firstfruits

The truth about success

This morning in prayer and meditation with Jesus I heard Him say “Tell my church what true success is daughter”

We are taught in today’s society that if we have money and fame and recognition that we are truly successful, but the Word of God tells us differently,God is drawing his church out of the world system,out of man made doctrines back to the pure word of God.The church maybe has forgotten, or maybe they really have not had a revelation of what it means to be prosperous.To be successful and prosperous is to be rich in Him! To know Him intimately, to be content in Him , to live and move and have our being in Him! As I looked at the word  S U C C E S S  I saw what each letter represents in God’s meaning of ‘success”;

 

S-SUFFERINGFor unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

2Ti 2:12

If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:   

U-UNADULTERATED 

2Pe 2:14Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practises; cursed children:

Jer 3:8

And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.   

C-COSTLuk 14:28For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?  

C-COMBATIVE 1Ti 6:12Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many

2Ti 4:7

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:  

E-EFFLUENCE (to process of flowing out, emantion,(somethng that is emitted, odor or light)

Php 4:18But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.

Mat 5:14

 

Mat 5:15

Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Mat 5:16

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.  

S-SELFLESSNESSYe are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Mat 16:24

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 

S-SACRIFICE

Psa 51:16For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

Psa 51:17

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Rom 12:1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  

 

There you the true meaning of SUCCESS taken from scripture, if you are walking and living just these few scriptures than you O’ saint of God are very successful.

Php 1:29 

 

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covetousness and the church

“Covetousness and the Church”

 

The time in which we are living in is an exciting time for those who are in tune with the Lord and His agenda, and a scary time for those who choose to be distant from the ways of the Lord, and a time of shaking for those who are called but are not adhering to truth!

I would like to share what I shared at our women’s ministry “The Ruth Company”

The Christian arena right now is sitting in a ring of fire! That’s right! They are and have been targets for the deceptive message that has gone out into all four corners of the earth, it is the deception that we are to sit here comfortably and consume upon ourselves the things of this life and live in such pleasure that we actually forget our Lord and Saviour! He becomes the pawn for our success in this life! The church of Jesus Christ has “used” their Lord as a means to get rich and be at ease.

 

We will start in 1Cor.9

1Co 9:1 Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?

1Co 9:2  If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

1Co 9:3  Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,

1Co 9:4  Have we not power to eat and to drink?

1Co 9:5  Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

1Co 9:6  Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

 

Paul is basically asking in this chapter do they have a right as the other apostles to eat and drink and so forth, then he goes on to quote the law,

 

1Co 9:8  Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?

1Co 9:9  For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?

 

In other words, a preacher of the gospel is worthy of his hire, feed him put a roof over his head and look after the man of God, but know where does it say he shall get rich off the gospel amen? But what I like about Paul is that he says;

 1Co 9:14  Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

1Co 9:15  But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.

1Co 9:16  For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

1Co 9:17  For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.

1Co 9:18  What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

 

BUT I HAVE USED NONE OF THESE THINGS!!!  If he did it willingly then he had a reward (pay ,hire, wage) but if against his will a dispensation (stewardship) of the gospel is committed to him!

So he goes on to say, what my reward is. Glory to God!! I just love the heart of Paul; his reward (pay, hire, and wage) is that he CAN CHARGE NOTHING FOR THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST!!! But here are the “gem” words, THAT I ABUSE NOT MY POWER IN THE GOSPEL!!

Yes there is a power committed to those who are stewards over the household of faith, the word power in the Greek is (authority) Paul did not want to misuse his authority that Christ had entrusted him with so that NO ONE could get the glory for his provisions and that no one could accuse him for any misrepresentation of his call. He wanted Christ to get all the glory not man! This power that is entrusted to stewards is to teach and exhort according to unadulterated truth!

 

The meaning of steward is this: a preacher, management of a household, the responsibility entrusted to him to preach the gospel.

The Lord had given me 3 scripture references to this word, they are 1Cor 9 and Luke 16 and Mark 10, there is a common denominator throughout these three references MONEY!!! When I searched in prayer what the Lord was saying He spoke these words to me,”talk on riches”.

I know there are going to be people who will not agree with me on this but for those of you who know me will also know I am not to concerned with what people say about that, as I HAVE TO SPEAK WHAT THE LORD GIVES ME!! Or else I become a servant to man if I fear not God above man, amen? Gal1:10 So let’s first touch a bit on Paul and his life; Phil1:20-21 Paul said for him to live is Christ and to die is gain. Weather Paul lived or die he was living for Jesus or dieing for Jesus he was going to gain either way, His life was truly dedicated to the life of Christ and the purpose of Christ…can we say that about our life’s?

Then we read in Phil3:7-12; that he counted all things loss for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord, for whom he suffered the loss of ALL THINGS,(money, reputation, friends, position and so forth) That he may know Him, and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering being made conformable to his death…can we say that?

He learned also to be content in WHATSOEVER STATE HE WAS IN!! (shipwreck, famine, beatings, prison, infirmity and so forth)Paul knew both how to be abased and how to abound, every where, he lived and moved and had his being in Christ…can we say that?

Paul was a faithful steward, and he was determined to be a faithful steward over the household of God that had been entrusted to him, he was not going to misuse the “power” he was not going to manipulate in any way so that he could become rich off the people, and deceive the people with a misunderstanding of the gospel of Jesus. I believe that Paul so followed the footsteps of Christ that his life was the very essence of who Christ was! 1Cor 11 He said follow me as I follow Christ, for him to tell the church to follow him he must have been confident enough in Christ to say that.

 

 The requirements to be a steward are found in;

 

 Mat 24:45  Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?

Mat 24:46  Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

Mat 24:47  Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

 

 

1Co 4:1  Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

1Co 4:2  Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

 

 

Tit 1:7  For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

Tit 1:8  But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;

Tit 1:9  Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

Tit 1:10  For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

Tit 1:11  Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.

Tit 1:12  One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.

Tit 1:13  This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;

Tit 1:14  Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

What does it mean to be a faithful steward? Well faithful in the Greek means; trustworthy, one who can be relied on, Paul could be relied on to do all that the Lord had done and said!

 

Go to Luke 16 (read it) this is the story of the unrighteous steward, and Jesus was talking to the disciple about this vs 1, he also knew the Pharisees were listening vs 14,the point in this parable I want to point out is vs 10-15. If you have been faithful in little you will be faithful in much and if you have been unjust in little you will be unjust in much, Then go down to vs 13 Luk 16:13  No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Jesus is stating here you can not serve God and money period! There is nothing there that is hard to understand, right?

The word serve means: to trust, yield, one whose will is consumed in the will of the other.

Gods purpose in this parable was to show the hearts, it is always the purpose of our Lord  he wants to deal with the heart of his servants no matter what situation you are facing or what circumstance you are in it is show forth the contents of your heart, why? So he can change it…if you let him.

And the Pharisees who heard were covetous, and Jesus response to them was this… Luk 16:15  And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed (elevated lofty)among men is abomination(idolatry) in the sight of God.

That what is elevated, held in regard among men is idolatry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Did you  read that?? Anything that is exalted and lifted higher than Christ and his precepts is idolatry! Mat 6:19  Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

Mat 6:20  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Mat 6:21  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Mat 6:22  The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

Mat 6:23  But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

Mat 6:24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

 

The Word of God does not lie! It has the truth just bouncing off the pages; I am amazed how some do not see it!

 

Please go to Mark 10, Here we have the story of the Rich man being tested; (I trust you will read it )This rich man comes to the Lord, running at that, eager to except eternal life, and even kneeling, “Good Master” (valuable teacher) what must I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus asked him why do you call me good. In other words he is only good (valuable teacher) if you are willing to be the disciple (one who is learned, one who follows the Lamb where so ever he may go) Laying it all down.

Jesus goes on to say to him the commandments he kept, and the rich ruler says Master I have observed all these from my youth”, In verse 21 Jesus beholds him (discerns) and loves him , for Jesus discerns and loves our hearts , he is the one who searches them with light of his ways, Jer 17:9.

But what about the commandments that were not mentioned? Let’s look at those:

 

-Thou shall have no other gods before me,

 

-thou shall not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain

 

-remember the Sabbath

 

-thou shall not covet

 

To take the Lords name in vain means a misconduct of character, falsehood, worthless conduct, and we know that Jesus is the Sabbath and we must keep him holy in our lives

 

These very commandments that he did not keep had to do with covetousness and idolatry, and Jesus discerning his heart is also discerning the hearts of his church! He is the one who sees what is actually taking place in his “household” There are “stewards” who have misused their call to cause the church to be sucked in through deceptive teaching, gainsayers ,and God is wanting the hearts of his church back! He is raising up “faithful” stewards like Paul who are not charging for the gospel but will adhere to truth and speak His words to bring freedom to the people of God in this hour, God will not allow his church to elevate ANY OTHER god ABOVE HIMSELF!!! Ex20:2

 

So Jesus says to the rich man “one thing you lack (which means to fall short of, fail to become a partaker in, to be destitute) go thy way sell everything and give to the poor, Jesus here was testing his heart because Jesus knew the commandments he did not keep he knew the sin of covetousness was working in his heart, remember God always deals with the heart. You really do not know what faith is till you lose it all, and when you have lost it all then the heart is really exposed for what it is!

Jesus says come and follow (walk the same road, union) me and take up your cross (death to self) and you shall have treasure (wealth) in heaven, Oh the beauty of understanding that this life has no hold on a soul that understands the treasure of heaven and the treasure that is found in Christ and He alone is all we need!!

He was grieved and sad and walked away, a soul untouched by the power of Jesus!

How hard it is for those who TRUST in riches, those who yield to; are convinced that the riches of this life are the essence to joy and peace are truly deceived!

I heard a well known preacher the other day say; I quote: “If you have come here to this meeting to find joy, peace and all that in the Holy Ghost, what you really need is money! The title of his message was The relationship between peace and money” Well last I looked, and I do read the KJVB my bible tells me that my peace is found in Yeshua! The Prince of peace, a peace that the world cannot give, a peace that passes ALL understanding! Oh God forgive your stewards who preach heresy!

 

Looking back at Mark 10:24 the word “trust” there also means; “to pacify” which means “to establish peace in”. The church has established peace in the things of this life that will so soon fade away! Do you see what the Lord is saying here, my, my, my we the church need to open our eyes to see what we are allowing our ear gate to hear! Look at:

 

Pro 23:1  When thou sittest to eat with a ruler,(steward) consider diligently what is before thee:

Pro 23:2  And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.

Pro 23:3  Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful(idolatry) meat.

Pro 23:4  Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.

Pro 23:5  Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

Pro 23:6  Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:

Pro 23:7  For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

Listen church; before you put that controller in your hand and tune into your favourite “TV preacher” (steward) be not desirous of his idolatrous meat, because you will be sucked into the deception of his ways. Now before you all misunderstand what I am saying hear this, all that is being taught out there is not wrong but what I will say is this there is a unbalance of the gospel Jesus Christ and a misrepresentation of who Jesus really is, It is soooooooooooooooooo important you READ AND KNOW BY THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO REALLY IS YOUR TEACHER ANYWAY the WORD OF GOD!!  Throughout scripture we are encouraged to continue in the doctrine of the apostles and in the things in which you have been taught (not mans ways)

 

Rom 16:17  Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

Rom 16:18  For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

Belly-(the inner most part of man, the soul, the heart)

Remember: Satan is not going to use the obvious to deceive the church; he will mingle error with truth! But we are not ignorant of his devices and we are wise as serpents but gentle as doves amen?

If we really are willing to let the Lord expose our hearts then we will truly say “Lord what is in my heart that I have allowed to be a god above you?

 

Go to 1Tim 6

 

1Ti 6:3  If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;

1Ti 6:4  He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

1Ti 6:5  Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

1Ti 6:6  But godliness with contentment is great gain.

1Ti 6:7  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

1Ti 6:8  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

 

The gospel according to GODLINESS!!! Which is holiness and purity clean hands pure hearts! Any teaching other than this is DESTITUTE OF TRUTH!!! Not my words but the words of Paul writing to Timothy who was dealing with many false teachers in the church and Paul was instructing him how to deal with them! Men of corrupt minds! Wow! What part do we not understand here?? Gain is godliness?? So the more cars you have and the bigger house you have or the more money you have , means you are godly??  Oh dear Lord help your church open their eyes to what truly matters, to what truly breaks your heart, I choose to be a faithful steward of His gospel and speak what ever he tells me to speak, even if it means to lose friends and family .We have to take a stand for truth, raise up HIS standard not what man thinks!

  We brought nothing into this world NOTHING!!!!! Our promised land awaits us, just like Abraham who was looking for a city; he was journeying to eternal life!! We are in the world but not of it. Let me say something here, God gives us all things to enjoy 1Tim 6:17 but we are not called to allow those things we enjoy to become a god! We have to be willing to lose it all, we have to be willing like the words to the rich man “go and SELL IT ALL AND GIVE TO THE POOR” again…it is about the heart. So now you are agreeing with me, right? But remember you do not know your own heart Jer.17 says it is deceitful, so do not agree and then walk away and not say “Lord search my heart” .

 

Look at 1Tim 6:9-10 But they that will be rich fall into:

1/temptation

2/snare

3/may foolish lusts

4/hurtful lusts

Which drown men in DESTRUCTION and PERDITION

 WHO WANTS TO BE RICH NOW?

Not me, why would anyone want to be rich if that is the credentials that go with it?

They that will be rich will fall into the snare of covetousness, vs. 10 says the love of money is the root of all evil, well if you look at the meaning of the words “love of money”, the Greek meaning is the Strong’s Concordance number 5366 it says the meaning is COVETOUSNESS, so what the scripture is saying is this, “covetousness is the root of all evil.

The meaning in the Greek for Covetousness is “a greedy desire to have more .wow!

Go to Col.3:5 what does that say covetousness is? Col 3:5  Mortify(subdue, deaden) therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Col 3:6  For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

Covetousness is idolatry.

What is an abomination? (Remember the words spoken to the Pharisees in Luke 16)

Idolatry.

 

What do vs 6 say? For which things sake the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience, Paul was writing to a church not to the world!

If a message or series of ministries are always focusing on riches and wealth and what we can get out of this life it is deceptive teaching, because it will lead the church to fall into the sin of covetousness(now let me also say there are some who have the sin of covetousness and it has not been fed by the stewards who are leading deceptively, but by there own choice to fill a void that should be filled by Jesus)which in turn causes the wrath of the Lord to come on them, not my words, now again you have to understand what the wrath is ,maybe this is where you say “HOLY SPIRIT  help me to KNOW YOUR WORD, teach me truth. Can I exhort you to walk away from the TV and stop putting in the teaching tapes for a season and learn of Jesus, learn from your Teacher Holy Spirit who will lead and guide you into all truth, I challenge you today to ask Holy Spirit to show you that what you have been hearing is it truth? And ask Holy Spirit to come and search your heart and remove all the gods from your closet. There is such liberty and richness in knowing that we can enjoy all things but at the same time not hoard it in our hearts, and to know that if he so clothed the lily of the fields would he not clothe you? And if the birds of the air sow not nor reap, are you not much better than they? Worry not about tomorrow what you will eat what you will put on your feet, but seek ye first the Kingdom of God and ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE ADDED UNTO YOU!! We the church need to search our hearts and ask the Lord to show us where we have sinned and ask Jesus for forgiveness AND WALK AWAY! That is true repentance walk away and  lets learn of Jesus.

 

In His service Michele

You-tube teachings from me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht9oYhTW8n0    Here are my lateset teachings found on You-tube

THE LOVE OF CHRIST

The Love of Christ

 

 

I was pondering today on the love of Christ, and I thought what could we possibly give him that would cause him to love us more? Sometimes we “think” we have to “do” to get. There is NOTHING we could possibly do to get him to love us more!! Isn’t that wonderful news? How many Christians “perform” for him? Just so they can receive a “blessing” or how many do all the “religious” stuff, like clean the outside (walk around with so-called religious garments) when the inside is filthy. The word tells us in John 3:16 For God SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON… It was for LOVE that he died for us, there is nothing we can do, that can make Him love us more, and even if you are the worst of sinners He loves you!!

We have this mentality in Christianity that if we just go to church every Sunday (now I have been accused of being against the local church, that is not true ,but I do preach and teach CHANGE and some people do not like that) You can go to church three times a week and not have your heart changed! God wants our hearts!! Not our works!! We were saved by grace not works!!! And what I have seen and witnessed in Christianity is this condemnation on those Christians who feel they have not performed enough for God, just so they may receive his acceptance and blessing! Church we are already blessed and we are already accepted in the Lord because of His love for us! There is NOTHING we could ever do to make him love us more!!

He only requires two things of us really,

 Mar 12:29  And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

Mar 12:30  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Mar 12:31  And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

 

Heb 8:7  For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

Heb 8:8  For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

Heb 8:9  Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

Heb 8:10  For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

Heb 8:11  And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

Heb 8:12  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Heb 8:13  In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

 

 When these commands are written upon our heart, in our lives, all else will be easy to do. You cannot tithe enough, give enough, go to church enough, and so forth, all that can become “works”, He wants us to LOVE Him with ALL our hearts ALL our minds and ALL our souls! He wants a people! He wants your 100%, why are we only giving Him a portion? We get out panties in a knot over “works” and we forget about Loving Him and loving each other and building each other up to make sure we do not see our brother fall, instead we just “work” the “religious way” we know how. The majority of Christians operate out of fear and works, but God wants to change that!! Glory to His name, He wants you to know that, if you just give Him ALL yes I said ALL, EVERYTHING in your life, you can come into a rest of knowing that His love is unconditional, He does not want to take away anything from you, he wants you to know that as you love him with all your heart you will give it anyway, why? Because LOVE GIVES!!! And LOVE TRUSTS!!!! He loves you when you are at your worst, He loves you if you stay home from church one Sunday out of the month and he loves you even if you get up miserable one morning, he loves you if your mouth slips up, I could go on in all the shortcomings of our lives, but I think you get my point. Humans have been accustom to “doing” for years, we do things to be accepted by each other by our husbands, by our family, but LOVE is unconditional, we must love each other the way He loves us. We worry and are fearful, wondering if we have “done” the right “works” to have Jesus meet our every need ,but Jesus said in:

Mat 6:24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Mat 6:25  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

Mat 6:26  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

Mat 6:27  Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

Mat 6:28  And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

Mat 6:29  And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Mat 6:30  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Mat 6:31  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

Mat 6:32  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Mat 6:34  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

This was His message seek ye first JESUS and as you do ALL THINGS WILL BE ADDED UNTO YOU!!!

When we get caught up in the “works” and the “doing” we get lost, yes we loose our way from truth,( He is the WAY the TRUTH and the LIFE ) he wants a “love” relationship, where two can share their hearts and give ALL, He just wants your hearts church, not your works, have you sat down today and told him how much you love him? Have you taken the time to get to know His heart today, or were you to busy “doing”? Start tomorrow, set aside that time even if it is 15 mins, I am sure we can give him 15min of our time, and just love on Him , talk to him and tell him how much you are thankful for the things he has done in your life. I hope I have challenged some of you today, I love the church and so desire to see her come into what Jesus has called them into, I believe she will be that bride with out spot and wrinkle, a reflection of the One who loves her!

In His Service Michele

 

The lame

The lame

 

 In Hebrews 11 we have Paul exhorting us about the elders obtaining a good report by faith, and how they to suffered, and were tried, 11:17; and how out of weakness were made strong, vs33-34.Then he goes on in chapter 12 to say, Wherefore (for this cause) seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily besets us and run the race with patience.

 If the great patriarchs can make it and if Jesus endured the cross then we should not let ourselves become weary nor faint, for we have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. Paul then goes on to say have you forgotten the exhortation, Here he is quoting the Old Testament Prov.3:11-12; Deut.8:5

 

Heb 12:5  And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

Heb 12:6 for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

First of all let us look at what chastisement means-correction, punishment, to be smitten, discipline. The purpose is always for transformation and reformation. It is education, or training, to strike. This is discipline that regulates character.

 

In verse 5 of Hebrews 12 it says despise not– to have little regard for, to disesteem, and to melt away.

In other words it is like a candle, when the wax gets hot near the flame it melts away, from the flame, we are not to move away from the fire of God, we are not to think little of his purging fire for it produces character in us. Paul knew what the trial situation was all about, and he even calls it as chastened, and not killed.

 

 2Co 6:4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,

 2Co 6:5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watching’s, in fasting;

2Co 6:6 by pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,

2Co 6:7 by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the amour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

2Co 6:8 by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;

2Co 6:9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;

2Co 6:10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

 

Pro 3:11 my son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:

Pro 3:12 for whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

The word weary in Proverbs means this-“to sever oneself, to loathe, have a disgust, to be abhorred, to feel displeasure or horror, to fear. They think the primary idea behind this word is that of vomiting. Have you ever felt like that due to chastening? God knows it is not pleasant; after all he did create us!

 

Now let’s go to Hebrews 12:7   if ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

If ye endure- stay under, remain, bear the trials, suffer, and continue. This is conditional. What is the condition based on, you might ask, well if you can endure the correction then the Lord deals (offers up) (presents) you as a son, we have all been disciplined by our natural Fathers, and we endured it. But Paul is saying if we be without chastisement or abhors it then we are bastards. Now notice in verse 8 it says whereof all are partakers, we all have to partake of this correction but not all will endure and this is what I want to address today. First what is a bastard? It is a eligediment son, a spurious (which is, not proceeding from the source, pretended, not genuine, resembling in appearance, but not structure) It is also what Jesus was referring to in the parable about the tares and the wheat, a false grain is a bastard wheat. He is separating the wheat from the tares, and he will burn the tares in bundles, (which is the (kaminos), fiery furnace of God. (That is a whole other teaching)

So let us go down to verse 10-11

 

Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Heb 12:11 now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Profit-our advantage, “to bring together, for the benefit of another, union.

 

Partakers- to get a hold of

 

 1Co 9:22 to the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some.

1Co 9:23 and this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

1Co 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

As we said our natural fathers disciplined us for their pleasure but our heavenly Father corrects us that we may get a hold of his holiness and be in union with him, he cannot have union with things that are not holy. We also go through the correction of the Father that we may be able to identify with others; Paul became all things to all men so that he might win them to Christ, amen?

So now I want to talk about what really the Lord laid on my heart, I had a vision on weds day of last week and I saw this long road, much of what was like in the movie the wizard oz, “the yellow brick road” although it was not yellow, but very long and winding. On this road I saw masses of people too many to count, what I noticed was they were all crippled and lame, some had crutches some had canes, some were just limping. I noticed two huge castles like doors opening as they approached the doors, before I could ask the Lord what was there he said ‘these are the doors to my grace” and then that was it, then I heard the LORD say “my church is lame”.

I have had my eyes opens last week and I want to share with you the heart of the Father for his church, we have been deceived to think that if we go every Sunday to our religious meetings tithe our 10% we have done all we can do, we also think that because we read our bibles and say our prayers and do all the right things we are pleasing God. Christianity is so much more than what we are doing, many in the church are lame and sit right beside you and we just are not aware of it, because we are too caught up in our religious activity. There are many weak among us, there are many weak reading this, there are also many strong reading this and, if you can say you are strong then this is for you, and I pray you will get a hold of this and run, if you are the weak reading this I pray that your burden will be lightened as you read this and know help is on the way!

 

Starting in verse 12 of Hebrews 12 Paul continues to say wherefore (for this cause) lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

What cause? The cause of chastening, discipline, correction, God says we are partakers remember but not all can endure , so for this cause we are to lift up the hands that hang down and strengthen the feeble knees. God wants all to be sons, and discipline is what makes us that but some brothers and sisters have a hard time enduring and it is up to us who are stronger to come along side of them and hold up there hands so that they may come into what the Father has for them. Do you have any brothers or sisters? Did you ever take the rap for them, just because you knew they could not endure the hand of dad, or just because you loved them? Well this is the same, when a brother or sister is going through trials we need to be there for them.

 

Lift up-implies repetition, to set up right, restoring ruins.

 Amos 9:11  In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:

We are the tabernacle. God is doing a restoration in our time and it is his church!!

 

Hands –symbol of power and strength, and action.

 

If our sister or brother is weak and has no power to go on then we must come along side of them, this is not an option, as it is the gospel!! LOVE ONEANOTHER BEAR ONEANOTHERS BURDENS!!!

 

Feeble-paralyzed, as by a paralytic stroke, feebleminded-fainthearted, despondent

There are many in the body of Christ that are despondent (dispirited, sad)

 

1Th 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

 

Hebrews 12:13 says, and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

 

Straight-honest, moral transformation, paths of righteousness, the paths of the Lord.

 

Path-a symbol of our walk our conduct, our course.

 

For those who have endured the correction of the Lord and are still enduring, will have a walk of moral transformation, you will conduct yourselves as honest and morally upright, it is for the reason also of helping your brother and sister, as they are being changed and discipline also. Everyone is so different, we all carry our loads differently, some can trust the Lord to take it all and some do not know how.

 

So, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but rather be healed.

Lest-(in order) that no lame (halt) limping, cripple (symbol of imperfection) be put out of joint.

Lame- smitten, dejected, (remember the meaning for chastisement) maimed.

 

 

Be turned out of the way-to turn, put out of joint, in case he who is weak in the state of grace does not fall from.

(Read John 17)

Let it rather– most of all

Be healed– made whole, cure

If your foot is out of joint you will not continue to walk, you will have to put it back in line, so that the body will function properly.

We are a body, right? 1Co 12:12  For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

 

1Co 12:14 for the body is not one member, but many.

1Co 12:15 If the foot shall say, because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

 

1Co 12:20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.

1Co 12:21 and the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

1Co 12:22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be feebler, are necessary:

1Co 12:23  And those members of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

1Co 12:24 for our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked:

I have quoted a few scriptures here from the book of 1Corth.12 but please read the whole chapter, in verse 22 says which seem to be more feeble are necessary (needful) (a bend, “ache”); an arm (as curved): – arm. These that are feeble are being referred to an “ache” now I do not mean that in a bad way, but if we are the body, and we have an ache in our body what will we do? Mend it, right? Help the pain, try to fix it! It also says it is needful; we need these feeble brothers and sisters in our body.

Then if we look at verse 24 it says for our comely parts have no need: The word comely there is, wellformed, but God, hath tempered the body together having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked:

Why would God temper the body together if there were malfunctioning parts?

GOD HATES DIVISION!! GOD IS A GOD THAT LOVES UNITY!!! Hebrews 12:13 says, and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Remember the word let it rather, means most of all, and the word healed means cure, or made whole. This is Gods desire for those needful body parts to make whole!

1Co 12:25 that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

1Co 12:26 and whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.

It says God has done this, so if we love God and want to please him in our walk, then we should recognize that this is a part of the gospel!

 

We do not want to see our brother or sister which are weak fall from the state of grace that is what Hebrews12:13 is saying, we are not only a body but an army and if one solider is down we are not going to leave him or her there; we will carry him to safety, all the way! That is unity that is the message of the cross. Let us look at Isa 35

 

Isa 35:1 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.

Isa 35:2 it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the Excellency of Carmel and Sharon; they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the Excellency of our God.

Isa 35:3 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.

Isa 35:4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with recompense; he will come and save you.

What is the wilderness? Well if we look at the New Testament it is where Jesus was tempted, but if you notice it was the Spirit that drove him there,

 Mat 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Mar 1:12 and immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.

 

The wilderness is a place to be tempted tested and tried, and yes God leads us there because he wants to change us, transform us into the nature of Jesus.

The word wilderness means –to subdue, lonely

Solitary means-barren,

Solitary does not always denote a “barren” region void of vegetation; it is often used of a place uncultivated.

Cultivated means, to prepare land for crops, gardening, to improve, refine, to develop.

 

So if you are driven by the Spirit of God to a solitary place it is not necessarily for the purpose of being barren, but that God wants to cultivate the areas that have been left uncultivated so that there is fruit in your life, he wants to tend to his garden as he is the Husband and it is his responsibility to see his garden tilled.

It is in this time that Isa 35 says God will come with vengeance and with recompense, he will come and save you, God loves all his children and he will see to it that all are saved, but it is up to us to come along side of them and bear there burdens. This is Christianity!

Rom 15:1 we then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. (What did that say?? Not please we wow, the gospel I hear out there is all about pleasing you, but it is wrong!!)

Rom 15:2 let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification.

Rom 15:3 for even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, the reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

Rom 15:4 for whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Rom 15:5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:

Rom 15:6 that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Rom 15:7 wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

Rom 15:7 wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

Rom 15:7 wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

Rom 15:7 wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

Don’t worry your eyes are seeing it more than once just thought I would try to get my point across.

Jesus never pleased himself, he had one goal in mind and that was to please the Father, he laid down His life for us, should we not lay down our lives for one another? The truth is this the church is in a sad state of affairs, it is selfish and self seeking, it is complacent and lazy, and we need to change that, we need to  meet the Fathers criteria, it is his Kingdom that needs to be established not ours!!!

Back to Romans 15, bear means- (through the idea of removal) to lift, endure, sustain, receive, take up (to walk) a pace (foot).

Infirmities-to be feeble, be diseased, impotent, be sick (be made) weak, strength less.

 

1Th 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

 

1Th 4:9 but as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for you you are taught of God to love one another.

1Th 3:12 and the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:

1Th 3:13 to the end he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

When we love and care one for another in the Jesus kind of love we are blameless in holiness before God, think about it ,love is the ultimate, we are so arrogant and say we love but we will not  touch any situation where it will be an inconvenience to our lives, we comfort ourselves by saying “they just need to rise up and believe” or “let them work out their own salvation”, but the truth is church without love the kind where we lay down our lives for one another we are just a bunch of babbling religious people, who speak but deny the power thereof!!  Here are some  more scriptures and I am sure there are more touching love, 2 John 1:5 ;1 john 4:21; 4:20; 4:11-12; 1Peter 1:22.

 I challenge you to rise up and walk the walk and stop trying to be spiritual but find a weak brother or sister and take their hand no matter how it may unsettle your life, and let them know that God will come with vengeance on their enemies and save them, let them know that the desert shall rejoice and blossom as a rose. And let them know you love them today. If you are weak reading this and going through something barren right now  know how much God cares for your situation and know that he will send someone to lift your burden and walk you through your dark time. Let us rise up church and be a people of love and commitment one to another, and show the love of Christ, after all it is for love that he died!

 In His Service Michele

“It’s Raining”

1Cor.15:46 Amplified Bible

But it is not spiritual life which came first, but the physical than the spiritual.

 

We are in a rainy season now, spring is at the door and the life in the ground is starting to bud, the trees are drinking in the refreshment and nourishment of Gods supply of life! Without the rain we would have barrenness, there would be no fruit, there would be no produce or flowers…ah…….the rain!

If you want to know what God is saying look at the natural first, as it is in the natural so it is in the Spirit. Let’s look for a moment at Israel’s seasons

 

 Israel had two rains;

“The former

“The latter”

 

Former- spring rains you had a harvest for grain

Latter-Autumn rains you had a harvest for fruit

 

Summer there was no rain; it was a time of plowing and getting the ground ready for the next harvest

 

These two rains correspond to the 7 feasts

 

 

FORMER RAIN- SPRING SEASON-Passover, unleavened bread, first fruits, Pentecost (these teach about the first coming of the Christ)

 

The last three which are-LATTER RAIN-AUTUMN SEASON- Feast of Trumpets Day of atonement, Feast of Tabernacles (which gives us insight concerning the second coming of Christ)

 

Monday of last week I was sitting and meditating on the LORD, He gave me Zechariah 10:1

 

Zec 10:1 Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.

 

If you read the whole chapter, you will see that the LORD is addressing the idolatry, the false dreams, the vanity and the diviners, He says the flock is troubled because there is no shepherd, and because of his mercy he will strengthen the house of Judah and the house of Joseph, and he will bring them again to place them, he also said in verse 8 He will hiss for them and gather them and they shall increase. There has not been many shepherds in the family of the church, there sure is a lot of hirelings and wolfs but very few shepherds.

This sounds much like the state the whole church has been in, we have seen a lot of false “things” in Christianity. What I am about to share with you is a word from the heart of the Father, glory to God for his mercy and love for the church; He is our true Shepherd, amen? I have been truly excited and I have felt like I have accelerated in the spirit. Something has happened to me since my last teaching, glory to Jesus!! Friday night I almost could not contain myself as I shared this message, I pray that you will hear what the LORD is saying at this time, and hopefully you can take it for yourself and be blessed as I was and is!

In a time that the flock was troubled they went there way, vs2; God knows that the church has gone it’s way because of the lack of leadership and integrity in the body of Christ and also due to the fact that the sheep really do not know Him, but it is in this time that the Great Shepherd says ASK!!! Glory!!!!!!!!!!!!! Did you hear that? ASK!!!!!!!!!!! Ask for what? Rain. Not only do you ask for rain but in a time of Latter rain!!

I know, you are probably saying what?? Let us look a few words here;

 

 

Ask– to inquire, to request, to demand, beg

.

Rain-symbol of God blessing, God’s word and Spirit outpoured, to shower violently

 

Showers-to shower violently

 

Latter rain-spring rain (fig) eloquence, prime verb, to gather

 

Grass-symbolic of frailty of the flesh (Isa.40:6,7;1Peter 1:24)

 

Field-symbolic of the earth, world,(mat.13:24,38,44)

 

There are a people within a people who are scratching to get out of the religiosity of “church” they are not satisfied with things the way they are , in their heart they know there is more it is like they are sitting on the edge of their seats ready to fly!!

And then there are some who are just down right satisfied with “playing” church and warming there pew, and only eating on Sunday or fast food through the week, but the other bunch are feasting on fresh manna from heaven, the menu is new every day and they are not satisfied with “leftovers” or regurgitated food! I hope somebody is shouting about now!

On the Monday I received that scripture on the Tuesday the LORD spoke to me about a song from Don Potter, I could not remember the name but I could hear the tune and remember one line in it, the song is titled “Enlarge your tent” the verse is …Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch out your arms of grace. It’s time to lengthen your ropes and with the word drive in your stakes.

The LORD will go to any length to speak to us, I truly love the way he gets my attention. So I went to find the song and I checked out the verses to it, after I did that the LORD spoke another scripture to me, 1Chron 4, so I turned to the chapter and started to read, well it was Judah’s family record, well I was sure as I was reading that I heard wrong, until I got to this verse:

1Ch 4:9 And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, because I bare him with sorrow.

1Ch 4:10  And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

 

We will get back to this verse, but let us look at the symbolic meaning of the word rain.

We will see that the bible speaks a lot about it, RAIN AS GODS BLESSING–

 

Deut 11:13  And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,

Deut 11:14 that I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.

 

Corn-symbol of harvest, increase and blessing

Wine-symbol of teaching, blessing, true or false

Oil-symbol of the Holy Spirit in anointing

 

Lev 26:3 if ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them;

Lev 26:4 Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.

 

Deut 28:12 The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.

 

2Ch 6:27  Then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou hast taught them the good way, wherein they should walk; and send rain upon thy land, which thou hast given unto thy people for an inheritance.

(Look up these also) Job5:10;Psalm 68:9 ; Isa.30:23 ;Heb.6:7

 

Are you seeing the picture yet? We are in a season, “a due” season of where the rain which is OUR INHERITANCE, it is a time that the increase and blessing of God is about to fall. There are conditions to this just like anything. IF YE WALK IN MY STATUES, IF YOU HEARKEN DILEGENTLY TO MY VOICE.(please go through these scriptures) God has conditions to meet, if your life is bearing fruit , then you do not need to worry cause it is going to rain in a time of latter rain!

RAIN IS SPEAKING AS GODS WORD-

Isa 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isa 55:10 for as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

Isa 55:11 so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Deu 32:2 my doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:

God’s word will come to us like the rain and it will perform and do all that it says it will do, it will water the earth, and we are the earth! If you are not reading your bibles and mediating on the “manna” from heaven you will not have any fruit but only a dry and barren land!

RAIN IS SPEAKING AS THE SPIRIT OUTPOURED– Joe 2:23  Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.

Hos 6:3 then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

We know that he poured out the Spirit on the day of Pentacost, there are three main feasts, two of them have be fulfilled we are now in the third feast, Feast of Tabernacles, this feast needs to be fulfilled, which is the latter rain.(this alone is a vast subject, one must study it, themselves  to understand and  know what the LORD is doing in this hour, the calendar for the LORD is His Feasts)

 

What will cause no rain?

 

DISOBEDIANCE!

 

Deut 11:16 Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;

Deut 11:17  And then the LORD’S wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you.

 

Jer 3:3 Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore’s forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.

Some of the church has had a forehead like a whore; do you know what that means? I will tell you, there is no mind of Christ!! They have chose to walk in the fornicating ways of religion and “mans” traditions, by not being ashamed means there is no repentance for the state she is in! She has committed adultery with the “ways” of the world and called it God! It is time for gathering, but if there has been no rain in your garden then I bet there is no fruit! God is about to rain in a time of latter rain!! Glory!!

 

Jer 5:23 But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.

Jer 5:24 neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.

Jer 5:25 your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you. (Read the all the verses)

 

Again let me say ASK for rain!!! If you feel your garden has been dry and cracked and barren, then ask!! Repent, for the lack of fruit that you have not allowed to grow by having sin in your heart, sin of disobedience, sin of rejecting the TRUTH!!! And ASK!! God will come and rain in a time of latter rain!!

 

Deu 28:23 and thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.

Deu 28:24 The LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed.

I cannot stress enough IT IS A TIME FOR RAIN!

 

So back to

Zec 10:1 Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. (grass is frailty of the flesh (Isa.40:6-7; 1 peter 1:24)field is the world (matt 13:24,38,44)

God is pouring out his rain on all flesh! Glory however they need it to produce fruit or to give more fruit.

The rain is speaking to us as “blessing and increase” Amen? So what does it mean then to ask in a time of latter rain?

Latter- means spring, a prim root “to gather”

The book of Hosea and Psalm 72:6 say he will come to us “like the rain”

 Hos 6:1 Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

Hos 6:2 after two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

Hos 6:3 then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

 Again let us look at the two rains in Israel, God is always talking to the house of Israel in regards to the “seasons” as you read the Old Testament you will see that if they were obedient then God would bless their crop, so in the natural they had their two rains the spring and the fall, they were both a time of harvest, the spring for grain, the autumn for fruit, latter speaks of gathering. The former rain was poured out at Pentecost, which was the gifts, but now the latter rain is fruit, and a time for gathering. We have seen enough “gifts” in the church, but where is the fruit? We now have to see integrity, faithfulness, truth, honesty, righteousness, purity, I could go on, but the church for the most part has not produced much fruit!

 Well God is coming to us like the latter rain it is a time a season where he is about to pour out the rain of blessings on those who have produced, and those who have not will go through the hard times till they do produce.

We have been torn and smitten of the LORD, but it says RETURN, and he will heal us, and bind us up, on the third day we will live in His sight, that is the Feast of Tabernacles (without getting into) that is the latter rain!!

Third day living is walking in resurrection power! Ok so in Zechariah it says in a time of latter rain,

This is the time God is the husbandman he is responsible to make sure there is a harvest. Jas 5:7  Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

What is a husband? Symbolically it is a type of headship, eph.5:23; 1 cor.3:6-9; Isa.45:5

 

 Isa 54:1  Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.

Isa 54:2 enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;

Isa 54:3  For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

Isa 54:4  Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.

Isa 54:5  For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.

Isa 54:6  For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.

Isa 54:7  For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.

Isa 54:8  In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.

 

We are the garden of the LORD; he has comforted us through the waste places

 

  Isa 51:3  For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

 

Many of us have gone through the waste places in our lives, where there has been barrenness, but know out of barrenness can come fruit (when the rains fall) know that out of sadness comes joy (when the rains fall) know that out of death comes life (when the rains fall) and out of despair comes hope (when the rains fall)

 The North wind has blown in a lot of people’s lives.(back three years ago I was praying and the LORD said to me tell my church the “north wind is blowing”, then he told me to go to Matthew 3, the verse 12 says

Mat 3:12 whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

The word fan there has a meaning for north wind in regards to any winnowing was done when the north winds blew) There can be no purging without the north wind blowing!

 

Son 4:12  A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.

Son 4:13  Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard,

Son 4:14  Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices:

Son 4:15  A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.

Son 4:16 Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.

The north is the testing and trials the south wind is the quietness of the earth the fragrance of the spirit, we need both just like we need both rains, so that our beloved can come to tend his garden and find choice fruit for gathering!

 

Church it is a season a time that the Savior of our souls is coming to us like the latter rain to gather and pour out blessing on us, the time of producing is upon us, the time of increase and enlarging our territory is here, it will be different for everyone, Rob and myself know where we are being blessed for the fruit we have produce for the standing we have done it is now time to be enlarged, the time of grieving and sorrow has ended. Look at  the scripture 1Ch 4:9  And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.( The church has gone through  sorrow and grieving, but now it is a time to call and ask for rain and increase.)

1Ch 4:10  And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

Enlarge-a prim root to increase (in whatever respect) bring in, abundance, be in authority, excel, be full, multiply, plenty.

 

Is your garden full and plenty of fruit? If you have been thirsty and dry, you are in the right place because it is raining!!!

It is a time that your request will be granted.

 

In His service

                      Michele