treasure is, there will be our heart also….. God is not blind and there is no darkness, He sees all…….

I will stop on this letter this time….. It is important for us to spend time with the Spirit to allow Him to give witness to us on our garments and the shape we are in as His temple- individually as well as His corporate body- in this nation and as one body through the world.

May we have ears to hear and a heart to quickly obey….. Let us be found pleasing our God today…. Let us be  the army of the Lord, following Him being called, chosen and faithful, clothed in white.

This is the Day to Hear and Obey…… I have heard the term once saved always saved…… I have to put that statement before the Lord. The blotting out a name from the Book of Life is a very different truth written.  Let us not be deceived by living a lie in a greasy grace street………If we are dead to sin, then we are alive in Him unto all righteousness……. The ways of the world are a death trap and we have been given the Spirit of Grace to escape every snare that tempts us and reign in life victorious…… Is it easy? No… but is our Treasure and our Inheritance worth the hardships here……Absolutely. We live by the eternal weight of glory to come, beloved….. Hold on to our Treasure and our Garment in our God.

Matthew 7:13-14, Enter by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Children, the hour is late.

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 

Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for an hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?

Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for a new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless.

Selah!

So if we are living in the timeline of mankind, day six of creation…..then I submit to you, that the next letter to the church of Philadelphia would be the plan for mankind by our God complete in the fruition that is His satisfaction……….Are we there or what?  By God’ grace, beloved, by God’s grace…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s move on to the third and fourth love letters from our Lord by His Spirit from the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Are you hungry?  Let’s feast on the His Word, the Lord Jesus Christ and may the Holy Spirit illuminate the way for each one of us to the Truth.

What if we set a table for a great dinner or banquet – maybe resembling a huge Thanksgiving feast….. We worked and prepared and sacrificed for this banquet. We prepared the food for all to eat and enjoy the mighty feast.  The Food was not from a bakery…. The Food was sometimes hard to chew and swallow, but we prepared it for nourishment not for a fair or party….. Some of it was like medicine…. Good for all to partake.   However, when the time was for the dinner to be laid out – no one came….. The ones who said they would come, never showed up to eat the meal. What would you do?  What would I do?

I remember when I fed my daughter baby food of peas or carrots as I spooned it into her, the same amount came right back out….. How frustrated I was because I knew how she needed these nutrients—– so I had to mix applesauce or pudding with it to get it into her…….. Are we like that with the Lord’s Word, though we are adults…… or are we spiritual children just wanting the sweet? The  games?  The distractions…….and no discipline……Do we realize the oil in the lamps of the virgins in Matthew 25 illustrates to us the need of the Holy Spirit’s discipline in the purification of our souls unto the image of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Do we want His mountain, Zion, or not? His Spirit illuminates the Word of God within us, but we first have to put Him, the Word, in us to be in our minds and hearts.

When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you. But the wind will carry them all away, a breath will take them.  But he who puts His trust in Me shall possess the land and shall inherit  My holy mountain.

And one shall say, heap it up! Heap it up! Prepare the way, take the stumbling block out of the way of My people. For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit  of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones, ( Isaiah 57 13-16, and  58:9-14).

Then He also said to him who invited Him, when you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, maimed, the lame , the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.

Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God! 

Then He said to him, A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, Come, for all things are now ready. But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, I have bought a piece of ground and I must go and see it. I ask  you to have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused. Still another said, I married a wife, and therefore cannot come.

So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, Go out quickly in to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor, and the maimed and the lame and the blind.

And the servant said, Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room. Then the master said to the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper, ( Luke 14:12-24.)

Wisdom has built her house, she has hewn out her seven pillars; she has slaughtered her meat, she has mixed her wine, she has also furnished her table, she has sent out her maidens, she cries out from the highest places of the city, whoever is simple, let him turn in here! He who lacks understanding, she says to him, Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. Forsake foolishness and live, and go in the way of understanding,          ( Proverbs 9:1-6).

I AM the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I AM the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world, ( John 6:48-51).

Then Jesus said to them, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats of My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him,            ( John 6:53-56).

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over,     ( Psalm 23:5).

 

The third letter to the church of Pergamos’ snare is regarding the pursuit of gain of the world’s riches or a name of fame or position. This pursuit rises above the first commandment of the Lord; to the love the Lord with all we are, we have and do, ( my paraphrase).  A desire of position in life where we are lifted up and exalted and thought highly.  However it is written, For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted, ( Luke 14:11).  Then there is always what our Lord spoke in Luke 6: 24-26, But woe to you who are rich for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full, for you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

Hmmmm……..

Balaam was a prophet during the Old Testament who stated he had his eyes opened to see the Holy One and His plan for His people…… Even with the knowledge of the Holy One, his heart betrayed the Lord as shown here in the letter to Pergamos. He led the Lord’s people astray from the Lord…..turning their hearts to worship idols and be unfaithful to the Lord’s ways.

And He said to them, You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God, ( Luke 16:15)

It is wise the Lord be lifted up and we remain His. Thinking of ourselves as  small in our sight. Beloved, we are loved and we are His and we are in need of Him- We live with an answer daily of who do we say HE IS- I AM that I AM- as written in Exodus…… We are important to Him, but in our selves we are not any more important than our neighbor…However, our God is  large and in charge of all affecting our lives. He is all we need anyway and in all things He has the preeminence.!!!!!  We are all important to the Lord. His death on the cross proves it…… We are not any different than any other man or woman on this earth…… We are brothers and sisters in the Lord, making up His family……. Is not that enough, beloved?

For we are the  circumcision who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, ( Philippians 3:3).

As written in Hebrews 4:12- 13, For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account. 

The word of God sifts us just as the wind blows the chaff away and leaves the wheat…… We are never safe from His burning gaze revealing the truth about us….. But, do we want to be left from His gaze? I do not….. I rather He shine His Light in me today then to be left alone for all eternity……When He shines His light within us, it shines through out the surrounding area also.

As written in 2 Corinthians 2:14-17, For we are to God who leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, as so many peddling the Word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

The Lord intercedes for us to turn from the snares and deceptions of the current culture and depraved  society woos and intimidations……. He is there with us and strengthening us so we remain faithful to desiring the True Food of God….. If we have to be ruthless to keep our eyes and ears open to hear and see the Lord’s hand, then so be it…… May be no T.V……. maybe no sports and shopping……. Maybe some fasting and starting a 10 to 15 minute time to pray for others and then another 10-to 15 minutes to study and learn what God has chosen for us to hear today and every day.  May be we need to be ruthless with ourselves, just as if we did not swim in any given  water to shore or a boat, we may drown……. We must be persistent to stay in the realm of the Ancient One….. Or we may be swept away, for the current is strong….. Do not be deceived, if we sow to the Spirit, we will reap the life everlasting,….. but if we sow our time to flesh and carnal living, we will reap death- everlasting……

We have been given  eyes that are open if we believe in the Lord and have His Spirit within……. We then have the victory over fear of men and wanting to be accepted by the crowd, neighbors, co-workers or be the Witness of the Lord that He has called us to be….. We live before the Audience of One. We will be different and other than others…… for so is He.   We aren’t here for ourselves, we have died with Him and live by Him and for Him now…… We serve Him in and by His resurrected Life.

Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure, ( 1 John 3:2-3)

We can choose to live for others and our vision will slowly close to the realm of the Ancient One. Is men’s opinion worth the cost of losing our spiritual sight and living in place He has called us  in Him?  Not one of the people we are choosing to please and impress  will be with us on the day we meet the One with eyes of Fire and holds the Double Edge Sword……… As He spoke then and to us today……. Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes,  I say to you, fear him,             ( Luke 12:5).

Heavenly Father, give us more grace to see the end from the Beginning and Your eternal purpose for us so we may not fall for the vain and empty . Please also give us the grace to receive Your increase of Grace. May we resemble the virgins who kept the lamps lit with the oil in Matthew 25.  So- not if but when You return or we go to You, we are found ready and prepared for You.  Strengthen us to have the vision of the plan of the enemy to trip us up with pride of life. We need to see and acknowledge our need for You and remain small and You increase, us decrease.

It appears often through the letters of the New Testament instruction to keep our heads up regarding  deception that appears through the men and women who point the ears of the beloved to a different drum. However their sound is  other than the sound of our Lord’s heart and the cross. A discernment of the Spirit within us will sense a false tin sound versus the rich peaceful word from the Spirit of God. But, a test of their words versus, the true Word of God is given to us in the Book of 1 John 2:15-17, Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life- is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

As we pray the Paul prayed from Philippians 1:9, And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment.

We know we have overcome these snares of enticing the growth of pride versus the growth of humility when we know how important and loved we are by God.  When we walk with Him in His Spirit through the garden of our soul, we know His tenderness as well as His power of love.  He tells us all things to come as well as strengthens us to turn away from the snare and keep gazing on the One whose gaze never leaves us. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.  For this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars, ( 2Chronicles 16:9).

The second part of the above scripture was given to a king of Judah in the Old Testament who went to rely on another country to help him in an attack that was coming against the country instead of going in prayer and seeking the Lord’s help……..Mot assuredly,  in our need we are the closest to the Lord….. When we are all comfy and settled in our littles live, we forget the Lord and others needs…….  So in our fatness, let us be lean in our flesh and fat in our spirit- living richly from the Spirit of God in eternal lasting gifts. May our leaves of our branches be rich in dropping the dew of healing of others and the nations.

As Elijah cried out to the people of God– who will you serve God or Baal?   After God burnt a watered down sacrifice by sending fire from heaven……. All people saw the power of God and bent down to worship Him……… Sometimes, I wonder if any saw that now, would we bend down in worship or say it was a set  up and doubt like in the past generations…….? WHO WILL WE SERVE? Let us not grieve the Holy Spirit, beloved……We have witnessed the love of God by the power of the Spirit who resides on the inside of us……..The Spirit testifies of us being His Sons and daughters of God….. How could we despise such grace when we know how far we were from our God before we believed. Yet, He called and gave us the grace to answer, yes…..

So now we testify the Lord Jesus Christ- the offering of our Lord was accepted because He sent again Fire from heaven in the Spirit of God to overtake all who call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have been empowered to overcome a corrupt and evil world valiantly……. if we believe and obey.  Are you hungry for the new manna?

 

Now we enter into the letter to Thyatira……. Here as we read His letter the eyes of the fire of God burn within……. Sifting our hearts again…… There are two tables set before us daily…… the table of the Lord……. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the WORD OF GOD….. and Jezebel’s table, the world’s tasty delights…… Which one do we choose this day….. and tomorrow and the next……. which table, beloved, are we partaking from? Choose this day, life or death.

When the Lord walks through the gathering of the church today- let’s say it was on a big ocean line cruiser………No, it was not Ninevah Cruise Line. This ship is full of  the called out ones, His own…… Lots of people on the deck of the ship watching the water looking for the waves and kibitzing with each other. Well, sightseeing, being entertained, waiting……. There were no bibles being read, all just watching, like a school recess on a playground….looking everywhere ….. The deck was packed with all people.

Then let’s say, the Lord comes up to you or me and tap’s us on the shoulder and says let me show you this…… We swallow hard…. after all, it is the Lord. Of course, we follow and we silently start to wonder what is this about? What did I do wrong now?  ….. Then He points into a huge dining room. This room was dark, but within it was a lavish dining table and chairs… The table sat maybe thirty to forty…… The table was being used to rest men’s feet as they leaned back on their chairs to watch a big screen T.V.

Then He taps you again on the shoulder and says there is more…… You walk on wondering what this meant…….

The next room He points towards, you look in and see another dining room, very beautiful with a dark mahogany table and chairs….. This table was beautiful, it reminds us of the past days when we all gathered at the table for dinner in a family……… But it was empty with no lights on.

The Lord is walking fast and we have to quickly keep pace with His stride…..His stride is very large…… but He is patient….. Then He points and shows us another dining room with a dim light on but again empty of people….. This table was something we had never seen before. It was exquisite.  It was red roses hand painted on a white glazed china table and chairs….. We had to walk in to look closer and inspect such beauty…… This table had endured stress as there were cracks and fine lines. It had suffered through some sort of hardship, yet the beauty was enhanced because of it……..The table was empty and sad lamp shone the emptiness of the room.

He said in His patient but pay attention tone to us, Come with Me, there is more to show you.    We follow the Lord to His banqueting tables in each room for different parts of His family and yet there was no one in partaking of His meal……HIMSELF!

How much time do we spend with the Lord in His Word, which is eternal life and in prayer……. Or are we outside the purpose of His partaking thinking we are on the inside?

Do we profess love because we want not to go to hell, but do not want to fellowship with the King because we are deceived in the goodies of this world are worth the cost of eternal life and knowing our Savior? Are we shy on eating our veggies, carrying our cross?

In a recent study, less than 10% of Christians read the Word of God daily.    Are we then Christians in name  only?  Inside of us is where the Word of God is found….. by Him. Our heart holds our treasure….. Is He there?

You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, and did not withhold Your manna from their mouth, and gave them water for their thirst,                     ( Nehemiah 9:20).

Everybody is serving something in this day we live………Our God has been telling us since the beginning of man to forsake foolishness and live….. If we have walked many days on this earth, we know what has been the best before is no better than yesterday’s dog food…… If we are wise, we will follow the Ancient of Days Words like it is our only nourishment for survival and then we grow faith to faith to overcoming victory……. Our rewards are great in the Kingdom of God; there is hidden manna available to those who overcome…… What no man can steal or fire burn or wave wash away…… the gates of hell cannot prevail over revelation of our God.

Revelation from and regarding our Lord is forever ours……..He is our Treasure…… As we are faithful with our Treasure, we then are taught the manifold wisdom of God revealed to the principalities and powers of the earth by us……. Us, beloved, who would have thunk????? Thank God – He did and this is His plan. His children who make Him our One Thing are used to reveal the manifest wisdom of God to the current age, the powers and principalities in the spirit realm and that which is to come.

Let us not be found by our Lord with our feet on the table of His sacrifice watching T.V. or  worse yet, MIA……

Let us not follow Balaam steps following the ways and thoughts of the world and neglecting the needful thing and leading others astray with thinking that is contrary to the Lord. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God, ( Romans 8 :7).……So beloved,  setting our gaze on our King and things above, let us be found faithful unto Him, because we love Him.

Let us not fall in foolishness believing that we are partaking of the Lord and His cross when we are eating off the sacrifice of idols of the spirit of Jezabel’s making…….

Let us not be found on the deck of the ship of Him, never entering into the abiding principle that He states when He has declared to all- I AM the bread of life…..We need Him for our spiritual nourishment which then strengthens our soul to keep in Him- This my beloved, is eternal life to know our God.

Selah!

God willing, we will pick the remaining letters as the Lord dictates!  Let us turn and receive His gentle leading and whispers of instruction while we can!

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes, well most times, when my parents wanted to get my attention, they quietly called me…… My ears  resembled our beagle’s ears that we both had ears to hear but had no discernment to turn and listen….. Then their call got louder and as my beagle and I would continue doing what we wanted……. Then I would hear a loud hollering of my name…….. Did I turn? It depends, most of the time, I knew what it was about…….If I was wise, which I was very challenged in that area, I would have turned….. The same goes for our beagle, who ended up getting hit by a car because he did not come to answer the call.  The Lord’s call is not to condemn us but that in our state without Him, we would turn to Him and take His life that He is offering us….. but we must turn and say- Yes……. Sir……. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him, ( John 3:36).   I am grateful, His grace got my ears to turn to Him and then follow Him………. and I did not end up like my buddy, our dog.

God is the Word of God……….He is always talking.  We think He is far from us, but in reality, He is close to us….. wooing us to turn. Once we turn by His Spirit of grace—  we then have an ear and heart fashioned over by Him to obey….. We give Him our heart and He gladly gives us a new heart in our turning to His Son….. We can turn when He gently calls us or we can wait until the thunder and lightning crash around us to get our attention to turn to Him and away from our foolish ways…… He is watching and listening. Not to bring a hammer, but to bring us into His fold of Love of His Son. There is a hammer coming at the end of time, but He has made a way to escape, if we believe in Jesus Christ and then live a life showing His righteousness ……. Let us turn to Him now while He is offering His grace to help us…… He is the Best Father ever!   Let us hear now in the dusk of the days.   All of His creation is always speaking as well as the times we are in.

There was a song a while ago about the days of Elijah and the Days of King David…… Prophet/ Priest and King……. I submit to you everyday is the King’s Day…..And the Holy Spirit is within us so we can also resemble Elijah, preparing all for the return of the Lord. The Lord of Hosts of the  Sabboth  is revealing Himself within His own, His witnesses.   He is calling those who are found called, chosen and faithful  to stand strong in His ranks……. For we do not break ranks…… He is first. He is last. He is our In Between….. Our Lord is the head and we are the body.  He is forever ours and we, if we hold firm to the end, are forever His.

Are we ready?   Do we hear the thunder rolling through our midst…….I pray we have not missed the still small voice…….But as His children we have heaven within His own on this earth.  Heaven is here within His people NOW- in part!  If you are His follower, know the Truth and the Truth will set you free!  Heaven is within you as is the Kingdom of God….. Where the Christ is —- is heaven , isn’t it? Where the Lord is in  our midst, is heaven to us, is it not?  Heaven is a position of being with the Lord. The earth is filled with the glory of the knowledge of the Lord. Us, the earth is filled with the knowledge of the Lord,  —-Christ in us is our only hope of glory- as written in Colossians.

Do you hear His summoning those that have made a covenant by sacrifice?  I also, submit to you, are we not the feast of the marriage of the Lamb?  In 2 Chronicles 29,  there was a feast of sacrifices celebrating the completion of the temple of Solomon…… This is a type of the real of our Lord Jesus Christ and the building of His temple, body, army…… city.  The building is us now, beloved, being fit into a perfect mosaic wall and city…….gates, etc, the city of God.  This confirms the instructions to make our lives a living sacrifice unto God as written in Romans 12:1-2.  Read it…… Are we living as a living feast unto our Lord?

His love letters left to us in the Book of Revelation are filled with wisdom and understanding so we may act according to His will in the times we are living ….. What was and is to be  and has come……. or is it WHO was and is and is to come>?

I also submit to you that we  grow or increase  our knowledge, wisdom and understanding of the King and His ways. Remember how our faith shall always increase as we go faith to faith for the just walk by faith and also we go from glory to glory…… The earth is filled with the glory of the knowledge of the Lord.  Possibly the warnings to the churches in the book of Revelation may also relate to different stages of the “falling away”?  The Lord sifts the earth with the plummet of the cross……. Will we acknowledge our love for Him even if this happens????? Or what about this and that?

I saw one day, a pan that showed big hands sifting out the earth leaving only the gold. ……. He is sifting us so we may shine with the image of our King within….. So we must trust and allow His sifting of our hearts to refine us…….Do not be dismayed when stuff happens, He is right there to assist us and walk us through the fire and water…….. Let us stay full of knowledge of His ways and His great love so even any deception that comes through, we will not fall into the wave and be carried away downstream from the Truth of God, the Word of God. Remember, going against the flow is hard…… It is easier to just not struggle and go with the flow….. To live and walk against the flow of the current is work and will build muscles of our faith and also teach us in ways of His walk on this earth in the midst of the current.  Beloved, we will learn how important and vital is our time with the Lord in communion and prayer.

These letters are very  pertinent to any generation now and in the past generations. There is nothing new or inventive in any generation but His story repeats Himself so all may not perish but all come to repentance.  As written in Ecclesiastes 3:14-15, I know whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing can be taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before Him. That which has already been and what is to be has already been; and God requires an account of what is past…… All scripture is for our admonition if we have an understanding heart……… Thousands of Israelites walked out of Egypt but only two made it into the promised land along with the next generation.  Only eight were saved on the arc of Noah during the flood…… No matter how good Noah’s witness was for over 100 years warning people of the coming flood, beloved, there was only eight that were saved. God means what He says and says what He means…….

We are not an elite generation but we are here now and there will be required an account of how we have lived…… Our actions sow to death or to life – His life eternal or eternal death….. For it is written in Galatians 6:7-8, Do not be deceived God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

Let us look over the some of the champions of faith in Hebrews 11-  We see the suffering and trials and the proving of their faith to what God had spoken…… They overcame the circumstances of the devil snaring them to loose their faith. They kept their eyes on the Lord …… They are victors by His Spirit…….But allow us to think and ponder over Hebrews 11, verses 37 through Hebrews 12:2,  They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute , afflicted, tormented- of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith; did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. 

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

This proving of our faith is the way of God…..We are here to obtain a good testimony and keep our faith- through all the storms and fires and earthquakes, etc.  God will prove His Word through us and over us….. He is faithful……When all is complete in His purpose and He says time is up…… His fullness will be found in His people—– We will be filled with the Word of God- the image of the King of kings and Lord of lords will be revealed as we are His.  So His word should be found in our vocabulary……. Remember we are renewing our mind to His and being transformed into His image.

The snares for this age are written for our understanding and protection to prevent us from falling away. They are written from the Lord through the Spirit of God to us in the 7 love letters written in Revelation…… Beloved, there is nothing new under the sun…… The clothes, styles of hair- the outside may be different but within the heart of man to be proven by faith in God will reveal all truth and deception….. The temptations and snares have been here and will never change…… Each letter had a warning within it where any given heart in man in any given generation may be deceived. The Lord also provided us the grace instructions to step away and escape the snare.  He has made known the mystery which He has called us and placed us in His great plan.  He reveals His will to all. He desires all come to repentance for He does not want any to perish.  This is has been established before the foundation of the world……He wants us to be His….

Now God does not tempt us as written in James, but what the devil means for harm God turns to good….. He uses the action of temptation to prove our faith- allows us to strengthen our muscles of faith. We cry out to the Lord His Word in our triumph of our need.  We have to work the Word of God that we have partaken in the Tree of Life….. The Word of God is our food which will be our strength and source of comfort and victory……. But we have to read the word to get in to us to be there in the time of trial. Just like we have to eat food for our bodies to strengthen us to work and do daily stuff………So let us ask for more grace and understanding so when the floods and fire comes….. We have the Word stored to conquer any temptation to fall away……. Let us test ourselves regarding our strength in the Word of God in our hearts.

The first letter—– Get out your letter from our God to you and study along- Revelation chapter 2….. is written to the Ephesians- losing their first love and the cost of losing the lampstand of His Spirit’s presence among them……  Distraction is the snare that easily besets us here……. Come back to eat and be satisfied in the partaking of the Tree of Life…..Only the work that God does through us by His Spirit will be eternal. All other work of the flesh will be burned by the fire of His gaze….. Let us check our hearts here……. Take a day, a week, a month….. Wait, listen and the Spirit of God is faithful to reveal our hearts and empower us to partake fully of the Tree of Life and leave the dead food alone.

Our love for Him alone shows Him that we desire to please Him.  Our works easily can be proven to be impressing others or for pleasing men.  We please Him by our faith that He is the I AM and nothing is impossible to him who believes…… When Jesus Christ walked the earth, He marveled at people’s unbelief. He praises the ones that have audacious faith….. Let us this day be found with that  audacious faith and walk out on the waters knowing He is with us……. Let us not be dismayed but be found full of courage, bold and strong in Him, His Word.    Remember faith comes by hearing His Word……. if we partake of the Tree of Life, He partakes in us greater measure.

We do not break rank- He is first, He is our last and He is our In Between…… Our first love then and now and will forever be and to the praise and honor to Him be the glory!

 

The second letter is sent to the church of Smyrna- The warning to His beloved of the snare of persecution and affliction coming from the enemy of our souls.  As the Lord spoke in Mark 4, regarding the Sower of the Seed, the Word of God, the Seed planted into the stony ground of our hearts and once persecution arose for the Word’s sake, the hearts fall away….. The enemy hates the Word of God…….getting in the Word and doing our due diligence in allowing the Word to take root in our hearts is the best preventative cure for this pit.  When we know the Word, we know our God and know His love.  If we partake of the Word like it is a dinner out with our King, we will delight in the communion… Then He will receive the fruit He desires, we may give our God His due. His great desire is to be King over His people and our Heavenly Father- desire is His harvest of a son or daughter who loves Him with all their heart, soul and even life.    So this snare of persecution – being hotly pursued —- even unto death….. will prove our endurance in knowing our God and keeping our eye on the prize- our Lord…… our inheritance, Him.  The life of the resurrection power of God will quicken our mortal bodies and hearts and mind to stand firm until the end of our race…… If we trust and know Him….. It is very hard to trust someone when you do not know what they have spoken and how strong their love is for us.  Without the knowledge of the Lord, we will perish as written…… Remember, the knowledge of the Lord is eternal life as written in John 17- check it out.

We court people to know if they are right for the marriage union……. Why? So we get to know if their actions and words match up…. right?  I always say to know God you absolutely love Him… If you do not know Him, you do not love Him…. The more we know our God, the more we want to know more…… It is like eating one peanut or potato chip…It is hard to turn away from the bowl. Once you have tasted the goodness and grace of God, we have to have more …. right? Once we get a glimmer of understanding of the sacrifice of our Lord on the cross because He loved us…… How can we turn away from such a love…..

Back to the letter,  persecution is coming and the Lord is gracious in allowing us to know ahead of time – the plan of the enemy….. He revealed the word of knowledge then and He is faithful to us this day……. In one way, the Lord is so great to us in His love for one of the enemies tools of deception is to blantly speak the Lord is upset with us or has left us because of something….. When we have foreknowledge of what is coming from the enemy, we can blow a lot of his untruths out of our sight and hearing with the truth…… But also see the Word tests us- not tempts us, but tests us……. Joseph was tested until the Word was proven in his life….. God loves to prove His Word in us. Let the Word work its patience in us so we may grow strong in Him and trust.

We are His garden and He loves to watch us sprout up His goodness, His tenacity, His strength and endurance. These godly character traits equals the measure of His faith flowering and blossoming unto Him and from Him through us. This is a pleasant fragrance to Him……. Now, to lose this natural/flesh/carnal life in any spiritual way or in the flesh for His name sake, we always awaken or rise into His newness of resurrected life – in all ways- spiritual and physical…… He shall always increase Himself in us as we allow His Word to grow as an eternal Life plant or tree within our hearts…….  I often wondered what the crown of life is or looks like—- you too?  Personally, the greatest crown of life that could be for me is the fullness of His resurrected life residing on the inside of me- All of Him, none of me- that’s how I want it to be.  And to hear- this one I have loved.

So as Paul said and we agree with him in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, And He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

……. Hence, as written, the power of God is known to be fully His and none  from us for we are broken vessels for His glory to shine and blow through.

We learn here how great and strong  His grace is and how many situations and experiences His grace brings us through…. We are building a good testimony and our faith…. A great workout!     I believe the grace of God is the strength of the Almighty which brings us through five million trillion things in this life…… His love never fails even unto death into life….. He is there and is ever strengthening us for the fight.  There are many of our brothers and sisters in other countries that are living right now this persecution, even unto death……. Beloved, the ones still on this earth, need our prayers daily and those that have laid down their lives are with the Lord…. They are okay, remember their loved ones left in prayer…. We are one body and in one Spirit in the Lord.

Let us be strengthened not to have the fear of men but let growth in the fear of the Lord be established……. Amen and Amen……

Let us take a day, a week or a month for the Spirit of God to shine into and through our hearts in preparation……. May we grow in the fear of the Lord so our audience of One is a strong foundation for the storms are coming!  Who gives a flip what others think… They did not die for me because they loved me…. Only One did that, My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ……. They are not our judge…… There is only one Judge granted from the Almighty to judge all of creation- the Lord Jesus Christ…… Him, I aim to please and obey….. Thank You, Father God, for instilling within our spirit man the fear of the Lord. Selah!

This is enough for us to contemplate for a  while………..till the next time, be blessed and sit with Him and allow His word to do His shining job….. Selah!

He has so much planned, let us give Him our ear today and turn to listen and obey!  God loves us so much……Hear Him and receive His love.

This is enough meals for a week, for me it is!   God willing, we will pick this up time and continue our hunting for His treasures and instructions to keep us on His narrow road leading to life and life abundantly.

We are all held accountable for the Word of God, especially here in the western part of the world……Mark 4:2-9, Then He taught them many things by parables and said to them in His teaching:  Listen!! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.  Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have not much earth, and immediately it sprang up because it had no  depth of earth.  But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it and it yielded no crop.  But other seed fell on good ground and yielded  a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred. And He said to them, He who has ears, to hear, let him hear!

If we are not sure what this parable means- the Lord explains it to those that stuck around Him to understand what He meant…… Look it up in Mark chapter4.  We must condition our ears to hear and see Him and His hand …… Again, we called our dog to come back, not to punish the dog but to save him from the coming car…….. The Lord’s love for us is greater than we have for our loved ones so how much more is His tenacity in knocking on our door of our hearts……. Let us hear and understand the heart of our God, the Lover of our soul….. Amen and Amen!!!!

Selah!!  Oh Yeah—- Please remember this Sunday, 7/2/17 is Call2Fall Sunday…. The day the ones who call after the name of Jesus Christ, fall and repent and pray out for our glad dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ.   If your church is not participating – spend time before the Lord and cry out for our need for Him before we bring out the fireworks celebrating our Independence Day….. For if it weren’t for our God that established this country, we would not be celebrating our July 4th holiday….. Be safe…… and remember the call 2 fall….. this coming Sunday…..Be blessed in Him.

 

 

 

 

If Christ be all and in all as the Father’s objective, then our trials and struggles will lead us into the question from the Lord…. Who do you say I AM?  He will increase Him in us by the experiences we go through—– through His fire and His Water….. We come out shining as the bright morning sun as He is so are we in the world……. He is the Savior and He  through us will show the signs and wonders of the God who loves others and is calling them.

 

Only through the deep and through the heights of our walk in the Spirit will our Jesus Christ become all and in all…… God is ruthless and relentless to accomplish His work through His Spirit in us.

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, Where are you? So he said, I heard Your voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked, and I hid myself. And He said, who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?, ( Genesis 3:7-11)….

But they constrained Him, saying, abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And He went in to stay with them. Now it came to pass as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. And they said to one another, did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?, ( Luke 24:29-32).

There are two ways our eyes are opened by our God still to this day…. If we are partaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or the Tree of Life…….. Our eyes have been opened by the fall of man to live by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil……. We were given the law by Moses which backed up the knowledge of good and evil.

When Adam and Eve saw that they were naked – they tried to cover themselves by themselves…….. God was out of the picture….. They were trying to fix their fall…….. But law given by Moses showed no one but God Himself could right our wrong…….. The law proved all we try and do is as filthy rags and no one is righteous- no one but God and the Son of Man- the Son of God, Jesus Christ……..

As we read on, the first sacrifice was made by God in shedding blood of animals to cover Adam and Eve…… Thus, the beast nature was now man’s covering…… The dawning of the ME FIRST SYNDROME. We lived by knowledge of good and evil and without any knowledge of God…….. I find it interesting in the Book of the prophets, that each book represents God’s heart cry ….. In Jeremiah, God’s biggest heart cry is His people have forsaken Him and have no knowledge of Him.  The tree of knowledge is somewhat like Greek thinking…… full of philosophy and humanism…… Everyone doing what their own heart dictates…….  Everyone judges others by their own hearts. Peoples lack of knowledge of God is proven by the crime and hate of others.  We know that is dangerous since our hearts that are not regenerated are full of deceit……… Bottom line, the beast nature is totally concerned and consumed by themselves and for themselves……Hence, the fullness of selfishness, which equals hate towards anyone who steps on their self.

But eyes are opened to that tree of knowledge until………. We turn and receive the Lord Jesus Christ……. Then again our eyes are opened to know Him….. the One True Living God…….. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the garden of paradise, ( Revelation 2:7).

It is so cool that Jesus Christ took back every step of rebellion of Adam…… Adam sinned in the garden and Jesus Christ submitted Himself to death in obedience in the garden………Even to the point of  sweating drops of blood ….. Every step of rebellion was covered with His love in Jesus Christ for man to turn to God through Him.

Then our eyes are opened to mercy and grace and we are given a chance to pour forth mercy and grace on others because we eat and live from the Tree of Life……and drink from the River of Life…….The old self has been crucified with Christ and the life we now live is by faith in the Son of God who loves us and died for us.    We live in the flesh but our hearts are soaring in the Spirit with our Lord.     The life we live now fulfills the law because we live and abide in the Son of God who fulfilled the law…We live to complete the will of God in our lives. He is our purpose and our cause.     Our eyes are opened now to know Him and love Him with all we got!

Let us make sure our vision is not of the earth but through the Spirit of the Living God…… for we now know no man in the flesh but by the Spirit…….. This is the fruit of the Tree of Life.

 

He has shown us how much He is for us and wanting us to return to Him. His arm is not shortened that He did not answer our prayers……. What needs to be done by us to show we mean business with our God, the Holy One…… Everyone knows 2 Chronicles 7:14, If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

There are a lot of steps in this scripture to obey if we mean business……. God is Almighty and Great and He is deserving of a people who are mighty in their love and adoration of Him for it is written He is worthy of all praise and honor and glory.  If we have the eyes to see and believe in His word and the faith to walk the walk He has called us to…. Then we may with a hardy heart ask with the same ruthlessness what is dark in our lives that needs His holy flashlight to show up and for us to get rid of. by the power of the Spirit…… A list of abominations to His face are written in Proverbs 6…. There are seven of them plus any immorality and dishonesty in our lives which needs to be reckoned with……. All our strongholds that form the idol called self…… They need to be ruthlessly eridacated from our lives with a vengeance…….

We show our Lord we mean business when we eradicate any western culture that keeps His hand from blessing us and this nation for the judgment starts first with the church…… The responsibility starts with us beloved. The government will not fix the essential problem here. Soooo……  Now after we burn our flesh on the altar of the everseeing eyes of the fire of God…. We then in silence and patience quicken our heart in seeking His face……. In waiting, He teaches us mighty and wonderful secrets if we wait and  learn to hear in silence…….. Then the healing starts…… We are in need of His Spirit…..but not cleaning out the closet of our heart and our attic of all strongholds will stop any flow of faith like a dam stops the flow of the river……. The Spirit needs an open arena of hearts to flow through- full of faith and eyes that see the goodness of God and not the circumstance.  This generation is full of saying their circumstances are not the promises of God…….. Jesus Christ is in our circumstance…… He is in all things  and is in our midst….. Our perception may be askew…….. David saw Goliath as too big to miss because He knew His God and did a great exploit.

It is time to mature into the sons and daughters of God who have eyes to see and ears to hear Him and Him alone!  Who drink daily and eat from the abiding Word of God, who have fastened their hearts in His hand and His faithfulness, HIS LOVE> The sons and daughters who say O God, we have come to do Your will……Here we are…….not full of rebellion but full of the Living Spirit of God……… We eat and partake of the Tree of Life and live from the resurrection power of Life of God.  We are about our Father’s business and carry our brothers and sisters in our hearts by our prayers. Our hands are full of the life and healing power of God ready to obey…….. Are we ready?

 

He asks us this day……Where are we going?  What are we doing? What are we knowing? How are we living daily? What are we living for? Who are we desiring? Where are we growing? Where are we eating? Who are we walking with?   And after we answer these questions, He asks us….. why?

Eyes to see come from each tree…..One leads to death and one leads to everlasting life and love……..Which do we eat from?   Do we live by what we see on this earth or do we live by what we see in the Living Word and in the Spirit which is eternal? Whose words do we live and walk by?

Let us not quench and limit the Holy One………..We need His Precious Spirit of Grace to quicken this generation today!   Let us sit and wait and seek His face after we have taken a shower in His grace from cleaning out our hearts and minds making room for His Spirit….. Christ in us is our hope of glory this day! Let us hear to His trumpet call…… Prepare ye the way of the Lord!   Today, we hear and obey what the Spirit says…… Today, we say -yes Lord…..

Selah!

There is so much to learn in Christ as we follow  the leading of His Spirit ——-We can stay in the flesh with Him, but He gave us His Spirit to live in and by Him. If He is our Treasure, then we much rather live in and by the Spirit of God and not give any credence to our flesh, (carnal thinking). We can put off what we value as not important in what we are to have and be in Him today by and for the I AM or live in His purpose. Remember He is I AM NOW- Ever present, ever alive….. and so are we in Him! We can settle down on the mindset- I will go to heaven when I die because I believe in Jesus Christ…….  But there is so much more in God’s intention for us this day – Jesus Christ came to raise us up in Him this day. It is a day in and day out type of life—– we must abide in Him and this is to know His Word, to know God is eternal life as written in John 17……… Let His word build His House within us, beloved.  Let us not settle to enter into the ark of the Covenant by the Door. Let us go in and explore His reality with our hearts open and our minds flexible to receive the understanding of the Holy One.   This is our call and inheritance. Come on, let us be humble and get down…… But we must leave what we think is important to grasp the truth of all dimensions found in our King.

Let us explore the vast unknown to us in our Great God.  This is the choice to walk onto the road of the cross….  We must give up what ever piece of morsel- usually it is the mindset- if we let go, we will be less- but the truth is just the opposite of that carnal thinking. The Spirit  of God is instructing us so we may expand our horizons of our heart and mind to allow room for the King of our heart.  If the Lord stayed on the earth without walking in obedience to the cross, we would never  have the opportunity to enter in to Heaven, His presence this day- Today, if we hear what the Spirit is saying…… Kingdom of God is within us, beloved, closer than our breath, is the I AM. As He said it was far better that He went the way of the cross.  He was in the flesh and now He is in our spirit man by His Spirit.   Our sorrow missing Him would be only like a night for in the morning would be our fullness of joy.   So He didn’t lie, right….?  His passing through death to Resurrected Life is hard to meditate on but the promised result is  He is alive and forever more….. and beloved, so are we, if we hold fast and persevere.  We must allow as Paul spoke- allow God to reveal His Son in me as he mentioned in Galatians.

We move down and up again and again- laying down to be filled up into greater measure in Him…..until the fullness of God. We  gain the understanding of why He went to the cross and crucified His flesh, the Veil that was torn so we may enter in.   However, the deeper we go into the Ark of the Testimony of Christ, the more  acute is the way of the cross  on our carnal nature or flesh. We know it  is the only way to ascend to next glory in Him and proceed in greater measure and authority in His inner court.   There we learn the secrets of a heart that forever has yearned for His creation, His Sons and daughters.  The cross is never forgotten in our way to know His love…..Never, the cross and what our Christ did for us is center of this whole universe……. When the living creature told John to behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah who prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seals in the Book of Revelation 5:4…… The next verse in Revelation 5:6, And I looked and behold, in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

The King of glory was not shown but the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world. The only way to know the Lord in greater measure is by the cross….. I have been crucified………Now it is a done deal…… but the realization of the cross in each of our lives is by glory to glory…… If it were all at once…… I may be wrong, but I do think it would be to great for us to handle….. Our inner man, the Home of the Spirit of God, has to strengthen us so we may continually ascend into the fullness of God’s plan for His children.

Have you not wondered how the Lord was able to handle starting at the garden on that Thursday night —– through all the grueling questioning, the beatings, the suffering He went through plus carrying the cross up hill plus the nails, then to hang on it for a long time……. How did He do it…….?  His Spirit Man was in the fullness of God……. He did not see the now, but the later.  His Spirit Man was so full of God, that He could handle it without His flesh kicking in to save Him- by His word or His own strength…… He was so full of God in His Spirit that His flesh was so controlled by His Spirit that He became our Victor for all eternity.  Now we are to learn how to be strengthened in His Fullness of His Spirit with in us so we may be found as He is.

How wonderful to be considered the children of God. In the Spirit of God’s working out of our ways( in the  carnal nature) which has died with Him and allowing the increase of His conforming us into the image of the Son…… This is the place where we are handed the scepter of the King.  There is no greater way to life and life abundant than to lie down for the love of their Creator. When we die, we live and live eternal. We are then raised up in large places into the embrace of our God in the view of the eyes that pierce every soul.

Let our Holy One pierce our souls now and know His eternal love this day than put this Great One off and suffer His absence  for all eternity.

I remember years ago when I first read Galatians 2:20, I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live but Christ lives within me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me……..   What does this mean Lord?  I wrote it down and read it every chance I got —— I then was taken into the journey of the morn with our Lord showing me His life in greater measure to get in me…… I let go, I let Him. I was not sure what was this all about and why….. I  had not gone this way before, but I knew the love that burned in my heart from the eyes of the Man who loved me and I trusted Him more than any other…..because He was other than any other I had met. Then He  allowed His life to grow in me……….So as we all continue on this journey of the morn with our King and Shepherd, we do ascend to glory to glory as He is increases greater measure within us to be revealed in the sons and daughters of God as He appears, we should be just like Him…. Right?  That is the truth as it is written in the letter of 1 John….. Go check it out!

We must let go of what we think and believe is the end all….. because if we do not, we will find ourselves in our end and that will be all…… How boring when we can have all we can explore in Him, a life growing from glory to glory…….Yet, so many of us settle for what we see in the natural as our goal or our end all goal…… There is a conflict in God with that mind set….. for His intention is the Lord Jesus Christ will be all and in all…..as written in Colossians……  So let our Great Heavenly Father have His way in us…….. Just dive in to His neverending kindness and mercy and let’s die!  Let’s die so we may live the ever growing flowing Life Eternal that is found in Jesus Christ.

I remember as a kid, I would want to dive from the highest diving board. I wanted to experience the flight down into the cool pretty blue water.    I finally ascended all those steps up the ladder to the high board…… Then I gulped and looked down……. oh oh!I hesitated and looked back….. Couldn’t go back there was another anxious one ready to plunge into the depths of the pool……. Okay, I ran and jumped up to go down way deep into the pool.   Wow!  Was it worth it, absolutely!  Did I do it again? Of course!

Well, so similar in a way is our walk in the Spirit of God and apprehending Him as He has apprehended us…… We let go and plunge in only to find the cool refreshing water of His love pouring forth…… Oh yes, it is hard on the flesh and our nature to let go and grab Him…… Is it worth it?  Yes, absolutely.  Will I go and jump off and let go of all reasoning and naysayers? Absolutely……. He is worth all of my effort to apprehend Him……Is there suffering involved……. Yes, of course…… The way I look at it….. There will be suffering in this natural life either following His Spirit off the high dive or not…… One way brings joy of His love and increases Him in us and the other is in vain…… for what is the gain to suffer and not be in Him and He in us and increasing the grace to conquer and become a victor in Him…… To me, it is a no brainer.

What we see is what we desire……Do we want to have eyes to see the King in all His beauty?   Hey, I see His beauty in you and you and you…….. Yes, He is with in His children………….By His Spirit conforming us to the Son of God’s image……He who has the Son of God has life eternal as written in the Gospel of John…… Life eternal, beloved, there is no a Greater One or a  greater life to behold and seek after.

Let our eyes seek after the prize of the high calling of God………….We behold what we do not see- so when all we do see is vanished, what we have longed for in our hearts will shine forth as glorious as the sun at noon day……. Keep watching and waiting!

That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead…( Philippians 3:10-11).

 

Remember the question the Lord God Almighty asked Adam and Eve in Genesis after they ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil?   The Lord asked, who told you that you were naked?  Did you eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil?  ( Found in Genesis 3). There are two trees to live from…… which one are we eating this day?   Tree of the knowledge of good and evil or the Tree of Life?

Ho ! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread and your wages for what is does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance.

Incline your ear, and come to Me.  Hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you- the sure mercies of David. Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people, a leader and commander for the people. Surely you shall call a nation you do not know, and nations who do not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and the Holy One of Israel; for He has glorified you.

Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake His way, and the unrighteous man His thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.

For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

For you shall go out with joy, and be  led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that will not be cut off, ( Isaiah 55).

 

Do you hear His whisper calling your name?  Come all !   His smile is as wide as His arms that spread out on the cross through eternity representing our sins are gone as far as the east is to the west……… Come and live in Him…… A vast wide country with far distances….. His endless grace.   Come and let us see His greatness which He has prepared before time was for us…. Come….. I bow before you to come and enjoy the Lord Jesus Christ.  You will never be disappointed……. Always amazed and never surprised! You are never forgotten by Him. He is watching and waiting for you to turn and meet His unending gaze…… He loves you with a neverending love…… Please come and see and know His great love for you.  Answer His call and leave it all behind….. for He has to come to you and now return to Him while it is called Day.

Do we really want to reject His grace for the alternative that is before all of mankind ?  Let us eat from the Tree of Life and pursue the Lord in the time called grace that has been presented to us….. Let us not reject the One who is worthy of all praise and honor!  The alternative was not meant for men to dwell- only the rebellious of the angels but men has joined the rebellion…… He has made a way to enter into Him.  He is the Only WAY….. Do we dare reject it and not pay the price?

 

Selah!