WAIT AND SEE

I had a dream a while ago where I was in a Church setting, and the worship that was going on was a worship of self! I couldn't believe what was going on! The lyrics actually worshipped self and body image! Horrified at this I moved to go to the front of the Church, thinking to try and appeal to God's people about just how ludicrous this was. However, as I got nearer the front, I became afraid, and thought to myself to just wait a while to see if the worship changed, and I also didn't want to disrespect the Pastor or the people of God, so I even though to intervene when the song ended. But, still afraid and still not wanting to disrespect the Pastor or the people of God, I didn't intervene. Then I thought I'd do it at the complete end of the worship session, just before the Pastor would give the Word. But when the worship ended, I still didn't, still being afraid, and still not wanting to risk disrespecting anyone needlessly (if it turned out that intervention was needless). I also thought to myself that I would wait because maybe the preaching would be good and maybe it would be a good message.

After the dream I knew what it meant. The Lord was giving me a big kick up the backside, showing me clearly that although He'd shown me what was going on, in that this kind of Church was worshipping itself, I was afraid, and using so called 'good intentions' and the 'wait and see game' to not do what He wanted me to in calling out about the horrific thing that is going on in many Churches today. I was putting the Churches and the people of God's feelings ahead of their spiritual wellbeing and ahead of the true worship of the Lord and what the Lord wanted. That is why I will continue to call out and try and get people to see what is going on for as long as He wants me to do so. It's not easy, and I know I will continue to be disliked and ignored for it, but I must do what He's directed me to do.

If the Lord speaks to you and leads you, please speak out about what is now going on in many Churches today. And it is an extremely lonely thing to call out when it seems like no one is seeing the same thing. It is an absolute tragedy and heartbreak to see the precious and pure worship of our Lord turned into a human thing and a thing of idolatry. The Lord is jealous for His people and jealous for their hearts. He loves them too much to not stand outside the door of their hearts and continue to knock and to call them back to Him.

AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH

What I've always found fascinating about those that believe that God is only gracious now in the New Testament and that they believe that no judgment occurs and that God never judges, is that, one, there are quite a few instances of judgment, both of the Church and of the world under the New Covenant, and I've never heard anyone be able to explain away why they occurred (and never even enter into a discussion about it). And secondly, they easily and readily it seems, forget that the tribulation period that is described in the New Testament DOESN'T SEE A NEW COVENANT ESTABLISHED, in other words, everyone is still ONLY SAVED BY GRACE, that is, by faith in Jesus Christ, and yet God is still very justified in pouring out His wrath at that time as well. Christians it seems, very conveniently, just like to think that grace ends at the point of time when God will pour out His wrath, but this cannot be, otherwise no one from that time forth could be saved. Plus Romans tells us that even at the present time, God's wrath is being revealed from heaven (Rom 1v8).

ASCRIBING GLORY

ASCRIBING GLORY

The Church must be a light on a hill, but it must not ascribe His glory to themselves. When Moses came down from the mount in the Old Testament, he shone with the glory of God, but rather than risk such glory being ascribed to himself, he hid it from the sight of the people with a veil. He did not do this so that the people wouldn't see God's glory, but so that they wouldn't think that the glory came from him. Similarly, when God healed miraculously through Paul in the New Testament, the Apostle went to great lengths to try and make the people see that such power didn't come from himself- tearing his robe to try and make the people see that he was just flesh and blood, just human like themselves. Both men didn't deny that God was working through them powerfully, but they went to great lengths to demonstrate to men that the source of such power was not from themselves, but from God.

Today, far too many men are all too willingly allowing the honour and glory that is God's alone, to be ascribed to themselves (whether by seeking it or allowing it). Honouring our leaders is one thing, but ascribing God's glory to them is quite another, and it is a very dangerous thing. Much (not all) of the Church now is all too willing to make the Church stage a light show and a great spectacle. We are all too willing to have the spotlight shine on men, and to have their faces beamed up on big screens (even while angels in the book of Isaiah hid their faces in the presence of the King! Isaiah 6v2). We are eager for front seats and positions of honour and privilege; for leadership and recognition, for place and to be known. My goodness! Would we do and desire these things if the KING OF GLORY walked among us? Would we be as willing to showcase ourselves in the name of worship if He who ALONE deserves worship came and visited us face to face? Far from it, but like we see with the Apostle John in the New Testament, if men are truly worshipping the King and are seeing Him, our natural reaction will be TO MAKE LESS OF OURSELVES, and to become less. We see this in that John, when He saw the Lord in the book of Revelation, he fell down as though dead: Rev 1v17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. We also see this attitude in John the Baptist, when he said, 'He must become greater; I must become less.' (John 3v3). Something is very wrong when places of worship become places where more and more of men are seen, but less and less of Jesus is presented and revealed. 

One day EVERY BEAUTIFUL BUILDING (Mark 13v1), and every work and material of men will be thrown down, and then what shall be left? One day all of man's pride and the position that he has given himself without being appointed by Jesus will be done away with. Beautiful buildings are not evil in an of themselves, neither are the materials and devices of men that are now used, however, the EFFECTS that they are bringing and the motives behind them and how they are being used are in most cases extremely wrong and not only very unbeneficial, but are causing destructive seeds of the flesh that are already bearing fruit that is causing all kinds of evil fruit and idolatrous worship. If any doubt this, all that is needed to reveal such things for what they are is time, but by then most of the damage will be done, and only the grace of God will salvage what He wants to save. Despite every dream about this that God has given me, it seems that virtually no one agrees with these revelations, and virtually no one even comments on them, which seems to indicate just how far these Churches of men have entered into peoples' hearts and have set themselves up as idols in His peoples' hearts and minds. Far from wanting to only present and worship Jesus, it seems that men desire and are all too willing to allow the attention and glory that should only be for Him, to be ascribed to them. Men are now seeking their own Kingdom and their own glory, and are willing to do anything to get it. And the most scary thing it seems is that much of the Church is not only willing to allow it, but also very desirous for it to continue. Scary stuff. 

WHEN SILENCE ISN'T GOLDEN

Most Churches are now overrun with such superficiality and shallowness, such self-idolatry and fleshly and unbiblical worship, that it is hard to even justify calling those places Churches. Places that once existed as places where Jesus was wholly met and worshiped, and where the Word of God was fully and faithful expounded, now mostly just exist as marketplaces, themeparks and kingdoms of men rather than kingdoms of God. In a word, much of the Church, that will here be referred to as 'the modern day Laodicea', is asleep. Jesus still loves this Church and this people, but do we? Jesus' love for them is seen in ACTION in that He stands at the door and knocks at the hearts of these people (Rev 3), but where is our love actioned for them? By and large, nearly all of the Church that knows what now takes place, is COMPLETELY SILENT about it. This not only amounts to being extremely selfish (caring only for self), but also it shows that many do not care for those that now have been lulled to sleep in the modern day Laodicea and they do not care that God's peoples' spiritual lives are being attacked. These same people are quite happy to enjoy their lives and be taken up with such enjoyment, rather than speaking out and pleading with a Church that is rapidly shipwrecking men's faith, and polluting their relationship and worship of the Lord. Jesus KNOCKED; He tried to get the Churches attention; are we trying to get it's attention? Are we trying to pass on what the WORD says about what is going one? Or are we content in seeing our brothers and sisters turn the Church of God into an idol? And in the process seeing the Holy faith turned into a unholy and unclean thing?

Although it is God that is the one who speaks and confronts when His Church goes astray, it is men that He uses to PASS ON HIS WORD. This is clearly shown in the book of Revelation. Though the message of confrontation came from God, God revealed that word to John to PASS IT ON. God said, 'To the Church of Laodicea write…' Whether in the Old or the New Testament, God still used men to confront His Church when it was needed. Yes, in love, yes, in humility, yes, in patience, but also WITHOUT COMPROMISE and in BOLDNESS. John did not mince his words with those Churches. How could he? God had revealed His will by HIS WORD, and John was compelled by the Spirit to pass those words on. How must he have felt when he passed on such words like, 'If you do not repent, I will come and fight against you with the Words of my mouth'? We are not told, because IT DOESN'T MATTER. Similarly, we as the people of God cannot be influenced with how we FEEL about this, because the truth will sometimes be hard for our feelings to accept. And we cannot remain silent and inactive because of those same feelings. Many feel the truth is too harsh now. We cannot speak out because it will be perceived as unloving. I wonder, if everyone in the Church today read the scripture I just quoted, how many would dare call such words unloving? And yet if a person today was to say such words, that if His people didn't repent, that God would FIGHT AGAINST THEM with the Words of His mouth, how many would accuse that person of being unloving? This shows many have a distorted view of what true love is. Furthermore, we are not told how Laodicea responded to John's words, why?, again, because that's not the point (let God be the decider there, let Him be sovereign- He is His peoples' shepherd). But nevertheless, our calling, like John's, stands; if we love the people of God, we must call out with the Word of God; we must shine the light on the travesty that is now unfolding before our very eyes. If we say nothing, whether we like it or not, we become complicit in what is going on ourselves. Jesus didn't overturn the tables in the temple of God for no small mistake that the Church was making, He did it because He does not stand idly by while His Church of prayer is turned into a den of thieves. God does not stand idly by while men rob Him and His Church of its glory. Don't be complicit in the crime that now, by and large, goes unheralded and unchecked. Today's silence, will be tomorrows tragedy, not only for the spiritual life of our Church, but for the preservation of our very society. Much is now at stake. Will we sit back in silence and selfish inaction, or will we take a stand for the truth? 

THE PARADOX OF VICTORY & THE UNRECOGNISED JERICHO

Often we are unaware that the Christian life is a constant battle. We are told by many pastors and many Churches that the Christian walk is a 'seasonal' thing; one season there will be blessing, one season there will hardship; one season, we are told, will be easy, another will be a struggle. While this may be, one the one hand, true to an extent (eg: the disciples had their easIER times and their harder times), it is not the whole truth, and not really what we should be focusing on in our Christian walk (not that many want to hear that). What we must really concern ourselves with, and this is a CONSTANT thing in the Christian life, is what Paul talks about when he says, 'For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.' (Eph 6v12). The fact that this is a constant struggle is seen in Paul's use of the present tense when he says, 'we wrestle'. He does not say, 'we HAVE wrestled' (past tense), he does not say, 'we WILL wrestle' (future tense), he says, 'WE WRESTLE'; so as to say, 'whether we like it or not, we are in a fight now, and we better realise it.' This FIGHT does not exist based on whether we perceive it or not, and it most certainly doesn't exist or not based on whether things appear to be going well in our life (a crucial point to recognise), for when things are enjoyable and going well, even King David, who clearly loved God passionately, fell to temptation. No, whether in evident hardship or battle or not, we are always in a battle against unseen forces, because those forces are battling us.

Now, at this point no doubt some out there will say, 'No, it's all been done for us, and Jesus has won all the victory already. So all we have to do is recognise and sit back and relax.' Yes Jesus has already won the victory, thank God He has! But to believe that we must just sit back and relax in the Christian walk is absolute foolishness of the highest order, and such a belief is the cause of such spiritual harm and destruction, that it is horrifying even to dwell on its effects. Such a belief ignores the paradox of victory that lies at the centre of the Christian walk, and it fails to recognise the Jericho that will always recur, in one form or another, throughout our Christian walks. This is seen in the book of Joshua, in the story about the fall about Jericho itself. When the Israelites who had come out of Egypt finally reached Jericho, the Lord appeared to Joshua and said, ..."See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.' (Joshua 6v2). But the LORD didn't stop there, He didn't only say that VICTORY HAD BEEN GIVEN TO JOSHUA ALREADY, but that HE HAD TO WALK IN IT; (Joshua 6v3) 'March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. v4 ...'On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing their trumpets.' Ironically, yet incredibly powerfully, the seventh day, the day in which God wrought a complete victory for Israel (even though it had already been given), was only given after Israel had been obedient to walk in the rest of faith. In the Word, the seventh day always represents the REST of God, because God rested on the seventh day when he made creation and Hebrews talks about making EVERY EFFORT to enter the rest of God. Herein we are taught an amazing lesson, IN THE REST OF GOD THERE IS A CONSTANT BATTLE IN ORDER TO EXPERIENCE THE VICTORY THAT JESUS HAS ALREADY WON FOR US. That is why Paul didn't just say, 'STAND THEREFORE,' as though the Christian walk was just an idle standing, but also, 'HAVING GIRDED YOURSELF.' And why else do you need to gird yourself, except that you can 'withstand in the evil day' (Eph 6v13). Rest and victory in the Christian life is not a passive thing, but an active thing. We must WITHSTAND, we must FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH (1 Tim 6v12). Though the victory is ours because Jesus has won it all, we must actively walk in it, not to earn it in any way, as though it could be won by our merits, but simply to stand in the reality of it:

Eph 6v14-18:
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints...

Joshua 6v15-17:
On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people, "Shout! For the LORD has given you the city! The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the LORD.

Just because Jesus has won us the victory, does not mean that we have entered a Christian life of ease and comfort. Even in the promised land Israel had many battles to fight, and so we too, having entered the promised land of rest that Jesus has provided, will face many battles in order to continue to possess what has already and freely been given to us, and therein lies the paradox that we must except and the paradox that we must embrace. 

DREAM- 18TH NOVE: 'TO THE CHURCH IN LAODICEA WRITE...'

I posted something on the Church on facebook earlier today, and then went for an afternoon nap. I dreamt that someone had responded to my post saying that not all Churches were like what I had described. I responded by saying that I was talking about a specific Church, and half jokingly but half seriously said that I should've probably started off sharing by addressing the post: 'To the Church of Laodicea.' Then the dream ended.

In the first post I put on Facebook, I described the kind of Church today that is becoming filled with those things that are more akin to being at a theme park and a party, than a place of worship. This makes for false and frivolous worship, and this is the kind of Church that is spoken about in the book Revelation- the Laodicean Church. In Revelation Chapter 3v17 it says of this Church that, 'You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing. But y

ou do not realise that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.' While the Church of today is buying much that it believes is making it rich, Jesus continues to call out for it to buy what He treasures: v18: I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

The wretchedness that the passage talks about is threefold. Firstly, it speaks of the Church placing its value in riches that aren't true riches. Secondly, it speaks of not being either 'hot or cold' spiritually, thirdly, it speaks of walking in and after sin. The Lord is saying that the type of Church that is largely characterised by placing an inordinate affection on material things and riches is largely characterised by the three things just stated. The Lord is characterising this kind of Church as the modern day Laodicean Church, and it's people need to repent, and to buy from Jesus those things that really matter and to walk fully in His ways. When the passage in Revelation ends, it ends with the Lord saying, v19: Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.' He is standing outside the door of this modern day Church and because He loves them so much, He is wanting to fellowship with them in His way if they will let Him by obeying Him in this.

Many have all kinds of opinions about this modern day Church, but only one opinion matters, because Jesus is the only faithful and true witness: v14 ...'These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation.' Men are not rulers of God's Church, Jesus is the only ruler there is, and He wants what is best for His people, so we must lay aside our opinions and obey Him.

God bless

JESUS, PLUS OR MINUS A FEW THINGS

Churches used to be where men wanted to focus on and love Jesus. Now they're places where men want to focus on and love Jesus PLUS lights, Jesus PLUS music, Jesus PLUS self, Jesus PLUS deceit, Jesus PLUS show, Jesus PLUS thrills, Jesus PLUS shallowness, Jesus PLUS business, Jesus PLUS dollars, Jesus PLUS unwholesome doctrinal mixture, Jesus PLUS idols, Jesus PLUS the market place, Jesus PLUS buying and selling, Jesus PLUS false gifts, Jesus MINUS whole counsel, Jesus MINUS reverence, Jesus MINUS whole hearted focus, Jesus MINUS discernment, Jesus MINUS meaningful fellowship, Jesus MINUS seriousness, Jesus MINUS power, Jesus MINUS His presence, Jesus MINUS prophecy, Jesus MINUS the true gifts of the Spirit. 

This is grievous beyond words. The true Bride of Christ is so precious that Jesus does not want His people conforming to this world, and He will strive with His people until they see and understand that He will not allow this to happen. In adding much that is unlike Christ, we have taken away so much that is. We have sold much of His Holy things for vain things, and so our religion is becoming much like what the world believes. How long will the Lord have to call out to His people for their hearts to be swayed?

DREAM: WORSHIP THAT KNOCKS YOU OFF YOUR FEET

A couple of months ago I dreamt I was in a Church. I was with another couple of people, and there were some youth sitting off to my side. The worship had begun and I started to really focus and go to that secret place in worship that His people go to when they're so intent on worshipping Jesus. The worship music was accommodating to that kind of worship too, until the style of worship changed. Instead of music that was beneficial to that kind of heart to heart worship, loud and boisterous music started playing. It was quite overwhelming, and it straight away knocked me out of the focused worship I'd been in previously. I tried to go along with it, and attempted to worship with music that was now more like heavy rock. Along with the music was intense bright lighting, and although I tried, I could not concentrate like before. It went beyond that however. Along with the all-consuming sound of the rock-like worship music, the very ground started to move and sway from side to side! The music and the base seemed to rock the very ground, so much so, that the two people beside me started to lose their footing, and eventually fell over. Although I was able to stand for a longer period of time, eventually, because the ground was swaying quite violently from one side to the other, I too fell. I laughed it off, but myself and the others all still fell. While all this had been going on, the young people to my right had sat the entire time, and not entered worship at all. At the start I had thought that this was really strange. 

When I woke, I knew what the Lord was saying. Church worship and the worship of His people is so precious to Him, but a few things are going on at the moment which are disturbing, non-beneficial and quite harmful to His peoples' spiritual lives. Firstly, many young people are starting to disengage and sit back when it comes to Church worship, no matter what worship is going on (no matter what music). Young people everywhere need to stand up in this regard, and enter into worship, as it is so precious and important to the Lord, and it is a time where we fully commune with Him and especially set our hearts and minds to worship Him. 

Secondly, the loud, boisterous and rock-like worship music that is going on, is not only distracting people from REALLY and intimately worshipping Jesus, it is also knocking them off their spiritual feet (Eph 6:13). Although His people sincerely are trying to focus on Jesus and worship Him passionately and wholeheartedly, no matter how hard they try, such music is knocking them out of such a focus of Him. The sound of the music and the lighting is demanding full attention. Furthermore, and most disturbingly, the disruption to the inward focus of worship in His peoples' hearts is causing them to fall spiritually. Ephesians 6v13 depicts standing up as standing upright spiritually. To fall over, therefore, depicts falling over in His peoples' spiritual lives. How and why this is taking place, the dream does not reveal, but suffice to say that it is, because it is causing His people to be distracted from Him.

Issues of focus and distraction are very dear to the Lord's heart, as such things are pivotal in His peoples' lives, because they are the very thing that either make a way for us, or block us from spending time in the secret place with Jesus. These things should also, therefore, be very dear to our heart, and we should leave our beliefs and understandings about these kind of things at the door. 

God bless

HARD OF HEARING

Mark 8v34-38: 

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels.

Wow. Jesus just said if you don't lose your life for His sake, you'll lose your soul.

He just called his generation 'adulterous' and 'sinful'

He just said that the Son of Man would be ashamed of the one who is ashamed of Him and His words, salvation or no salvation.

He just said it, not only to His disciples who He knew, but also to the crowd of unbelievers; those He didn't even have a relationship with.

I wonder how many today would've called Him 'unloving' and just plain 'wrong.' It seems as though today, if we don't say something that considers someone's feelings, it's unloving. Sorry folks, Jesus cared for feelings more than any Christian does, and there were times when He just put it out there PLAIN, SIMPLE & DIRECT. He didn't qualify it, He didn't say, 'now I know there are those out there that believe this, and believe that, but....' He didn't say, 'now I know this is hard to hear, so bear with me...' He didn't say, 'let me give you the whole background and reason why I'm doing this...' He didn't say, 'I know this is debatable, but...' He didn't say, 'Now, the reason I'm saying this is because I love and care for you and want the best for you...' (although He obviously does!). He didn't say, 'this generation has some good qualities about it, but...' He didn't say, 'If you're ashamed of me and my Words, it'll be ok, because you'll be forgiven...' 

Do we love the same Jesus that, not only died and was raised for us, but also who said the hardest truths for us to fathom? Jesus knew, that there will be times in our lives when the 'Word' for us at that moment, must and will be hard to hear. It must be that way because some of the greatest Words ever given were hard to hear and hard to bear, but brought the greatest fruit and the greatest triumph of grace and goodness to those that rightly heard them. 

Many today amass a cult following because they simply say things people want to hear. They appeal to their sense of love and their sense of truth, which sounds great but is nothing but candy cane Christianity, and a humanistic love that is, at its core, only selfish and self-serving. The hard word is meant to heal, it is meant to bring a channel for life and love, but before it can bring those things, it is still a HARD WORD to hear. Let hard words be hard for your feelings and your flesh to accept, because then you know that they really are words of love, truth and life. After all, if we cannot hear hard and direct words, we might as well just close up the Word right now and never read it again, because, if we are rightly reading it as we should, nearly ever Word will be hard to hear, because we will all battle with our flesh till the day we die. 

John 6- 
60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”

61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit[e] and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”

66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.

68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

DREAM: DISTRACTION & SNAKES

DREAM: DISTRACTION AND SNAKES 

A few weeks ago I dreamt that I was in a Church. The Church was taking communion, and yet, amazingly and quite disturbingly, much of the congregation were talking and joking and seemed to be focused on anything accept for the communion. I was quite simply horrified at this. I tried to take the communion fairly quickly so that I wouldn't be distracted by anyone next to me, and yet still someone next to me made a joke and pushed me at the same time. 

After this I tried moving to the front of the Church with a friend, however, I didn't feel comfortable up the front, as I thought to myself that I didn't want people focusing on me instead of Jesus, and it just felt uncomfortable seeing as the worship band was right in front of us, and it was hard to focus on the Lord when they were right there. Instead, I went right to the back of the Church with my friend. I remember thinking to myself that we didn't need to go right to the back, but there we were anyway. It was then that the snakes started to appear from what seemed to be nowhere. Under my feet, and under the feet of the person in front of me that just kept coming, no matter how many times they were thrown away. Then the dream ended.

The Lord is saying a couple of things through this dream. Firstly, He is saying that some in the Church are becoming distracted from focusing on Him and on worshipping Him in Church services. Not only were people talking in the dream, and at the most inappropriate times (during communion), but also JOKING during communion- a time that is obviously a really serious time and a time that needs to be solely focused on remembering, honouring and thanking the Lord. This is not just a serious matter, but it's idolatry. The idolatry is represented by the snakes. These things are popping up in places of worship now, and they are distracting those that are truly wanting to worship and focus on the Lord. Whether they go to the front of the Church or the back, they are not finding that they can escape this distraction and this idolatry that some of His people are allowing in their hearts. The place of worship in the Church is such a sacred time to the Lord, and the Lord is jealous for the hearts, minds and focus of His people. To become distracted from that by focusing on ourselves and joking during such important times shows incredible disrespect to the Lord and to what He's done for us on the cross. Church services are also not times that the worship band should be the focal point of the attention, nor those that are up the front, but it should be a time to focus on the Lord alone. The Lord is calling for His people to be obedient to Him in this, and to stop the distractions and thus the idolatry that is going on. 

Job 33v14-18:
14 For God does speak—now one way, now another—
though no one perceives it.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls on people
as they slumber in their beds,
16 he may speak in their ears
and terrify them with warnings,
17 to turn them from wrongdoing
and keep them from pride,
18 to preserve them from the pit,
their lives from perishing by the sword.[b]

Acts 2
17 “‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.

THE POINT OF THE MYSTERY

If we are too sure either way, whether man can lose his salvation or not, we have missed the point entirely. The point is not whether it can be gained or lost, but that men have been given choice, and that God is sovereign. Seeing as men can only take care of choice, we must do what we can, and since man can only understand a little of sovereignty, we must comfort ourselves with what He has revealed of those workings, but also realise that some of those very things are hidden from us, and very intentionally so. In the end the seeming dilemma is solved by upholding both truths; we must be chosen and also choose, and however that works with God, in the unseen and in the heavenlies, let that be up to Him, but however that works with us in daily life, with those things we know to be up to us by conscience and by decision, let that be our duty, and not excuse ourself by thinking we have no role or part to play. Faith can only be given by trust, but it can only be known by us through the fruit of the choices we make.

THE STRUGGLE AND REWARD OF GROWING UP

Eph 4v12: 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 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. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.

We often get weary of the fight and struggle that often exists around really coming to know what is true and what is false. There are so many opinions out there that often the blinders go up, and we believe ignorance is our best weapon in order to remain founded upon what's true. While selective ignorance is sometimes wise (i.e. why would you listen to someone who preaches a false gospel?), total ignorance is extremely foolish. God has given the VARIOUS gifts of the Spirit (which means there should be more than 1 person we listen too), not only that we'll become mature in knowing Him, but also that we'll no longer by tossed back and forth by the waves of so called 'knowledge' that is bandied about so loosely and indiscriminately that people either just accept it because it seems to agree with their feelings and their view of the world, or reject EVERYTHING in order to remain what they think of as 'secure.' But notice here, and this is the real encouragement for us, is that if we really do accept the gifts as God gives them (Apostle, Prophet, Pastor etc), and go back to the Word to check whether the things they say are true, we will no longer have to fear becoming tossed here and there every time someone opens their mouths- we'll know what's true. 

The design of the gifts is not to make us feel insecure about our faith and knowledge of Him, but rather to have us GROW UP in our faith- and yes, this is surely a process. I don't know anyone who would say growing up and maturing was a piece of cake. It was often a struggle to really become an adult. But after time, and effort, we all truly become adults because we knew that we must (and that it was inevitable)- we must be equipped in order to live and operate effectively in an adult world. And just like preparation for the adult world, God gives the gifts so that we'll be prepared and equipped for the spiritual world, a world where He wants us, not only loving others and Himself, but also wisely operating in the gifts and calling He has given us, again for others and for His work and glory. 

Lastly, we must realise that growing up spiritual is INEVITABLE. Whether it occurs in this life, or in the next, when perfection comes the Word says, imperfection will disappear. There would be nothing worse in this life in that as a child we would grow up in year, but never in wisdom, knowledge or understanding. We would effectively be illegitimate and immature adults; children who walk about in an adults skin. There are those for whom, unfortunately, this exists in real life, but also spiritually too. Often they don't even know it, and this is the saddest and most dangerous reality. While the sun shines and all the world is happy, this seems fine to them, but when the night comes, watch out, only by the grace of God will they remain walking with Him. However, in all likelihood they will experience much more grief, struggle and pain working through a much tougher maturing process than they would've ever had to otherwise. And at the very worst it seems that perhaps they would harden their hearts against a God they don't understanding, and the end results of that I think we could all guess at.

THE GOOD KIND OF COMPROMISE

Often, it is not two people agreeing on any doctrine that is beneficial when there is a sincere disagreement of what the Bible says, but rather the airing of both sides of opinion that make for a sensible middle ground. It is often the case, not that two extreme opinions are wrong, but that both provide a revelation of what really is true. The trick is to realise this is the case, and so not side on doctrinal camps for the sake of it, as though 'winning' was beneficial at all, but to realise that often God gives revelation to different people so that a truer jigsaw puzzle of truth can be realised and benefited from. Just as there are different gifts that God gives for different purposes, so there are differing revelations that are given, not to fight each other, but to fit each other. And the glue that can bring these pieces together is mutual respect, honour and love, even in the midst of respectful disagreement. There is more that unites us as Christians, than divides us. And there is even more that can be brought together of many opinions and views about the Word than we realise, all it often takes is for both parties to realise that there often does exist a middle ground of truth, that even when taken, doesn't compromise that truth, or any foundational truths.

AN ANCIENT FLAME

It used to be that the Word and the power and person of Jesus was enough, now there are many opinions, many doctrines, many programs, many devices, and an endless amount of books and teachers that offer revelation at a price. The biggest shame is that to some extent, there is some good in those things, and yet all these things mostly miss the point of what they aim at because they fail to understand that all things revolve around, not glorying in men, or their giftings, but glorying in Jesus Christ alone. The saints of old didn't need Christ plus anything, instead, they preached Christ minus everything and inspite of everything that stood as a witness against Him. Because of this, what God wrought through such men was a flame of fire and power that blew across nations, lit up hearts and burnt away the stubborn wills of blind men. God set the torch of His Spirit in the upper rooms of men's lives, because such power resided in the undiluted Word and whole counsel of God. God's men used to know that Jesus was enough, and His grace sufficient, ah, that we would remember and recall their path, that we too might know what they knew.

KNOWING THE WILL OF GOD

Knowing the will of God is not a passive thing. You must ask, seek and knock for it. You must wait for it and when it is given, think on it. You must talk about it and learn it from the Word. You must hear that still small voice and read the signs of the times. You must walk and talk with Jesus and also study to show yourself approved. You must not be lazy but be diligent and to do all these things,

 you must first wait for the Spirit of God to stir your heart with passion and grace, and to stir your hands to action. Knowing the will of God doesn't come without patient endurance. Knowing that will isn't always perfect and complete, but relies completely on faith, and humbly on what God chooses to reveal. The will of God comes via revelation and His understanding, and our understanding must be laid aside. Knowing the will of God comes through the difficult process of humbling ourselves, for God gives grace to the humble. And yet even after all those things, the will of God comes only by His good grace and will, only by His power and purpose, only in the midst of His presence, and only according to His good pleasure. However, gloriously and amazingly, the will of God has already been revealed in the whole counsel of God, and is waiting for us in the Word of God, the perfect revelation of His will.

SUBMISSION TO GRACE: ACTION & INACTION

Submission to grace does not just mean that we do nothing, that is a fatal error many are propagating in today's Church. To submit to grace is a two-fold thing- both of inaction and action; firstly, it is to allow His power to work through us, and yes, not work in our own strength to achieve anything, whether it be righteousness or good works. However, while we are not to strive in our own strength, and this covers the 'inaction' part of submission, the 'action' part of submission is that part whereby we do something in order to rely on Him. This 'doing' is quite straight forward, and repeated at length in both teaching and practical example in the Word, most specifically in Jesus' life. This doing is 'prayer'. It is prayer by which, we not only recognise the grace given to us already and are thankful for it, but also agree with the Lord that it is by prayer that the Lord has chosen to impart such grace, and even special instances of grace, for 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.' That is why Paul wrote so often to Churches saying that He prayed for them in a particular manner, sometimes that they might know and be given the knowledge of the love of God that passes understanding, or at other times that believers might be given the spirit of revelation in the knowledge of Him. That is why Jesus prayed all night before He chose the twelve disciples, why Daniel prayed for the people of God in captivity, why Hannah prayed for a child, why the Israelites often prayed for deliverance, why Paul prayed about his thorn in the flesh, why the disciples prayed for boldness in their witness, and the list goes on.

A CALL

Awfully and inexplicably now, Churches do not allow the awesomeness and glory of God to take centre stage in their places of worship, neither do they allow that worship to be adorned only by holiness and love, instead, theme parks and light shows promise deceptive emotional thrills, and replace the power of God that comes only by His grace and Spirit with a despicable idolatry of self and flesh. We now cry out to God via the golden calf, and do not realise that it is a worship of that thing of worldly substance. We say to it- 'You are God, you are the one who brought us out from Egypt,' and do not realise that while we claim to have left the world, its image still stands upright among us and still resides firmly and happily within our hearts. We have turned the glory of God into an abomination, and worship into a travesty of glorying in ourselves, and yet we sit undisturbed and unaware of God's displeasure and His disagreement with our ways, for 

we do not know the God of the Word, but a God of our own making, and we bow down to our own understanding, and our own hearts.

But if we would just realise it, all this travesty and idolatry could be taken away in a moment, and we could all return to a simple and powerful Bethel. We could return with Jacob to a meeting of God set up only by the ladder of the Spirit, We could return to experiencing what the two disciples did after the cross when they walked with Jesus- knowing the stirring and fire of the Spirit's power within us in creating a love for only Jesus. We could hear once again, like Paul, only His voice on the Damascus road, listening only to the call He would give us for His service. We could sit again with John on an island of our own Patmos with Him in our personal lives- waiting for a new revelation of Jesus that doesn't need the excess materials and performance of the world. And we could know again the power that the Apostles walked in, seeing miracles of power and healing that once witnessed to the world how God really displayed the awesomeness of His might and glory by the power of the Son of God. And all this would ever need would be the letting go of those worldly things that dazzle and yet deceive the heart, and yet cloud the mind. Those things that thrill the flesh and yet kill the work of the Spirit. All this would need would be a throwing out of our idols and our palaces, a throwing out of the humanistic bible of ignorance and shallowness, and a wholehearted embracing of those things of God that have never changed, in any age or place in the world, from the beginning of time till now. Those things that have been tried and proven, those things that last not just a few hours on earth, but an eternity in the heavenly realm. The choice is ours.

AN URGENT WARNING

Lev 10v10: You must distinguish between the holy and the common...

Heb 5v14: But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

1 Peter 4v17: For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

1 Cor 11v32: But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

^{1 Cor 11v30: 30} That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.

When the Lord struck down Aaron's sons because of their offering 'unauthorised fire', or in other words 'unauthorised worship', we are told how this seasoned and holy man of God responded v3: 'Aaron remained silent.' At the moment, there exists an eerie silence amongst Christians about the unauthorised worship that is going on in the Church at the moment and nothing is being said about the judgment that is going on because of it. Make no mistake about it, God jealously guards the matters of his worship, and guards the honour of His name. Romans says about many in the Old Testament that, 'they exchanged the truth of God for a lie,' and in the New Testament, AFTER THE CROSS, Ananias and Sapphira were struck down for making a lie out of the worship of God. The Church is lying at the moment, it is lying to others and it is lying to itself in its so called 'worship' of God. That worship at the moment is plain idolatry; idolatry of self. Christians are telling themselves that it is fine to put self front and centre, that it is fine to put self on the same pedalstool at Jesus. All they need seemingly is to use one or two scriptures that are taken out of context and supposedly they're fine. This is a travesty of ignorance that is leading to an abomination of worship.  

God does not accept a worship according to how we want to worship Him. How we are to worship is clearly laid out in the Word of God, and nowhere in that Word does it say that we are to worship the ideals of the world. The Lord is revealing what that worship is at the moment amongst His people, that worship is an idolatry of self- to be thin, to have the perfect body, to have the perfect image and to worship self. No attempt is being made to cast away our idols of silver and gold and our idolatry to self. No attempt is being made to cast away the golden calf that we've made, because the Church loves it too much; it is that very thing that increases their pride in their lives (the pride of life- 1 John 2v16), and they will not part with it. These things should be hated by Christians. We as the people of God should know better than this. We should know the Word and know what is written. We should know what our God desires, and what is of no profit for us, for 'the flesh profits nothing, only the Spirit gives life.' But the difference between good and evil is only known if we train ourselves to know the difference by knowing the Word of God. 

Nevertheless, the Lord continues to warn and call out. The Lord gives a certain amount of time to repent, but if we do not repent, judgment will ensue, because God will not stand idly by while those that profess to know Him worship idols and encourage the worship of God to be idolatry. In many ways judgment has already begun and has being going on for years, but few know it, even fewer have seen it. Fewer still even believe that God judges His people as discipline in order that they may not be condemned along with the world (1 Peter 4v17 + 1 Cor 11v32). This judgment occurs in a few ways, but the main types of judgment is usually sickness, intense suffering, or death. This is seen in Ananias and Sapphira, this is seen in Revelation 2 in the warning given to a woman that taught the people of God to eat food sacrificed to idols, and this is seen in the book of Corinthians, when those that were embracing sin were judged when eating and drinking communion: ^{1 Cor 11v30: 30} That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.

Moses also explains so powerfully and insightfully why judgment must occur:

Lev 10v3:

Moses then said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD spoke of when he said: "Among those who approach me I will show myself holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honoured' 

The Lord is warning through revelation, through instruction, through His Word, through His people, and is warning repeatably. Woe to us if we ignore that warning. If we continue to ignore the warnings about false and idolatrous worship, we harden our hearts through the deceitfulness of sin. If we continue on this path, we are in danger of much worse judgment, we are in danger of the Lord giving us over to the desires of our heart, and over to the delusion we have embraced. We must separate ourselves from false worship NOW, not tomorrow, not a month or year from now, NOW. We must obey regarding this straight away, before it is too late.

PASTORS, PROPHETS & PREPARATION

^{Ephesians 4:11} So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers...

⁷ Amos 3v7: Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing
    without revealing his plan
    to his servants the prophets.

^{1 Cor 16v6} Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? ⁷ Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? ⁸ Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?

Prov 22v3: A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.

It's certainly of God today that nearly every Church that exists has a pastor that seems to be a shepherd to the people, and a person who is obviously called to bring, not only the gospel, but a teaching of the whole counsel of God (Acts 20v27) in order that the people of God may spiritually grow and mature. Not only that, but a Pastor seems to always be an encourager and someone who focuses on the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ. This is not wrong obviously, this is something through which it seems the Lord has been using to build His Church, and it has been an incredible blessing to the body of Christ. However, as the Ephesians scripture states above, Jesus didn't only call, anoint, equip and send pastors for the work which He set for them, but He has also, amongst other gifts, called, equipped and sent prophets to the Church for their benefit. 

The difference between a pastor and a prophet is both subtle and obvious. Where Pastors are concerned, like teachers, with teaching and expounding on the letter by letter instruction and revelation of the Word, and its application to our lives and love for the Lord in the present time, Prophets are more concerned with what the Word calls the 'spirit of revelation' (Eph 1:17) and with hearing the voice of the Lord, particularly concerning the future so that decisions and preparations can be made in the present (whether spiritual or practical) for the revealed future. Pastors are concerned with grounding men's spiritual lives in the Word of God so that they'll be 'rooted and grounded in the faith' and also in grace (Col 2:7 + Heb 13v9), whereas prophets are concerned with what the Lord is speaking in the moment in order to encourage, instruct, direct and warn (example: Acts 11:28) for the future. The Church often assumes that they must accept one or the other of these gifts and callings, and because of this, camps usually arise in which one voice claims to be right because of their gifting, and the other right because of theirs. What we are failing to do, by and large, in the Church today, is to accept and understand that both are meant to compliment and work with each other for the purpose by which they have been sent. Like puzzle pieces, one gifting is meant to fit and join another gifting in order to give us the 'bigger picture' of what God desires to teach us, and of how He desires to encourage, direct and use us. If, like the Lord said to the disciples, 'you are willing to accept it,' there is much that the Lord has stored up for us in this hour. 

And so all of the above has been to preface something very particular, specifically the third 'P' in the title of this post- 'Preparation.' I have heard very few, if any voices in Australia that have communicated anything from the Lord that is going to take place in the future. This is something that should be very concerning to the Church in this country at the moment. The Bible talks about times where there was no widespread revelation, and such a time was usually associated with people doing 'what was right in their own eyes.' Similarly, there are now very few 'sons of Issachar' who know, because of the Lord, 'what Israel should do.' Where vision fails, the people perish, and it's usually because there is no firm understanding of both the hope and the trial that awaits us in the future, that this happens. Where there is no vision and no understanding of the future, men embrace the dictum: 'Lets eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.' Without prophecy, men go about their lives for themselves, become selfish and have no proper understanding of the importance that the future and God's work in it, will have on themselves and others. For this very reason, the book of Revelation in the Bible was given, not only to the Churches in the Apostle John's day, but also to us. That is also why God continues to give the gift of prophecy and to provide the service that prophets bring. However, we again come back to the point; 'where are all the prophets of God?' On even a very basic level, where is the gift of prophecy? Where is the 'seeing in part'? Where are dreams and visions and the clear voice of the Lord in those things?

We are told in the Word to 'despise not prophesying,' and yet it seems that it is not only despised but by and large just completely ignored. Now it seems that people don't even acknowledge its existence, and so have disengaged altogether, preferring to sit back in what's comfortable for them doctrinally, and so are missing something crucial. Most Christians no longer even have a sufficient understanding of scripture in order to be able to weigh whether something prophetic can be accepted or not, and so they remain spiritually immature; happily blinded by an ignorance that can only bring them happiness for so long. The scripture says that the righteous man sees danger coming and hides himself, but the fool keeps going and suffers for it. Noah received prophecy and so obeyed God and prepared, and so God saved him from the trial that came upon the whole earth. It would've been interesting to see what would've happened if Noah had never believed in the prophetic, or had never believed that God warned His people for their benefit, or indeed that God was a God that sometimes sent destruction upon the earth. Noah could've confined himself to a play-pen of spiritual immaturity in his understanding of God and His ways in order to enjoy a happy ignorance for a while, however, eventually the flood waters would've overtaken him anyway, and so it is with us. For the time is coming when, no matter our beliefs about whether God warns and sends destruction, those things will happen, and we must not be caught unawares. When Jesus revealed His future to the disciples, a future that would see the wrath of God poured out, and a future that would see Him have to sacrifice Himself, Peter rebuked him, not believing that God would do any such thing. And so it is today. Some in the Church will rebuke this message and likely rebuke me for giving it, but Jesus said that He revealed the future to the disciples so that 'when they happen, you may believe'. Jesus said of the Holy Spirit that He would show us 'things to come,' so that when they do, we won't stumble in our faith and our relationship with the Lord, but that we will keep believing that Jesus is who He says He is and that He is still sovereign over all things, even when sometimes we don't understand the things that He does, or even when they don't line up with who we believe He is or with what we believe He does.

Again, we come back to the main point of this post, and ultimately to the central question; what revelations and voices have you heard that have revealed the future of what the Lord will do in Australia? Specifically, what warnings have been given? To date I haven't heard one single warning from anyone in Australia. And this in the midst of a time where the news is saying that violence and crime on the Coast and Australia is increasing at an alarming rate. This at a time when mass opinion in our nation is rapidly coming to accept the idea of gay-marriage, and quickly labelling as hateful anyone that would believe such a lifestyle is wrong. And this at a time when Churches are becoming more akin to theme parks and light shows than places where the full counsel of God is taught, and God is honoured. This at a time when, by and large, no one in the Australian Church believes that God judges in any sense, and a time when no one believes that wrath will be poured out at any time by a God who hates sin and who judges in order to uphold justice and goodness in the earth (all this despite incredible evidence for such things in the New Testament, by people who simply turn a blind eye to scriptures that they cannot explain and cannot understand because they don't fit other scriptures that they love more because of their own desires). Yes, this age, by and large, is one where the grace and mercy of God is shown and given in all its fullness. Thank goodness that most of time, His mercy and grace triumph over wrath, however, not all wrath and destruction is saved for a future day, there is some that God has determined to even show in our day in order to warn sinners, and in order to give evidence of Himself, His character, the promise of future hope and destruction, and also to reveal the truth of His Word. 

Having said all of the above, I come to the point that I'll no doubt be hammered for, but nevertheless, I know it's what the Lord wants me to do. Below are a list of the things the Lord has shown me very clearly that will take place in the future in Australia. I have been given no revelations as to the times when these things will happen, nevertheless, I know that the Lord has revealed that they will happen. Don't become fearful, pray about everything, worry about nothing. The Lord will give peace and a revelation of what He wants you to do about these things, whether it is simply to trust and to remember these things for the future, or to act in some way that will mean either physical or spiritual preparation:

1) Extremely destructive fires and storms along the Eastern coast of Australia
2) A terrorist attack is to take place at Hillsong

3) American and Australian dual participation and involvement in a future war

4) Tornadoes along the Gold Coast and the coasts of the earth (these could be spiritual- representative of different kinds of judgment the Lord will allow, whether physical, mental, spiritual, or combinations of these things etc)

5) Great destruction coming to Sydney (in my dream the great destruction was represented by tornados, although they could've been speaking about actual tornadoes)

6) Terrorist attacks, similar to the magnitude and devastation seen in America on 9/11 in 2001, will happen all around the world

7) The Lord showed me in a dream that it won't be long before the man of sin, the Antichrist, enters the world stage

Prophecy isn't meant to bring a wrong fear and an anxiousness, but a Godly fear and watchfulness. It is supposed to stir us to a zeal to work 'while it is still day', for the night will eventually come, when no man can work, no matter what age of the earth we live in. Jesus said that, 'In this world you will have tribulation, but take care, for I have overcome the world.' And when His time of trouble and tribulation came, Jesus didn't ignore it or try to avoid it, but instead rose to meet it. We are all human, and it would be a very strange and troubling thing if we loved to go through trial and tribulation. We are all weak, we all stumble, we all get it wrong and have seasons in our lives when we struggle with life and with our relationship with the Lord, and yet, through all these things we find at the end of every season He remains faithful to keep us through these things no matter what. So it will be with the trials that are coming, not only to Australia, but to the whole earth in the future- the Lord will keep us through all of them. We simply must continue to 'fight the good fight of faith,' and to always attempt to be 'strong in the grace of God, and in the power of His might.' The Lord loves each and every one of His people dearly, and He is the good shepherd that continues to keep watch over us and guide us. So let us be watchful and awake in this season and the one soon to come. Great and mighty things are about to come upon the earth, so may we have 'ears to hear,' and 'eyes to see.'