|
About My Collection of Prophecies: Behold, I Seek My Own
They are timely messages I received from the heart of the Lord “Who
is seeking His own”. They deal with issues which are of crucial
importance in His sight. Some messages are predictive in nature, for the
Lord has the ability to show His children things which are yet to come
(Revelation 1:1). Other messages bring to light problems within the Body
of Christ which can, sadly, be whitewashed or swept under the rug instead
of faced. God is a Gentleman, ever loving and patient toward His own. But
He is using me to say things which have needed to be said for a long time.
He has refused to let me water down the sterner messages. Time is short,
and God doesn’t mince words.
Some topics are even presented in story fashion, as the Lord leads. It
is neither unjust nor unloving for our Heavenly Father to steer His
children away from error or exhort them to a higher way of life. He is
our Good Shepherd. He, above all other shepherds, is faithful and vigilant
over His own flock. Furthermore, He has let Me know that He does not want
me to hold back anything he has given me to share with my brothers and
sisters in Christ. To the best of my ability I have recorded the words of
wisdom and spiritual lessons He has shared with me.
Some prophecies shine light on true incidents to serve as object
lessons for the instruction of many. This is scriptural, as I Corinthians
10:11 shows. I felt led to use symbolic names for the various character
types addressed by the messages. The Lord wants to vanquish problems, not
people.
I pray that the wisdom of the Lord will touch your own heart just as it
has mine, and that you will be inspired to believe that with God,
nothing shall be impossible (Luke 1:37)
Part One
MY
SPIRIT OF LOVE
I Am Love
John chapter 17; Galatians 4:1-7; I John 4:16
Wherever two or more are gathered in My Name, there I am in the midst of
them. You who know the fullness of My Spirit also know His sweet savor of
divine love. Its unction flows through you and among you, drawing you
closer to one another and uniting you in one heart and one mind; for in
the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed: Father, let them be one, even as
You and I are one.
Jesus sent forth His disciples to proclaim the glad message of My
redeeming Love. In the beginning My followers were full of My Joy. Why?
They had been released from the bondage of fear. Through faith in Christ,
they had been born again as My dear children. They were no longer mere
servants, but sons.
All their lives they had seen Me only as a celestial Lawgiver Who
made tough demands on them. Their lives had centered around observing all
the ordinances of Mosaic Law, fearing lest they should break any of them
and incur My disfavor. They loved Me from a distance.
I knew from the beginning that fallen man could not perfectly keep My
Law. Ultimately, man is not a sinner because he sins; rather, he sins
because he is a sinner by nature! My Law was given to make mankind aware
of his total depravity and need for a Redeemer . I, the Living God, sent
My Son to the earth to be born of the Virgin Mary, that He might live
among you in human flesh and live His life in perfect obedience to His
Heavenly Father.
Only Christ could qualify to redeem people from the penalty of broken
Law, for he lived out His entire life without committing a single sin.
He was not crucified to pay for His own sins, for there weren’t any.
Through the shedding of perfectly innocent Blood, he atoned for the sins
of all who would accept His free offer of salvation, whether born before
or after His Atonement. Otherwise, I could not have justly forgiven one
single sinner.
After My Son returned to heaven, I sent My Holy Spirit to live in the
hearts of My people, for they needed His strength, power and consolation.
That sweet Spirit of Grace ever whispers My love to your souls, and divine
joy fills your cup to overflowing. Everything I am to you, everything I
give to you, everything I do for you, is an expression of My Love. All My
commandments are rooted in Love, for My very essence is Love. I am
perfect Love, and I cast out fear. Before the Atonement of Christ, My
people were only permitted to approach Me indirectly, through the
ministrations of a human priest. He would offer animal sacrifices as
temporary substitutes which pointed toward Christ’s Perfect Offering of
Himself. Once Christ had been sacrificed for your sins, I could see you as
righteous in Christ, and you could come boldly into My Holy Presence. I
could love you freely, with no barriers separating us. Now Christ is the
only mediator between God and man, and He and I are one. I could not have
given you a greater proof of My Love. It gives Me no greater joy than to
fellowship with My dear ones, and to lavish My Love upon you.
I Love People_Period
Acts 10:34-35
I am Love.
I, Who created the rainbow, love people of every color.
I, Who provide even for sparrows, love the down-and-out.
I, Who was buried in a rich friend’s tomb, love those who have been
blessed materially.
I, Who give wisdom to the simple, love those who often stumble.
I, Who instruct the foolish, love those who are wise.
I, the Chief Shepherd, love My sheep and know each precious one by name.
I, Whose Word burns in the hearts of prophets, love those with voices of
thunder.
I, Who speak in a still small voice, love gentle voices of charity.
I, Whose coming Reign is the only cure for a sick society, love political
activists.
I love every one of you who want My love.
Just because loving is what I love to do best.
Love is the undergirding foundation of My entire eternal Kingdom.
I Love You as an Individual
Psalms 142:4-5 John 14:2-3; I Corinthians 12:27-31;
Revelation 2:17 & 3:20
This writer was once emphatically told: “God doesn’t have individual
Christians.” Her companion was all wrong. Some of you have been wrongly
taught that the more you “lose your own identities” and merge into one
mass, the more pleased I am. That is a gross misunderstanding of what the
Body of Christ is all about. Just as each of you has an individual
personality through which I may express myself, each one of you is called
to a different type of ministry. Some prophesy. Some are greatly used to
minister healing to others. Some have a special calling to the mission
field. I have a plan for each one of your lives. You could see it begin
to unfold like a flower, if you would only walk closely with Me and listen
to My Voice moment by moment. Worshipping together as a congregation is
very important. You need the fellowship, strength and support of other
saints. I love to see My children gather together to praise My Name, and
to learn more about Me and My ways. I love those wonderful family
reunions As they meet together in My Name, My saints form the expression
of My Body on earth. I am glorified in this.
But I also have a very special relationship with each one of you
individually. I value, love and cherish you individually, not just
corporately. There are many things you are free to confide only in Me.
Public prayers are necessary at times, but I especially cherish those
times you go into your own room, shut the door behind you, and pour out
your joys and sorrows to Me, Your Father in Heaven. I want you to hold
nothing back from Me. No problem, however perplexing it might be for you,
is beyond the scope of My perfect Wisdom. You matter to Me when you are
alone with Me, not just in a group setting.
I have promised to supply all your needs, for you are My beloved
child. There are times I love to surprise you with what you consider
luxuries, for it brings delight to My heart for You to glorify Me with
your prayer of thanksgiving. I am not tight-fisted. I do not spoil you
till you become obsessed with material things, but I love to grant every
desire of your heart which is truly good for you.
Each one of you is a unique creation. Even identical twins have
individual spirits, and each of them has the responsibility to choose
either life or death. There have been many cases where one twin ended up
in heaven and the other in hell, based on individual acceptance or
rejection of My Son. And, sadly, many people think that just because they
come from a Christian home, their salvation is automatically assured. But
the salvation of parents does not automatically confer eternal life upon
their children. Each individual soul is accountable to Me, and must
accept Christ for himself in order to enter into eternal life. I have
children, but I don’t have grandchildren!
Earthly parents do not expect their children to all have the same
looks, personality, or tastes. It does not alarm them that each of their
children is a unique person in his or her own right. In fact, it would be
a cause for concern if they were all exactly the same. One of the most
prevalent errors in false cults is the suppression of and gradual
stripping away of individual personality. This makes the person less than
what I created him to be, and makes it easier for the cult leader to
deceive his victim. Avoid being ensnared by suspicious groups which try
to draw you in with carefully orchestrated overtures of “love”.
There are times when no one else on earth has much interest in your
spiritual life. Or, you may be in a situation where you must move
frequently. You will, at times, have wonderful fellowship with other
believers. At other times this will be more scarce, for the presence of a
church building does not automatically spell true fellowship. Moreover,
the use of folding chairs instead of padded pews, and that of guitars in
lieu of pipe organs, does not necessarily indicate a place of Liberty in
the Spirit. Some searchers have walked out of informal settings with
heavy hearts, while more than a few have felt the warmth of My Presence
within the context of a so-called “High Church” service.
You need genuine love, not cold formality. A baby will either be
developmentally damaged or die if it is never shown warmth or caring. If
you find yourself in a place where you aren’t being fed spiritually by
men, does it mean that I have cast you off? A thousand times, no.
Whenever people fail you, I will still be there to meet the deepest needs
of your heart. I will spread a spiritual feast before you, and we two will
dine together. I abide ever faithful. I cannot fail you.
How could anyone claim that individuals have little value in My
sight? I have promised in My Word that I am preparing a mansion for each
one of you. I want you to know that when each of you enters heaven, you
will be absolutely thrilled with your new home. I even take into account
the individual tastes of each believer as the plans are drawn up for
construction. All the furnishings reflect the preferences of the
mansion’s future occupant. These homes are stunningly beautiful. I did
not mass-produce regulation army barracks for warehousing saints.
Individual homes have been specially crafted for each of My beloved
children.
I value individuals so much that each of My faithful ones will be
presented with a white stone inscribed with a new name, for the time will
come when I will make all things new. The other believers will never know
the new name I give you. It will be a secret shared only with Me. Now
try to tell Me that individuals don’t matter to Me.
The Sermon of the Daisy
Matthew 6:25-34; Luke 12: 22-32
“In conclusion,” intoned the staid-looking preacher, “remember this
timeworn old adage: ‘God helps those who helps themselves.’ So reflect on
that pearl of wisdom before you visit my counselling office. Your
problems are usually of your own making, and you’ll get little sympathy
from me. I’m an ordained minister of the Gospel, not a shoulder to cry
on, and certainly not a nursemaid for 30-and-40-year-old kids in business
suits who ought to grow up and bear up more gracefully under the minor
vexations of life; people who ought to be applying more elbow grease to
their prayers. As one grand old hymn exhorts us: ‘Shall I be carried to
the skies on flowery beds of ease, while others fought to win the prize
and sailed through bloody seas?”
The young woman could hardly see to drive home, her eyes were so
teary.
“What’s the matter, Mommy?” her little girl asked.
“Oh, nothing,” said her mother, unwilling to burden her child with
the truth. “It’s just one of those days.”
In reality she was thinking: How dare he take his frustrations
out on us. Sure he’s tired of having such a heavy counselling load, but
if he had to keep a schedule like mine....the office, the traffic, the
grocery store, the housework, the kids’ homework, their baths, the
cooking, the ironing, the endless errands...she gnashed her teeth.
When the little family got out of the car, the lady unloaded her bags
of after-church shopping. She tripped and dropped a big bag on the lawn.
Noticing her mother was more annoyed than ever, her daughter ran over to
help. In the process she noticed a cluster of daisies at their feet.
“Oh, look, Mommy!” the little girl cried. “Aren’t they pretty? We
learned about the flowers in Sunday School today, how God loves the green
grass so much he decorates it with pretty little flowers even if busy
people like us don’t have time to grow our own from seeds.”
It was then the sun came out for the burdened woman. At that moment
she remembered the Sunday School lessons of her own childhood, and
recaptured her own long-forgotten wonderment at the marvels of My
creation. Smiling happily, she hugged her daughter and son. “Yes,” she
sang, “and God loves us too, sweetie, much more than the flowers and
grass.”
But that wasn’t the end of the story. When she had a few minutes to
herself, she got out an exhaustive Biblical concordance and searched for
the scripture: “God helps those who help themselves.” Had I come to
earth, she wondered, just to add My own feeble bit to her ceaseless
struggle to live according to My Word, or had I really come to redeem weak
people like herself ? Those who had reached the utter end of her tether
and had to confess: “You’ve got to do it all, Lord, or my life will be a
failure. If your life in me fails, then I cannot overcome the
difficulties of this life”?
She looked and she looked, researching the key word “help” in the
big concordance. She made some very wonderful discoveries there, such
as: “God is my refuge and God is my strength, a very present help in
trouble”.
But to her utter delight, that other “scripture” simply wasn’t in
there.
She simply didn’t have to worry about it anymore.
Love One Another
Isaiah 53:2; 45; John 15:12,17; Luke 16:19:31; I John
4:11
When will My people learn to love one another as I have loved the
Church?
Behold, I have created diversity in nature, for I love variety in My
handiwork. But many believers cannot tolerate diversity in the
personality or appearance of one another. The hypocrite views with
distaste anyone who hails from a different cultural or economic background
from his own. Or he feels contempt for the person whose personal theology
in all things great and small does not exactly mirror his own.
The hypocrite harbors prejudices against that humble person I love.
The one who is “too fat” or “too unpolished” to sing or minister
publicly. Often the hair or dress style, jewelry or some other trivial
aspect of that person draws fire. For example, if you refuse to befriend
a Muslim woman until she removes her head covering and dons Western
attire, what sort of witness is that to the Love of Christ? How shallow
your “love” is when you show an interest only in people whose culture is
exactly the same as yours. Such a “love” is not My love, so it is
really not even worth sharing!
If a heavyset individual shares My Word, his size is all-important to
the hypocrite, who thinks: If this person truly were Jesus’ disciple,
he or she would fight the Good Fight of Faith the
Battle of the Bulge.
His or her lack of spiritual qualifications could easily be overlooked,
but not those extra pounds which prevent that person from being
fashionably thin and glamorous.
I see so many of My children self-obsessed, looking about them,
wondering if others are sizing them up in the wrong way. One woman sucks
in her cheeks and restrains her smile for fear people will think her face
is too fat. Her tight belt is cutting off her circulation, but at least
it’s still fastened in the last notch. A man stands stiffly, sucking in
his stomach and hoping no one notices the weight he’s put on since
Thanksgiving. His friend worries about his receding hairline.
My Son did not come to earth to win a beauty pageant or popularity
contest, but to win back souls enslaved to satan. In the book of Isaiah
it is written that there was no beauty that anyone should desire Him. When
He was bloodied and bruised, He hardly looked glorious to the natural eye!
The worth and integrity of the low-income saint are questioned.
Speculations on him or her abound. Could it be that he harbors secret
sin in his life, and is under God’s judgment? Is he being lazy, or is he
just too stupid to know how to attain to earthly prosperity? So why waste
time on him anyway?
People look askance at the lonely saint who attends church
unaccompanied by friends or family. He just don’t fit into their neat
little scheme of a cozy “family-oriented” fellowship. He doesn’t make a
good advertisement for picture-perfect conservative values.
The hypocrite is often willing to travel to the far ends of the earth
to convert the man of a different culture and color. Gladly would he
immerse himself in the study of a strange tongue and adapt himself to
alien, and often unhealthy living conditions. Sometimes it’s just to
gratify his adventurelust. Yet there is a mission field in church which
is being neglected. When the hypocrite does befriend a lonely saint, it
is more often than not with the ulterior motive of converting that person
to her own mindset on all things important or trivial. The saint is viewed
only as raw material to fashion something else from! And if that
individual persists in being what I made her to be, she is dropped like a
hot potato. I would have My worshippers to lift up their hands and voices
in the sanctuary, not their noses.
Will it take persecution from the world to knit My people together in
love? When will all these petty, childish, unloving attitudes be
forsaken, and the love of My Son be allowed to manifest itself instead?
He associated with harlots, thieves, and tax collectors. Yet the
hypocrite shuns the man in the paisley shirt or the obese woman with
blemishes on her face. Don’t lukewarm saints realize that I consider
impurities of the soul far worse flaws than these?
I have been forced to take too many precious, deeply spiritual saints
home prematurely, simply because no one on earth would love them. They
had no place of rest on earth, and from the depths of their being they
cried out to Me in their unmet need. So I finally took them home to
Paradise, where all things are rooted and grounded in love, and where
there is no hypocrisy.
Many have been driven out and scattered like lost sheep back into the
world because they found no love in their churches. And when they finally
leave, no one truly cares or misses them except Me. Some take refuge in
false cults, which eagerly offer acceptance to souls rejected by cold
congregations.
Remember the story of Lazarus and the rich man. No one cared much
about this penniless, diseased beggar wasting away with hunger on the
steps of the well-fed, complacent rich man’s house. No one offered him
friendship, and scarcely a scrap of bread. Only dogs were his companions.
I was Lazarus’ only hope. He had no other help, not even from My
people. Only after he was borne by angels to the Paradise of the
Righteous did he find fellowship and comfort among the Redeemed. For even
Father Abraham did receive him in love.
Do not force your brothers and sisters to wait till after death to
enjoy the life they should be participating in right now. Each and every
one of My children is extremely precious in My sight. Do not despise your
brethren whom I have purchased with My own shed blood. Do not exalt
yourselves over one another with haughtiness of mind, or I shall be forced
to allow negative circumstances into your life to abase you.
I tell you solemnly that whatever coldness or cruelty is inflicted
upon your less glamorous brother is inflicted also upon Me. When you try
one another’s patience by looking for ways to vex or criticize, you are
sinning against My Body and My chastisement must swiftly follow, if you
are not careful to judge yourself and repent.
Do not seek to amputate the weaker or less comely members of My Body,
for they are necessary. When you inflict pain or rejection upon My son or
daughter, you touch the apple of My eye and will by no means be held
innocent.
I warn you sternly but lovingly: I have reached the point where I
will shortly remove My Power, Protection, Presence, and Glory from
churches and individuals who knowingly and deliberately turn a blind eye
and a deaf ear to My commandment to love one another. All of My
commandments have their roots in the kind of love that induced Me to give
up My very Life on the Cross for your sake. If you reject the root, you
reject the entire tree.
You can toil slavishly to gain the praise of men, or even to gain
position or rewards in the world to come, but I will burn up as chaff all
works which were not motivated by My perfect Love. All these vain works
shall be destroyed before My Judgment Seat.
Love is not an option. It is a commandment! And if you refuse My
Love to the least of these My brethren, you might as well quit following
Me right now. You can progress no further in the life of faith until you
are obedient in this area.
The time is extremely short. I am about to appear in the heavens to
gather My jewels to Myself. What you would do to show forth the love of
God, do it now. For after the Rapture takes place, it will be too late to
relive your sojourn on earth and remedy the harm done by your reluctance
to love one another.
A Weighty Matter
Nehemiah 8:10; Matt. 5:28; Luke 16:15; 22:28-30; Romans
14:3-4; II Cor. 4:7; Galatians 4:8-9; I Timothy 4:3-5
When will My people learn that to keep their priorities in line with what
I specifically put My Church into this world to do, and stop wasting My
time trying to get Me to hallow the twisted cultural values of this
world? My House is meant to be a refuge from the oppressions of the
world, not a promoter of them.
When will My people realize that I did not create everyone to look
the same? There are differences in height, bone structure, skin tone, and
musculature, even within the same racial groupings. And_are you
surprised_ I did not design all women to be tall and willowy! Those who
break this cultural beauty edict are not suffering from some demonic
affliction which needs to be cast out by prayer and fasting!
Satan has taken a perfectly sound concept_healthy eating habits_and
overblown it to employ as a weapon against the female sex in particular.
He has convinced worldly women that the heavier they are, the less they’re
worth. Hollywood actresses are setting the trend, defying even death to
make themselves ever thinner; just so their popularity will not die. Good
health is far less important to these vain women than being able to count
their ribs. Although it is natural that women’s forms mature out of
early childhood, society pressures them to defy nature itself and strive
to reverse their own maturation. Satan wants women to look like
starving boys!
Satan’s original lie: Eat from the forbidden tree, and you’ll gain
in prestige. His current lie: DON’T eat, and others will respect you
more. His aim is to distort the image of womanhood in revenge for the
verdict and judgment of the Garden of Eden, which cost HIM status. He
hates to see women robust and feminine-looking, as I intended for them to
be. He knows people can’t focus on more than one issue at a time, so he
drives the worldly woman to worry so much about her "fat" that she never
spares a thought for her eternal fate. The devil keeps her fixated on her
body image and other people’s opinions of it. Above all, he is delighted
with the current attitudes of vainglory and self-obsession which motivate
the trend-setters of this wicked end-time culture. It is bad enough that
the beautiful, the popular and the wealthy have grabbed all the best
things of the earth for themselves and shoved aside the humbler souls,
saying: Make way for us that we may walk over you to get what we want.
But it is not to be so in My church. People might have been renowned for
their outward comeliness in the Old Testament, but in this dispensation I
take pleasure in working through humble vessels full of the Glory of the
Lord, that the excellency may be of Me and not of the flesh.
A strange new doctrine is taking shape in My Church, one I never
ordained through the mouths of prophets or apostles: Girls, get skinny
for Jesus! Its principal tenet: In order for a female saint to qualify
as an overcomer, she must first subdue her flesh; that is, eliminate as
much of it as possible. These misguided women interpret My Word to mean
that the more meat they banish from their bones, the more acceptable they
are to Me. Thus, a woman’s body is seen to be her greatest spiritual foe,
something to vanquish via dieting. No corresponding sacrifice is demanded
of the male believer. I didn’t write one set of rules for women, and
another for men. Where in My Word does it stipulate that men are saved by
grace alone, but My daughters grow closer to Me by starving themselves to
resemble pre-teen girls; or worse, the current trend, which is to look
like a stick topped by an overlarge head?
I set a precedent when I drove out the money-changers and merchants
from the Temple. These carnal men were using My House to carry on with the
commerce of this world. Likewise, the diet industry is plying women of
the Western World with pressure to think they need their products, telling
even normal-weight women that they need to slim down till they’re gaunt.
When a woman finishes a plate of food, it is seen as greed. If she were
ladylike, people think, she would only just nibble at her plate. Eating is
now perceived as an act of guilt and shame, even by My own people who have
been hoodwinked into adopting and sanctifying the devil’s values. While
corrective measures may be necessary when people’s health is at risk, the
quest for an elusive body shape can become an idolatrous obsession!
The last thing a wounded woman needs is to have the hang-ups of this
world thrust upon her again once she enters the church door. If there is
a diet club in church and she is not rail-thin, of course its members will
approach her and invite her to join up. They aren’t trying to insult her
by doing this, but trying to help the newcomer to fit in. They just want
her to "join in the life of the church". This puts the woman in a
quandary. Maybe she feels comfortable with the size she is, and isn’t
particularly keen on starving herself to gain praise from others. And
were she to tell the others she doesn’t perceive herself as too heavy,
some outspoken woman might disagree with her, creating an even stickier
scenario. She knows that if she turns these ladies down, she will be seen
as antisocial, and rejecting their vision of what it means to be a
disciple. Perhaps she even gets so uncomfortable with the situation she
just leaves. After all, worshipping Me at home would not be nearly as
prickly.
If you must have your diet clubs, don’t bring them into My sanctuary.
Dieting for Jesus is NOT to be made a requirement of women’s
discipleship! Weight loss is NOT to be used as a yardstick to measure
gains in spiritual growth! And thinness is NOT to be made the measure of
spirituality!
My Church is meant to be a place where souls damaged by the lies of
the devil are mended. Many new converts come to Me with a lot of baggage
heaped on them by society. They see themselves as ugly rejects who failed
to make a nice niche for themselves in this perverted world. Ofttimes, a
person will not come to Me at all until he is thoroughly fed up with the
status quo.
Millions of My children all over the world are have to depend on Me
to keep daily food on their tables. My main concern is to meet the needs
of people who call upon Me in faith, that the Father might receive Glory.
I am busy about the work of saving lost souls and seeking out My lost
sheep. I find it preposterous that multitudes are perishing for want of
natural and spiritual food, while image-obsessed, affluent women are
pleading with Me to help them not to eat the superabundant food they can
afford that same sumptuous cuisine their own husbands so readily indulge
in. And no, I don't excuse carnal husbands for staring lustfully at skinny
girls on the street just because their wives are having a hard time
shedding a few pounds after pregnancy. I count that lustful look as
adultery, regardless of the excuses men make for it. Sadly, even some of
My daughters diet not for health, but to make men lust after them.
I loathe the vanity of women who boast of the many days of fasting
they’ve endured to gain a gaunt figure which supposedly is "a good
testimony for Jesus", and brag about the heavenly reward they expect to
get for their self-denial. This is a pointed dig at their sisters who eat
normally and are not so thin. In My eyes, it is a far greater sin to
indulge in self-exaltation than to polish off a whole box of chocolates in
one sitting!
Next time your big sister comes over for a hug don’t say anything to
make her feel small.
A Ponderous Point
Book of Ruth; Proverbs 31:10-31; Matthew 11:19
Sometimes Scriptures (such as the Song of Solomon) are even used to
impose worldly glamor standards on female saints. Biblical days (and
people) are often unduly romanticized like a Hollywood fantasy. But
typical day-to-day life in ancient Israel was far from glamorous for the
vast majority of people.
Ruth wasn’t worried about taking in excess calories. It was a time of
famine. Her immediate concern was the survival of herself and her
mother-in-law Naomi. She was beginning to get too thin, although the world
now says that is impossible. But her hunger was making her feel ill, and
she needed food to stay alive. She went out to the fields to pick grain;
not to burn off calories from this hard stoop-labor, but to get something
to eat.
Boaz, the landowner, wasn’t looking for a self-obsessed waif. He
wanted a wife. He married Ruth because of her beauty of character. Only
in today’s high-tech Western world do women feel they have the option of
choosing to starve the muscle and strength from their bodies. In ancient
Israel, only wealthy women felt free to dismiss bodily strength as
unnecessary and spend all their time fretting over their appearance.
Among the populace, it was customary for fathers to arrange
marriages for their sons when they came of age. They generally sought out
young women who appeared healthy and energetic as well as comely. A
prospective father-in-law’s foremost concern was not: “Is she skinny
enough?”, but: “Does she appear healthy enough to live reasonably long?”
Average human life expectancy was considerably shorter than it is today.
He also pondered: “Is her character above reproach? Can she cook well?
Is she a good seamstress? Does she appear robust enough to survive several
childbirths? Does she appear strong enough to rise early and pound grain
into flour to knead and bake into daily bread, draw and carry home great
quantities of water from the well, and perform all other housewifely
duties? If a young girl appeared too frail to qualify, she could not
command a high dowry, and would, most likely, remain unmarried. In that
culture, flower-like fragility was more a liability than an asset.
If anyone insists on using Scripture to shame women out of deriving
proper enjoyment from meals, I would remind you that even eating can be
done to My glory. There are times to forego earthly pleasures, but the
joyful partaking of My provision is to be the norm. I Myself was accused
by ascetic Pharisees of being a winebibber and a glutton, just because I
genuinely enjoyed whatever was set before Me in homes I visited. I
promised My faithful disciples that they would eat and drink at My table
in My Kingdom. I also remember the day a company of returning Jewish
exiles had just received a new revelation of My Law. They were exhorted
to lay aside their sorrows, and rejoice before Me by eating choice foods
and drinking sweet beverages.
Cultural Oppression
I consider obsession with glamor selfish and vain. Many a man
presents these complaints to My Throne of Grace just after his wife has
given birth: that his needs as a normal man aren’t being met, and oh,
please, would I give him the grace to be patient just a little longer.
Such a man is more a baby than his newborn child! He’ll ask Me to
please help his wife hurry and get just as skinny as she was before her
pregnancy, and help her stick rigidly to her strict diet. Rather, he
should thank Me that she survived the arduous birth ordeal, and that she
and the baby are both well.
I say to such selfish men: Stop oppressing my daughters over dieting
and slimness, or you’ll reap what you sow and be bullied yourselves in
some area of your life!
Remember, I died to set My loved ones free. Never use My Holy Name to
whitewash worldly perversions I detest. I am not a patron of the diet and
fashion industries. Furthermore, I don’t pledge allegiance to any
political party, or wrap Myself in the flag of any nation! I don’t
traffic with this world at all. Those things highly esteemed by the world
are an abomination in My sight. Don’t you dare foist the hang-ups of this
present evil age back onto My people.
First Seek Christ’s Beauty
Ecclesiastes 3:11; Proverbs 31:30; Galatians 3:26-29
This new gospel so popular with earthly-minded saints centers around
outward glories, which by their very nature, will fade away. Many are
using Me to obtain things which could augment their status in society or
make their lives more luxurious, rather than seeking after the eternal
riches of My Kingdom.
In Old Testament Tabernacle worship, there was an outer court
ministry as well as an inner court course of service. Both were necessary,
but the Inner Place of My Presence where I meet with you is so much more
glorious. Many are content to linger only on the outer perimeter of
fellowship with Me, deriving whatever transitory benefits they can from
their materialistic faith.
Much more emphasis was placed on external form in the Old Testament
Scriptures, for the outer glory was but a picture of spiritual realities
to come. There were numerous places where a person is described as being
comely in appearance, in conjunction with desirable inner qualities.
David was handsome, as well as courageous and pious. Abigail was
beautiful, as well as sensible and wise. Absalom was the handsomest man in
Israel, but he nursed ugly hatred in his heart toward his own father,
David, and plotted to kill him. He did not possess the beauty of spirit
David manifested toward Me.
Today, many value only exterior attributes in themselves and others.
Thus, New Testament believers are measured by Old Testament standards.
In the New Testament, individual characters move into the background and
give the glory to Christ the Lord. He alone is to receive exaltation
for His inherent virtues. Nothing thrills My Father-heart more than to
see one of My children developing more and more into His likeness. That
should be the goal of every Spirit-filled believer, for there is no higher
calling.
I don’t sanction even “Christian” beauty pageants. Such contests are
immodest, self-glorifying vanity. In the Old Testament, there were times
when physical beauty was a prerequisite for fulfilling one’s
purpose in life, as when Esther was selected as Queen of Persia. In My
providence, this put her in a position to help save My people Israel from
total massacre. The wives of the Patriarchs were selected largely on the
basis of natural comeliness. One exception was Leah, the first wife of
Jacob. Jacob looked only on her outward appearance, and would not have
married her, had he not been tricked into doing so. Yet it was she who
was the matriarch of the Royal tribe of Judah, from which I originated. It
was prophesied of Judah that he would be the one praised by his brethren.
It is the beauty of the Rose of Sharon which constitutes the true
comeliness of a believer.
Many a godly, Spirit-anointed woman has been discouraged from active
ministry because she was not deemed attractive enough to represent Me!
But nowhere in the New Testament is an individual saint commended or
rewarded for being outwardly beautiful. The ground in front of the Cross
is level, and all My children are accepted by Me on equal terms. My Son is
seeking out a people who are willing to receive of His beauty and reflect
it daily in their lives. He has comely people, plain people, short and
tall, old and young, rich and poor, great and small, who delight in Him.
He sees no difference, for all are joined to Him in one Spirit. It is
only carnal-minded saints who insist on creating a difference and
rebuilding old barriers which I have torn down.
The Little Toes
Matthew 25:40; I Corinthians 12: 12-26
There
once lived a woman who slavishly followed whatever fashion fad came
along. One season pointed shoes were in style. She just had to wear them
“like everybody else”, lest she lose face before her friends.
But her feet were a bit too wide to conform to the latest trend.
“Oh, those stupid little toes,” she grumbled. “If only my feet were
dainty and slender like everyone else’s! Well, I know who can remedy this
problem.”
Her doctor tried in vain to dissuade the adamant woman. After all,
God must have had a good reason for giving her ten toes instead of eight.
If she were to have the unfashionable toes amputated, it would throw the
remaining ones off balance whenever she stood or walked for extended
periods.
“I don’t care,” the foolish woman snapped back. “I detest those
ugly toes, and if you aren’t willing to be reasonable, doctor, there’s
plenty of other skilled surgeons in town who would appreciate my
business.”
Knowing that she would have it done anyway, he consented to perform
the mutilation. Against his professional ethics he amputated two healthy
members of her body which she had rejected as ugly.
During the woman’s month-long recuperation, she happily ignored the
twinges in her bandaged feet. “One must suffer to be beautiful,” she
sighed. “At last, I’m rid of those ungainly toes! Perhaps I’ll have my
lower ribs removed also, to give myself a nice wasp waist! Won’t I be the
envy of all my friends!”
Once her feet had sufficiently healed, she set off to her favorite
shoe shop, even managing a little spring in her step. “I’ve paid the
price,” she sang to herself, “to make my feet look nice!”
What were those shoes displayed in the broad store window, though?
There were comfortable loafers and moccasins and brogans, but the woman
was undaunted. “Oh, those are only the casual styles,” she murmured.
“The dressiest ones would be on racks inside.”
In vain she anxiously scrutinized each rack, searching for the
coveted narrow-toed pumps she’d seen earlier. Finally a young sales clerk
approached her. “May I help you find something, Ma’am?”
“Oh yes, please,” replied the lady. “Young man, where are the
narrow-toed pumps which were on display just a few weeks ago?”
“Oh, those went on clearance sale two weeks back,” he replied. “To
make way for our latest styles.” Eagerly he gestured toward a huge
display rack full of sensibly designed ladies’ shoes. “Here, Madam, these
appear to be in your size range. Why don’t you have a look, and I’ll
measure you for a proper fitting?”
She felt absolutely sick. Although the shoes were very
smart-looking, every last one of the styles were broad-toed. Now she would
feel so foolish to have the young man measure her mutilated feet.
“They’re the latest fashion,” said the clerk. “If you want to stay in
step, Ma’am, why not purchase a pair or two?”
She hobbled on home, crying for that part of herself she’d rejected.
Looking For Love in All the Wrong Places
Instant friendship is one hallmark of a cult, many say. True. But
coldness is also a sure sign of deadness in a church. People would rather
find instant love than wait all their lives for grudgingly given,
conditional love.
I am present in church services all over the world. But I listen
more intently to the private thoughts of the parishioners than the
somnolent preaching or polished choir performance.
Here is a summary of some poignant thoughts I gleaned from one
alienated man:
I’d better stop singing so joyfully.
Those gloomy mummies are staring at me.
Why won’t anyone sit near me?
Do I have cooties?
Why won’t anyone talk to me?
What makes them act so snooty?
They came to church just to show off
Smug little smiles, noses aloft
I’m tempted to go hang out at the bar
With people whom life has likewise scarred.
How embarrassing, my vast, empty pew
How everyone turns to stare at you.
I’d better sit closer to the rear.
Why do I even waste my gas coming here?
What a stale sermon, what deadpan faces.
They’re hardly sitting in Heavenly places.
This place reminds me of a morgue.
Are they staging this show to honor the Lord?
Pastor’s barred me from church committees
Till I learn to live responsibly.
Those proverbs he picked stung like a bee
Preaching on sloth, he stared holes through me.
Hard on its heels came a sermon on tithing
He hollered real hard and had me a-writhing.
The only time I see him excited
Is when it’s time to feather his nest.
He thinks it’s my fault I’ve been laid off
And life is so unrelentingly rough.
I’m doing my best to be patient, though.
I’m not so sure where else I could go.
I haven't found a single friend.
I’ll never seek Pastor’s prayers again.
He had that “oh, no” look on his face.
That wasn’t a very sincere handshake.
I might as well just head on home.
I feel so stupid, standing here alone
Unneeded, ignored, unable to mix
With everyone else in their close-knit cliques.
They’re snug as a bug in their cozy cocoon
Hoping Christ won’t rapture them soon
Away from their toys to realms above
To ask them how they invested His Love.
Far less risky to worship at home
I’ll flick my remote for my weekly dose.
I’ll get my religion from TV Land
With propped up feet and a beer in my hand.
Who can blame me for thinking it’s better
Than cooling my heels in in a refrigerator?
I just don’t belong in God’s elite corps
I’d rather go elsewhere to serve the Lord.
If Jesus was the same as them,
I wouldn’ t want much to do with Him.
It’s been six long months now, and what have I gained
From going to church again and again?
I should be taking this nap in my bed
Wish I had a pillow for my nodding head.
That sermon sounds so very refined
Christ redefined for churchified minds.
I feel like a martyr for enduring this church
I’d better resume my endless search.
Where on earth will my long search cease?
The Moonies?
Kindergarten Kids
I often feel like I’m presiding over one big kindergarten class, the
way My children interact with one another. People dutifully pray that
I’ll increase the size of their congregation. But when I do, newcomers
find that the church is already divided up into its little play groups and
they’re not really all that welcome.
Misusing Love
Matt. 18:21-22; Romans 6:1; Gal. 5:26;
My people are called to be patient with one another in their efforts
to grow into My likeness, and this doesn’t happen overnight but over a
long period of time. Throughout that period you are to pray for My love
and patience as you need it, so the unity and harmony of My Body is
maintained in a spirit of peace. But there are times My people irritate
one another with a callous attitude of indifference, just because I have
asked you to forbear with one another and to forgive each other.
Grace-testing brothers and sisters want to see if they can try someone
else’s patience seventy times seven and still get by with it. On the part
of the rebellious saint there is no effort to grow into My likeness, or to
overcome their human flaws. All that backslider cares about is receiving
My gifts and My favor for his own gratification.
My love is not some ratty throw rug used to disguise a smelly dog’s
mess. My love covers a multitude of sins confessed and turned away from;
faults which are striven against; not evil contrariness which is
perpetrated by grace-testers who abuse the love of My other children over
and over again.
Unless these brats repent I shall have to get out My chastening rod
and discipline them in tough love.
Be On Guard
Psalms 146:3; John 2:24-25; Galatians 5:13-15; James 1:26
Not all commonly accepted maxims are supported by My Word. It is often
said: Trust is an integral part of love. Not so. I said in My Word:
Owe no one anything, except to love one another. Therefore, you owe
it to your brother and sister in Christ to have love and compassion toward
them. But you do not automatically owe them trust! My own son knew when
it was safe to confide in others, or to be around certain individuals. He
did not freely trust all men, not even those who claimed to love Me. Once,
he miraculously escaped the clutches of an angry mob which were intent on
hurling him over a cliff. When he did finally face death, He made no
effort to protect Himself, because He had come into the world for the
express purpose of being sacrificed on the cross for man’s redemption.
It is neither unjust nor unloving to allow Me to caution you
about potentially dangerous attitudes in others. Love is patient
and kind, but: LOVE DOES NOT LIE TO ITSELF!
I’m not going to mince words. If My Love is totally absent from a
person or his home, then satan is still ruling him, and he is wide open
to demonic control! This applies not only to a hardhearted Christian who
clings to the ways of this world, but the self-righteous ultra-religious
individual who spouts all the right cliches and keeps the customs of the
group he belongs to, while refusing to love his neighbor. Nothing on
earth gives rise to more meanness than loveless religion. The religious
blindness of the Scribes and Pharisees put Me on the Cross!
Suppressing My Nature
Romans 12:2; I John 2:15
A certain woman had a spiteful, sarcastic nature. She was a
professing believer who clung to the ways of the world even while going
through the motions of being a devout churchgoer. She despised those who
were meek and gentle in temperament. She was spiteful and insulting
toward weaker souls and didn't care whose feelings she unjustly hurt. She
questioned the masculinity of any man with a tender-hearted nature. She
drove away faithful friends who tried to bear patiently with her
rudeness. She despised those who were growing in the meekness and
gentleness of my Son, whether men or women.
Such a false believer more highly esteems people who are rude,
aggressive and quick to defend their own rights. Indeed, many carnal
saints use I Corinthians 9:19-22 as an excuse to adapt to the un-Christlike
ways of others, in order to secure the approval of worldly people. Paul
did say: When I am with the Greeks, I become like the Greeks; When I
am with the Gentiles, I become like the Gentiles. Paul’s aim was to
be able to gain the trust of, and converse with with all sorts of people,
in order that he might be able to win some of them to Christ. But he did
NOT suppress the Fruits of the Holy Spirit in his life in order to placate
the sinners around him. He never acted like he was ashamed to be holy.
Beware that you do not unintentionally try to excise from your soul
character traits of My Son which I am establishing in your life! That is
just as tragic as a hospital patient ripping open a gaping chest wound
just because the sutures irritate his flesh a little. Only when you are
in heaven will you fully realize just how hard I had to work to undo the
damage done to the human soul by the Fall of Adam and Eve. Trying to rid
yourself of elements of My perfect nature just because My ways are at odds
with the world is much more dangerous than resisting the ministrations of
an earthly physician. You must never be so eager to “get ahead in the
world” that you kowtow to the ways of ungodly people or backsliders and
begin to find My lovely, guileless nature an embarrassment. The world
despises meekness as weakness, and disparages gentle souls as wimps. That
is nothing new. It was the prevailing philosophy in the days of Noah, just
before the Flood came and erased most of mankind from the earth.
If any believer rejects My true nature and reinvents Christ to suit
himself, he also cuts himself off from access to My Life!
Being Wary is Not Unloving
Numbers Chapter 16; Psalms 146:3; Proverbs 4:23; 22:3;
Ezek. 44:10-16;
Matthew 10: 16; 25:34-45; Ephesians 5:15; Hebrews 6:10;
Jude 11
My child, I have given you eyes to see and a heart to understand. I
never expect you to place blind trust in others, although you are
commanded to share My Love even with those people whom it is difficult
to like.
If any believer insists on remaining a spiritual toddler, I cannot
force him to grow up. But that one will not enjoy the same privileges as
those who are willing to go on to perfection into the likeness of Christ.
If a person has repeatedly and consistently displayed un-Christlike
behavior toward you, never, ever bare your soul to that one, even when he
makes friendly overtures to try to regain your confidence. Which one of
you, having a new computer or a fine set of crystal, will let a
two-year-old toddler have free access to those things? No one who had
spent a great sum of money on his dearest treasures would stand idly by
and let the child wreck those costly possessions, just because he isn’t
mature enough to know better. There are instances in Scripture where I
took privileges or honors away from people who had abused My good gifts.
Does this mean I was being unloving toward them?
The Kohathites, a division of the tribe of Levi, lost privileges of
drawing near to Me by betraying My trust. They were barred forever from
ministering in My immediate Presence as priests under the Old Covenant.
Why? Because Korah rebelled against Moses in the desert. Against Moses'
explicit orders Korah and his supporters took up censors to offer up
incense to prove they they were the ones I’d chosen for the priesthood.
Such presumptuousness and arrogance. Trying to drum up support among the
populace. Jostling for prestige and position. Bickering and backstabbing.
Putting one another down to appear better than somebody else, instead of
serving one another in love and counting that as the highest privilege!
I feel the pain of this in My Body the Church. What a sin against My love!
So the sons of Korah were relegated to serving their brethren in the
congregation instead of appearing as priests in My immediate Presence.
But under the New Covenant, I make servanthood a position of honor: When
you serve one another you also serve Me, for I am one spirit with My
people. It is the sons of Zadok who consistently remained true to My
revealed will, and it is they who will officiate as Levitical priests
throughout My future Millennial Reign, when literal memorial sacrifices
pointing back to the Cross will be offered up to remind My people of what
I have done for them in redeeming them. I have My own reasons for
reinstituting limited animal sacrifice in a literal Jewish Temple during
that dispensation of time. This in no way detracts from My own final
Sacrifice of Myself, and it does not affect the priesthood of the New
Covenant believer who is a living stone in the Temple of My own Body
indwelt by My Holy Spirit. This unspeakable privilege you receive through
grace and being born again by faith in My Blood, not through being
physically born into a certain bloodline.
I highly value a heart indwelt by My Spirit, one which is centered
upon Me and the things of My Kingdom. It is of infinitely more value than
a new car or computer. I said in My Word that you are to carefully guard
this treasure of yours, and to beware of the influences which come to bear
upon it.
Truly it is those who are willingly blind who are in greatest peril
of stumbling and falling headlong into a pit of captivity to satan. Those
who will not heed My cautions are in greatest peril.
I command all those who have harbored an unloving attitude toward My
other children to repent now. Not a grudging, superficial apology to that
one you have hurt, but a deep, unfeigned repentance. it must be
directed not only toward the offended one but especially toward Me, the
Head of the Body.
You who are spiritual will be able to tell when repentance is
God-directed and deep. I tell you with great sorrow that some who profess
My Name look back wistfully upon the world and all its perverse
artifices. They bristle, chafe and rankle under My gentle Yoke of Love,
half-wishing they had never committed their lives to Me to begin with!
They wonder if the Door of Salvation is a swinging door which they can
exit and reenter at their convenience. They would far rather be free to
deal with others in a mean, petty, selfish, sarcastic manner, as they did
before they ever heard the Gospel. All they’re hanging onto Me for is the
excellent fire insurance policy I afford them. These souls fail to
realize that being transformed into My spiritual image is the very essence
of My Salvation, and a necessary prerequisite for being fit for heaven!
Their hardness of heart is a grief to Me. They have forgotten their first
Love, and do not consider this: Love for Jesus is as Love for Jesus does!
All those who are truly repentant will rejoice in My grace, and
communicate with others of My unspeakable goodness in working in their
lives. They will even manifest godly humility toward those whom they’ve
alienated in times past, and of whom they’ve received forgiveness.
Hearts knit together in My Love and walking joyfully together in My
Spirit constitute true Christian fellowship. Where My Love is absent, I
also am absent!
Love one another freely, in deed as well as in word. Remember,
though, only I am worthy of unconditional trust. No one has the right to
wipe their dirty feet all over your heart!
Reconciliation in Heaven
Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-38; John 21:18
It’s time for my quarrelling kids to bury the hatchet and learn to
love and forgive one another. Some of you were hurt years ago and your
last memories of the other person are terribly painful. Perhaps you never
again made any type of contact with people who hurt you, and deliberately
neglected to keep track of them over the years. Or you moved far away in
an effort to leave a miserable past behind and make a fresh start in life.
I recall more than one Christian couple whose marriage fell apart,
with a major geographical move being made by one of the spouses to forget
the other person after an acrimonious divorce. But more often than not,
the relocation would do little to ease the pain of betrayal or other
damage done to the relationship, and it would take My supernatural power
to help the innocent spouse begin to heal.
There are many Christian spouses who divorced and remarried other
believers, often leaving heartbroken children and a lot of bitterness in
their wake. How that grieves My heart. But repentance for wrongdoing would
often follow, and I would readily forgive the ones at fault. In such
cases the people concerned would elect to remain in their present
marriages, so as not to make a tragic situation worse.
Many an alienated saint has wondered: “What if the other person
repents and I encounter him (or her) one day again in heaven? Won’t there
be an awkwardness between us?
Definitely no. Even in this imperfect, disorderly world I never let
one of My saints undergo an experience unless I am certain he or she is
ready for it. Learning and personal progress will continue even in
heaven, and even in the absence of the sin nature! I have ordained a time
for all things in My plan for this present life you live, and also for the
life which is to come.
In this world, people come and go at will. That was true of Simon
Peter, who as a young man, would get dressed and go socialize with any
person he pleased, whenever he pleased. As a believer, it is always wise
to spend a brief time seeking My approval before making a journey or going
to visit a particular person. How much more do My saints in heaven
acknowledge My Lordship over their own comings and goings, and great
happiness results. Heaven is a happy Paradise because there, people
always live in complete harmony with their Heavenly Father’s will. So My
saints always enjoy the benefits of My perfect wisdom.
In the case of believers who were at odds with each other on earth,
there is a time of waiting until I decide they are ready to meet again.
But at no time do they harbor evil thoughts or rancor in their hearts, for
that would be sin, and sin does not exist here.
There have been many tearful reunions, but My children always were
glad to see each other again! Forgiveness takes place here, as well as on
earth. As for repentant ex-spouses reconciling in heaven, marriage does
not exist in this blessed realm in the sense you know it on earth. My
saints comprise one big happy family of brothers and sisters in Christ.
Relationships in the Body of Christ reach a level of holy perfection here
in heaven which is unattainable in a sinful world.
Reconciliation is at the supreme theme of My great work of
redemption. When I set out to destroy all the works of satan, I was not
caught off guard by the ugly mess He would make of relationships in future
times. I am the Healer of Hearts, and I do all things perfectly well.
A Time to Draw Apart
Ecclesiastes 3:5; Hosea Chapter 3
So many of you come under feelings of condemnation because you cannot feel
warm and effusive toward everyone in your church, especially toward those
who have repeatedly hurt you and proven themselves untrustworthy as
brethren in Christ. You think that forgiving someone means that you must
immediately take up the relationship where it left off before the offense
was committed.
That is impossible, especially when the offender is a reckless
personality, immature and willfully inconsiderate of others. When a
building is demolished by an earthquake, it takes much time to rebuild
it. Sometimes the damage extends even to the foundations of the
structure, and it must be relaid with fresh cement. Only I am able to
cement My Body together in Love.
I have seen close Christian friendships break up because I was not
Lord of that friendship, and there were major blockages to the flow of My
Love. A sharp-tongued, manipulative type would subtly bully his or her
gentle-natured friend until the damage was so extensive the abuse could no
longer be tolerated. They would then part company, often acrimoniously.
If both parties continued going to the same church, the air around them
would be supercharged with tension. The two hostile saints could not
partake together at the Communion Table with a clear conscience.
Such a scenario feels much like a marital split. This is also true
when a believer gives up trying to fit into the life of a particular
church and severs ties with it for good because he feels like an unloved,
unneeded appendage. He feels like he’s divorced an entire fellowship!
Remember the example of Hosea the Prophet, who extended supernatural
forgiveness toward his adulterous wife Gomer. Her track record was one
of repeated betrayal toward her husband. Hosea had solid grounds for
divorce. But part of my plan for his life was that he demonstrate the
kind of forgiveness I repeatedly showed toward Idolatrous Israel.
But even in showing forgiveness, Hosea exercised wisdom. He could
not immediately be just as close to Gomer as he’d been before her sin.
Before their relationship could be restored to its former intimacy, a new
foundation of trust had to be built between them. Hosea needed space and
time to heal inside. They were no longer estranged, but a necessary
distance was kept between them “for many days” before they became close
again.
When someone deliberately sins against a fellow believer, fellowship
between them is broken. I must impart a fresh supply of love to the heart
of the offended one, or the damage done to their relationship will be
permanent. My Agape Love must be restored immediately. The trust and warm
feelings happen later.
Living in Harmony
Amos 3:3; II Cor. 6:14-18; Eph. 5:7, 11; I Tim. 5:22; II
John 10
I understand the pressure so many of My poorer children are under,
with the skyrocketing price of housing, how it eats up their meager
paychecks until they feel driven to find a solution...any solution.
I see the chaos caused when some Christian young person ends up
sharing a house with roommates who don’t know Me as Lord. The worst
case scenario is when unconverted roommates engage in acts of immorality
under the same roof as the believer, so that he feels like he’s in a
no-win situation. His roommates exchange foul jokes, get drunk and spread
their evil influence in the kitchen and living room. The atmosphere is so
tainted with spirits of lust and blasphemy that such a house cannot
receive My blessing. Even when the Christian shuts his or her own
bedroom door to pray, that one draws the ostracism and criticism of the
others for setting himself apart as different, and for being antisocial.
The same principle applies to putting up people who give every
evidence of being hostile toward My standards of basic decency. If they
won’t respect your right as a Christian host to protect the atmosphere of
your home, keep them out. Every dog, however cute and cuddly, brings his
fleas in with him. Unrepentant sinners would only contaminate your
consecrated home with demonic influences which might be hard to remedy and
cast out after your guests leave. You need to be wise, especially if
you have a family to consider. You would not want your child to mimic the
words and ways of a foul-mouthed drunk. Hospitality toward the unholy is
one sticky type of situation where satan can make darkness appear as
light. Always seek My approval before making a tricky decision of any
kind. Once you are sure of it, My guidance must always be final. Even if
outsiders think you are being uncharitable in a decision, remember, I
alone am Lord.
If you must share living space with others because of lean finances,
first pray about it and ask Me to lead you to My perfect solution before
you rush into a disastrous situation. I would bring together young
Christian men to live together to edify and encourage one another in the
faith, as well as to share living costs. I would also bring my daughters
together for the same purpose, so that after they leave their parents’
home they might form friendships and lend support to each other to give
one another strength to go out and face an unedifying working environment
each day.
I send you out into the world to minister My Word and My Life, but I
would not have you to bring the world and its wickedness into the peaceful
sanctuary of your home.
Justified by Jesus' Blood, Not by Legalism
Deut. 14:26; Judges 9:13; Psalms 104:15; Jeremiah 35:1-10,
18-19; Amos 9:13-14; Matt. 26:29; Luke 7:34-35; John 2:1-11; Romans 14:
3,13-23; I Corinthians 8:8-13; 10:23-33; Ephesians 2:8-9; I Thes. 5:22; I
Tim. 4:3-5; 5:23; Hebrews 4:16; and 10:19
Oh, how wearisome to My people, all the man-made legalism they
encounter in church. Things like clothesline Christianity. One group puts
you down if you don’t appear prosperous; another teaches you can earn My
favor by keeping an austere set of rules: no jewelry or make-up, no
haircuts for women. Some people have even been warned that taking an
occasional glass of wine is a one-way ticket to hell. Legalists are
always tongue-tied when they’re reminded that Jesus’ first miracle was to
turn water into wine, and indeed wine was considered an essential part of
a Jewish wedding. Christ also promised His disciples that He would one day
drink of the fruit of the vine with them again in His Kingdom. I detest
excess which leads to drunkenness, but I would have every believer to grow
mature enough to be led by Me as to where exactly to set his o | 
