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Manifestation and Multiplication

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Revelation 19:10 The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of all prophecy. What is prophecy but the manifestation of spoken words becoming a reality. Jonah had heard the testimony of God’s miracles to the patriarchs, the Exodus, the conquest of the Promised Land, the Word of God, the exploits of the prophets – and yet the pagans had more faith than him. How can that be? How can you be a prophet and not manifest the Word you have seen come to pass over and over?

What we should be asking is, How is it that I know these things and more? I mean, we even have the Resurrected Jesus, the indwelling Holy Spirit, the exploits of the Apostles, the New Testament Church, the completed book of the Bible (in a language we can read and understand) and the saints who have gone before us. Yet, is the fullness of Jesus manifesting through us or are we simply manifesting more of us? Are you becoming a manifestation of Jesus’ Testimony? Are you manifesting Jesus’ testimony in others?

After 11 days of repenting I am becoming apprehensive that maybe I’m being too hard and we need some encouragement. Oswald Chambers coined a term in his most famous of all Christian devotional classics. What was the term? Amateur Providence. Oswald states: One of our severest lessons comes from the stubborn refusal to see that we must not interfere in other people’s lives. It takes a long time to realize the danger of being an amateur providence, that is, interfering with God’s order for others. You see a certain person suffering, and you say — “He shall not suffer, and I will see that he does not.” You put your hand straight in front of God’s permissive will to prevent it, and God says — “What is that to thee?” If there is stagnation spiritually, never allow it to go on, but get into God’s presence and find out the reason for it. Possibly you will find it is because you have been interfering in the life of another; proposing things you had no right to propose; advising when you had no right to advise. Ouch! The psalmist exhorts the worshippers of Israel: Kiss the Son lest He be angry with you. John in the Book of Revelation adds He has a double-edged sword extending from His mouth. You Kiss the Son and you are going to bleed. It’s going to hurt. Do you desire a closer walk with Jesus? He burns with fire, and is long-suffering. The closer you get the more you become acquainted with His suffering.

What would you need to change your mind about today? What in you is not in alignment with Him, His Word, and His Will? How is it even possible to align with Him? Do you still desire more of Jesus? Why or why not?

Kiss the Son

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 Thursday, October 3, 2019

Psalm 2:12 Kiss the Son [pay homage to Him in purity], lest He be angry and you perish in the way, for soon shall His wrath be kindled. O blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) are all those who seek refuge and put their trust in Him! 

Blessed are those who seek. What are we seeking? To kiss the Son. Yet there’s a big catch: Revelation 1:16 In His right hand He held seven stars, and from His mouth there came forth a sharp two-edged sword, and His face was like the sun shining in full power at midday.

The catch is if we kiss the Son we are going to have to run into the Sword coming out of His mouth. But this Sword isn’t simply going to cut you one way its going to cut you two ways. As if this wasn’t enough, beyond the Sword is the Sun. In other words, you are going to get burned. It doesn’t bode well for those who approach the Son. But isn’t that the point? (No pun intended) After Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden of Eden two cherubim were placed at its entry. To make matters worse a flaming sword guarded this entry and blocked the way to the Tree of Life. If Adam and Eve desired to get to Life they would have to die. In Exodus 20:19 And they said to Moses, You speak to us and we will listen, but let not God speak to us, lest we die. The sentiment of the people comes into sharper focus when we hear Moses’ recollection of that day: Deuteronomy 4:12,36-39 And the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the voice of the words, but saw no form; there was only a voice…Out of heaven He made you hear His voice, that He might correct, discipline, and admonish you; and on earth He made you see His great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire. And because He loved your fathers, He chose their descendants after them, and brought you out from Egypt with His own Presence, by His mighty power, driving out nations from before you, greater and mightier than yourselves, to bring you in, to give you their land for an inheritance, as it is this day; know, recognize, and understand therefore this day and turn your [mind and] heart to it that the Lord is God in the heavens above and upon the earth beneath; there is no other.

To hear God’s Voice, His Word, required that they face the fire of His Word. Is it possible that the reason Moses could face the Fire, venturing ascending the Mountain of God, to face a most certain death, was that he had already observed a bush ablaze but not consumed? The death Moses had to die was that of his soul which screamed at him to remain anchored firmly to the desert floor. But here’s the rub: you cannot stay where you are and go with God. For that matter you can’t stay the way you are and go to God. You – your soul has to die. 

Seeking God is not a venture for the soul. In fact the soul hates this path up. It screams a quick, and speedy retreat from the self-sacrificing fires. It makes no sense; its not logical; it doesn’t feel good; it goes against the comfort of my personality. All of these voices vie for the throne of self. But there’s only One worthy to sit upon its throne. If you are going to hear His Word, and listen for His voice, you will have to kiss the Son, face the fire, and ascend the Hill He walked before us. What is that Hill? Calvary. Yes, He’s been crucified for you and I. But He invites you and I to join Him on the same Tree. Remember the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil is what crucified the Word and it’s to this Tree you and I must die. (It’s fruit is what killed our spirits in the first place). Seek the Sword of the Lord, and the Fire of His Spirit, yielding the old man – the soul man to die. 

If the Word has skewered the “fajitas” of your flesh the Lord says that this entree’ is a sweet smelling aroma to Him. To meet with Jesus at the Tent of Meeting requires for you and I to join Him in the Fire. Through this altar we can offer up the sacrifices of praise that are worthy of the Lamb of God.