What a year it has been. 2020 - This has been a year like no other. The time has been pre-assigned for the Bride, Like a ring on the finger for which she has suffered. Severed – Almost Beheaded The Bride of Christ has heard the alarm and responded. The Body of Christ is resurrected. The wedding dress has been put on. Patiently Waiting. The oil is burning. What a year it will be. 2021 – The Year of Flint. The Bride will endure hardship and great suffering. Resolute and Unyielding. She will stand firm, faithfully focused and free. With eyes like Stephen, firmly set on Jesus Persecution will be an opportunity To send forth the message of Good News. De-centralized destroyed. The fist of one man at the pulpit will unfold, and become the five-fold ministry hand as was planned. We will hear the snapping of sharp edges together as faces like flint strike against each other, to create sparks for the Chief Cornerstone.
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Do you hear my voice, coming on the wind?
Have you told my children to pay attention? Do you have any idea what I am about to do? Do you doubt that I can uproot, any kingdom that I choose? Do you believe in my sovereignty? Do you think my message had changed? Do you think I’ve stopped calling my bride to return to me? Do you not hear me still calling, “Faith, do you hear me?” Do you believe I’m pivoting to bring about your wealth and prosperity, when all along, I’ve been sounding the alarm for you to repent and come home? Do you think the demons have retreated just because they have been identified? Do you believe their infiltration has subsided just because they are in hiding, quietly plotting and planning for the coming desolation to mankind? Do not be stupid! The persecution has just begun. Get ready to see my stem standing up. The spirit of Stephen is on the rise! Do you not hear my voice coming on the wind? Can you not see my army covering the land? Do you not know that I am sovereign, and I can send a lying spirit into anyone I want? Who are you to stand on a castle of sand claiming victory across the land? You have turned bad into good, and twisted my word to say what you want. You pretend to know me, but you certainly do not. Remember what I did in 2020. I shifted, lifted, straightened and sifted. I pressed, pruned, tore and rejected. I woke, roared, warned and exposed the filth and corruption across the entire globe. I sent light into the night and exposed thousands upon thousands of cockroaches. And when I tried to catch them, they slithered and slid out of my hands because there was no stickiness in their bones. As you enter 2021, know this - If the church speaks peace and prosperity to the gods of Babylon then know that I have put a lying spirit inside their mouths. My message has not changed, even if you don’t feel my fist coming down. Being spiritually numb does not change the arm of the Lord. Ahab too was alive and well, while Jezebel casted her spells on humans who worshipped Baal. They were my people - who had become spiritually deaf and dumb and blinded like the walking dead! Despite how many times my prophet went to Ahab, the evil king who ruled at the time, he would not listen to what Elijah said. Again and again, Ahab was bent on evil, because he got in bed with that seducing spirit, that prophetess Jezebel. He refused to listen to Elijah’s warnings and he sincerely believed that Elijah just did not like him. Today we see, a twisted version of the same thing - in so many ways coming from all four directions! The people of every nation and every tongue have bowed down to the gods of Babylon. Principalities have taken possession of people’s passions for the flesh. Power and Dominion has seized control, and people have been indoctrinated not question the standing system. And all the while you tolerate the Jezebel spirit and have become spiritually lukewarm. You prefer to live in a dream filled with peace and prosperity rather than knowing, exposing or living by the truth. The Lord says, Do you think I have changed my mind? Nothing has changed! Warnings come and warnings go yet you continue to stay on the merry-go-round. You are like the drunkards like Ephraim, and have laid out all kinds of garments, but have not rendered your hearts. I have pulled weeds, at the root, and have disclosed unbiblical fruit. I have divided the sheep from the goats, and I replaced many wine skins. Confusion and clarity was assigned for this season of rest and repentance, some ran away and some received it. 2021 will be the Year of Flint! Great trials and tribulations are coming to Christians, not just in America but across the globe. My remnant will continue to be wrung out, for one drop of My blood covers a multitude of sin. 2021 will feel like
time is standing still... Authentic Faith will settle in as acts of adultery continue on. It will look like not much is going on - but God is raising His children, and strengthening His Bride. In the home of the heart of the believer, the Spirit is teaching reverent obedience, and loving His Bride with unwavering faith. His tender roots will be watered with love, and thick oaks will come from them. Mature believers will rise from the earth as dry bones are given new life. Hands and feet will begin to twitch as the Head and the Body of Christ begin to line up; The Holy Spirit regulates and coordinates the Body's activities, and spiritual muscles begin to flex. Ministry movements will explode as the Body of Christ begins to move. The typical “One Man Talent Show” will be replaced by the Spirit of Truth through the Five Fold Ministry. With Jesus as the Chief Cornerstone, the Temple of God is being rebuilt. Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers are re-building the walls "to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." Ephesians 4:11-14 The Church will become decentralized, as true discipleship continues on. The Bible contains everything the church needs to know to grow, thrive and fulfill the mission assigned to us. Holy Spirit reveals every Word as we draw in closer to Him. Be prepared. The glory of God is coming soon as Holy Spirit rebuilds His temple. Watch and see what God can do with men and women who have obedient hearts. Life is found in the tongue, and nothing will be able to tear His Word down. The Sword of the Spirit needs to extend from the mouth of every professing Christian; the Word of God must be read, heard and spoken. Testimonies of Christ will be heard through every race, nation and tongue. “Christ is Lord, He’s My King” will be the praise of God’s children. "Maranatha, Lord Come" is the greeting that we must share. Loud and clear for all to hear, this will be the cry of the believer. America has always been known as the defender of the faith, and this year will be proof of that - we will see the Body of Christ rising up to defend Christianity. God’s people will face Jerusalem as they pray for His Kingdom to come. All eyes will be on Israel to see what God is doing. The branches will seek the Son, waiting patiently for the coming dawn to break. But know this, there will be tremendous growth branching in two different directions. One for Jesus and one for Satan. And this will happen for two reasons: While God is growing His Kingdom, by caring for the people who love Him, "He will abandon unbelievers to the lusts of their flesh. When a person exchanges the truth of God for a lie, and worships and serves the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever." Romans 1:24-27 God will chase after everyone, but there will come a time when He, in His divine wisdom, will say, "enough is enough." This is a sobering truth that I wish everyone could understand. It is true. Everyone is either drawing closer to God, or drifting further away into darkness - into the abyss of sin, which really just means - Void of God. Unfortunately, these people thrive on the philosophy of humanism, where humans are at the center of the universe, instead of God. Before the age to come, Christians will be persecuted, all across the globe, and there will be growing martyrdom. Those written into the Book of Life will set their eyes on Christ, without hesitation or waver. We will see an increase in Holy Spirit wisdom and revelation, among the brethren. Much will be shared, and much will be discussed to grow His Kingdom. During this season, faith will be cemented. Followers of Christ will not shrink back from their mission, despite suffering, opposition and humiliation. Faces will be set like flint, with the transition into 2021. This characteristic of Christ will be embedded into the heart of many mature believers. Tough, firm, dense and unyielding will not always look like "human love." These believers will be watchmen and warriors, ready to endure impossible tasks, if done in the power of man alone. They will rely fully on the Holy Spirit to tell them what to do and when to move. Believers - Set Your Face Like Flint! The Spirit of Stephen is coming back. Have you ever judged
a book by its cover, later to realize that you were wrong? Yesterday I heard my Pastor say, “Be careful not to make a long-lasting impression from one reflection of an exchange.” The statement was so profound it stuck to me like a glove. I sat dumbfounded, for just a moment, and thought, “I have to write a poem about that.” Some words are worthier than others - to remember; and his words were more than enough to make me think again. How many times do we judge another person by what they post on social media? Could it be that we have been branded by the social dilemma? Has Twitter and Facebook decided that psychological warfare is the best kind of treasury? We now have a platform where all of our opinions and beliefs can be exposed openly. And what we post is often a twisted version of "me" - a small shadow of self that displays what I want you to see. And when we are face-to-face, what happens when I wake up on the wrong side of the bed? Perhaps what could have gone right, may go wrong - what happens then? Will you still be my friend? And what about the man who has a grumpy old soul, but longs for connection more than he will ever show? How will we respond when he makes an obnoxious remark? Will we hold grudge, or not? And what about the child who is angry and dying inside because she not felt love? How will we treat her? Will we be another person to throw a rock at her soul? You know, we are all just people. Filled with all kinds of thoughts and emotion. We all have bad days, sometimes; while others feel it every day. Everyone has vulnerability factors. Things that trigger us to be emotionally dys-regulated, bitter and upset. Chronic pain, lack of sleep, Arthritis and food allergies - all can lead to not feeling our best. Death and grief, high sensitivities, depression and anxiety can definitely effect the way we handle stress. Personal biases based on life experiences can cause us to hunker in. We do a great job at holding tight to our personal opinions. I am learning that that every interaction is not always about "us." In fact, we must pay attention to what is going on with "them." People are born into different families. People have different personalities. People have their own life experiences. And people identify with different ethnicities, races and languages. People see the world through different lenses. There are so many different colors, and so many different kinds of glasses. And people express themselves in so many different ways; some in writing and some face-to-face; some creative and some logical; some in pictures, some through songs; some through glances, and some through tones. People belong to different political parties for different reasons. Some are pro-choice and some are pro-life. Some fight to save the second amendment. Some approach poverty from a top-down perspective, where the government steps in for the the good of the collective. Some see color as a matter of skin, while others emphasize reverse discrimination. Some pay attention to foreign affairs, and some prefer to focus on the homeland. I ask you this, which is right, and which is wrong? We should learn to pay attention to the reasons of others, rather than projecting our own opinion. The thing is - I know I evangelize by sharing the Gospel of Christ; the truth in love. And yet, I know I must do better at not passing judgement because the Lord says we all have sinned. We all are biased even when we think we are not. In fact, I find it interesting that some smug people believe they are being totally impartial when their non-verbal communication, questions and direction is screaming they are not. Every interaction leaves an impression - even when you think you have not expressed an objection. Because even the act of not responding to an opinion or a situation says a whole lot. Communication is the exchange of information; whether it's accepted or rejected is not really the point. Communication still happens whether we agree or not. Communion is the sharing of common things; like people, places and things, interests and beliefs. When we take communion with God, we are communicating with Him that we believe Jesus is His Son. Community is when a group of living beings come together to make up a social unit. If we share space, we are part of each other, whether we like it or not. While there are so many differences that represent all of us, we must focus in on commonalities if we are going to live peaceful lives. We were all born to a mother, from her womb we did come; made from an egg and sperm, combined into one. We were all babies who could not tend for ourselves, and when we are old, it will probably be the same, will it not? We all breath oxygen, and we all have lungs; we all have a heart and a cardio-respiratory system. We all live by the breath of life; and we all return to the dust of the earth. We are all given a number of days to live as positively, patiently, peacefully and productively as we can. Some believe in a Creator and some do not, either way, we must remember that everything a person does is not always about us. Every behavior has a thought or feeling behind it. There are so many things that can get in the way of showing love; and this is probably why God commands us to forgive others. “Be careful not to make a long-lasting impression from one reflection of an exchange.” I know these words will continue to sink in deep, and I hope I can be a better person because of them. I guess most of you know that I wear my faith on my sleeve. You see, I was a child who lived traumatized and grew into a woman who was super resilient. I would let people in, on my own terms, but as soon as they let me down, as everyone eventually does, I would kick them out, or run! And I did this too with God. He first came to me when I was young. He pursued me more than once. When the fighting started, He would comfort me with His love. I remember writing poems, when I was only five. I would go into my head when I felt all alone. And I would pretend. I would imagine a world, in full color, where unicorns and rainbows would fill the land. I created my own kind of Wizard of Oz and I would skip along, through the wildflowers, with imaginary friends. I truly enjoyed my world of technicolor before the monkeys came in. The men would come. So many of them. Not for me, but for the drugs. They would hug me and smile, and tell me to call them uncle. They told me how beautiful I was. They would fumble around, with their hands, and penetrate me, with their eyes. I was just a child. All the while, I would tremble in my bones, and pray for them to leave my home. Always afraid. Never protected. Always shamed. Never loved. Unworthy. That's how I felt. Unless of course, I was distracted. I was given grace through the public school system. School was a safe place for me to go. I didn’t have to be afraid because I knew there were adults who would take care of me. Yes, some of the kids were mean, but I was able to handle them. It was my teachers' approval that made me happy. It was their compliments that I longed for. Their classrooms were inviting. Always clean and comforting. The sequence and structure helped me move through the chaotic days. Their kind words, and their calls home saved me. Literally! My mother would send me to school, when they called her. Instead of keeping me home to take care of my brothers. You see, I was the family hero of the chemically addicted family. I brought hope into a dark world, and I knew the meaning of responsible. I was the oldest child, and the only girl - hope was found, in me alone. God made me smart, but my body matured through stress. I grew up with fight or flight, running my entire life. God gave me intelligence. He gave me an inquisitive mind that loves to find out; and He gave me words to express knowledge. Reading was my escape from an unpredictable life; and writing was my way to heal myself. Fourteen schools. Lots of moves. Never stable. Never smooth. I was 12 years old when I called on God, “God, make it stop!" is what I yelled. His Spirit fell on me like a blanket. A large covering fell on me, like newly fallen snow. The fighting stopped, and the hateful sounds went away. It’s as if my life had been turned inside out, and I was no longer afraid. Peace surpassed all understanding, in that incredible moment. And it all happened in a haunted house - in Camillus, New York. I saw so many things, in the spirit realm, including a girl with patent leather shoes, who laid in the tub, beneath the water, as if she were drowned. The sounds in the attic were eerie - especially at night when I would hear objects move. The creeks were frightening. I could hear them coming down the stairs. I knew in my spirit, there was more than one evil spirit living in my home. And then there was the basement. I had to walk right through it, at 3 am, all alone, when my mother would not get out of bed to let me in. She was sleeping. She must have been drunk. She could not hear me even with the loudest of knocks. So I summoned up my courage and opened the outside door to the basement, and let myself in. I felt evil eyes, keenly observing me. I prayed to God to keep me alive. I focused, on the light that shined beneath the door at the top of the stairs. God was with me. I felt His words say, "move along, "this basement is only a shadow of death." God has always been there. I just didn’t really know Him. He was like an acquaintance who always showed up when least expected. Yet, He was there. His presence was known, even more so than my parents. I tried to get to know God when I went to college. I learned all about Him through my electives - which were mostly religion classes. I studied Native American religion, Catholicism, Hindu and Baptist. I studied Islam and Jewish and Buddhist. And when I was finally done with my liberal education, I was completely brainwashed. I had decided that God was made by humans. He was an imaginary Deity that provided humanity with morality, as a way to separate the bad from the good. This was my new religion - and it represented an ethical way for people to live because it was fully based on human love. Thank God, He did not give up on me. Holy Spirit pursued me. Once again! He chased me down and impressed upon me the need to open up His Word. At 23years old, I requested a Study Bible from my husband for Christmas. I dug in, but the words made no sense. What was I supposed to read? Where was I supposed to start? This was way too difficult for me to do alone. At my work, there was a woman, who was a Christian. I asked her to help me. She advised me to place my hand on the Bible before even opening it up, and ask God to help me understand it. So, that’s what I did. I started with Genesis. I read it over and over again. I was drawn into the history. It was like reading a really good fictional story! So much imagery! So much feeling! So much drama happening, over and over again! When I was 25, I met a Messianic Jew in graduate school. We became friends, and he invited me and my husband to his church. The First Baptist of Church of Jamesville - was on the outskirts of Nedrow. It was not far from home. Pastor Scott was a very kind man, and he is the one who baptized me, and helped me feel welcome in church. Then I got pregnant, and my husband and I separated. There was never a time in my life that I felt more alone. I died inside, while my baby grew alive, but the Lord had taught me to be strong. I mean, I had overcome so much. I was resilient! From parental divorce to my mother's mental illness; from her drug abuse to sexual perversion and promiscuity, from cocaine and all kinds of drugs candy coating my home, And I did it. I was the first one in my family to go to college. I had learned to be super strong. As a kid, I was threatened by my step-father, not to tell anyone about the drugs in our home, or else the police would take our mother from us. My brothers and I, never felt loved. We were rejected because we all we did was get in the way of the adults in our home. Anyway, it was happening all over again. My husband became another person who I could not depend on. So I lived, like I had always done. Strong and resilient - totally independent. I moved out on my own. Just me and my son - I didn't need no man! But then, my husband had a change of heart. He wanted to start over again. He said he wanted to be a better man. He said he was scared, and wasn't ready to be a dad. He was angry that I had gotten pregnant, when he was not ready to move on. So I moved back in. But the hurt was never gone. We had two more children. And our life moved right along. We lived in a quaint home, on 20 acres of land, but then we moved to Nevada after my 23 year old brother died. I was ready to take chances, because everything changes, and we only have one life to live. All this time, we attended churches. I even taught the children's ministry, and I ran a Christian Coffeehouse on Saturday nights. The Lord was good! I learned everything about Him! And yet, He still felt like an acquaintance. Why? I couldn't explain this. I studied Him intently. I learned all I could to know about Him. He had a name, and when I would call it, He would come with open arms. But after the trial was over, I would forget about Him. I would do life on my own, without Him. So then, while living in the desert, I went astray, and cheated on my husband. I was tempted to live authentically. I thought my dreams were totally up to me. So I left my husband and I waited, but he didn’t do the same. Promises were made. "Some day" became the rope that choked me. So I returned to the man who loved me. Then we moved. Escaping bankruptcy and marriage infidelity. Broken dreams. Hoping to obtain a life once again. We moved to the Greater Hills of Clermont- the closest we could find in Florida, to the mountains. We tried. My husband and I. To move on unchanged - pretending as if nothing had happened. And then the dream found me once again. He kept me on a line with lots of promises - so I waited... But then, I finally realized it was never going to happen. I repented. I went to the cross and asked God to take this temptation away. I realized it was never about the man. It was truly my own shame that I longed to escape. But the enemy would not let go. Temptation came again, but this time through my husband. My husband felt alone. He was always on the road. I barely acknowledge him. He met another woman, a friend from the past. But I did not know it. I could tell. I knew the signs well. There's a disgust that comes when lust is involved. Secrets penetrate every hidden interaction. The pain of rejection stings - and the bitterness that comes is unending. It hurts to the core of your being. Satan had his hooks in. Scales covered our eyes. Leviathan is twisted. Too many lies! Too much distrust! The hurt was more than any marriage could bear. And the words - they hurt to the core. The words that we said, brought death, not life to our marriage. Divorce. It was the only way out! But then, once again, God came in. He healed what we could not. And He went straight to the rot. He pulled the weeds out. He declared, "Not in My house, Satan!" "Get Out!" God spoke when we could not. He pulled us out of the pit, and He showed us the power of the cross. He told us to trust Him. And He did this individually, in my husband and me, while we were separated. The days were unbearable. We submitted. We waited on God to teach us how to love, and how to forgive. He explained how His blood covers our sin. And He showed us how much He love us. He taught how to love each other. You see, I wear my faith on my sleeve because my heart has been surrendered. And strengthened. It’s stronger than the defensive armor that I used to wear. It's the essence of who I am, on the inside and the outside. My faith is real. There is no doubt within me. He is the most stable home that I’ve ever had. God is no longer an acquaintance. He is my most trustworthy friend! If you don’t know Him intimately like I do, then you have no idea what your missing! If this is you, then just ask me. I would love to introduce you. Did you know that God’s Work
is already done? That’s right! Our human story has already been written. It’s an epic tale about a Creator and His creation, humans who struggle endlessly with this concept of faith. As a way to bring disobedient children back to Him, our Father writes many trials and tribulations into our lives. Yes, He could give us a life full of constant blessings, but what good would that do if it kept us independent of him? Jacob’s trouble is also meant for us Gentiles. It’s an opportunity to remember, repent and come back home. We would be like the prodigal son - the one who went astray and squandered his inheritance. Or even worse, we could be like the good son, the one who stayed home but kept a hardened heart. We would be like the Drunkards of Ephraim, living off the souls of the oppressed and the poor. Even worse, we could be like kings and queens, living in luxury, thinking that we deserve all of God’s blessings! On our own we are foolishly bound to the curse that God spoke upon Satan, and Adam and Eve. It was a curse that is cast out through the people of every nation, race and creed - a curse based off the premise of questioning God’s authority and wanting to be like Him. But because God loves us more than life itself, He saved us through the flood that took most of humanity out. And from that the rainbow was formed, not to represent pride, but to show us the love of God. After the Days of Noah, Abraham was born. And from his seed, a faithful nation was made. And from the line of Judah, David would become King, and from his seed, Christ would be born. Christ was a man born to a virgin, and He was fully God born from Holy Spirit. It’s kind of hard to make sense of it. But I have learned to just trust and believe. Jesus came so that He could die a horrible death, so that His blood could cover our sinful selves. He paid the price to give us all a brand new life, but there is a small cost that we too must pay. All we have to do is fix the mistake, that humanity made back in the Garden of Eden. We must trust and believe the Word that comes out of God's sovereign mouth! The creation has been given a second opportunity to trust and believe God, the One who created everything. And all we have to do to reverse the eternal curse is to have a mustard seed of faith that Christ is the Son of God, and He is our Righteous King. Jesus is also called the Son of Man because He actually God in the flesh who became the second Adam. So if you are reading this, and your heart is lighting up, that probably means that you are a Child of God who hears your father’s voice. All you have to do, is follow the sound that draws you in. Get into His Word and He will lead you into light. His Holy Spirit is the Lord who makes you strong. He is the One who helps the scripture to make sense. If you are spiritually dead and falling asleep while reading this, that probably means you lack faith. Without faith, you will not experience God’s presence. Without faith, you will not have intimacy. The only way to fix this fatal mistake, is to repent and give back your life. Once you understand that you are just the creation, you will long to return to your Creator. This has to be Daniel's weirdest dream yet - a terrifying nightmare that scared him to death! But the dream was not just a dream! It did not just magically appear in Daniel’s head for absolutely no reason. No way! Not a chance! It was actually a vision, given by God, that showed Daniel what would happen in the last days on earth! Daniel. A nobleman of Judah. Brought into exile by King Nebuchadnezzar. The King of Babylon, who was sent by God, to bring His hammer of judgment down. Daniel had served Nebuchadnezzar as his Chief Magician because the Lord, our God, put him into this position. He was gifted with immeasurable wisdom, and he had the ability to interpret dreams. Daniel lasted a very long time, living under rulers who did not know God. He would serve the Chaldeans and we he would serve the Medes. He would serve Cyrus, the Great Persian King. He would serve the men who did not know God, but he never veered by denying His God. During the first year of King Belshazzar’s reign, Daniel wrote this down, “In my vision that night, I, Daniel, saw a great storm churning the surface of a great sea, with strong winds blowing from every direction. Then four huge beasts came up out of the water, each different from the others. The first beast was like a lion with eagles’ wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off, and it was left standing with its two hind feet on the ground, like a human being. And it was given a human mind. Then I saw a second beast, and it looked like a bear. It was rearing up on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And I heard a voice saying to it, “Get up! Devour the flesh of many people!” Then the third of these strange beasts appeared, and it looked like a leopard. It had four bird’s wings on its back, and it had four heads. Great authority was given to this beast. Then in my vision that night, I saw a fourth beast—terrifying, dreadful, and very strong. It devoured and crushed its victims with huge iron teeth and trampled their remains beneath its feet. It was different from any of the other beasts, and it had ten horns. As I was looking at the horns, suddenly another small horn appeared among them. Three of the first horns were torn out by the roots to make room for it. This little horn had eyes like human eyes and a mouth that was boasting arrogantly. I watched as thrones were put in place and the Ancient One sat down to judge. His clothing was as white as snow, his hair like purest wool. He sat on a fiery throne with wheels of blazing fire, and a river of fire was pouring out, flowing from his presence. Millions of angels ministered to him; many millions stood to attend him. Then the court began its session, and the books were opened. I continued to watch because I could hear the little horn’s boastful speech. I kept watching until the fourth beast was killed and its body was destroyed by fire. The other three beasts had their authority taken from them, but they were allowed to live a while longer.” Daniel 7:1-12 Then Daniel said, “As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed.” Daniel 7:13-14 Daniel was troubled by all he had seen, and his visions completely terrified him. I can't imagine how frightened he must have been - to see these beasts and the wrath of God. This is what Daniel did, “I approached one of those standing beside the throne and asked him what it all meant. He explained it to me like this: “These four huge beasts represent four kingdoms that will arise from the earth. But in the end, the holy people of the Most High will be given the kingdom, and they will rule forever and ever.” Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, the one so different from the others and so terrifying. It had devoured and crushed its victims with iron teeth and bronze claws, trampling their remains beneath its feet. I also asked about the ten horns on the fourth beast’s head and the little horn that came up afterward and destroyed three of the other horns. This horn had seemed greater than the others, and it had human eyes and a mouth that was boasting arrogantly. As I watched, this horn was waging war against God’s holy people and was defeating them, until the Ancient One—the Most High—came and judged in favor of his holy people. Then the time arrived for the holy people to take over the kingdom. Then he said to me, “This fourth beast is the fourth world power that will rule the earth. It will be different from all the others. It will devour the whole world, trampling and crushing everything in its path. Its ten horns are ten kings who will rule that empire. Then another king will arise, different from the other ten, who will subdue three of them. He will defy the Most High and oppress the holy people of the Most High. He will try to change their sacred festivals and laws, and they will be placed under his control for a time, times, and half a time. But then the court will pass judgment, and all his power will be taken away and completely destroyed. Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will last forever, and all rulers will serve and obey him.” Daniel 7:16-27 When our Discovery Daniel Study met tonight, we discussed all of Daniel’s visions and dreams. And we discussed some of our own. A couple of us have had some, while others have had none. But we all agreed that God has different ways that he speaks to us. We acknowledged that our God is alive, and that His Spirit resides inside each of us. We shared how much reverence we hold for Him, and how much we naturally bow down to God. We shared how God’s Word is always inspired, and how eating it leaves us in awe. We spoke about confident hope and everlasting faith, and how Holy Spirit continues to give us strength. And we all agreed, Daniel's dream reminded us of Revelation 13. And the "wheels of blazing fire" reminded us of Ezekiel's vision in Chapter 1 and Chapter 2. Then we remembered that Daniel in Chapter 6, retreated to his room when the King made a law against his God. Daniel went to his room, all alone, and he prayed to God while facing towards Jerusalem. The scripture says he did this three times a day, in the morning and night and mid-afternoon. And we realized this too is what King David used to do! Just read Psalm 55, verse 16-17. We all decided to make this our daily practice - to set a compass on our phones and pray three times a day facing Jerusalem. We also decided to honor God by honoring each other, and not to question or doubt how God speaks to us. Instead, we would pray for one other, and believe that we are the Body of Christ. Daniel said, "I, Daniel, was terrified by my thoughts and my face was pale with fear, but I kept these things to myself.” Daniel 7:28 We discussed in our group why he kept it to himself. Was it because He was reserved? Was it because God told him to? Was it because it was all too much to try to find words? Was it because he feared the Lord? Or is possible that he had no one to talk to? Did he have anyone who he could trust with this news? We don’t know the answer to this question. But we do know this - we are tired of doing life alone. We are tired of tryin to go rogue. We decided we would be a support to each other, and we encourage each other to be vulnerable. And we would trust God with everything that He said. We would be like the eyes on Ezekiel’s wheel - moving in step with His Holy Spirit and listening to His wings when He moves. Leadership is important
in every aspect. As the leadership goes so does the marriage, the family, the church, the society, and the government. The laws that we create are an extension from it. From what authority do our laws branch? Do we follow the Word of God or do we make up our own? Do we allow for human sacrifice like in the days of Manasseh when for 55 years he ruled with pride and evil intent? Do we drop our faith boundaries and open up our gates to Paganism? Do we let human love change God’s definition of marriage? Do we believe God created Adam and Eve to be a perfect fit? Do we believe God created a complimentary difference between woman and man? Do we tell a father he is not needed in his child’s life? Do we tell a mother that parental bonding and attachment are not important? Do we encourage a mom to choose a career over raising her children? Do we continue to apply bricks to break the family unit? Don’t we come up with all kinds of excuses! Do we value money over everything? Do we live each day praying for retirement? Do we allow education to decide what principles are taught to our kids? What if they are wrong, and go against God’s laws? Do we subside and totally give in? Do we roll over and wave the white flag? What if the king of the kingdom appears to have a good heart? What if words of peace come out of his mouth but everything he does is an abomination to God? What if God is taken out of our government? What if we are told to honor every kind of faith? What if we are told that Jesus is not the only way? What if the world king decides there is another way? Since we are called to love, how much should the Christian accept? What justifies letting go of our plumb-line faith? What should we do when our husband has gone astray? What should we do if he leads with an iron fist? What if a mom and her children live every day afraid? How much abuse are they supposed to take? And what if a wife says, “I’m doing it MY own way!” “I don’t give a shit what you have to say!” What if she dismisses everything her husband has to say. What if he is squashed under her feministic foot? What should he do? What if the children rebel and spit in their parents face? What if they insist that they WILL get their own way. How much disobedience are parents supposed to take? At what point should they say, "If you can't respect me, then get out of MY house!" How much are we to submit? When has idolatry and rebellion become too much? What do you do when your pastor says, “Well, you married him” when you go to him about domestic violence happening in the home? At what point should a member question his authority, and stop him and say, “That does not seem what God has to say." How much do we rely on humans to tell us the truth instead of going to God to tell us the answers? Shouldn’t the answer from the Pastor be, “A husband is to love his wife, like Christ loves the church.” Shouldn’t that be the very first response that comes out of his mouth? And isn’t a wife supposed to honor her man and submit herself to him? Not under his control, but under his protection. And aren’t the children supposed to respect their parents? Isn’t that how authority works? And what about the leaders who run our government aren’t they an extension of us? Aren't they supposed to be JUST representatives of the people? It certainly seems we have everything backwards, does it not? Instead of coming in, shouldn’t the Church be going out? And why do our shepherds feed the flock sugar coated messages? Well, I guess I already know the answer to that! Sugar and honey makes everything go down - even when it's not good for us. Many preachers and prophets love to tickle the ears of humans. They love to speak peace and prosperity to a dying generation. People don't like to hear about God's wrath or impending judgment, since we are rooted in God's love and He sent his son to save us. "Fear of the Lord" is not for me. It's a term of old to make men follow God's law. That is the great lie that most people believe. The truth is we must have a personal relationship with Jesus, otherwise when our body dies, he will say, "Depart from Me." Intimacy is what determines whether you have faith to believe. "Fear of the Lord" and submitting to God's authority is a natural extension from it. What will happen to people’s heart and minds if we continue to digest human thoughts and ways?” God tells us that his thoughts are not like our thoughts, and his ways are not like our own. What will we be like as a nation if we continue to abandon Father God? What will happen if we continue to twist His Word? Eventually the Body of Christ will begin to crumble and break. Is this what Daniel calls the Kingdom of Baked Clay? And all because we lack spiritual nourishment and thus we lack enduring faith. It’s like the parent who buys what’s convenient instead of filling the fridge with life-giving fruits and vegetables. Our stomach and our cells were never meant to digest such harmful chemicals. Wouldn’t we expect mutation to happen? The body eventually dies when we feed it wrong. Leadership It is where it all begins. It’s like the mind and the mouth that takes substances in. We have to come back to God’s authority! We have to digest what His Word says! It’s time to stand up and fight! We must put on our Shoes FITTED with the Gospel of Peace, and we must tighten our pants with the Belt of Truth! We must put Jesus in our hearts, and confidently wear our Breastplate of Righteousness. We must pick up our Shield of Faith to defend ourselves from the arrows the enemy sends our way. We must put on our Helmet of Salvation and remember to cry "Maranatha." I, Cherie, being a faithful servant of My Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ decree and declare that this WORD must go out - as the Sword of the Spirit extends from my mouth! How can we fight the good fight, and run with patient endurance when we twist the truth, and don't submit to God's authority? Without the Belt of Truth, our spiritual pants will surely fall down - and we will be a laughing stock - a mockery and humiliating witness to God! We must stop this abomination! We must stand for truth and be his faithful witness! Who do you serve? Is it God or is it man? Or even worse, are we serving ourselves? How do we use words
when our world is turned upside down? Do they even make sense when they escape from the depths of unconsciousness? Do they even sound right when they blurt out of our mouths - like a child first learning to play the clarinet? And what happens when words fall like rain on the page lying in front of us? Do they heal like a band-aid, and stop the pain from gushing out; or do they leave a stain that penetrates to the core of our very heart? Words - they are the author of every thought. They write a story and they express a plot. And the funny thing is this - They can be expressed from all kinds of different perspectives; and they can quickly change depending on someone’s mood, or what is reported by the news. Yet, we are still held accountable for all of them - even the ones not written that run through our heads. Every word that is thought or said; every word expressed quietly, or out loud, has an implication on our ourselves, or someone else. All of them, whether yelled or running over and over again; ruminating according to their own story lines - they all have impact on what our next action is. And it all can change - on the drop of a dime - depending on our mood, or something else that has happened, or said! Distracted, or disgusted- We can shift quickly - to a new sub-heading. At any time we can change our minds on what we focus on. Perhaps their is something more appealing to look at. Perhaps there is a different way to phrase that? We can even see in pictures if we choose to. We can create an image of how we think or how we feel. And our description can be based in both fact and fiction! The imagination is totally God-given! Creation - an extension of a thought. A branch - extending from a tree of love, or hate. Rooted in the Creators mind, and constantly evaluated. Judged whether it is good, or not. Coated with the emotion attached to it. Loved and told it is good. Hated - it has been misrepresented. Stunned - by all that has been done. Beauty promoted, waste rejected. Rested - totally settled. Peace has finally come - no more words are filling my head! Music without lyrics plays like a harp. Quenching the troubled soul - Like Saul and David. A calming to the soul after a great credenza is really all that anyone could hope for. Maranatha Lord, Come I'm a little nervous to start my study on Daniel 7 because this is where the FAI videos begin. FAI stands for Frontier Alliance International, and I found out about them when I watched their movie on YouTube called "Sheep Among Wolves." The documentary was about women in Iran who run the underground church. These women risk their lives to be followers of Christ, in a country where Shi'a Islam is the main religion, and the culture is run by men.
FAI taught me the word "Maranatha," which in Aramaic means means "Lord, Come." According to the website "Got Questions," the early church faced much persecution. The Romans required everyone to declare that Caesar was god, and the early Christians knew that there is only one God and one Lord - Jesus Christ. Many followers of Christ were put to death for not worshipping Caesar as their King. During this time, the believers' morale was lifted by the hope of the coming of the Lord. "Maranatha!" became the common greeting of the oppressed believers, replacing the Jewish greeting "shalom" which means peace. The followers of Jesus knew there would be no peace because Jesus had told them so, as recorded in Matthew 10:34 and Luke 12:51. Yet, they knew the Lord would be returning soon, to set up His Kingdom, and from that truth they drew great comfort. In addition, Jesus declared all of this to them through several parables that spoke to the theme - "keep watching and waiting and be prepared for My return" as recorded in Matthew 25:1-13 and Luke 12:35-40. The sole mission of Frontier Alliance International is to lay the foundation where there is none, especially in places like Syria, Iraq and Iran. In essence, they follow the same desire that was given to Paul, in Romans 15:20, "It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation." When I started the Daniel study, and created the Maranatha - Authentic Facebook group, I knew that Yahweh would continue to give me wisdom. His Spirit is who led me to Daniel in the first place, after following Him through the book of Luke. But like everything that He does, it was never meant for me alone. His intention was to strengthen me to prophecy over the church, and to build up the Body of Christ. I fully believe that He is stirring the hearts of His children to (1) pay attention to Jerusalem, (2) rebuild His temple and (3) shine His light into a dark world. After reading Daniel Chapter 6, and preparing my heart and my mind through thoughtful prayer, to move onto to Daniel 7, the Lord led me to look more intently at the word "Peace." In particular, "Peace and Prosperity to you" as written by Darius the Mede, "to people of every race, nation and language throughout the world." I followed the sound of the river, that was declared from Darius's mouth, and it took me to Ezra 4 verse 17. You see, I use the Blue Letter Bible as an interlinear concordance, and when I typed in Daniel 6 verse 25, it showed me that peace means "Shelam" in the Aramaic language. And Strong's number H8001 matches the Aramaic and Hebrew word, Shelam, which only occurs 4 times in 4 verses in the Hebrew concordance of the King James Version of scripture. The 4 other verses are Ezra 4:17, Ezra 5:7, Daniel 4:1, and Daniel 6:25. When I saw that the word Shelam was only used in the books of Daniel and Ezra, I immediately knew that the two, were connected in some spiritual kind of way. This seems to be the way that Holy Spirit leads me in the eating and digestion of scripture. As many people know, I was not brought up in a church. Nor did I go to a Christian college to attain a bible degree. In fact, it was just the opposite. I was truly a heathen, who had a Holy Spirit experience when I was 12 years old, that left an unforgettable impression on me. I went to a liberal college and obtained a psychology degree. I also took many courses on religion and graduated believing in "Christian Universalism" - as if there was such a thing! Obviously, it was my own mind playing tricks on me! But God was not done with me. He stirred my heart to draw in closer when I was just 23 years old. I read the Bible religiously, and gained lots of historical knowledge, but my heart did not change and I lived as a "carnal" Christian until I was 46 years old. In 2016, my marriage died from acts of adultery. My husband and I separated for a third time. I filed for divorce, and became extremely depressed, and even contemplated suicide. 2016 was a year that took me surprise. The Lord allowed me to experience his refining fire, and I finally had the opportunity to die to self. Jesus showed up, quite literally, through many visions and dreams. He extended his hand, and lifted me from the swamp, then He led me down the boardwalk to meet Father God. The experience was transformative and life-changing. During that time, the Lord healed me. Not only my heart, but my marriage, my family and my trauma history. And it all started by believing and having faith in His Word - and learning to trust Him over me. Anyway, I had forgotten the importance of Ezra, because I have been so focused on the prophet Jeremiah. Over the last year, I have felt like Jeremiah - the weeping prophet who warned Judah and Benjamin, over and over again, about the judgement that was coming. Judah had become like the Drunkards of Ephraim who worshipped false gods, including themselves, and their wealth and prosperity. Judah failed to trust God, in their national affairs. They completely removed God from their government, and instead focused on human ideals. The prophet Jeremiah has been close to my heart, because I often feel like he must have felt - the warnings were totally ignored by his friends, his family and Judean society. Like him, people don't want to hear what I have to say, in fact I believe they think I'm totally crazy. But that's okay. The Lord has helped me to not fear man, and has replaced it with His overwhelming love. There is nothing that can stop me from declaring what He has put inside my heart. And reading Ezra is a great reminder that the Lord is in charge! When He decides on a matter, it's as good as done - we can hold onto the truth that His Word is sound, and will be revealed - it's only a matter of time. The Lord certainly stirs the hearts of his people, and He stirs the hearts of great kings. He stirred the heart of Cyrus to set His people free. After 70 years of captivity, as prophesied by Jeremiah, the Lord broke the chains of bondage and set His people free. King Cyrus of Persia, who had taken over Babylon, declared that the God of Heaven had appointed him to build God his temple in Judah, in the city of Jerusalem. He said, "Wherever this Jewish remnant is found, let their neighbors contribute toward their expenses by giving them silver and gold, supplies for the journey, and livestock, as well as a voluntary offering for the Temple of God in Jerusalem." And immediately after his declaration, God "stirred the hearts of the priests and Levites and the leaders of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple of the Lord. And all their neighbors assisted them." Ezra 1:4-5 Ezra 4:17 says, "Then sent the king (King Artaxerxes - apparently the 4th King of the Persian Empire: Cyrus, Darius, Xerxes, Artaxerexes) an answer unto Rehum the chancellor (governor) and to Shimshai the scribe (court secretary), and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria (false Jerusalem), and unto the rest beyond the river (West of Euphrates), Peace (Shalam), and at such a time." Rehum and Shimshai wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes to warn him about the situation in Jerusalem. These men, and many with them, were in opposition to what was happening in Jerusalem. The foundation of the Temple of God had been laid, and they did not want the walls to go up. They knew in their hearts, as hard as they were, that the people of the God of Israel would rebel against the culture set in place by the Persian king. The enemies of Judah and Benjamin actually approached Zerubabbel (governor of Jerusalem) and the other leaders and said, "Let us build with you, for we worship your God just as you do." It's important to know that "the enemies of Judah and Benjamin" were actually Gentiles (non-Israelites) who were placed in the northern kingdom of Israel by Assyria when they invaded them. The Gentiles said, "We have sacrificed to him (God) ever since King Esarhaddon of Assyria brought us here." You see, Samaria was like a fake Jerusalem, that the Northern Tribe of Israel created, when 10 of the tribes rejected Rehoboam and David's dynasty (1 Kings 12:16). And the Northern Kingdom was taken over by the Assyrian Empire, which occupied the northern region of Mesopotamia about 100 years before Judah and Benjamin were taken over by Babylonian Empire which occupied the southern region of Mesopotamia. Zerubbabel and the leaders kindly declined the Gentiles offer. They said, "You may have no part in this work. We alone will build the Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, just as King Cyrus of Persia commanded us to." "Then the local residents tried to discourage and frighten the people of Judah to keep them from doing their work. They bribed agents to work against them and to frustrate their plans." Ezra 4:2-4 And after some time, "the enemies of Judah wrote a letter of accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem. They greeted the king for all their colleagues - the Dinaites (Cuth'an colonists who were placed in the cities around Samaria), the Apharsathcites (Bethlehem), the Tarpelites (Assyrian colonists), the Apharsites (a transferred tribe to Northern Kingdom), the Archevites (tribe from southern Iraq placed in northern kingdom), the Babylonians, the Susanchites (Capital of Elam - southern Iran), the Dehavites (a tribe placed in northern kingdom probably from Caspian Sea area), and the Elamites (southern Iran)." NKJ Ezra 4:9 They also sent greetings from the rest of the people whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal (great Assyrian King named after the god of war, Ashur) had deported and relocated in Samaria and throughout the neighboring lands of the province west of the Euphrates River." NLT Ezra 4:10 I now see that this kind of peace was a greeting of well-being declared from the mouth of Satan. The Babylonian and Assyrian kings, and the other enemies of Judah and Jerusalem, spoke Peace and Prosperity to the people who united against the Temple of God being rebuilt. They knew that "if this city was rebuilt and its walls are complete, the Jews will refuse to pay their tribute, customs and tolls" to any other god or king, that is not the God of Israel. Ezra 5:13 The work stopped, but only for a little while. The prophets Haggai and Zechariah prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem. The prophesied in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. The leaders responded by starting again to rebuild the Temple of God in Jerusalem. Again, many complained to the king of Persia - King Darius. But to their chagrin, Darius found the order written by King Cyrus, to give safe passage to the captives of Judah so that they could rebuild the Temple of God. And then he ordered that the government "pay the full amount for the construction costs, without delay, from the taxes collected in the province west of Euphrates so that work would not be interrupted." Ezra 6:8 I think that is good for Part One of Daniel Chapter 7. I'm prepared to learn and follow the Spirit of God for the Lord is good, and His mercies endure forever! Peace and Prosperity to the Body of Christ and the Kingdom of God! Being rooted in love, through Jesus Christ, may our branches bear fruit of His Holy Spirit. May every ear who hears this, receive the seed of Jesus, the second Adam who breaks the original curse that the Lord our God spoke upon us. May He bless you and your entire family as you wait patiently and expectantly for His second coming. Maranatha! |
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