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God's Call to Come Up Higher by David Nelson

Posted: 2007-07-31 17:25:36

God’s Call to Come Up Higher      by David Nelson      8-21-07

(Articles by other authors to follow)

I had a dream about a year ago that was very strong and I thought about it for weeks as being from the Lord. But it was so “different” that I did not even share it with my wife, thinking it probably was just for me (between me and the Lord). Then about 3 weeks ago a lady named Hollie Moody wrote about a prophetic vision she had that was very much the same as my dream. So I thought, maybe this is for everyone?

In the last few days two writings have come to my attention from Rick Joyner and a man named Mitt Jeffords. So, what I am about to write comes from all of these sources above plus a man of God from China named Wang Ming Dao. (I will include quotes and articles at the end of this writing that will tie in).

First, let me share the dream I had a year ago. I will try and paint the picture I saw and how I felt. There was a very tall pole, like the kind a diver would dive from at a circus into a small pool of water. The pole in my dream had no pool of water at the bottom and instead of a platform for diving at the top it had a seat to sit in. This pole was very high (looked kind of scary to climb), and it looked kind of rusty and old (like it had been around for a long time, maybe past generations had climbed it and used it), and once you were seated at the top there was a small platform under you so that no one could see you (yet I could see people walking below me). I was so high up, and I had some fear of falling, though the Lord assured me that I was safe, strapped in, even if I should fall asleep, I was OK, and that I was free to leave whenever I wanted. I also noticed that there were other poles spaced far enough apart to be secluded available for other people who chose to climb their own pole. Now I was at the bottom of the pole again and the Lord said, “Do you want to be alone with Me, to know Me and what I am thinking? It is a place of total one-sightedness, seeing and being with Me, total dedication to knowing Me. It is a place where I have you and you have Me, but it is for you to choose to go there and stay there as you choose. Also, this is a place where I will show you people and how you can help them.” 

I have thought about that place where I could live close to the Lord and yet continue in my daily work, chores and relationships with the people I rub shoulders with every day. I have wanted to live in that place and go there again and again, and stay as long as I could. I have wanted to go there in my spirit and have this as my mindset, this is where I really want to live. But it is kind of scary to get there and kind of scary to stay there unless I could learn or the Lord could teach me to be comfortable there.

Here is where the butterfly and cocoon idea comes in (from Rick Joyner) and the vision by Mitt Jeffords (The Steel Mill), and the revelation by the man from China, Wang Ming Dao. Up in the seat on the pole is the cocoon we must wrap ourselves in. We are worms or caterpillars that crawl on the earth and we must decide at some point to wrap ourselves up with the Lord where nothing else matters except to become what He wants us to be. All things must be shut out (even though we continue in much of our normal life activities). The Lord will show what must be dropped, every soul tie that must be cut, no strings attached, one thing that we want above all else, not even ministry but the Lord Himself. Once He has allowed us to be wrapped up in Him alone, He will continue the process that will lead to creating the most beautiful, colorful butterfly, looking completely different than before, with wings that soar high above this world. Butterflies are somewhat elusive, and can hardly be seen by others in their full colors. We only see them for a fleeting moment and cannot see all their beauty and colors unless they are confined and their wings are spread out for all to see. (Maybe things will be better seen in heaven after we have finished our courses).

The process that is going on in the cocoon as the Lord is forming our wings and painting the colors in minute detail is explained to some extent in Mitt Jeffords vision (The Steel Mill). How can we change ourselves? Maybe we have tried so hard and we seem to fall short again and again. Yes, we should want to cooperate with the Lord in this process of becoming Holy as He is Holy and becoming righteous and pure in character as He is. Mitt Jeffords shares that the Lord wants every detail of our lives to be put into His hands. Our cooperation is to humbly give up each area of our lives as He shows us and corrects us, and keep giving up each thing to Him till He completes the work in us. How can we change, how can we obey even His slightest promptings? He is the author and finisher of the work He is doing if we will be in the cocoon and if we will offer up every detail for Him to finish His work. He wants to change some big flaws in us that we may or may not see, and we seem to have little or no power to change. There may be small flaws we do not see that He wants to change also. Lord, please point these things out to us and give us a stronger and stronger desire to change into what You want. “I am at work in you both to desire and to do my good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:13) Please do this verse in me Lord, please help me to long for this with my whole heart. 

Each one of us may have visions in our own hearts and dreams we dream for ourselves, and one day we hope what He has put into our hearts will come to pass and will be exactly the same as the visions and dreams He has always had for us. And just like it took time and some pain and confinement for Joseph (in the Bible) to reach the fulfillment of his dreams, but because they were given by God they did surely come to pass. It is the same with each of us. Will we go up to a place where we are the Lord’s completely and He is our goal and desire alone (the seat on the high pole)? Will we know that we must wrap ourselves up with the Lord in a cocoon to be wanting and available for the changes and the beauty He wants for us? (Actually He is calling to each one even now and has been, to come, come to that place). What wonderful things He has planned for each of us.

 

 

DAY Of The WATCHMEN - RETURN Of The NEPHILIM

-by Hollie L Moody. -(I5 Jan 2006)

Luke 17:26— “And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be

also in the days of the Son of man.”

In a vision, I was standing in a group of people. We were laughing and talking together. I sensed that the Lord was standing next to me. “Child,” I heard the Lord say to, me, “what are you doing here?”

I was surprised by the Lord’s question. “I am visiting with my

friends,” I replied. 

“This is not what I have called you unto,” the Lord said to me.

“Why are you not up in the tower where I have called you to be?” 

I saw that the Lord had turned from the group of people, and was pointing upwards. I looked up to where the Lord was pointing, and saw a very high tower.

“Because it’s lonely in the tower,” I said to the Lord.

“Return to where I have stationed you,” the Lord commanded me.

I slowly began to climb my way back up into the high tower. When

I arrived back into the tower, I saw that the entire tower was open

on all sides and that I was able to look out easily into all directions.

I looked down and saw that the Lord was walking in and out of the crowds of people spread out below me. At intervals, He would stop and speak quietly to certain people. These people would then also separate themselves from the crowds and make their way to where the Lord would point for them to be.

 

I saw that some of the people were positioned on rooftops, Some

were positioned on walls that ran around the perimeter of the city. Others were in groups of twos and were walking around the city together. Still others were also up in high lowers such as the one I was in.

I then sensed the Lord’s return next to me. 

“Why am I here. Lord?” I asked

“To keep watch,” the Lord replied.

So. I watched. For quite some time, I continued to watch. Yet, I saw nothing. 

I noticed that the Lord was going from watchman to watchman, speaking to them. I saw that some of them had fallen asleep on their watch, and that the Lord appeared quite displeased by this.

(Isaiah 56:10,  “His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.”

Suddenly, I saw something bright falling from the heavens.(The rest of this vision is available upon request).

August 13, 2007

Rick Joyner:

"THE GREAT METAMORPHOSIS--BEING TRANSFORMED AS WE SOAR ABOVE OUR TRIALS"

"There is no greater freedom than knowing we are in the will of God."

The Church is the Lord's Body, and what He does, He will do through His Church. If we want to be a part of what God is doing, it is fundamental that we find our part in His body and begin functioning in it.

We must also acknowledge that there are many ways in which the contemporary Church reflects the ways and organizations of this world more than the Kingdom of God. However, the Church is going through a most radical transformation at this time. It is so radical that the only way to describe it is metamorphosis, which we have discussed before, but we need to build on this thought a bit, so I will review it briefly here.

Metamorphosis of the Church and Our Mindsets

Metamorphosis is the process that a caterpillar goes through in the cocoon where it enters as a worm and leaves a beautiful butterfly. The Greek word that is the root of this word "metamorphosis" is the word translated "transformed" in Romans 12:2:

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

A caterpillar is a worm that crawls along the earth, conforming to all of the contours of the earth, but a butterfly soars above the earth. This is the transformation that is needed in us, and as it is specifically stated in this verse, the transformation must take place in our minds by the renewing.

Our minds have what are called "mindsets." A mindset is the setting of our mind so that when a word is spoken, we form a certain, definite impression. For example, when the word "Church" is stated, many have a very definite impression of it. For most of us, the Church is in its caterpillar state—the worm that is still conformed to this world. However, that mindset is about to be changed and renewed. Those who see prophetically already see the Church differently. She is about to become a very Heavenly creature, and those who are still looking for her crawling along the ground may miss her as she soars by overhead.

Metamorphosis requires going into a cocoon, which is very confining. Even after the transformation has taken place, the cocoon is very hard to break out of. In fact, breaking out of the cocoon is often the greatest struggle a butterfly will ever go through. (from  www.elijahlist.com).

 

VISION of the STEEL MILL
-by Mitt Jeffords.

"Who shall stand at his appearing?..."

"I found myself in the middle of a steel mill, and all around me were
 the sights and the sounds of one would expect to see and hear in a
steel mill that was in full production. I saw fiery sparks every where I
looked, and the sound of "shhhhh"; the sound that hot iron metal is
dipped in water to be cooled. The only thing missing was the mill
workers; for there was not one man to be found anywhere.

I then noticed that not far from me was a molten mass just laying on
the floor; and it had no shape or form to it. The outside of this mass
appeared burnt black and crackly, appearing just like the lava that I
have seen in pictures from the volcanoes in Hawaii. Though the outside
of this mass appeared cool and hard, I could tell that the inside was
still molten hot. I was studying this molten mass when all of sudden it
started taking on a form; it was a simple upright form that was about
4 feet high and 2 feet across; other than be upright, it had no other
characteristics to it. The outside of this mass still appeared as black
and crackly as lava. I was amazed because though I saw this mass
taking shape before my eyes, I could not visibly see who was doing it.

For about 15 minutes I had been trying to figure out what this form
was before me when all of sudden, starting at the top, all of the
burnt outside pieces began to fall off this figure. It was not until the
bottom pieces fell away before I could what this form was. It was
the figure of a man who was bent over at the waist, with head straight
down towards the floor, his arms were running parallel to his legs,
and he appeared to be made out of sterling silver.

I hardly had time to consider what this new form was before I could
discern that this figure was about ready for another. I then observed
as this figure changed from sterling silver to liquid silver. Once it
became liquid, this figure then stood completely upright. After this
figure stood upright, it then hardened again; this time the figure
appeared as the most clear sparkling crystal that I have ever seen.
I do not know how I perceived this, but I knew that this new man was
completely filled with all humility and boldness, having all confidence
and faith in God.

It was then that I woke up from my dream. When I opened my eyes,
there standing at the foot of my bed was this very figure of a man
that I had seen in my dream. He leaned towards me and said, "I
stand corrected"; and then he disappeared. Immediately the Spirit
of the Lord spoke to me that which is written in Malachi, "Who shall
continue in the day of his coming? Who may abide in the day of his
coming? For he is like a refiners fire and a fuller's soap; and he
shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver so that they may present
before the Lord an offering in righteousness". I then shook at the
reality of what the Lord has shown me; for many, many are looking
for the coming of the Lord, but who is he who has gone through the
fire of the Lord's corrections?

I then asked the Lord, "Who does this man represent, Lord. Is it
me?". And the Lord then answered and said, "The man that you
saw in your vision, he is your inner man; your heart, your mind, and
your soul. The inner man is he which no man has power to correct
or to change of himself.

The man who attempts to correct himself, he is the man who does
so that he might be found pleasing and acceptable in the sight of
men, as well as in his own eyes. He who loves me, he it is who
humbles his heart before me, presenting himself before me, asking
for me to correct him. I correct all those whom I love because they
desire to for me to change them into my own image", says the Lord.
"When I correct you, I change things in you; for I do that which is
impossible for any man to do...."

"I have asked you to seek for the truth. I have asked you to believe
and to trust me when I said unto you that you do not yet know the
truth. There are many things that you do not yet comprehend
because you have not yet asked to understand them. If you ask
diligently and if you will focus your eyes on me, and not on your
own self, your own emotions, your own reasoning, your own vision,
or on your circumstances, then I will show you the truth. If you will
seek my goodness, in all that comes upon you, then I will reveal
myself unto you.

Do not think it strange nor be dismayed at the fiery trials which
confront you. Remember, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, for
just as I was with them, so also am I always with you. Look for me
in the fire, for you are not alone. Believe on my words, and look for
the good that I desire to bring forth in all that you go through.
Remember that which is written, "Happy is the man whom the Lord corrects".

I AM; I Am a consuming fire. I desire to baptize you with my fire. I
am that fire. I am that fire that you must pass through to return to
paradise, the kingdom of God. The kingdom which is about to
appear on earth. But who shall stand when I appear except those
who have been corrected? Are you ready for me?" says the Lord.


 

What kind of person will have revival?  (Wang Ming Dao, spiritual leader in China)  Thoughts from an article by Alex Buchan (taken from Voice of the Martyrs Jan. 2000, Vol. 15, Issue 1)    (2-17-07)

Born at the turn of the century, Wang Ming Dao was China’s most famous house church pastor and evangelist and, until his death in 1991, received all the religious VIPs, including Billy Graham.

Wang was the genuine article. While his official church counterpart, Bishop Ding, was mysteriously protected during the Cultural Revolution, Wang spent those years in prison in solitary confinement. Finally released in 1980, his steadfast faith during 23 years of imprisonment inspired millions of Chinese Christians.

For Wang, revival could only come upon those who knew that walking the way of Christ would be hard, requiring courage, determination and sacrifice. During a visit, I quizzed him on his prison experience. “I will probably never be put in jail like you, so how can your faith have any impact on mine?” 

He replied by asking me a series of questions: “When you go back home, how many books do you have to read this coming month? How many letters to write, people to see, sermons to preach?”

Then he stopped and said, “You need to build yourself a cell. When I was put in jail, I was devastated. I was an evangelist. I wanted to hold crusades all over China. I was an author. I wanted to write books. I was a preacher. I wanted to study my Bible and write sermons.

“But I had no Bible, no pulpit, no audience, no pen and paper. I could do nothing. Nothing except get to know God. And for 20 years, that was the greatest relationship I have ever known.”

His parting advice was, “I was pushed into a cell, but you will have to push yourself into one. Simplify your life, so you have time to know God.” For him, the absolute requirement is to go at a “walking pace,” slowing down, stilling yourself enough to commune properly with God. 

Revival can only come to those who make room for God.

Two articles by Jan Grace with comments by David Nelson following

Posted: 2007-07-31 14:02:14

Two articles by Jan Grace titled “The Anointed Body” and “Unity” with comments by David Nelson following   (8-5-07)

"The Anointed Body" by Jan Grace  (May 13,2007)

Greetings...
Psalms 133
1. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 2. It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. 3. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing life forevermore.

Notice that God thinks unity is good and pleasant. He had David write that it is a prerequisite for the Anointing. The High Priest, Aaron, would be dressed in the priestly clothes prepared to minister for the people and before the Lord. He would be drenched with holy anointing oil that would flow from his head and cover his whole being.

Unity is also likened to the Dew of Heaven descending upon the Mountain of God, Zion, the City of the Great King (Psalm 48). Dew wouldn't just cover one little portion, but would cover the mountain.

God also shows us that the Body of Christ (the Anointed One) is to be in unity and function in the same anointing that flows from the Head (Jesus) to each part. Ephesians is a good book to read regarding the place and purpose of the Body. It says in the first chapter that the church is the body of Christ. The fourth chapter speaks of the body being fitly joined to each other and to the Head.

Where does "unity" fit in? Unity isn't going to the same church, saying the same thing, not fussing or feuding, or anything like that. Unity, as God sees it, is a proper connection and submission to each other much the same way the parts of a body are connected to each other.

Picture your body. If your head wants your hand to pick something up, or wave to someone, it simply tells the hand to move. Understand, though, that there are many parts (too many for me to name or even know) that are involved in the "simple" operation. Yet, each part is vital to the whole movement. Take any part out and you have no movement. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 12 that the Body is one yet has many members. He also made a statement about God placing certain"parts" in the Body that are very pronounced; parts such as "Apostle", "Prophet", "Workers of Miracles", "Teachers", etc. He goes on to ask the question: "are all apostles, are all prophets, ...do all speak with tongues" to which we all answer, "no". Yet we can miss Paul's point if we're not careful. He writes that every part is vital and is emphasizing, with the questions about the different offices of ministry, that it isn't the apostle, or prophet, or teacher, etc., that carries the anointing or the ability to express the will of the Head. IT IS THE BODY and every part performing as it is designed to perform.

That is the way God is going to have His Anointing flow in these last days. It is IMPERATIVE that His Body understand their place and submit themselves to the parts "next door"; the parts they are to be connected to. We've got to VALUE the Body of Christ as we do the Head. I CANNOT be submitted to the Head without being submitted to the Body. If I'm going to walk with God, anointed by Him to accomplish His will, then I must walk WITH YOU and YOU WITH ME. (continued at www.valleyag.blogspot.com)

"Unity" by Jan Grace

Greetings,   (Tuesday Feb. 13, 2007)

I must share a letter Phyllis and I (Jan and Phyllis Grace) received from a good friend (Julie). I believe the message is very timely and true to the heart of Father God. May each of us take to heart this word and let Father move us into the place of perfect obedience. All Heaven stands ready...

Pastor Jan

Here's the letter:

This weekend, I had opportunity to hear from 4 voices that speak a true word of the Lord. Each echoed the other, until I knew I was hearing God's heart.

The call of Christ to His flock is to abide in Him, to live a life that is grafted in the vine, Jesus Christ (John 15). We live this life by seeking God's face, be desiring His presence above all else (Psalm 27). For those who stand in public positions of ministry, there must be a conscious realization that the call to pursue intimacy with God must exceed and be held in higher esteem than ministering to people. This is the first commandment: loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. This must always come first.

This position of whole-being'ed devotion to God will produce individual unity with God. When the day comes that we are each walking in unity with God, then we will discover---to our delight!---that we are walking in unity with one another. We are in this hour in the earth: the hour of God's call to unity between His heart and the hearts of His people. How do we know this? Look to Iraq, ancient Babylon. It was when man was unified, possessing one tongue/language and were of one mind that the Lord said, "Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, .... now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them" (Genesis 11:6 NKJV).

But these people were intent upon wicked things that deified man. So God loosed confusion upon men, so the language was no longer unified. The people had different tongues and were scattered upon the earth (Genesis 11:8-9).

The next time scripture speaks of unity coming among the language of men, i.e. meaning that men of different tongues understood one another, is at the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:5-12). The Holy Spirit gave utterance to men so that they could understand one another, so that it was like they were speaking the same language.

In like manner, as each of us presses into God, seeking intimacy with Him above all else, we will be baptized in the Holy Spirit, die deeper to self, and receive more and more of the Lord's mind. As the thoughts of Christ invade our minds, we will begin to walk as those who have the mind of God and the power of His Spirit. Those who walk in this way will find themselves in unity with others who walk in like manner. This is true unity in the Spirit.

It is not mental agreement that produces unity. It is not agreeing to disagree. No, the unity of the Spirit is a supernatural work of the Spirit in our spirit man that produces in us the renewing of the mind by the Word of God, so that we each possess the mind of Christ (the Living Word). As the Living Word comes to life in us, overtaking our thought lives as we pursue intimacy with God, we will discover others who are like-minded.

I pray that each of you have experienced koinonia, that sweet fellowship that comes from being with like-minded Christ-followers. This is true unity. It has nothing to do with denominational boundaries, doctrinal systems, statements of belief, etc. It has to do with walking in unity with the Triune God.

As we walk in such unity with God individually, we will come into unity corporately. This will not be the work of one group endeavoring to draw believers together. This will be the work of the Holy Spirit. (continued at valleyag.blogspot.com)

Comments by David Nelson:

We want to know what the Lord is thinking and what is in His heart. This is a time when He will show us His heart for those who seek Him. Unity and Love among His people are at the center of the Lord’s heart. The two articles above by Jan Grace have prompted me to write the following.

I believe it is true that God is calling His saints to a personal walk with Him that is and will require much death to self. He is not so concerned that we “enjoy” this journey (if we have volunteered ourselves), or that we necessarily accomplish great things to be seen by men on route, but this one thing, that we learn to love Him, to enjoy being with Him, He will bring us into this intimate relationship to learn His love as never before and our destiny that we were created for this deeper relationship. To bring about this growing friendship with the Lord like Enoch, Moses, Abraham, Jesus, or Paul had, it will take some real changes in us, but it is what He wants now with each of us and that this is for our time.

What we learn from Him, insights, more about His character, more about love for others, revelations, what our specific gifts are, more what our place in the Body is, how we will fit together with others in His plans, and the depths of relationship with Him, all these things are very exciting. Then we will find that others have been going through the same process and are learning some of the very same things that we are.  And if we connect with others as the Lord leads we will learn many other things that we need to know from other parts of the Body.

The Lord also sees the unity of His people as good and pleasant to His heart (Psalm 133:1) and this unity will be good and pleasant to our hearts too. Of course we seek and value the anointing of the Lord upon our personal lives. But unity among the brethren leads to an anointing upon the whole Body (every member of the Body, no matter how insignificant their part seems to be to us). The Head (Jesus) is anointed with anointing oil as on the priest Aaron (Psalm 133:1), and it runs down the beard on to the collar of his robes (shoulders arms and torso), then it also goes down to the skirts of His robe (legs and feet). The whole Body will be anointed when every part is working properly and walking in the unity of the Spirit (see the letter by Julie above).

Also, the great dew of a great and large mountain like Hermon will fall on the smaller hills (or mountains) of Mount Zion. For at Mt. Zion (whether that be Jerusalem or any place where the Lord has a people who meet in His name with Him in the midst, in the center), the hills of Zion will experience a mighty covering of dew that will touch every blade of grass, totally satisfied and anointed, with no part missing moisture or dew, but a powerful covering of dew on every part of the Body.

The Lord will command this blessing wherever His heart is being revealed and is being embraced and cherished by His waiting people.

The Knitting of Our Hearts by David Nelson-Booklet

Posted: 2007-07-31 11:51:21

INTRODUCTION

There is a great lack of love in the Church.  People pretend they care about each other but the truth is when others are “out of sight, (they are) out of mind.”  We don’t really care if others are close to God, love God, hear from God (unless we can use them to get “spiritual information” for our own advancement).  Once we leave the church building or meeting place though we strongly pretend that we do care, do we really care if others live or die?  Will we go to their funerals because we love them so much or because it is the expected social thing to do?  If we will really be honest and admit the truth, we have walls between us that cause us to fear one another, be jealous and envious of one another, think negatively of other’s motives and actions, we are suspicious and skeptical of others, we don’t trust others, we don’t care if they are praising or loving God, and we don’t care if they are getting blessed.  We don’t care what happens to them when they leave the church building or house meeting.  Perfect love casts out (all) fear of one another.  If we fear we have not yet been perfected in love.  We fear when we are afraid to speak, pray, prophecy, share our hearts.  We are not transparent, vulnerable, guileless, because we want to protect ourselves, we don’t want to be hurt by others.  So we guard out hearts, we will not give our hearts to others (lest our hearts be broken by them).  So, we wear masks and pretend, and say many words to others that we don’t really mean, even though we may have good intentions of following through, but because real love is not there we let our words, promises, and “love” fade with time.  Hence, the phrase, “out of sight, out of mind.”  If people were really in our hearts, “Absence would make the heart (and love) grow fonder and deeper.”  We do not love each other as Jesus loved us, and we do not love each other (and we are not united in heart) as the Father loves the Son (and as they are one)  (Jn. 13:34 and 17:26).  The true, agape love (the Father’s heart) will have to come back into the true leaders (Mal. 4:6, the hearts of the fathers (true leaders and physical fathers) will turn to the children (the Church people and physical children).  The leaders will then have true love and true hearts for the children of the Church and will persistently and methodically teach the Church true love.  Or maybe it will be intercessors, or the least of the brethren, or anyone who will sit at the Lord’s feet and will learn of this love from God.  And they will live it and teach it also.  As wickedness increases and love decreases (grows colder) fear also increases.  Fear of one another.  People will be easily offended at what others do to them (or what they imagine others are doing to them) and so they will betray one another, talk behind one another’s backs, and allow wedges to be driven between themselves and others.  (Friends, relatives, husbands and wives, parents and children, church splits, even divisions between Christians who at one time had very close relationships). 

The true Church, Remnant or Bride will be characterized by:  agape (unconditional) love for each other and all people, sweetness of spirit, humility, transparency, acting without guile or pretense, openness, honesty, keeping their word, forbearing and forgiving of the faults and offenses of others, they will have generosity, hospitality, kindred spirits for the things of God, a sincere hunger for the things of God, desiring purity and holiness in their daily walks, welcoming strangers, befriending the lonely, unlovely, and those unwanted by others, kindness, gentleness, giving people the benefit of the doubt again and again and again, they will believe the best, hope for the best and endure all things done and said against them, they will not wish bad for anyone but will bless everyone, they will have oneness of heart with those who love God, never speaking negative about others, they will be lowly, teachable, tenderhearted, loyal friends (through all ups and downs), available, approachable, not in a hurry, easy to please, uncomplaining, fair, not a respecter of persons (favoring one over another), showing no partiality to rich or poor (popular or unpopular).

PART I 

If you took a spiritual sewing needle with spiritual thread attached and pushed it through my heart and then took that same needle and put it through your heart and then put it through another person’s heart standing near us and pretty soon the Lord had about five or more people’s hearts tied together, then the Lord pulled on the needle and all the slack was taken out of the thread and he pulled our hearts and us together, this is what the Lord wants. And he wants to strengthen our ties, our relationships, and the knitting of our hearts.  He wants all walls between our hearts to crumble and fall, he wants us to be honest and transparent with each other, with no guile or games or pretense.  He wants no masks, no pretended love or saying we are “brothers and sisters” but really our blood relationships mean more to us than our spiritual relationships. 

Yes, the Lord loves it when each one of us is close to him on an individual level.  He loves it when we worship him corporately and each of us becomes lost in him and in his ecstasy, but you know what he is longing for more than anything, not only individual love for him to grow deeper and deeper but our love for each other to grow deeper and deeper.  Sometimes we are so selfish when we come to a church meeting or a big, spiritually hot conference with the best, most anointed speakers in the world and we want to learn something new or get a new revelation, and we want to be touched and we want a prophetic word for our lives and we want to fall on the ground in an ecstasy with the Lord, but then we get up, leave the room, go back to our private rooms not having interacted or really caring if others were touched or how close we were to them or how much deeper our love for them went.  Jesus commanded and desired that we would love each other (Jn. 13:34), not with a shallow, superficial love but with the same love that he had for us.  That is a big and deep love.  “That you would love one another as I (Jesus) have loved you.”  But the Church is in trouble in this area.  There is not this kind of love in our Church services or in our daily lives.  There are walls between us and the people we meet (even Christians).  Yes, there are plenty of hugs and kisses and beautiful words but it is not the love that Jesus had for us.  It also says in John, chapter 17 that as the Father is in the Son and the Son is in the Father that as they are one and united so we should be one with each other.  It says in the last verse (vs 26) that as the Father loves the Son, that love should be in us for each other.  (As the Father loves the Son?!)  That we should be one or united is mentioned all through chapter 17 but love is only mentioned once in this chapter, only  in verse 26.  Both in John 13 and John 17 the love and the oneness and the unity and the closeness of our brother and sister relationships are to show the world that we are of God.  But the world doesn’t see this love because we are not close enough to the Lord to have that kind of love birthed in us as yet (see the book, “Leaving Earth’s Gravity” for how to get close to God so that we can get this kind of love).  (Also, see the book “Without Love We are Nothing.”  Also, see the Lord and see His Word, and ask him to guide you). 

Here is what is going to happen. As you get closer and closer to the Lord he will transform your heart, and he will give you His love for others as never before (his heart and yearnings), and your heart will be enlarged and expanded to receive people and love them deeply. Then, get ready to enter the fellowship of his sufferings.  Why sufferings?  Because now you will enter his sufferings, the one who loves us so much and we do not love Him as He deserves or desires, the lover of our souls that longs and yearns over us for a deep relationship and we go day after day and even year after year in our shallow desire of Him.  He is a wounded lover who longs for deep intimacy from every one of his children and even every person on the earth but his heart is broken as we don’t have the capacity to love him as he loves us.  And so, as he changes us to love him and love others with a new fervor we will learn that others don’t understand our love and don’t have the same capacity to love us as we love them.

In the 100+ prophecies from 1999-2003, the Lord has spoken about our love for one another and how our relationships with one another need to go deeper.  The following 8 prophecies will help you understand how the Lord wants our hearts to be knit: (all prophecies available upon request)

11-21-98  For God so loved the world

01-22-99  In defense of the “Flaky”

03-11-99  The Kind and Lowly

03-26-99  Behold you God I

06-06-00  I Want You all to be One

07-23-01  Behold your God II

08-06-01  Revival of Love (pgs 3-5)

08-22-01  Friendship and Covenant

So, here we are with a deep love for others that God has created in us, welcoming them into our hearts but feeling still rejected.  Well, you have entered in and now will live in the fellowship of his sufferings, for all that you are feeling and experiencing is what God has felt from the beginning of man’s creation till now for everyone.  You will be greatly anointed of the Lord when you have this kind of love and keep growing deeper in it.  But this is God’s way, it is what the world needs to see, God never meant for us to be a bunch of separate, happy, people close to him only, but He loves it when we are all close to Him and to each other.  It is his highest and best goal that we would be one, big, happy family together.  This will require a supernatural change and transformation in your life, to love all people with the deep love of the Lord, but he wants this, and will form it in you and in his Church, and the world will see the glory of the Lord on us and many will be drawn to Him.  Let us embrace our Lord and His love and learn this kind of love from Him and let us learn to welcome and embrace everyone, the good and the bad, the lovely and the unlovely, the beautiful and the ugly, as the “Church of the Open Arms.” This is the Lord’s desire and plan for his Bride and for the Remnant Church.  That we will be a Church without spot or wrinkle that has become Holy and beautiful for the Bridegroom, Jesus. 

In Col. 2:1, 2 Paul says, “That all of our hearts (even ones I haven’t met face to face as yet) might be knit together in love….”  In I Chron. 12:17, 18 it says that David went out to meet the men who came to join with him, as an army of defense against Saul as David hid in the caves.  And David said to them, “If you have come with “good intent” unto me to help me, my heart shall be knit unto you but if you have come to betray me the Lord will see it and rebuke you.”  They answered him (by the Spirit), “We are yours, David, we are on your side, peace, peace be to you, and peace be to your helpers; for your God helps you.”

The Apostle Paul had such a love for the churches and each individual of the church that his heart was enlarged as even the heart of God.  He had a very loving heart like the heart of the Father.  He said in II Cor. 7:3, “You (Corinthian church) are (nested) in our hearts (and you will remain there) whether we live or die, we will be together.”  In II Cor. 6:11-13 (Amplified version) Paul says of the (Corinthian church), “Our heart is expanded wide (for you).  There is no lack of room for you in (our hearts) but you lack room in your own hearts (affections) (for us).  “As a fair exchange, do this for me—I speak as to children, open wide your hearts also (to us).”  In I Thess. 2:8 it says, “So, being affectionately desirous of you we were willing to impart to you, not the gospel of  God only, but also our own souls, for you have become so very dear to us.” 

There is here a picture of giving someone your heart, even if you think they might break your heart, you give your heart to someone, by opening your heart up and having them come into your heart, to love them.  On the other side, they may not accept you into their heart, which means you are loving them, you have become vulnerable to be hurt by them, and you are taking a risk that they might not love you in return.  This is the heart of the Father in heaven.  To love with a great love, to long for a close, intimate relationship with us and yet for us to love him in return with a shallow love that has not the capacity yet to love Him in return with the love that He loves us.  When we begin to have our hearts transformed to love others with the love that he has, our hearts will be broken too, for people will not love us back with the love that we love and hence we will walk in the fellowship of the Father’s sufferings, when we love others as He does.  This is how Paul loved the Corinthian church and even others that he had never met.  This is why he longed to see the faces of people that he had not been with for some time, he longed to see their faces and fellowship with them again.  He missed them.  Absence from them made his heart grow fonder and he missed them more as time passed.

Let me conclude this booklet with these verses from I John which sum up the key nature of our love for one another, as this is a word from the Lord.  Almost every chapter of I John talks about love toward one another.  I John 2:10 says, “He that loveth his brother abideth in the light.”  I John 3:10, “If you love not your brother you are not of God.”  I John 3:14, “We know we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren.  If you do not love, you abide in death.”  I John 4:7, “Let us love one another, for love is of God, everyone that loveth is born of God and knoweth God.  He that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love.”  I John 4:12,  “No man has seen God at any time.  If we love one another, God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us.”  I John 4:16, “God is love, he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.”  I John 4:17, “Herein is our love made perfect,…because as he is, so are we in this world (loving others and loving Him).  I John 4:20, “If you say, I love God, but you don’t love your brother who you can see, how can you love God whom you have not seen.”

We Are Surrounded By A Host Of Heroes Of The Faith Who Stand With Us And Who Agree With Us by David Nelson

Posted: 2007-07-25 19:47:55

Doesn’t it sound good to have a lot of people around you who believe in what you are doing? You may not see these people clearly now because what you are doing is not popular or understood by most people.

Over the last 10 years or so I have met people or received letters or read books or short writings by lots of people that if I mentioned their names you probably would not know. I have also read things by people whose names are known, some who lived hundreds of years ago and some who are contemporary writers and teachers (for a list of some of the more well known writers and teachers we have appreciated see our web-site under “About Us.”).

We are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses who are encouraging us on our path on which the Lord is leading us. I very much believe that many of the things the Lord has been speaking prophetically in the last 10 years are radical and not popular with many. But if we have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches for our time we will know in our hearts what the Lord is calling His Church to.

Recently, the Lord was encouraging me to read Hebrews 11 and 12. He showed me that the heroes of the faith in the Bible may not have been very “successful” in their own eyes or in the eyes of their contemporaries. Often what they did while they were alive did not seem to be appreciated. Never the less, they were called HEROES of the faith. Whether you see the great host of heroes all around you or not, there are those who agree with you and who are urging you on in what you believe and in what you are doing. They ARE all around you. Have you not already been encouraged by various people who have put into words exactly the same things that you have been hearing from the Lord? Let’s look at some examples from Hebrews 11of heroes and how they were much like us in relation to the work we are doing for the Lord today.

In Hebrews chapter 11, Abel died before he had a full life to accomplish more for the Lord, but verse 4 says that even he being dead, what he did is still speaking. (Just like Stephen in the New Testament being martyred as a young man, the savor of his life is still speaking). Enoch is not noted for doing anything in particular but he was honored by God in an extraordinary way by being translated from earth to heaven (not tasting death) and all that was said of him is, “He pleased God.” Noah was not understood by his generation and what he was asked to do I’m sure was looked upon as a “crazy venture” (building a huge ark and then putting animals on it). Only eight people stepped on to the ark with him and they were all relatives and family. Noah was warned about things to come that could not yet be seen or understood. Abraham was promised a lot of things from God. He went out from his comfortable life to a life of uncertainty, living in tents, promises, not knowing where he was going and he had little to show for it when he died (except he believed everything God told him). He had Isaac and a grandson of promise named Jacob (but not as yet did he have the promises fulfilled of descendants as the stars of heaven or as the sands of the sea shore or owning the land he walked on). But he was looking for a city that had foundations (not like the world around him), whose architect and builder was God himself. All these heroes of the faith died in faith, not having received the promises, but seeing them afar off, and being persuaded that what they saw was right, and they embraced what they heard from the Lord, and confessed that they were strangers to this world and pilgrims in it. (Hebrews 11:13)  For those who speak as they did are declaring plainly that they seek a country. Not wanting the country they are coming out of, for I’m sure they could return to their old ways if they chose to. But now, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly country. And God is not ashamed of these people, He is proud to be called their God (even though they may not be accounted as much by the world now). And God is preparing for them a city.

In Hebrews 11:22 it says that Joseph did not consider Egypt his heritage but spoke at the end of his life of his people going back to the land of Israel and that they were to bring his bones there also. In verse 25 Moses chose to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than side with the pleasures and glory of Egypt for a season. Moses esteemed following the Lord Jesus and the reproach many would cast over him as a greater treasure than all the riches of Egypt, for he saw a greater reward ahead. Moses endured many hardships on the path he chose but he had his eyes on Him who is invisible. Rahab believed that the living God was with these men of Israel that she had met (she just knew it in her heart), and she risked her life to protect them and to bless them. Time fails me (verse 32) to tell of Gideon, David, Samuel and the prophets who were just like these, they obtained promises too, they went through the fire, escaped death, suffered death, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, some were tortured, were mocked cruelly, were scourged, put in chains and imprisoned. They were stoned, tempted, wandered about in sheepskins, were destitute, afflicted and tormented. Of these the world was not worthy (verse 38). They wandered in deserts and mountains and in dens and caves of the earth. All of these (heroes of the faith) had a good report (card) from God. God, as the greatest teacher of all, gave them a letter “A” on their report card. But none of them received the promise. (verse 39)  Amplified Bible, Hebrews 11:40: Because God had us in mind (today) and had something better and greater in view for us (today), so that these (heroes and heroines of faith) should not come to perfection apart from us but that they will be completed and made perfect by what we do (now). (then we will join them).

So, here we are today. I am glad to see what the Lord wants for His Church today more clearly than ever before, and I have tasted some of the rich blessings that He has ahead for us as I am sure you have too. I have been encouraged by the life of Jean Guyon of France (who lived 300 years ago) as well as by many living today who live in various places whose names may only be known by a few. Because I regard God as the one who gives the grades and fills out our report cards, He is the one who knows who are the least and who are the greatest in His eyes. I savor every letter and writing and book that the Lord has helped me get my hands on that encourages me in saying the same things I feel God has been saying to my heart. And so, I am surrounded by a great host of heroes and heroines of faith (Hebrews 12:1) that stand with me (and you) and who agree with me (and you) to help urge me (us) on in the path on which He is leading each one of us. Bless you and thank you for your encouragement to me. Even when we don’t know each other we are kindred brethren whose hearts are being knit by God. What a great spiritual temple and house He is creating for His glory in His people!

The State of the Church, Parts I and II by Gloria Moore with comments following by David Nelson

Posted: 2007-07-25 19:24:28

The State of the Church (Part I)   written by Gloria Moore  (Silver Spring, Maryland)  (2005)     (Comments following by David Nelson)  (Part  II also following) 

We are living in the days of Noah, Genesis 6:5,7. People are too busy to build the ark Matthew 24:37, 38 and 39. Many can't hear instructions on how to build the ark Genesis 6:14-16. Of course the ark represents the presence of GOD. The presence of GOD is the true ark which is the only protection from the demonic onslaughts in this last day.  We are living in a time of great deception and seduction 1 Timothy 4:1-3, Luke 17:20-37 and Matthew 24:4-28. The greatest seduction is in the church 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12. We are living in the time of the great falling away. Because we have vexed the Holy Spirit and opened the door to Jezebel not only to be comfortable but to control the ministry and kill the prophets. The rise of Jezebel correlates  to the rise of the spirit Elijah. God said in the last days HE would come in the spirit of Elijah Malachi 4:5,6.  As the spirit of Elijah rises up the spirit of Jezebel rises up opposing him.   Yet God has no left himself without a witness: there is a remnant that is left 1 Kings 19:18. This is a time of direct confrontation with the ambassadors of hell 1 Kings 18:19-38.  The only rebuke to the church of Thyatira was that it sanctioned the ministry of Jezebel, Revelation 2:20.   The way the Holy Spirit sees it is if you allow it to continue when you know it is sin, you have sanctioned it. Jesus now provokes us to rid the house of GOD of every spirit of Jezebel. Jezebel operates through the spirit of religion (one of her doors).  Jezebel is the precursor to The False Prophet. Her spirit of false prophecy is to prepare the people for " The" False Prophet. This is also the time when she is raising up false accusations against the saints I Kings 21:13, the spirit of condemnation, Romans 8:1,2. She is on the legal team of the accuser of the brethren, Revelation 12:10, a prosecutor but even more accurately a persecutor who sheds much innocent blood.  She operates through conspiracies and witchcraft: 1 Kings 21:7-10.  She fasts for demonic powers to kill you and take your inheritance. She employs false witnesses who are blinded by one of her idols of mammon, sexual immorality or lust for power 1 Kings 21:11, 12, 13.

She also seduces those who are innocent and don't have the spiritual discernment to know who she is and then disciples them. She operates by using the law against you, 1 Kings 21:10-13. She sets traps and conspires for you to fall. She strategizes on how to stone you to death with thoughts of confusion ( the people at Mt. Carmel) 1Kings 18:21. condemnation (Naboth) 1 Kings 21:10,13, oppression (the prophets in the cave) 1 Kings 18:4 and depression (Elijah post Mt. Carmel) 1 Kings 19:4,5. Jezebel is and was an adulteress woman. She  attempted to seduce Jehu when he came to judge her 2 Kings 9:30/ Pornography, perversion, lust and sexual immorality are some of her prime weapons. Only those who are pure will be able to overthrow Jezebel: 2 Kings 9:32, 33, the eunuchs. If Jezebel is not overthrown she will carry you out and kill you. She is the last principality we will fight prior to the battle with the demonic trinity: THE BEAST, THE FALSE PROPHET AND THE ANTI-CHRIST.     

Comments by David Nelson:  Gloria Moore has been a friend of ours for some years now. She is just now beginning to set forth some of the prophetic writings the Lord has given her. We want to encourage her and you with these as she sends them to us. Just a few thoughts about the above word: We are living as in the days of Noah, the ark can represent the presence of God and other things, a great deception is Babylon which is in the world and in the church. We look forward to more from Gloria in the days ahead.

The State of the Church, Part II by Gloria Moore

Why do I say we are living in the days of Noah?  Because the wickedness of today is as rampant as it was in the days of Noah. People are too busy to hear God's voice. Saints are too busy to hear God's voice. Church leadership is too busy to hear God's voice. Remember the ark was built by specific instructions from specific material. You can't build what God wants the way HE wants it if you don't hear the instructions. Secondly, it had never rained prior to the flood. Therefore, faith is required to build something that no one on earth has seen before or had a purpose for previously. Of course the presence of God has always had a purpose. In these last days God is looking for those who have ears to hear what the Spirit has to say to the church.  As they follow His instructions "When the enemy comes in like a flood the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.  God is  preparing a remnant (Noah and his family) for the end-time outpouring of His presence. He is simultaneously preparing them against the attacks of the enemy. As multitudes are swept away by the floodwaters of the forces of darkness, God's presence will buoy His people to safety: the ark. Unlike in the days of Noah God has given us grace and wants us to rescue as many people as possible and bring them into the family of God.  But in correlation to the days of Noah only a remnant will escape destruction. In similitude in the days of Elijah there was a remnant who had not bowed the knee to Baal. today we are still halting between two opinions or three or four. Jezebel had her prophets then, she has her prophets now. The problem is the majority of the church doesn't have enough discernment to differentiate between the two.  Because Jezebel wears a facade, spiritual discernment is vital to defeating her. Her job is to get you to commit physical and spiritual adultery. If she succeeds Baal is your bed partner. Jezebel worships Baal.  Baal was called the husband God. If you don't pray enough or obey enough you will automatically bow the knee to Baal.  You won't be fortified sufficiently to withstand the attacks of Jezebel. That's why in the Old Testament only the eunuchs could overthrow Jezebel. Those who would not compromise at the promise of a mate or anything else. Only those who are consecrated to the service of the King, the Bridegroom, can overthrow Jezebel. Only those who are intimate with the Bridegroom , the Bride of Christ will overthrow Jezebel. Whatever the Spirit of Elijah does the spirit of Jezebel does the opposite. One of the strategies of Jezebel is to break up families and turn the heart of the fathers away from the children.  Her goal is that the children spiritual and biological have no protection, no provision and no wisdom. The father is to protect, provide and give wisdom to the children. In the last days God said I will come in the spirit of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers. Malachi 4:6  Jezebel prostitutes the children for her own gain. Isn't that what the church has been doing? Ezekiel 22:24-29. Jezebel's influence on children is very important. In Revelation 2: 23, the Holy Spirit says HE will kill her children with death. Which means it really provokes the wrath of God to use kill and death in the same sentence in reference to one person. 

I will finish next time.    (To be continued…)

 

"I just had TWO OF THE MOST POWERFUL VISIONS...by Rick Joyner

Posted: 2007-07-25 18:49:13

July 19, 2007

Rick Joyner:

"I just had TWO OF THE MOST POWERFUL VISIONS IN YEARS (about the Kingdom and the Church)"

A few weeks ago, I had two of the most powerful visions I have had in years. I was basically shown the Lord's heart at the beginning of creation and what the main desire of His heart is now. It was His Bride, the Church. From these visions, I understood profoundly that the love He has for His Bride is so impacting that the Church does not exist for the kingdom, but the kingdom exists for the Church. This was a reorientation of my thinking, and I am therefore sharing this with those who have been with me in this study of the kingdom for nearly two years.

This does not change what I have been sharing about the kingdom, but it does change the priority for me. The Lord loves His creation, and He loves the earth. He loves every sparrow, which is why He notices when a single one falls to the ground. However, there is nothing that compares to the love He has for His Bride. The way it was shown to me gave me more resolve than ever to see the Church made ready for Him.

For the Church to come into her purpose, she needs to know her high calling. There are many practical issues that must be addressed, but the most important of all is that she needs to fall so in love with Him that she cannot stand to be apart from Him. The Bride that "makes herself ready" does so out of love for Him, not selfish ambition just to fulfill her own purpose. She needs to see her purpose and delight in it, but it pales in comparison to seeing His glory.

Certainly there is no one in the universe more lovable than God. His ways are so much higher than our most noble devotions that to comprehend Him, in even the smallest way, is transforming. Therefore, the key to the Church rising to the stature to which she is called is for her to behold Him. This is the anointing that I am praying for above anything elsethe anointing to point to Him in such a way that the Bride is consumed with the desire for Him. Of course, I cannot impart this without having it in my own heart. Loving God is our first and highest calling. The one who attains the highest calling is the one who loves Him the most.

Those who have read my material know that I have always been a church man. In all that I write or preach, I try to impart a vision for every believer to be a part of the local church. I have done this out of a conviction I was given soon after I became a Christianthat a vital and genuine local church life is essential for true Christian maturity. I have never been more convinced of this, and yet I also know very well how rare it is to find a congregation where this is possible. For the Church and individual Christians to come into their purposes, both must change, and they will.

However, it is much better to be in an immature church than no church at all. In fact, it can be much better to be in an immature church than a mature one. We need all of the frustrations and irritations of church life to become what we are called to be Christlike. Everyone will love the One who is perfect, but to love the imperfect and patiently give ourselves to helping them is the basic nature that the Lord demonstrated when He walked the earth. For this reason, it is easier for us to mature when we are with the immature. If we are waiting for the Church to get its act together before we join it, she will be so far down the road that we will not be able to catch up!

The kingdom of God is going to come, and His will is going to be done right here on earth just as it is in Heaven. His kingdom on this earth is going to be far more wonderful and glorious than our present language can describe. The earth will be restored to the paradise it was originally created to be, but the Church has an even higher calling. The Church is called to the Heavenly realm, to sit with Him on His throne, ruling and reigning with Him. She will also share His divine nature. The chide has been common toward the spiritual that they are so Heavenly-minded they are not any earthly good; but the fact is that an earthly-minded Christian will not be able to do much good on earth. Until Heaven really is our home, we simply will not have much for the earth.

The Lord has had His people praying for the kingdom to come for nearly twenty centuries now, but it will not come until His Bride is ready. Therefore, the most effective thing we can do to help bring the kingdom is to help the Church become what she has been called to be. She is called to sit with Him in the heavens and to be more at home with Him there than she is here.

I appreciate those who have a heart for the transformation of society, but this transformation with good ideas is very limited without it being accomplished through the Church. The Church is called to be the light that is set on a hill, the great society that compels those who see it to seek the Source of the light. The Church is called to be the kingdom of God on the earth, a society and a culture that is from above, standing out boldly in contrast to the fallen ways of this world, revealing the wisdom and nature of her King. The Church simply cannot fulfill her purpose without community.

In speaking of community, I don't mean that we all have to live next door to each other in the same neighborhood. There is a bonding together into the true fellowship of the saints that transcends location. Earthly families grow up and grow apart, all going their own ways, but the Heavenly family grows closer as it grows up. The Heavenly family will grow until our spiritual bonding transcends the closest human family.

There is a yearning in every Christian's heart for this bonding into the eternal family of God because it is the destiny we were created for.

The Body of Christ is going to start coming together, which is the greatest of all the signs that this is truly the end of the age, because this age cannot end until this happens. When this happens, the Gospel of the kingdom will be preached from the great and impregnable fortress of the kingdom on earththe Church. Even so, the Lord's own prayers and prophecies for the unity and perfection of His Bride must take place before this age can end.

When the desire for true, New Covenant church life is awakened in the Church, she will start to gather again. When she starts to gather again, the Lord will be in her midst and she will fall far more in love with Him than she is with herself. Christians who respond to the call will begin to experience the ultimate community, but that will not be their main focusit will be getting close to the Lord. He is an even greater desire of the human heart than community, but we must have community to grow closer to Him.

As the Lord declared in Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst." The word translated "gathered" here means much more than just getting together for meetings; it means to be assembled just as the parts of a car are assembled to make a car. Separated, the parts will not be very useful or be able to carry anyone anywhere, but together they can go a long way. This is the same connotation that is found in Hebrews 10:23-25:

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;

and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,

not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.

The "assembling together" that we must not forsake is more than just getting together for meetings; it is the assembling together like the parts of the car. Individual parts may be valuable, but until they are properly put together they cannot accomplish anything. It is the same in the Body of Christ.

There is a reason why everyone who came to the Lord in the New Testament was "added to the Church." We should look at the fruit of ministries that may touch a lot of people, but do not build the Church. How much of this fruit remains? When they leave are the people really different? Is the light of the Church really shining brighter? Why is it that studies show there is no measurable difference in the character of those who call themselves Christians and those who do not? Something is truly not working.

This is not to lay the blame for the churches' problems on such evangelists. We should rejoice in all who preach, heal, and in any way are used to touch people in the name of the Lord. It is understandable that many evangelists would be hesitant to send their new converts to churches that they know will lead them only to a dead religion or in other ways drain the life out of these new believers. However, this is why the evangelists of the New Testament were followed by apostles, prophets, and teachers who would build the Church. Until the New Testament ministries learn to work together, much of the fruit will continue to be lost. It is certainly better that these evangelists preach, heal the sick, and turn people toward the Lord than not to do this, but there must be churches raised up where new converts can mature and grow in their relationship to Christ and find their proper place in His Body.

As we are told in I John 4:20, it is not possible to love the Lord and not love our brethren. It is not possible to really love the Lord and not love His Church. If we love Him, we will be compelled to help His Bride become a Bride that our King deserves. She is the greatest desire of His heart, and if His pleasure is the greatest desire of our hearts, we will help her get ready for Him. This is in fact the main way that we can help prepare the way for Him and build a highway for the kingdom.

Rick Joyner
MorningStar Ministries
Email: info@morningstarministries.org


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Comments by David Nelson following Rick Joyner article

Posted: 2007-07-25 18:39:00

Comments by David Nelson    7-24-07    following the article by Rick Joyner titled  

“I just had TWO OF THE MOST POWERFUL VISIONS IN YEARS (about the kingdom and the Church)”

Comments by David Nelson:  

1st paragraph: What was in the Lord’s heart before creation and what the main desire of His heart is now. It is the love He has for His Bride, the Church. 

*(Please note, I (David Nelson) have not been teaching “kingdom” teachings. I have not been following what has been taught on this subject. It is not that I agree or disagree with any, some, or all of what is being taught. I just have not been following these teachings and do not say whether there is danger or good, I am not warning or exhorting in this area of teaching. It seems that Rick Joyner has made a shift in priority from “kingdom” to the Bride, not that “kingdom” for him is negated but just takes “2nd place.” The ministry we have (Prophetic Ministry Iowa) has more emphasized the Bride and their relationship to the Lord individually and corporately).

2nd paragraph: The Lord’s love for the Bride far supersedes His love for creation. It is now more important than ever to see the Church (Bride) made ready for Him.

3rd paragraph: The most important thing is that the Bride needs to have so much love and passion for God that she loves to be close to Him more than anything else. The motive for the Bride’s desire to change and be made ready is a pure love for the Lord, not ambition to accomplish, be seen, or be recognized. Fulfilling our earthly purpose should be important to us and it is important to the Lord but being with Him, knowing Him, and seeing Him pales compared to our work or our purpose.

4th paragraph: To comprehend Him better and to grow even the slightest in our relationship with Him is the main thing which will transform our lives the most. So, to see Him more clearly will move us closer to the stature we are called to. This anointing is what I (Rick Joyner) am praying for above anything else—I want an anointing that points to Him and that I and others in the Bride are consumed with a desire for Him. We cannot impart this unless we have this love for God (to some extent). Loving God is our first and highest calling. The one who loves Him the most will attain a greater anointing and will go higher in his/her calling.

7th paragraph: The kingdom of God that is coming on earth will be very wonderful but the Church has an even higher calling. The Church is called to the heavenly realm, to sit with Him on His throne, ruling and reigning with Him. The well known phrase “He is so heavenly minded he is no earthly good” can be misunderstood. If we are too much earthly minded (and not enough heavenly minded) we will only be able to go “so far” on earth for the Lord. Until we have been transformed to be more comfortable in Heaven with the Lord and love being with Him more than anything we will not have “enough” for the earth to change this world. 

8th paragraph: The kingdom will not come to earth until the Bride is ready. Therefore, the most effective thing we can do to help bring the kingdom is to help the Church become what she has been called to be. She is called to sit with Him in the heavens and to be more at home with Him there than she is here.

10th paragraph: There is now and will be a bonding together into the true fellowship of the saints that transcends location. (Not meaning that we should not have local gatherings, of course we should and must). This heavenly family that will result will grow until our spiritual bonding transcends the closest human family. We are not “there” at this time but it is the Lord’s goal (Jesus prayed for it in John chapter 17).

11th paragraph: God has created a yearning in every true Christian’s heart for this bonding in the eternal family of God because it is the destiny we were created for.

12th paragraph: The Lord’s own prayers and prophecies for the unity and the perfection of His Bride must take place before the age can end. (The rapture could come but we still look for the Lord’s prayers for unity to be fulfilled and answered in His time). 

13th paragraph: When those who have been awakened to see more clearly more of the Lord’s goals and desires for His Church they will begin to gather together with others more. And the Lord will be more in the midst of them than ever, and she (the Bride) will fall more in love with Him than she is with herself. Yes, ultimate community will begin to be experienced but it will take 2nd place to the main goal, everyone getting closer to the Lord. He is an even greater desire of the human heart than community but we will need community to get even closer (than we can by ourselves). 

14th paragraph: When we “gather” it is like the parts of a car coming together to accomplish something greater than we can apart. A horn may blow by itself, one tire can roll by itself, an engine can make a fan blow, but when all the parts are put together a car can accomplish much more than the parts by themselves.

17th paragraph: The Bride is the greatest desire of God’s heart, and pleasing Him should be the greatest desire of our hearts, therefore we must help the Church get ready for Him. This in fact is the main way we can help prepare the way for Him and build a highway for Him to come to us.

"Love Letters" Part I by Sharon Luzzi

Posted: 2007-07-10 11:47:08

The following writings by Sharon Luzzi are “a garden” to walk through with the Lord. They are also a call from the Lord to walk even closer to Him than we do now. Some will notice certain “flowers” and smell certain fragrances, others will notice other flowers and smell different fragrances. What struck you or touched your heart? After you read these writings titled “Love Letters I and II,” I would like to make a few comments to share what I appreciated about these words of encouragement from the Lord--David Nelson

“Love Letters”   Part I   by Sharon Luzzi


My need for you is so great, Father

I don’t know what to ask

Your people need and don’t know how to ask or what to ask

What do we ask?

Father, I need your wisdom

I need your eyes to see

I need your ears to hear

I need your heart to know

I need you..

I need your love to melt the nations

I need your love to seek your peace

I need your peace

I need your heart to see the way you do…….

I need your heart to feed the nations………

I need your heart to love

I need YOU……..

I need your voice to proclaim the truth

I need your eyes to see the future

I need your ears to hear the pain

I need your feet to crush my enemies……..

I need your heart to know you….

I need your songs to break the atmosphere

I need your songs to soothe my soul…

I need your heart to fill my lungs with your presence

I need your heart to feed your people

I need your spirit to make my way

I need your spirit to fill in the blanks

I need your spirit to see your ways

I need you in every special way

"Love Letters" Part II by Sharon Luzzi

Posted: 2007-07-10 11:38:01

 

“Love Letters”   Part II   by Sharon Luzzi


My people come sit at my feet so I can instruct you

Come sit with me

Do not tarry over there any longer

Come here, come closer

Do not delay in coming here

Come sit with me

Come sit with me

Come now, with me

Come delight with me

Come be with me

Do not second-guess, come sit with me

Come know me

Come hear me

Come see me

Come watch with me….

Come look into the long distance with me

Come gaze with me

Come love with me

Come sit and create with me

Come sit and sing with me

Come sing to me

Come inhabit the praises

Come be intimate with me

Come be sanctified

Come be mine

Come acknowledge me as King

KING OF YOUR LIFE

Come my sons and daughters come be with me

For I am madly in love with you………..

For these are the times I wait for

These are the days I wait for

Come let me stroke your hair

Let me stroke your head

Come let me comfort you

Come be mine

I have waited for a time like this

Come I am waiting for you

I want to spend time with you

Come there is no better time than now

Come let me be frank and honest, I want to spend time with you

Come let me spend time with you

Come let the door of your heart open to me

I am knocking on the door of your heart

Come open the gates of your heart

Come let me open the gates of your heart

I want to come in and sup with you

Come let me heal the wounds

Come let me speed up the recovery time

Come let me cut away the deadness

Come let me cut out the gangrene

Come let me repair the wholes left by battle

Come let me in to restore your heart from stone to flesh

Come let me pour in love to displace the fear

Come let me tear down the walls that keep me out

Come let me prepare your heart

Come let me make a way for you to come out of the darkness

Come let me pour my liquid gold love into those areas that just can’t seem to be healed

Come let me pour in the fragrance that only I can bestow

Come let me rain the fresh rain into your thirsty spirit

Come let me fill you up with quenchable love

Come let me enter in those places that no one can enter

Come let me fill up the gaps that let things seep out

Come let me fill up the places that are rough and forbidding

Come let me into the smallest place that no one can see

Come let me into the scary places that you do not want anyone to know about

Things in the past, things in the now

Things you aren’t sure how they got there

Things of the obvious

Things around

Things behind

Things deep in your heart that no one else knows

Things that are in abundance things that are not

Things in that are in the forefront of your heart

Things that are in hiding

Things that are in the cracks and crevices

Things in your heart that are longing

Things in your heart that are missing

Things that are nonchalant and casual

Things in your heart that have meaning

Let me fill the places that are bland

Let me fill the places that are old and dead

Places that are bound

Places that are dying

Places that need renewing

Places that need restoration

Places that are absent of me

Places that  are unsure

Places that are unsteady

Places that need reassuring

Places that are out of tune

Places that are in tune

Places that are dry

Places that are jagged

Places that are not full of me

Places that need intimacy

Places that need jars full of clay

Places that are unwitting

Places of somberness

Places of destitude

Places of being surrounded

Places in your heart that you need me

Places that are long forgotten

Places that need surrender

Places that are aching

Places that need honor

Places that are harmed

Places that are harmful

Places that are acid

Places that need neutralizing

Places that have unfavorable conditions

Places that need new life

Places of observation

Places of destruction

Places in your heart that are under reconstruction

Places of unfavorable conditions

Places of condemnation

Places of insurrection

Places of disobedience

Places in harms way

Places needing boundaries

Places that abound

Places that are longing for me

Places only in your heart only I can see

Only places I know about

Places of unsurity, unknowing, unbelief and instability

Places of insecurity

Places of wandering

Places in the limelight

Places of your contemporaries

Places of not knowing, not knowing me, not knowing what to do

Places of needing help but not wanting to ask

Places only known to me

Places of many faces

Places of continuing pain

Lingering thoughts

Thoughts uncontrolled

Thoughts raging

Thoughts racing

Thoughts of horror

Thoughts of fear

Come let me pour in my love

Let me pour in my everlasting love

Love beyond measure

Love beyond depth or width

Love that is unconditional

Love outstanding

Love outlasting

Love above all else

Love constrains

Love fulfills

Love that is faithful

Love that emits light

Love that is boundaries

Love that is bountiful

Love that never ends

Love unending

Love that is all things

Love that can’t react but respond

Love that is sensitive and kind

Love that hears

Hears the heart

Love that can’t be measured by the world’s standards

Love that is witty and light

Love without restrictions or ties

Love that says “can”

Love outstanding above all else

Love celebrated not fabricated

Love in action

Love overall

Love motivated by the heart of hearts

The King of Kings

Love understanding and can function

Love captivating and empowering

Love with fire and passion

Love to supercede all human ideas

Love intensified

Love with no walls

Love without prejudice

Love not arranged or predisposed

Love that is open

Love that is healing

Love that is gracious

Love that is disarming

Love that is a hot flame

A burning flame laced with passion

A burning flame that is not reduced to favoritism

Love that spans all people

Love that spans all nations

Love that is full and fulfilling

Love that does not require

Love that does not expect back

Love that is full of expectancy

Love that gives hope and promise

Love that is to be trusted

Love that is committed and sure

Love that is honorable

Love that can see thru all things

Love that is surefooted

Love that is not ceremonious

Love that is simple and simplicity

Love that can’t be denied or swept under the carpet

Love of my making

Love in my name

Love for many

Love to die for

It was died for

It was given freely

 

Comments by David Nelson on "Love Letters" I and II by Sharon Luzzi

Posted: 2007-07-10 11:27:30

Comments concerning what struck me and touched my heart in “Love Letters I and II” by Sharon Luzzi (comments by David Nelson):  

Sometimes I don’t know what I need or even how to ask the Lord for help, I just say “help,” and show me what to do and how to pray. I don’t know how or what to ask for (or what I need). I don’t know how or what to pray. 

Only His love and heart created and restored and given into our lives will melt the nations and will give us the desire to feed the nations.

Lord use my tongue to speak what you want to say, let me see the future with you, see long distances with you, and watch with you through your eyes. Let me feel the pain you feel (Lord) with ears to hear the pain. May I crush your enemies with your feet (moving through me). 

If I could sing your songs the atmosphere would break for you to be released to many others, and your songs will sooth and comfort my soul and spirit. 

Not only do you call us to sit at your feet to show us and teach us and instruct us in your things, but you say sit with me, come closer, even just come and be with me. Why do you delay? Don’t delay, come now, don’t second guess. Come watch with me (see what I see), come look into the long distance with me. We can create things together, don’t sing to me only but sing with me. I wait for you to come and be with me. I like to spend time with you and I hope you will enjoy spending time with me. Why not now? There is no better time than now. 

You have wounds and unhealed sores that I want to heal. There are walls you don’t even know about that keep you from more intimacy with me and I want to tear them down if you will give me the OK. I want to tear down what is keeping me out. I will pour in healing love and ointment into all areas that just can’t seem to be healed. There are things deep in your heart that no one else knows and even you (David) cannot see these things clearly. There are longings in your heart that are so deep and do not ever go away, and you have waited so long for their fulfillment, and you are still waiting.

You do not realize how nonchalant and casual and unworried I am about your life. And yet I am diligent and I surely will fulfill your dreams, desires, plans, goals, wants, more than you could ever imagine. 

If anything in you is out of tune, I can tune it up to play beautifully. I will teach you to play beautiful songs too. We can sing a duet or play a duet together also. 

I will show which little crevices of your life need surrender, I will in time ease the aching parts, I will honor in time the things I am proud of in you. Many things will need to be honored and it will all be accomplished at the right time.

There are places in you heart that only I can see, places of not knowing, not knowing me, not knowing what to do. There are places that need help but either you are not wanting to ask or not knowing how to ask. I see all these places known only to me. I see all the places of continuing pain.

I want to pour my love into your life. Do not measure love by the world’s standards. It supersedes all human ideas. It has no walls. It will disarm you. It is heavy and a fervent fire. It is witty and light. It is to be celebrated. It is not pretend but very real. It has always been. It is initiated and motivated by the heart of hearts, the King of Kings. It is broad over all people. It does not stop or need to receive back. It will give you hope and promise. It is love that can be trusted because it is committed and sure. It sees through all things. It is simple and simplicity. It is for many and for all. It is over you, under you, and a ring of fire all around you and in your heart.