Gtcotr/ws111412
The
book of Revelation contains critical information concerning the last days and
the tribulation which is to come upon all the earth. However, just prior to the
beginning of those horrible woes spoken of in this prophetic revelation, there
are clear words of instruction given to the churches – warnings if you will.
These instructions are plain and yet at the end of each warning there is an
admonition given to each church and the leaders thereof. Simply put it says:
Revelation 2:7 "He who
has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. …”
Revelation 2:11 "He who
has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches …”
Revelation 2:17 "He who
has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. …”
Revelation 2:29 "He who
has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
Revelation 3:6 "He who
has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
Revelation 3:13 "He who
has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
Revelation 3:22 "He who
has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
One
quickly notices that each and every church with its individual problems,
concerns, sins or shortcomings, all have the same root problem – and the same
remedy – they need to hear from the Spirit of God.
1 Samuel 3:1 Then the boy
Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in
those days; there was no widespread revelation.
It
was the same way in the days of the prophet Samuel – there was a lack of
hearing and understanding what the Spirit of God was saying to His Children. As
a result of that lack of revelation, the Ark of the Covenant of God was lost to
the enemies of Israel and captured by the Philistines. The very presence, power
and glory of God was no longer with His children all because they did what was
right in their own eyes and did not honor God.
During
the later portion of Jesus’ earthly life and ministry He also had some similar
concerns about His followers. We read one account in:
Matthew 16
13 When Jesus came into the
region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men
say that I, the Son of Man, am?"
14 So they said, "Some
say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the
prophets."
15 He said to them, "But
who do you say that I am?"
16 Simon Peter answered and
said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17 Jesus answered and said to
him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not
revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
Notice
that Jesus singled Peter out of the crowd of disciples as one who was not
simply idling along through life making decisions based on his knowledge, his
experience or what others said. He told Peter that he was receiving revelation
directly from the Spirit of God.
I
trust we have all had that experience when we are reading along in the Bible
and suddenly we read a word, a certain scripture or a particular passage, and
it ceases to be just a general word which God spoke to some other person at
some other time in history about some other event in their life … and the Word
rather jumps off the page, down through your mind and into your heart as a
Living Word of God spoken directly to you.
That,
in spirit-filled terms, is called a Rhema Word from God. A current, living Word
that releases every spiritual force necessary to cause that Word to be more
than sufficient to accomplish the will of God in your moment.
These
are the words which we see, for example, in the life of Mary, the mother of
Jesus. When the angel told her that she, having never known a man, would
nonetheless conceive a child by the Holy Spirit who would be born the Son of
God, the promised Messiah of the Jews and Savior of the World … she simply
said,
Luke 1:38 Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according
to your word. And the angel departed.
Why
did the angel depart? Because the word had been delivered and the word had been
received. Mary knew nothing but had received revelation above her knowledge and
experience. Mission accomplished …
In
the days when the prophet Daniel set his heart to hear from God, he began to
pray and fast. After 21 days of prayer and fasting the angel Gabriel appeared
to Daniel and delivered to him the answer he sought from God. Although it took
21 days for the answer to arrive, the angel told Daniel:
Daniel 10:12 Then he said to
me, "Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart
to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard;
and I have come because of your words.
In
each generation God has found men and women, boys and girls who would open
their ears to hear more than what others around them were saying; more than
what the current gossip concluded; more than what their own experiences or
personal knowledge proved … rather God has found in each generation someone who
would open their ears to the Holy Spirit on a spiritual level and hear what the
Spirit of God was saying.
This
may seem uncommon most, but in each generation we can find one or perhaps a few
whom we believe truly heard from God for their generation, However, it was not
meant to be so in the beginning. God created man with the desire and ability to
hear Him above all else – but something went terribly wrong and today … few can
or will hear the Holy Spirit, few receive revelation, few open their ears to
God in this hearing of faith. Many only hear the voice of their lusts, fears,
the devil or this world.
In
Genesis we find that when God created Adam and Eve He came to walk and talk
with them in the Garden of Eden in the cool of the evening. In that context we
understand that the evening was not the end of the day, but the beginning of
the day according to the Word.
Genesis 1:5 God called
the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning
were the first day.
By
the time we get to Chapter 3, the serpent, that sneaky snake, enticed Eve to
reconsider what God said and open her ears, mind and heart to other voices. She
of course listened to the devil, she listened to herself, she considered her
fears, wants, and desires and made her decision based on the best information
her knowledge could provide. But then that evening …
Genesis 3
8 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.
9 ¶ Then the LORD God called
to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?"
10 So he said, "I heard
Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid
myself."
11 ¶ 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?"
12 Then the man said,
"The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree,
and I ate."
13 And the LORD God said to
the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said,
"The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
14 ¶ So the LORD God said to
the serpent: "Because you have done this, You are cursed more than
all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go,
And you shall eat dust All the days of your life.
You
see, all of God’s creations, including the serpent, were created to have a
daily walk and a face to face talk with God.
This
was the first example of a person partaking of the fruit of the knowledge of
good and evil. Since that time mankind has contended with varying voices to
make up his or her mind on what is best for them.
Everything
is considered, counsel is sought, voices entertained, evaluations completed,
scriptures compared, decisions made and lives lived so often without the one
thing which makes everything right … the revelation of:
“Thus saith the Lord”
The
Fresh Word; The Rhema Word; The Anointed Word; The Living Word of God directly
to you. Despite circumstances, situations or counsel – never violating the
written Word of God or the principles set forth in the Bible.
Instead
of revelation people give reasons – why? Because all too often the reasons
provide cover and justification as to why the Word of God had to be
reconsidered in this case …
Sad
to say that mankind has become like children who do not know the sound of their
Father’s voice. Instead we as a people have made rules, given reasons, exalted
knowledge, bowed to experiences, followed fears, pursued lusts, chased dreams,
ran after riches, danced with the devil and embraced all manner of carnal
desire, all the while a Holy God daily speaks His loving and living Word to us
but we have failed to cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, commit our lives and
open our spiritual ears to the Revelation of God. Many who have been called to
be sons and daughters have rather servants and hirelings simply looking for a
better job, a richer family instead of living their lives by the revelation of
God.
For
that reason God knew the world would come to times of trouble and tribulation
but yet once more we hear the admonition of the Lord as though He was
beseeching us one more time:
“He who has ears, let Him hear what the Spirit of the Lord is saying
to the Churches.”
I
know that God spoke to me recently and gave me a promise. Without regard as to
who, what, when, where or why He had ever spoken that same Word to anyone else
in history, he spoke it to me and I have received a Living Word from Him which
contains a promise worth our effort.
God
said to me:
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.
The
Life Shape Plan
A Call to the Nations
Prayer and Discipleship
Beginning
Wednesday, January 2, 2013 – A year of calling the nations to prayer &
discipleship.
Our
nation and the nations of the world are not too far gone that God will not
spare the judgment He has already prepared. If we will but humble ourselves
before Him and let Him build His Kingdom in and through us.
Life
Shape 2013
“If
My People Will …”
ifmypeoplewill.com
