Revelation

I am sitting at my computer listening to the thunder crashing all around me. I love storms. A thunder storm is a perfect reflection of my current spiritual posture. God's voice is like thunder and I am hearing this thunder in my inner man. After The Point I went to work for a few hours. I am so blessed to have a job where I am all alone in a building cleaning. I spent the whole night worshiping. Actually releasing spontaneous choruses and known worship songs in to the quiet night air. All during this time God was just downloading revelation into my spirit. I will share some of what I have discovered in this blog. I will number them due to the vastness of my thoughts. If you don't feel compelled to read a lot in one sitting you can come back and immediately find where you left off.

1. Offensive prayer
I have already touched on the fact that I am experiencing a spiritual awakening. I haven't address my offense. I went to One Thing unsuspecting. I went to One Thing expecting to hear the same messages that I have heard before and come out a little stirred but not changed. I came to the realization that IHOP Kansas City saturated One Thing Fort Wayne in prayer. Because of their unrelenting pursuit of God and their focus I have been changed. And to be honest it offends me or rather makes me jealous. I haven't been faithful in the place of prayer. I pray and fellowship with God, but I haven't been giving myself like God is requiring. So it offends me that I am experiencing fruit because devoted people have been praying and seeking my good. I want to be revived because I sought God and discovered Him in the secret place. Don't get me wrong. I am so thankful that prayer warriors are changing a region. I am so blessed to know that devoted lovers of God are causing me to rend my heart. But, oh I feel desperately repentant that my labor in prayer has been rare. Again I am returning to the calling God has placed in my life. I have to humbly say this revival in me is happening because of prayers prayed in the secret place by other men and women and not my own pursuit. Ouch, that hurts!

2. John the Baptist, Not as I have known him.
Whenever a message is given speaking of the life of John the Baptist I hear similar themes. John is the man who went into a desert to find God. He lived a hidden, humble life. He was the man that coined the phrase, "I must decrease and He must increase." But as I was mediating on a sermon given by Wes Martin, God started opening my eyes to another side of John's life. This was said about John. He was a burning and a shining light: and you were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. There are countless scripture versus that say to some effect that the people considered him a prophet. That means a majority of people considered him to be a strong voice from God. People considered him set apart with a message from God. Even Jesus says, "Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." So what is my point. John was not always a man of obscurity. John was a radiant, outspoken member of God's team. When he said he must decrease I doubt he meant his message was to loose some of it's weight. Sure when Jesus arrived it was then that he was to diminish. Obviously when Jesus began his ministry all the other ministries became second place. But, I believe that John never diminished his destiny to obscurity. Even in his death he was a witness to Christ. Humility never calls us to diminish the word of God that is in our hearts. We preach it till the day we die. Actually when we decrease we are preaching the gospel even more violently. Our decreasing is even a more flamboyant action. When we die to our ministry titles and fame we are shining brighter and increasing God's glory in the earth. Diminishing does not me we lack zeal and tone down our message ever.


3. My Primary Focus
There was a moment in Mike Bickle's life where God stamped Songs of Solomon on his life ministry. God confirmed that his main ministry would be out of his revelation and insight into that strange love book slapped in the middle of the Bible. Well, God has been cultivating a message in my heart that has only recently consumed my thoughts. I have always had this message burning on my heart, but in the last few months God has really asked me to make it my life's message and pursuit. Generally it is based out of these scripture versus.

Song 6:8-9
8 Sixty queens there may be,
and eighty concubines,
and virgins beyond number;
9 but my dove, my perfect one, is unique,
the only daughter of her mother,
the favorite of the one who bore her.

1 Cor 9:24
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

Mark 10:37-45

37 They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory."
38 "You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"
39 "We can," they answered.
Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared."
41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42 Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

These are just some of the scriptures that I have been compiling. If you don't see a theme I will explain further. Basically I want the body of Christ to know that yes we are called to love each other and consider others as better as ourselves. But, I also want us to be challenged in the revelation that God is seeking people who he can bestow rewards and favor on. He has literal eternal accolades that He longs to lavish on runners. So, I desire the body of Christ to consider standing out. I will just preach a little message on the occurrence with James and John. Know that James and John were in Jesus special three. They saw Him transfigured. I honestly believe that even though the other disciples were indignant at their request I don't think Jesus was. In fact Jesus, God in the flesh, doesn't rebuke them. He actually tells the recipe for winning those places of honor. He doesn't scold the two zealous men. He tells them the formula to get what they wanted. Live the life of a servant. Not only does He tell them how to be great in the kingdom He actually testifies that there are two actual seats of honor given by the Father. I guess I relate to John and James. I know I have offended people with my desire for God's special attention. I will admit the thought of sitting at His side is a true temptation in my life. But, this pursuit isn't out of pride or a desire for power. It is out of a deep yearning to know that I did what God desired. That He holds me in high esteem. I want His affections. I know that this might seem like a perfect way to cause disunity in the body. But, that isn't my intention. My intention is to be before a audience of one. Let all the lessor lovers fade away. Can we wrap our minds around the fact that the Father has two people in mind for this blessing? Just two. Just two out of billions of people. I think we fear becoming prideful or greedy by seeking these delights. Assuredly you can have a wrong motivation and taint this pursuit. But, you can also beat your body into submission like Paul and attract the heart of God and win prestige in the kingdom. I could go on, but you get the general idea. I feel this is my specific message to bring to the body of Christ.


I have more, but I need to head to dream land. More to come.