Timing in the Call of God!

Timing in the Call of God!.

Timing in the Call of God!

Timing in the Call of God!

Timing…

He is preparing your place…

Joh 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

De 31:8 And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.

Isa 45:2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:

Lu 1:17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Eph 4: 11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

So, you have a call to kingdom leadership, and it burns, like a fire shut up in your bones!

You know you have an offering to contribute, a gift to bring, but it seems every door is closed at present.

Your frustration mounts, as the days turn into months, into years, as you faithfully stay before the Lord, in prayer, worship, and diligent study of His Word.

Yet, know this. The kingdom of God is no longer a new entity in the earth. The church has been here for 2000 years! Your gift, in order to effectively operate, must work alongside, and in conjunction with many other gifts in the Body of Christ, and in order for you to step into your place, others, perhaps elder than you, need to recognize, test, and respond to your gift.

At present, they may not even like you, for your particular gift is designed to impact this generation, not theirs, and your fire, passion and zeal, may be uncomfortable to them, as God has lead you far outside their mental box.

Lu 1:17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

You gift must operate cross generationally, and there are at least four generations of believers surrounding you now, and somehow, you must build generational bridges, and create pathways for people to flow supernaturally, gracefully through each season of their life and calling.

Is 58: 10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:

There are particular needs, pains, and ministry needs in each season of life. It will take much wisdom from God, to seek to meet these.

There is nothing new under the sun. You are not the first, nor the last to experience this frustration. If you like, you can throw off the fetters of the established order, and explode into the earth, as the new entity God has called you to be. Many have done this, and sometimes it is the passion of the Holy Spirit for the harvest that authentically compels them.

Others, like me, are learning to temper their fire with wisdom. In the making of a true Samurai sword, the layers of leavened steel are heated up at least seven times, and quenched in various processes, to instill the right temper and spring into the steel. US soldiers discovered that these swords could literally slice through their gun barrels in WW2!

Isa 41:2 Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow.
Isa 49:2 And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;

True leaders, entering an existing organization, recognize they must become a lover and historian of the people, places, and things that God has built in previous years, even if they clearly see exactly what must happen to experience the explosive kingdom growth, that will occur when they are given a platform to lead!

Understand the heart of Jesus! He is still a great, gentle shepherd, and He is dealing with seasoned hearts in tenderness and wisdom, to prepare them for you, even as He has spent years in your development.

Perhaps, you are honestly ready to step into your office, call, and appointment, but they are not. Let love prevail!

King David, a man after God’s own heart, refused to touch God’s anointed, even though his daily circumstances were brutal!

Let’s just say, my past couple of years have been no picnic either….

David was clearly anointed by God, the prophet Samuel himself came to his house, to pour oil upon his head, and set him apart as king of Israel.

1Sa 16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

By the anointing, he slew the lion, the bear, and Goliath!

Yet, he was not king, YET!

1 Sam 18:10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul’s hand.
11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.
12 ¶ And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.

He was anointed by God, but not yet appointed king. He had to dodge spears, all the way from Saul’s throne, through the deserts and rocks, for years, but He fully trusting in God, and His timing, and though there were several times God delivered Saul into David’s hands, David refused to hurt him!

Notice the exclamation point folks, because I have urgently wanted to blast godly authority sometimes, when they are clearly wrong, but I WILL NOT TOUCH GODS ANOINTED, NOR WILL I SOW DISCORD AMONG THE BRETHREN!

1Sa 24:6 And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD’S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.

God HATES:

Pr 6:19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

Eventually, David was appointed king…

Notice there were many years between the anointing of God, and the Appointing of God!

2Sa 2:4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabeshgilead were they that buried Saul.

I could study it out, but I’m not sure how long David ran from Saul, in battle, hiding amongst his enemies, yet refusing to take matters into His own hands…

I asked Holy Spirit why David had to stay in the wilderness, and I felt Him say: ‘David had to learn to accurately hear my voice in life and death circumstances, before he was fully qualified to lead my people’

Isa 42:8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another,

Yes, the gifts and callings of God are without repentence, but many are called and few are chosen, therefore there is difference between the CALL of God and the COMMISSION of God.

As you cry out to God, as I do daily, one of two things will happen. Either those around you, currently in positions of authority, will eventually respond to the direction and wooing of the Holy Spirit, or He will move them out of your way.  As for me, I fear God, and we reap what we sow. I am walking in love towards all men, even my persecutors and op-posers.

OR

He will move you out of the way! Currently, I find myself, like David, Paul and other Biblical characters, completely removed from my church home, as I radically obey Holy Spirit into some wilderness areas. His voice is clear here, and there is great intimacy in the desert, with Him!

Why? I would rather have the grace, and resulting power with God that comes to the humble, than that which the strength of my own arm, or even the violence that my own faith can produce. Obedience and intimacy with Him are my first priority, and I will pay any price to fully obey Him, without compromise.

There is a set time, and I will walk in it, even if, like my First Nations brothers, I create my own personal ‘trail of tears’ towards my destiny.

Ps 75:6 ¶ For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.
7 But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

Gotta be like Jesus:

Heb 5:7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

Sure, it is hard. Brutal at times, but remember, He makes everything beautiful in His time.

Let’s Pray:
‘Father, what I do affects eternity, and generations to come, should Jesus tarry. You lead with gentleness, those with young, how much more, organizations, and kingdom constructs you have raised up to minister to them. Give me patience, grace, strength to endure, as my fire and passion, find release in praise, prayer, and violent faith released in the earth, in your precious name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen’

Why Should I Start a Bible School?

Why Should I Start a Bible School?.

Leader, You will make it!

A Business Owners Cry
Job 7:1
New International Version (NIV)
“Do not mortals have hard service on earth?
Are not their days like those of hired laborers?
Like a slave longing for the evening shadows,
or a hired laborer waiting to be paid.

Ever owned a business, or created something out of nothing?

Whether a business, a farm, a ministry, or any organization, you step out from the comfort, the security of a steady paycheck, and a job, unto the great aching void of nothingness, with the future as bright as the promises of God, but with nothing but Jesus, and your dream to move you forward.
Remember this old Indiana Jones video:

These verses will come alive to you, at that point, because the idea of time clocks, and another man’s schedule are now gone. You will work for your dream, harder than for any other things you have ever worked for, and you will walk it out by faith, and discover that God really is with you, and has made a way for you.

How well, we understand the ‘paycheck to paycheck’ mentality. The comfort of payday, when that check comes into your hands, and you run to the bank, to rest from your period of toil…temporary satisfaction.

Even a slave finds darkness a place to rest, eat, huddle down for the night, perhaps around a warm fire…

Yet, to those of us movers, shakers, dreamers and visionaries, there is still territory to be conquered, and we are at the other end of the stick, fighting sometimes, long into the night, to make sure that there is money in the bank so that our employees get paid. Fighting for contracts, aggressively building, planting, managing scarce resources, in order to keep the machine running, a responsibility and weariness, our employees never see, or in many cases, understand.

I remember one day, in speaking with another contractor, the particular pain, of not being paid for a job completed. He made the comment: ‘It’s worse than slavery, because at least a slave didn’t have to buy his own tools, pay his own gas, buy his own materials, and pay for his house, to work long, long hours, to not get paid…’

Wicked people, with fancy attorneys, that deliberately steal from hard working people, not nickels and dimes, but, in the stroke of a pen, obtain unrighteous judgments, carefully, with predatory zeal, manipulating the legal system, causing truth to fall in the streets, as they prey upon those unable to defend themselves, often hard working business people….

Yet, you must see that there is more going on here, than mere business, betrayal, and hard work.

There is a God, a very living, loving, heavenly Father, who knows, who cares, who sees…

1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

Sometimes, the suffering goes on for some time. Job’s particular trial lasted nine months, Bible scholars teach us.

So what do we do in our place of pain?

Isa 12:6 Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

CRY OUT TO GOD!

Job did:
Job 7:11 “Therefore I will not keep silent;
I will speak out in the anguish of my spirit,
I will complain in the bitterness of my soul

To you, you forgive, and He heals, and He works eternal character into our hearts, the longsuffering love of Jesus, making us holy…

Rom 8:29 ¶ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

To those who appear to be getting away with theft, embezzlement, fraud, He also sees, He loves, and He judges….

Ro 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

In the meantime, stand upon His promises, and know that your particular stand of faith is working in you, Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

As His process works in you, Holy Spirit is working through you, as your stand of faith makes headlines in heaven, and He writes the eternal testimony upon the parchment of time…

Crying out to God for understanding, pressing into Him in prayer and His Word, are your only options…because like Job, at the end of any particular stand of faith, the object of your faith will appear, Jesus, the fourth man in the fire.

It may seem like you are overwhelmed, and perhaps you are, but God is growing you, and your capacity for responsibility, and trust in Him…

1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

There is a way out, you are going to make it through…
Let’s Pray:
‘Father, I cry out to you, asking You for understanding, strength, healing, provision, direction, the way of escape you promise in Your word. I ask, knowing that I am heard and answered, for I ask in Your precious name Lord Jesus, Amen.’

Life in the Potters Hands…

Life in the Potters Hands….

Life in the Potters Hands…

The Potters House

Jer 18:1 ¶ The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

I know, every time that someone hears the name ‘Potter’s House’ we think of the incredible bishop TD Jakes! As much as we love the bishop, we see here, that he received the name of his ministry, from the Word of God.

Today, as I read through these passages, I had an interesting thought occur to me:

Could it be that as God desires to promote, increase, and use us more, that there can be times, where the vessel that we once were, must be destroyed, in order that something greater can be formed, more beautiful, bigger, more exquisitely designed, for a more noble purpose?

Hear the prayer of king David in his distress:

Ps 31:12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.

Sure sounds like our verse out of Jeremiah doesn’t it?

The vessel was marred, so it was shattered, and remade into something greater….

Read through this psalm.

Could it be that this is exactly what God did here with David?

He was shattered in his sin and in his trial, yet after pouring out his heart to God, he ends by saying:

31:24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

He shall strengthen your heart….

Well, I am spiritual, but practical. I always look for purpose in any given process. Could it be, that when we find ourselves shattered at the feet of a Holy and loving God, that it was because the vessel, our heart, was marred, and God, who only wants good for our lives, and the lives of those we are called to serve, rebuilds us after each shattering, stronger, with larger capacity for Him, for service, for life….

As I go through life, I find there is often a process at work in my life.

Yes, from His love, joy, life, I get to serve my fellow man, and this is a privilege and honor.

Yet, I did not grow up in church, discipled under the Word of God, and the Bible is clear:

Ro 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

So, I do certain things, that seem good in my eyes.

Learned behaviors and actions learned in my family, in school, in the workplace, that seemed to work during the time I was in those circumstances, yet that have formed, in my soul, belief systems.

Where these belief systems are based upon the Word of God, they come in to the kingdom of God when I receive Jesus, and bear eternal fruit.

However, many, many of the things I have believed were not Scriptural, and therefore, have become ‘high things that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God’

I cry out, year after year, for revival, to be pure in heart, to be holy in word and deed before God, and He answers….

Ro 9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

How I walk with Him, and cry out for Him, will affect what kind of vessel I become.

1Th 4:4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;

2Ti 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

I must purge myself with the Word of God. He will change me, as I cry out for it, but He does not give what is holy to the dogs…

So, I go into this hurting world, with the love of Jesus, proclaiming the gospel, yet humbly…

As I get to know people, I learn to listen, learn, and see God at work in their world and culture and sometimes, I find myself shattered.

Usually, because I discover people so broken, that I have no way of helping them, other than the power of God, and this, is a good place to be in prayer…Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for to these, come the kingdom…

Yet, there is another kind of brokenness, the topic of this meditation. The one that God Himself brings, the one that comes, when He, in His infinite wisdom, love, and holiness, shatters us to recreate something more glorious, fit for the master’s use.

In construction we have basically three categories: commercial, residential, and remodel (which can be either commercial or residential).

Ps 11:3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

There is a saying in construction: ‘You can’t build on broken bricks.’

To build anything right, the foundation must be solid, level, and able to bear the load of whatever we plan to build upon it.

In any case, the dirt work must be done first, before a foundation can be laid:

1Co 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1Co 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
16 ¶ Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

So, we cry out to God, and we are moving in His gifts, His anointing, seeking Him daily, and are being transformed, into the likeness of Jesus.

Ro 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Then, for almost no apparent reason, we find ourselves shattered.

Construction has begun on our personal temple…

We thought we were in faith, and we were, but that very faith drove us into the heart of our holy God, and He, in His mercy, sees the very foundations of our belief system, our lies, our treacherous ways, our scheming, prideful, and fearful ways, and in His courts, we, the vessel, the temple of the Holy Spirit, is marred….

Yet, He loves us!

So, we are shattered.

In a remodel, the demolition comes first. The architect or builder has a plan for a greater structure that may include moving some load bearing walls, expansion requires greater foundation, and in comes the dirt crew again…

Dust, dirt, workmen, and noise, shatter our serenity, but God Himself is at work, making a temple that will survive the fire!

Smash! And we realize we were terrified of certain things, until His perfect love appears and destroys our deepest fear!

Crash! We realize that we have believed lies. That perhaps mom and dad were wrong on some things. That everything we learned in school was not all true.

Bam! Suddenly abortion is no longer a personal choice, but murder before God. Evolution, so carefully learned in our hearts and minds, meets the Creator of all life, and bam, this idol falls.

Situational ethics, meet the rock solid standards of the Word, and our lying, manipulative, sneaky ways, become purity of heart, a clear conscious, an eye that is single, a confidence and boldness that is unshakable. We can look anyone in the eye, for we have nothing to hide…

And gently, the master potter, places us again on the wheel, wet, pliable, formable, and a new vessel is formed….

His loving hands make again, a thing of beauty!

“But now, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8)

His hands are gentle….

2Sa 22:36 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great.

This is my life these days.

I have been from rags to riches, to brokenness again, yet I know the potter, and embrace the wheel, for what comes off the wheel, will face the fire, and come forth unmarred, strong, and fit for the master’s use…

It’s all about harvest; God is making me, and many of you, into threshing instruments, vessels of honor that will contain His glory, power, and anointing necessary to reap this generation…

Let’s pray:
“Father, I know you. Each time and season you purge me, move from faith to faith, strength to strength, and glory to glory. Thank you for purging, breaking, and reforming me, more like Jesus, that you can entrust to me more responsibility, wisdom, strength, and grace to reach this generation. Please do not hold back! Make me all I need to be! In Your name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen.”