Wednesday, May 14, 2008
The Fire has come: Love bonds not work bonds Pt. 13
Greetings in the Lord, Beloved Readers,
I am so grateful that you are led to read this blog site. I knew God has instructed me to do this even if I was writing for myself. What is encouraging me the most is how many of you are hearing many of the same things by the Holy Spirit, and are embracing this work of the Lord in your heart.
Beloved, you would not believe these blogs take me over 8-10 hours each to write. I write them and rewrite them to get the flavor of what the Lord is speaking to my heart and to all of us.
Literally, the last 3 blogs alone, took over 24 hours to write and re-write. It is a labor of great love for me to do so.
I pray they are a blessing to those who read them. If they are a blessing, would you consider really laboring with us in prayer for the Body of Christ, our cities and nation. We are in perilous times Beloved reader. There is a famine in the Land for the Word of God. Please consider praying for this work to go forth to the nations, and if the Lord would touch you to help us, please pray about sending a donation as well on our donation link.
We have been invited to visit three nations to share this glorious message of the Flame of God's love and intercession, and we need help by prayer and giving for us to go. We are a very small ministry with a very BIG GOD! So thank you for helping us in any way the Lord leads you!
As I begin writing this blog for the third time, the unity of the Body of Christ seems so unreal and impossible to see ever come to the church. With all the denominations, non-denominations, independent churches we have, how could God ever make a Holy Nation and a Royal Priesthood from all these scattered parts? Up until last year, I almost gave up on the idea coming in our lifetime or in reality at all. I believed God's word, but the way we treat one another, and the lack of the depth of love in all of us (me included), made me faint I am ashamed to admit.
I do believe that God is about to change that impossibility into a living reality in His Bride. As I travel to many cities in this nation, I have noticed when the believers in our prayer and encounter God meetings desire to enter the Holy of Hollies and stand in the FLAME OF GOD, the passion for loving Him ignites.
The smell of anointing oil fills the entire room as we meet the Lord. This manifestation has happened in big meetings and little meetings we have been involved with. Many people have smelled the anointing oil fragrance when not a drop of it has been poured out naturally in the room. The fragrance comes in waves, stronger and stronger, as we go deeper into the presence of the Lord.
I asked the Lord why do we smell anointing oil? Let me preface this with the fact I am highly allergic to the anointing oil that has the myrrh and frankincense in it. This is the kind most ministers anoint the sick with. So when I use oil to pray with people, I use unscented vegetable oil instead. (Doesn't God have a sense of humor?)
In one of our home meetings, the Holy Spirit took us deep in the flame of His love, many people received great deliverance's from things in their life. They were delivered from demonic influences that were oppressing their flesh. The deeper in love we came with the Lord, the greater the fragrance was smelled in the room. It was literally poured all over us.
At many points in the meetings, I could feel the tangible oil for a moment or two stay upon us. We looked to see if any one brought oil with them or if they opened up any bottles. The answer was no! I believe this was a sign and wonder and a revelation of His manifest presence in our midst. He desired us to know He was there with us and in us. This happened also at a conference in Greeley Colorado, and in other boot camps throughout that city. It also happened here at home in Tucson at some of the prayer meetings we were having.
As I have mentioned earlier, last year I was ready to give up on the whole "unity" thing. Maybe God would bring a few people together in unity, but the whole Body of Christ? Not in my life time, I said. It seemed to impossible! Beloved God's ways our NOT our ways and HIS THOUGHTS are not our thoughts! Praise God forever more.
Then the Lord brought us the revelation of our God as a consuming fire. We understood that He was present in our midst with eyes of fire and feet of brass. This is found in Revelation chapter 1. As the Lord began to reveal Himself as the Omega God, our hearts began to burn more intently for Him. A deeper love began to fill us along with a deeper passion for Him. As we continued to diligently seek Him, we began to see each other differently. All that would have separated us in the past didn't make any difference now. A genuine love and care for each other had begun to manifest in our midst and in the meetings.
I am writing this blog to help tie somethings together about the flame of God being here now in our midst, and what that fire desires to produce in our lives. If this is your first reading, please go back and read the other 12 to understand this blog message.
The heart of the outworking of His will that God has birthed in us is to bring to the nations is the training up of a royal priesthood, and the understanding of His Governmental authority. In America, we have preached the Son ship(power) side of anointing for service, preaching, building churches, evangelism and etc. There is another side of our walk with God that we need to develop to be a "full grown man." That side is becoming a Bride for our Heavenly Bridegroom and a Priest for the Lord.
When the Lord sent me to Arizona, He gave me a word that I would never do business as usual again. He imparted His vision for our region to me, but said a very important instruction to me as my first work and this is what is was. "YOUR FIRST WORK IN TUCSON IS TO BUILD LOVE-BOND RELATIONSHIPS AND NOT WORK BOND RELATIONSHIPS, WORK-BONDS CAN NEVER LAST AND LOVE-BONDS CAN NEVER BREAK!"
I came to Tucson with very high hopes of seeing these types of love relationships be established. I knew that these love-bond relationships were not the kind I had presently seen in the church, but a deeper kind. The kind of relationship that David had with Jonathan as God knitted their souls together as one. The first four years of being here, this had not happened. But in 2008 God has begun to birth this type of love for Him and one another in some of the Pastors and leaders in our city.
To understand this kind of relationship that the Lord desires for us to have, I had to understand the difference between a work-bond relationship was and a love bond relationship. The Lord explained it to me in this manner. Since most ministers have a vision from the Lord, that vision becomes their LIFE and their WORK! That work or vision becomes their passion and they begin to pursue people that will "HELP" them do that work. The relationships that get established are rooted in our need "to work" together to accomplish our vision.The Lord explained much of the present church structure is based upon this "working" mentality.
The unpleasant part of this "work"mentality is that much of the work we do for the Lord may be rooted in the "Babel" mentality of "let us make bricks, let us make a city, let us make a tower that reaches into heaven or "let us make a name for ourselves." As you read in Genesis chapter 11, the people were of one language and they purposed to produce a "man made unity." A unity rooted in the NEEDS OF MEN, and not the needs of God.
Beloved this "man made unity" is still alive and kicking today in the church. This man made unity has its roots in "doing" something instead of "becoming" something with God. This man made unity gets its power from the "WORKS OF OUR EFFORTS." The source and root of this work bond relationship is the ambition to achieve or succeed in God to satisfy your own needs or to prove "our worth" to God. Another words, the root source of the work is "self gratification in pleasing the Lord."
If we are going to understand the difference between "work-bonds" and love bonds" then we need to see what the foundation of our work in God is really rooted in. Genesis 11 tells us the heart of what the Lord showed me as "work-bond" relationships.
Gen 11:1 And all the earth had one language and one tongue. Gen 11:2 And it came about that in their wandering from the east, they came to a stretch of flat country in the land of Shinar, and there they made their living-place.
Gen 11:3 And they said one to another, Come, let us make bricks, burning them well. And they had bricks for stone, putting them together with sticky earth. Gen 11:4 And they said, Come, let us make a town, and a tower whose top will go up as high as heaven; and let us make a great name for ourselves (Henry Falcone powerful apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, teaching and pastoral ministry)! (LOL), so that we may not be wanderers over the face of the earth.
Gen 11:5 And the Lord came down to see the town and the tower which the children of men were building. Gen 11:6 And the Lord said, See, they are all one people and have all one language; and this is only the start of what they may do: and now it will not be possible to keep them from any purpose of theirs.
Gen 11:7 Come, let us go down and take away the sense of their language, so that they will not be able to make themselves clear to one another. Gen 11:8 So the Lord God sent them away into every part of the earth: and they gave up building their town. Gen 11:9 So it was named Babel, because there the Lord took away the sense of all languages and from there the Lord sent them away over all the face of the earth.
The thing we should notice at this time in history was that the people were all of one tongue and had one language. When I first pondered about this, I was more focused on their common language like English, Spanish, etc. Then the Lord said look closely at what the language really was. As I waited for the Lord to explain this to me, He said, "listen closely to their language, it was the language of their heart."
Verses 3-4 begin to describe the "language of the heart" in this people. They said something! Do you notice where the conversation begins? It is not an inquiry of the Lord or His will or His desires. Matter of fact, they don't even inquire of the Lord or His will. They began to walk in their own "thought and imaginations." THEIR HEARTS desire were to fill themselves with there own ideas on how to achieve success. These (fleshly) purposes, thoughts, ideas and plans were separated from God and His will.
This separation from God's true thoughts, and the choosing of our own thoughts is what many in the church in America chooses every day. The American church often chooses to SATISFY HERSELF EACH DAY WITH HER "IDEA" OF GOD AND WHAT HE WANTS! There is little to no concern for what God's desires or what His plans might be. At Babel, the heart of the people was to "let us" build a tower to reach into heaven where God is, "let us make a name for ourselves!" We can do it without HIM!
How much of this kind of heart is the American church today, "let us make a name for ourselves?" Watch TBN or a Christian television network and listen to the voice that says, "Let me prove my calling and worth to God by how many people I reach or how big my church is, or how many miracles are happening." "Maybe it is making sure we have the 5 fold ministry in our church or region." It is always something "we have to do" to believe "WE ARE SUCCESSFUL!" There is nothing wrong in sharing what "GOD IS DOING for His Glory, but most of our boasting of the Lord is so we "can feel good!"
The people of Babel had that kind of prideful "language of the heart" speak loudly to one another. Their language did not speak or consider God at all, but it did speak TO ONE ANOTHER! This is where the heart of WORK-BOND relationships begins! When we begin to speak to one another first, and not seek the wisdom of God or His desires for us, we can not please God or live in righteousness. Mathew 6:33 says, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness..." The word righteousness means, "God's ways of doing things, God desires and plans being done." Notice in Babel, they had no concern for God's righteousness, they only had concern for their own."
How can you tell this "language of the heart" is based on work bonds in the city of Babel or in our hearts as well? Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. What you see is what you get! Satan has always tried to usurp God's authority. This is why he was kicked out of heaven and cast to the earth. With Adam and Eve's fall in the Garden of Eden, that nature of usurping God became our nature. Their eyes could now see the difference between good and evil, or the two offerings.
From the beginning with Cain and Abel, there has always been TWO CHOICES. These choices are made plain all through out the Bible. We are either going to bring to God what we want Him to accept, or we are going to bring God what He desires and requires. It has always been that simple. Work-bonds have their root in the first of these two choices. In Genesis chapter 4:3 we see the birth of two sons. These two different sons are also two different types of seeds planted in the heart. One son's blood cries righteous! The other son's blood cries murderer! Two sons, and two seeds, both bring God an offering.
Gen 4:1 And the man had connection with Eve his wife, and she became with child and gave birth to Cain, and said, I have got a man from the Lord. Gen 4:2 Then again she became with child and gave birth to Abel, his brother. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a farmer.
Gen 4:3 And after a time, Cain gave to the Lord an offering of the fruits of the earth. Gen 4:4 And Abel gave an offering of the young lambs of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord was pleased with Abel's offering;
Gen 4:5 But in Cain and his offering he had no pleasure. And Cain was angry and his face became sad. Gen 4:6 And the Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry? and why is your face sad? Gen 4:7 If you do well, will you not have honour? and if you do wrong, sin is waiting at the door, desiring to have you, but do not let it be your master.
Gen 4:8 And Cain said to his brother, Let us go into the field: and when they were in the field, Cain made an attack on his brother Abel and put him to death. Gen 4:9 And the Lord said to Cain, Where is your brother Abel? And he said, I have no idea: am I my brother's keeper?
Gen 4:10 And he said, What have you done? the voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the earth. Gen 4:11 And now you are cursed from the earth, whose mouth is open to take your brother's blood from your hand; Gen 4:12 No longer will the earth give you her fruit as the reward of your work; you will be a wanderer in flight over the earth.
Both Sons of Adam gave the Lord an offering. Abel gave an offering of the young lambs of his flocks. This is quite important to understand if we are ever going to understand the unity of the Holy Spirit that is coming in the 3rd day. The young lambs was something GOD MADE! Abel did not create the lambs. All Abel could do was "TEND TO WHAT GOD HAS ALREADY MADE." His job was to pasture the lambs and protect them, make sure they were fed and cared for. It wasn't an easy job, but much easier then Cains. "And the Lord was pleased with Abel's offering." This is the heart of the "love-bond" relationship. "No greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." The true UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT is NOT MAN MADE! The TRUE UNITY OF GOD IS GOD BREATHED!
God was pleased with Abel's offering because it was what He asked for from both Him and Cain. God has already imparted to them what offering was pleasing to Him and what was not. It was the "knowledge of knowing what pleases God" that Abel brought to the Lord. The bible tells us in Hebrews chapter 11, that the Blood of Abel is still speaking." His blood that was shed was "righteous blood." It was righteous because Abel brought to the Lord what the Lord desired for an offering. This is the heart of what a love-bond is.
LOVE-BONDS work is to please and serve the one who is giving you that love." It does not see it's own needs or desires, but sees the needs of the one that truly loved them. Abel loved the Lord with His whole heart, so He gave to the Lord what He required out of that love. His work was rooted and founded deeply in love and it was credited to him as righteousness.
Beloved, the FLAME OF GOD has come to separate the "flesh" from the "Spirit!" It has come to separate the HOLY from the PROFANE! The Fire has come to separate the offerings of unrighteousness which is "WHAT WE WANT TO GIVE GOD," from what the "righteous" offerings the Lord requires of "WHAT HE WANTS US TO GIVE HIM."
Cain brought an offering also. He brought, "an offering of the fruits of the earth." Cain brought to the Lord the fruit of what He had planted and tended. It is much harder work to tend to crops then watch lambs. Cain had to plant the seeds, water, protect the crops from animals. It took much more time and harder labor to do. Cain believed that because He "sweat" over all this labor and that the offering was a fruit of "his hard work," God would be thoroughly pleased with it. His flesh and effort was in all the fruit that he brought to God. His sweat was so much more than Abels', he believed God would be well pleased.with His gift above His brothers.
I hope you heard that precious leaders in Christ.
Beloved, this is the heart of what a "work-bond" is. The heart of this kind of work-bonds is in achieving our "success," based entirely on our works. Cain believed His "sweat and blood" would somehow be more pleasing to the Lord than Abel's. The harder he worked for God, the more fruit he could bring ot Him. God would now give him a great big blessing. He expected the Lord, to say "well done, good and faithful servant."
This is what brings the spirit of competition in the church in America as well. All over this country I hear this song all the time, "my church is better than your church, my church is better than your, my church is better because we do "so much more," My ministry is better than yours." Oh we might not say it outwardly, but it is very apparent. I see it all the time as I try to present regional prayer to many cities. There is so much distrust and positioning for power or fear we might loose a little influence, it breaks the heart of God.
In America, this other seed rooted in Cain's understanding about God is the same in many people. Cain's understanding of God came from his "own thoughts and imaginations." Cain was going to determine what God would accept and what He would not, and so do we." This condition of the heart is a called a usurping heart or "false ministry idolatry."
It is a heart that proclaims that we "know things better" than God. It is a heart filled with ideas, suggestions that "seem right to a man," but the end leads to destruction. Cain imagined in his heart that the Lord would be so pleased by his hard work and efforts, it consumed him. He was so sure that this was what God wanted, that no other offering could even enter his heart or mind.
Did you ever wonder why Cain got so angry with Abel? Truthfully, all he had to do was say to the Lord, I am sorry Lord. I will go out and bring you what you desired. But Cain could not do that! Why? Because HIS WHOLE LIFE WAS BASED ON WHAT HE BELIEVED! HE BELIEVED A LIE! A LIE THAT SAID, "THE HARDER YOU WORK FOR GOD, THE MORE PLEASED HE WILL BE WITH YOU! "
This heart was in him and it is in the American church as well. It is a heart that is based upon its "own efforts" to earn God's love and approval. This heart always has to "prove" its value to itself and those around them, and finally prove its value to God!
Most Christians would declare that we are not saved by "work" but grace. Yet, somehow when we "get saved, "the church teaches us to go back under the law of "working for God, or living for God." Able knew the difference between the two choices in bringing God an offering!
The Bride of the Lord is learning the difference now and making herself ready to bring the Lord only what is pleasing. her final testimony will be, "I am my beloved, and His desires are towards me."(Song of Solomon 7:10) Abel didn't choose to "work or live" FOR God, but to "work and live" WITH GOD! This is what separates a work-bond from a love-bond.
Listen to the Apostle Paul's writing to the church in Galatia. This church started out understanding that it is by grace alone they were saved, but they tried to walk out that salvation in work-bond relationships rooted in the flesh.
Gal 3:1 O foolish Galatians, by what strange powers have you been tricked, to whom it was made clear that Jesus Christ was put to death on the cross? Gal 3:2 Give me an answer to this one question, Did the Spirit come to you through the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Gal 3:3 Are you so foolish? having made a start in the Spirit, will you now be made complete in the flesh?
Gal 3:4 Did you undergo such a number of things to no purpose? if it is in fact to no purpose.
Gal 3:5 He who gives you the Spirit, and does works of power among you, is it by the works of law, or by the hearing of faith? Gal 3:6 Even as Abraham had faith in God, and it was put to his account as righteousness. Gal 3:7 Be certain, then, that those who are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham.
Paul was warning the church in Galatia about their walk with Christ. They started it entirely in faith and in the Holy Spirit, there was a unity of the Spirit amongst them. They understood and gave the Abel offering at the start of their new life in Christ. The offering they had to bring was a "living sacrifice" (Romans 12:1-2) the same kind Christ Himself who was the lamb of God brought to the Father. There was not one good thing in them that could justify themselves or earn God's love for them. Yet here they are "under a spell." They were bewitched into believing that they could NOW EARN GOD'S FAVOR ON WHAT THEY DID, HOW HARD THEY WORKED FOR GOD." This is FOOLISHNESS TO GOD!
Beloved reader, back in the late 1980's God gave me a dream. In it were two pastors I knew and myself. The two pastors said, Brother Henry, it is time to go to Home Depot to buy what we need to build the Lord a church." Each brother had a measuring tape with them. They took out their measuring tape and began to measure all they would need to get or buy to build the church. I watched as they did this, and the Holy Spirit tapped me on the shoulder, at least it felt like that. In the tap, these instructions were imparted to me in the dream. "YOU CAN NEVER GO WITH THEM IN THIS MANNER AND BUILD MY HOUSE, NOR CAN YOU EVER USE YOUR OWN MEASURING TAPE. TELL THEM YOU CAN NOT GO WITH THEM."
The two Pastor's came and said, "Brother Henry let's go, we are going to be late." I said to them, "Brothers I can't go with you, I am sorry." They both got very angry with me and tried to pursuade me that I had to go with them, but I told them I would not go. Finally they went off to build the church, and I woke up."
Cain had a good idea of building the church also. Let me give God the best of my crops that I sweated over. The people had a good idea at Babel. They SAID TO ONE ANOTHER, COME LET US MAKE BRICKS, LET US BUILD A CITY, A TOWER AND A NAME FOR OURSELVES! This is where "work bond relationships begin."
Workbonds start when we SAY SOMETHING TO ONE ANOTHER! "Let us go to HOME DEPOT!" Let's have a chicken barbeque and invite the neighbors to come and preach the Gospel to them." "Let us have a crusade meeting downtown and win the lost." "Let's start cell groups in our churches, Paul Yunge Choe did." "Let's do a marketing survey of the people in our area and see the things they would like in their church." "Let's have a Pastor's fellowship." Beloved we do this all the time in the Body of Christ here in America.
At one of our conferences, a person literally brought me a "gold brick" from a famous person's healing ministry. They said, "that God told them where they placed these bricks, healing revival would take place." They had the brick in a picnic basket with a red cloth over it! I believe in prophetic actions God might have us to do, and as well intented as these beloved believers were, I knew there was something very wrong with what they were bringing.
What was wrong with giving this brick to me was that it was rooted in the "let us" do something for God mentality. When we say, "let us" (apart from God's instructions) we are usurping God's authority. How are we usurping His authority? Don't you remember Genesis chapter 1:26-27. God said, "Let us" make man in our image, "like us", and let him have rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over the cattle and over all the earth and over every living thing which goes flat on the earth. Gen 1:27 And God made man in his image, in the image of God he made him: male and female he made them.
THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS AUTHORITY TO SAY "LET US" IS THE FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT, THEY ARE THE "LET US!" When the people of Babel said, "LET US", they were usurping God's authority and government. When Cain brought the offering from the ground, HE WAS USURPING GOD'S AUTHORITY AND GOVERNMENT! The church in Galatia when they started to work out their salvation in the flesh, or their own ideas of what God wanted they were USURPING GOD'S AUTHORITY AND GOVERNMENT!
When we as God's leaders, don't take the time to wait upon the Lord, listen for His voice and obey His commands, then all we have left are "good ideas." These good ideas when put into action USURP GOD'S AUTHORITY AND GOVERNMENT, and we are all guilty in the nation of doing this. Many of our Pastor's fellowships are based in this same heart of "good ideas." That is why there is so little change in the spiritual atmosphere in our cities, regions and nations.
The unity of the churches that we are desiring to see in our Pastor's fellowships often comes from our "understanding" of unity. It is always based on "what can we do for God now." The first question at most Pastor's fellowship is "how many members do you have." Then we plan how are we "going to take our city for Christ." Wouldn't it be better if Christ "took us first" before we try to "take a city?"
Cain was so determined to give God what he desired that he got angry with God. He was angry that God rejected his sweat, and received the "little to no sweat" of His brother Abel. His jealousy and anger turned from God against his brother. His brother was received by God and He was rejected, so he thought. Cain did not realize that only his "offering" was rejected, NOT HIM! This is how satan lied and decieved him into believing HE WAS NOT ACCEPTED!
So he had to let his anger out against Abel by killing him. He believed God wasaccepting Abel and rejecting him and that was unfare. The truth was, they were both ALREADY ACCEPTED, just the offerings were tested by God. One offering was "accepted", the other was "rejected", not the people who gave them.
Beloved, this often is the same reactions I receive when I preach this message. Daggers are thrown at me from the heart. When the Lord begins to show us that our motives for what we are doing are not pure, Pastors and Leaders get quite angry. They no longer want you "in their" fellowship. They see themselves as being rejected by God, when in fact, God is only looking at the offerings we are presenting to him. In America our offerings are our "work for God!" This is why we as leaders can't accept that God might not want what we are doing or the "offerings we are bringing." (Read Isaiah chapter 1)
If we truly knew we were already accepted and loved by God we would not need to prove another thing to God to "earn our worth." If we would allow the flame of God to burn up this false ministry idolatry in our hearts, we would be free to love God and each other as He loves us. Beloved, then we would live the scriptures that say, "How can the eye say to the foot, I have no need of you, or the foot say to the hand, I have no need of you."
We would now understand each others worth and value and we could begin to "dwell together in unity."
We would begin to understand each other and receive each other as the gifts we are to God and to one another. The competition between us would be destroyed. I want you to minister in the church God has me watch over, and you can build as long as you need and we will work together. We won't compare our "anointing" with one another or be jealous over each other. We would become secure in who we are as His beloved, already rooted in His love.
Psalm 133, O Good and Pleasant it is when brothers "fellowship" together in unity?" Work-bonds produce fellowships. You are a fellow in the ship as long as you agree with me, disagree then their is something wrong with you, and you get the right foot of "fellowship." Most of our Pastor's fellowship produce very little I am sad to say. Yes, we get to know one another. Even some friendships can be produced, but Beloved, IT NEVER CHANGES THE SPIRITUAL ATMOSPHERE OVER OUR CITIES, CHURCHES, OR NATIONS. IT CAN NOT!
Psalm 133 says O good and pleasan it is when brethren DWELL TOGETHER in unity! Dwelling is not fellowship. Dwelling is abiding in God's love and God's love abiding in you. Jesus said in John chapter 15, "Dwell in me and I will dwell in you, live in me and I will live in you." This is the TRUE ESSENCE OF THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT! IT CAN NEVER BE DEVELOPED IN WORK BONDS!
Why is the FLAME OF GOD manifesting in our midst? Why is the revelation of the Omega God so imporant? It is important for each one of us can come in the flame personally and stand in it. In this flame we become naked and exposed. Our nakedness is the place God begins to birth unity. In stead of us wearing fig leaves to cover ourselves, He becomes are covering! We become united in our dwelling with Him naked and unashamed.
I am so grateful that you are led to read this blog site. I knew God has instructed me to do this even if I was writing for myself. What is encouraging me the most is how many of you are hearing many of the same things by the Holy Spirit, and are embracing this work of the Lord in your heart.
Beloved, you would not believe these blogs take me over 8-10 hours each to write. I write them and rewrite them to get the flavor of what the Lord is speaking to my heart and to all of us.
Literally, the last 3 blogs alone, took over 24 hours to write and re-write. It is a labor of great love for me to do so.
I pray they are a blessing to those who read them. If they are a blessing, would you consider really laboring with us in prayer for the Body of Christ, our cities and nation. We are in perilous times Beloved reader. There is a famine in the Land for the Word of God. Please consider praying for this work to go forth to the nations, and if the Lord would touch you to help us, please pray about sending a donation as well on our donation link.
We have been invited to visit three nations to share this glorious message of the Flame of God's love and intercession, and we need help by prayer and giving for us to go. We are a very small ministry with a very BIG GOD! So thank you for helping us in any way the Lord leads you!
As I begin writing this blog for the third time, the unity of the Body of Christ seems so unreal and impossible to see ever come to the church. With all the denominations, non-denominations, independent churches we have, how could God ever make a Holy Nation and a Royal Priesthood from all these scattered parts? Up until last year, I almost gave up on the idea coming in our lifetime or in reality at all. I believed God's word, but the way we treat one another, and the lack of the depth of love in all of us (me included), made me faint I am ashamed to admit.
I do believe that God is about to change that impossibility into a living reality in His Bride. As I travel to many cities in this nation, I have noticed when the believers in our prayer and encounter God meetings desire to enter the Holy of Hollies and stand in the FLAME OF GOD, the passion for loving Him ignites.
The smell of anointing oil fills the entire room as we meet the Lord. This manifestation has happened in big meetings and little meetings we have been involved with. Many people have smelled the anointing oil fragrance when not a drop of it has been poured out naturally in the room. The fragrance comes in waves, stronger and stronger, as we go deeper into the presence of the Lord.
I asked the Lord why do we smell anointing oil? Let me preface this with the fact I am highly allergic to the anointing oil that has the myrrh and frankincense in it. This is the kind most ministers anoint the sick with. So when I use oil to pray with people, I use unscented vegetable oil instead. (Doesn't God have a sense of humor?)
In one of our home meetings, the Holy Spirit took us deep in the flame of His love, many people received great deliverance's from things in their life. They were delivered from demonic influences that were oppressing their flesh. The deeper in love we came with the Lord, the greater the fragrance was smelled in the room. It was literally poured all over us.
At many points in the meetings, I could feel the tangible oil for a moment or two stay upon us. We looked to see if any one brought oil with them or if they opened up any bottles. The answer was no! I believe this was a sign and wonder and a revelation of His manifest presence in our midst. He desired us to know He was there with us and in us. This happened also at a conference in Greeley Colorado, and in other boot camps throughout that city. It also happened here at home in Tucson at some of the prayer meetings we were having.
As I have mentioned earlier, last year I was ready to give up on the whole "unity" thing. Maybe God would bring a few people together in unity, but the whole Body of Christ? Not in my life time, I said. It seemed to impossible! Beloved God's ways our NOT our ways and HIS THOUGHTS are not our thoughts! Praise God forever more.
Then the Lord brought us the revelation of our God as a consuming fire. We understood that He was present in our midst with eyes of fire and feet of brass. This is found in Revelation chapter 1. As the Lord began to reveal Himself as the Omega God, our hearts began to burn more intently for Him. A deeper love began to fill us along with a deeper passion for Him. As we continued to diligently seek Him, we began to see each other differently. All that would have separated us in the past didn't make any difference now. A genuine love and care for each other had begun to manifest in our midst and in the meetings.
I am writing this blog to help tie somethings together about the flame of God being here now in our midst, and what that fire desires to produce in our lives. If this is your first reading, please go back and read the other 12 to understand this blog message.
The heart of the outworking of His will that God has birthed in us is to bring to the nations is the training up of a royal priesthood, and the understanding of His Governmental authority. In America, we have preached the Son ship(power) side of anointing for service, preaching, building churches, evangelism and etc. There is another side of our walk with God that we need to develop to be a "full grown man." That side is becoming a Bride for our Heavenly Bridegroom and a Priest for the Lord.
When the Lord sent me to Arizona, He gave me a word that I would never do business as usual again. He imparted His vision for our region to me, but said a very important instruction to me as my first work and this is what is was. "YOUR FIRST WORK IN TUCSON IS TO BUILD LOVE-BOND RELATIONSHIPS AND NOT WORK BOND RELATIONSHIPS, WORK-BONDS CAN NEVER LAST AND LOVE-BONDS CAN NEVER BREAK!"
I came to Tucson with very high hopes of seeing these types of love relationships be established. I knew that these love-bond relationships were not the kind I had presently seen in the church, but a deeper kind. The kind of relationship that David had with Jonathan as God knitted their souls together as one. The first four years of being here, this had not happened. But in 2008 God has begun to birth this type of love for Him and one another in some of the Pastors and leaders in our city.
To understand this kind of relationship that the Lord desires for us to have, I had to understand the difference between a work-bond relationship was and a love bond relationship. The Lord explained it to me in this manner. Since most ministers have a vision from the Lord, that vision becomes their LIFE and their WORK! That work or vision becomes their passion and they begin to pursue people that will "HELP" them do that work. The relationships that get established are rooted in our need "to work" together to accomplish our vision.The Lord explained much of the present church structure is based upon this "working" mentality.
The unpleasant part of this "work"mentality is that much of the work we do for the Lord may be rooted in the "Babel" mentality of "let us make bricks, let us make a city, let us make a tower that reaches into heaven or "let us make a name for ourselves." As you read in Genesis chapter 11, the people were of one language and they purposed to produce a "man made unity." A unity rooted in the NEEDS OF MEN, and not the needs of God.
Beloved this "man made unity" is still alive and kicking today in the church. This man made unity has its roots in "doing" something instead of "becoming" something with God. This man made unity gets its power from the "WORKS OF OUR EFFORTS." The source and root of this work bond relationship is the ambition to achieve or succeed in God to satisfy your own needs or to prove "our worth" to God. Another words, the root source of the work is "self gratification in pleasing the Lord."
If we are going to understand the difference between "work-bonds" and love bonds" then we need to see what the foundation of our work in God is really rooted in. Genesis 11 tells us the heart of what the Lord showed me as "work-bond" relationships.
Gen 11:1 And all the earth had one language and one tongue. Gen 11:2 And it came about that in their wandering from the east, they came to a stretch of flat country in the land of Shinar, and there they made their living-place.
Gen 11:3 And they said one to another, Come, let us make bricks, burning them well. And they had bricks for stone, putting them together with sticky earth. Gen 11:4 And they said, Come, let us make a town, and a tower whose top will go up as high as heaven; and let us make a great name for ourselves (Henry Falcone powerful apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, teaching and pastoral ministry)! (LOL), so that we may not be wanderers over the face of the earth.
Gen 11:5 And the Lord came down to see the town and the tower which the children of men were building. Gen 11:6 And the Lord said, See, they are all one people and have all one language; and this is only the start of what they may do: and now it will not be possible to keep them from any purpose of theirs.
Gen 11:7 Come, let us go down and take away the sense of their language, so that they will not be able to make themselves clear to one another. Gen 11:8 So the Lord God sent them away into every part of the earth: and they gave up building their town. Gen 11:9 So it was named Babel, because there the Lord took away the sense of all languages and from there the Lord sent them away over all the face of the earth.
The thing we should notice at this time in history was that the people were all of one tongue and had one language. When I first pondered about this, I was more focused on their common language like English, Spanish, etc. Then the Lord said look closely at what the language really was. As I waited for the Lord to explain this to me, He said, "listen closely to their language, it was the language of their heart."
Verses 3-4 begin to describe the "language of the heart" in this people. They said something! Do you notice where the conversation begins? It is not an inquiry of the Lord or His will or His desires. Matter of fact, they don't even inquire of the Lord or His will. They began to walk in their own "thought and imaginations." THEIR HEARTS desire were to fill themselves with there own ideas on how to achieve success. These (fleshly) purposes, thoughts, ideas and plans were separated from God and His will.
This separation from God's true thoughts, and the choosing of our own thoughts is what many in the church in America chooses every day. The American church often chooses to SATISFY HERSELF EACH DAY WITH HER "IDEA" OF GOD AND WHAT HE WANTS! There is little to no concern for what God's desires or what His plans might be. At Babel, the heart of the people was to "let us" build a tower to reach into heaven where God is, "let us make a name for ourselves!" We can do it without HIM!
How much of this kind of heart is the American church today, "let us make a name for ourselves?" Watch TBN or a Christian television network and listen to the voice that says, "Let me prove my calling and worth to God by how many people I reach or how big my church is, or how many miracles are happening." "Maybe it is making sure we have the 5 fold ministry in our church or region." It is always something "we have to do" to believe "WE ARE SUCCESSFUL!" There is nothing wrong in sharing what "GOD IS DOING for His Glory, but most of our boasting of the Lord is so we "can feel good!"
The people of Babel had that kind of prideful "language of the heart" speak loudly to one another. Their language did not speak or consider God at all, but it did speak TO ONE ANOTHER! This is where the heart of WORK-BOND relationships begins! When we begin to speak to one another first, and not seek the wisdom of God or His desires for us, we can not please God or live in righteousness. Mathew 6:33 says, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness..." The word righteousness means, "God's ways of doing things, God desires and plans being done." Notice in Babel, they had no concern for God's righteousness, they only had concern for their own."
How can you tell this "language of the heart" is based on work bonds in the city of Babel or in our hearts as well? Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. What you see is what you get! Satan has always tried to usurp God's authority. This is why he was kicked out of heaven and cast to the earth. With Adam and Eve's fall in the Garden of Eden, that nature of usurping God became our nature. Their eyes could now see the difference between good and evil, or the two offerings.
From the beginning with Cain and Abel, there has always been TWO CHOICES. These choices are made plain all through out the Bible. We are either going to bring to God what we want Him to accept, or we are going to bring God what He desires and requires. It has always been that simple. Work-bonds have their root in the first of these two choices. In Genesis chapter 4:3 we see the birth of two sons. These two different sons are also two different types of seeds planted in the heart. One son's blood cries righteous! The other son's blood cries murderer! Two sons, and two seeds, both bring God an offering.
Gen 4:1 And the man had connection with Eve his wife, and she became with child and gave birth to Cain, and said, I have got a man from the Lord. Gen 4:2 Then again she became with child and gave birth to Abel, his brother. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a farmer.
Gen 4:3 And after a time, Cain gave to the Lord an offering of the fruits of the earth. Gen 4:4 And Abel gave an offering of the young lambs of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord was pleased with Abel's offering;
Gen 4:5 But in Cain and his offering he had no pleasure. And Cain was angry and his face became sad. Gen 4:6 And the Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry? and why is your face sad? Gen 4:7 If you do well, will you not have honour? and if you do wrong, sin is waiting at the door, desiring to have you, but do not let it be your master.
Gen 4:8 And Cain said to his brother, Let us go into the field: and when they were in the field, Cain made an attack on his brother Abel and put him to death. Gen 4:9 And the Lord said to Cain, Where is your brother Abel? And he said, I have no idea: am I my brother's keeper?
Gen 4:10 And he said, What have you done? the voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the earth. Gen 4:11 And now you are cursed from the earth, whose mouth is open to take your brother's blood from your hand; Gen 4:12 No longer will the earth give you her fruit as the reward of your work; you will be a wanderer in flight over the earth.
Both Sons of Adam gave the Lord an offering. Abel gave an offering of the young lambs of his flocks. This is quite important to understand if we are ever going to understand the unity of the Holy Spirit that is coming in the 3rd day. The young lambs was something GOD MADE! Abel did not create the lambs. All Abel could do was "TEND TO WHAT GOD HAS ALREADY MADE." His job was to pasture the lambs and protect them, make sure they were fed and cared for. It wasn't an easy job, but much easier then Cains. "And the Lord was pleased with Abel's offering." This is the heart of the "love-bond" relationship. "No greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." The true UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT is NOT MAN MADE! The TRUE UNITY OF GOD IS GOD BREATHED!
God was pleased with Abel's offering because it was what He asked for from both Him and Cain. God has already imparted to them what offering was pleasing to Him and what was not. It was the "knowledge of knowing what pleases God" that Abel brought to the Lord. The bible tells us in Hebrews chapter 11, that the Blood of Abel is still speaking." His blood that was shed was "righteous blood." It was righteous because Abel brought to the Lord what the Lord desired for an offering. This is the heart of what a love-bond is.
LOVE-BONDS work is to please and serve the one who is giving you that love." It does not see it's own needs or desires, but sees the needs of the one that truly loved them. Abel loved the Lord with His whole heart, so He gave to the Lord what He required out of that love. His work was rooted and founded deeply in love and it was credited to him as righteousness.
Beloved, the FLAME OF GOD has come to separate the "flesh" from the "Spirit!" It has come to separate the HOLY from the PROFANE! The Fire has come to separate the offerings of unrighteousness which is "WHAT WE WANT TO GIVE GOD," from what the "righteous" offerings the Lord requires of "WHAT HE WANTS US TO GIVE HIM."
Cain brought an offering also. He brought, "an offering of the fruits of the earth." Cain brought to the Lord the fruit of what He had planted and tended. It is much harder work to tend to crops then watch lambs. Cain had to plant the seeds, water, protect the crops from animals. It took much more time and harder labor to do. Cain believed that because He "sweat" over all this labor and that the offering was a fruit of "his hard work," God would be thoroughly pleased with it. His flesh and effort was in all the fruit that he brought to God. His sweat was so much more than Abels', he believed God would be well pleased.with His gift above His brothers.
I hope you heard that precious leaders in Christ.
Beloved, this is the heart of what a "work-bond" is. The heart of this kind of work-bonds is in achieving our "success," based entirely on our works. Cain believed His "sweat and blood" would somehow be more pleasing to the Lord than Abel's. The harder he worked for God, the more fruit he could bring ot Him. God would now give him a great big blessing. He expected the Lord, to say "well done, good and faithful servant."
This is what brings the spirit of competition in the church in America as well. All over this country I hear this song all the time, "my church is better than your church, my church is better than your, my church is better because we do "so much more," My ministry is better than yours." Oh we might not say it outwardly, but it is very apparent. I see it all the time as I try to present regional prayer to many cities. There is so much distrust and positioning for power or fear we might loose a little influence, it breaks the heart of God.
In America, this other seed rooted in Cain's understanding about God is the same in many people. Cain's understanding of God came from his "own thoughts and imaginations." Cain was going to determine what God would accept and what He would not, and so do we." This condition of the heart is a called a usurping heart or "false ministry idolatry."
It is a heart that proclaims that we "know things better" than God. It is a heart filled with ideas, suggestions that "seem right to a man," but the end leads to destruction. Cain imagined in his heart that the Lord would be so pleased by his hard work and efforts, it consumed him. He was so sure that this was what God wanted, that no other offering could even enter his heart or mind.
Did you ever wonder why Cain got so angry with Abel? Truthfully, all he had to do was say to the Lord, I am sorry Lord. I will go out and bring you what you desired. But Cain could not do that! Why? Because HIS WHOLE LIFE WAS BASED ON WHAT HE BELIEVED! HE BELIEVED A LIE! A LIE THAT SAID, "THE HARDER YOU WORK FOR GOD, THE MORE PLEASED HE WILL BE WITH YOU! "
This heart was in him and it is in the American church as well. It is a heart that is based upon its "own efforts" to earn God's love and approval. This heart always has to "prove" its value to itself and those around them, and finally prove its value to God!
Most Christians would declare that we are not saved by "work" but grace. Yet, somehow when we "get saved, "the church teaches us to go back under the law of "working for God, or living for God." Able knew the difference between the two choices in bringing God an offering!
The Bride of the Lord is learning the difference now and making herself ready to bring the Lord only what is pleasing. her final testimony will be, "I am my beloved, and His desires are towards me."(Song of Solomon 7:10) Abel didn't choose to "work or live" FOR God, but to "work and live" WITH GOD! This is what separates a work-bond from a love-bond.
Listen to the Apostle Paul's writing to the church in Galatia. This church started out understanding that it is by grace alone they were saved, but they tried to walk out that salvation in work-bond relationships rooted in the flesh.
Gal 3:1 O foolish Galatians, by what strange powers have you been tricked, to whom it was made clear that Jesus Christ was put to death on the cross? Gal 3:2 Give me an answer to this one question, Did the Spirit come to you through the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Gal 3:3 Are you so foolish? having made a start in the Spirit, will you now be made complete in the flesh?
Gal 3:4 Did you undergo such a number of things to no purpose? if it is in fact to no purpose.
Gal 3:5 He who gives you the Spirit, and does works of power among you, is it by the works of law, or by the hearing of faith? Gal 3:6 Even as Abraham had faith in God, and it was put to his account as righteousness. Gal 3:7 Be certain, then, that those who are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham.
Paul was warning the church in Galatia about their walk with Christ. They started it entirely in faith and in the Holy Spirit, there was a unity of the Spirit amongst them. They understood and gave the Abel offering at the start of their new life in Christ. The offering they had to bring was a "living sacrifice" (Romans 12:1-2) the same kind Christ Himself who was the lamb of God brought to the Father. There was not one good thing in them that could justify themselves or earn God's love for them. Yet here they are "under a spell." They were bewitched into believing that they could NOW EARN GOD'S FAVOR ON WHAT THEY DID, HOW HARD THEY WORKED FOR GOD." This is FOOLISHNESS TO GOD!
Beloved reader, back in the late 1980's God gave me a dream. In it were two pastors I knew and myself. The two pastors said, Brother Henry, it is time to go to Home Depot to buy what we need to build the Lord a church." Each brother had a measuring tape with them. They took out their measuring tape and began to measure all they would need to get or buy to build the church. I watched as they did this, and the Holy Spirit tapped me on the shoulder, at least it felt like that. In the tap, these instructions were imparted to me in the dream. "YOU CAN NEVER GO WITH THEM IN THIS MANNER AND BUILD MY HOUSE, NOR CAN YOU EVER USE YOUR OWN MEASURING TAPE. TELL THEM YOU CAN NOT GO WITH THEM."
The two Pastor's came and said, "Brother Henry let's go, we are going to be late." I said to them, "Brothers I can't go with you, I am sorry." They both got very angry with me and tried to pursuade me that I had to go with them, but I told them I would not go. Finally they went off to build the church, and I woke up."
Cain had a good idea of building the church also. Let me give God the best of my crops that I sweated over. The people had a good idea at Babel. They SAID TO ONE ANOTHER, COME LET US MAKE BRICKS, LET US BUILD A CITY, A TOWER AND A NAME FOR OURSELVES! This is where "work bond relationships begin."
Workbonds start when we SAY SOMETHING TO ONE ANOTHER! "Let us go to HOME DEPOT!" Let's have a chicken barbeque and invite the neighbors to come and preach the Gospel to them." "Let us have a crusade meeting downtown and win the lost." "Let's start cell groups in our churches, Paul Yunge Choe did." "Let's do a marketing survey of the people in our area and see the things they would like in their church." "Let's have a Pastor's fellowship." Beloved we do this all the time in the Body of Christ here in America.
At one of our conferences, a person literally brought me a "gold brick" from a famous person's healing ministry. They said, "that God told them where they placed these bricks, healing revival would take place." They had the brick in a picnic basket with a red cloth over it! I believe in prophetic actions God might have us to do, and as well intented as these beloved believers were, I knew there was something very wrong with what they were bringing.
What was wrong with giving this brick to me was that it was rooted in the "let us" do something for God mentality. When we say, "let us" (apart from God's instructions) we are usurping God's authority. How are we usurping His authority? Don't you remember Genesis chapter 1:26-27. God said, "Let us" make man in our image, "like us", and let him have rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over the cattle and over all the earth and over every living thing which goes flat on the earth. Gen 1:27 And God made man in his image, in the image of God he made him: male and female he made them.
THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS AUTHORITY TO SAY "LET US" IS THE FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT, THEY ARE THE "LET US!" When the people of Babel said, "LET US", they were usurping God's authority and government. When Cain brought the offering from the ground, HE WAS USURPING GOD'S AUTHORITY AND GOVERNMENT! The church in Galatia when they started to work out their salvation in the flesh, or their own ideas of what God wanted they were USURPING GOD'S AUTHORITY AND GOVERNMENT!
When we as God's leaders, don't take the time to wait upon the Lord, listen for His voice and obey His commands, then all we have left are "good ideas." These good ideas when put into action USURP GOD'S AUTHORITY AND GOVERNMENT, and we are all guilty in the nation of doing this. Many of our Pastor's fellowships are based in this same heart of "good ideas." That is why there is so little change in the spiritual atmosphere in our cities, regions and nations.
The unity of the churches that we are desiring to see in our Pastor's fellowships often comes from our "understanding" of unity. It is always based on "what can we do for God now." The first question at most Pastor's fellowship is "how many members do you have." Then we plan how are we "going to take our city for Christ." Wouldn't it be better if Christ "took us first" before we try to "take a city?"
Cain was so determined to give God what he desired that he got angry with God. He was angry that God rejected his sweat, and received the "little to no sweat" of His brother Abel. His jealousy and anger turned from God against his brother. His brother was received by God and He was rejected, so he thought. Cain did not realize that only his "offering" was rejected, NOT HIM! This is how satan lied and decieved him into believing HE WAS NOT ACCEPTED!
So he had to let his anger out against Abel by killing him. He believed God wasaccepting Abel and rejecting him and that was unfare. The truth was, they were both ALREADY ACCEPTED, just the offerings were tested by God. One offering was "accepted", the other was "rejected", not the people who gave them.
Beloved, this often is the same reactions I receive when I preach this message. Daggers are thrown at me from the heart. When the Lord begins to show us that our motives for what we are doing are not pure, Pastors and Leaders get quite angry. They no longer want you "in their" fellowship. They see themselves as being rejected by God, when in fact, God is only looking at the offerings we are presenting to him. In America our offerings are our "work for God!" This is why we as leaders can't accept that God might not want what we are doing or the "offerings we are bringing." (Read Isaiah chapter 1)
If we truly knew we were already accepted and loved by God we would not need to prove another thing to God to "earn our worth." If we would allow the flame of God to burn up this false ministry idolatry in our hearts, we would be free to love God and each other as He loves us. Beloved, then we would live the scriptures that say, "How can the eye say to the foot, I have no need of you, or the foot say to the hand, I have no need of you."
We would now understand each others worth and value and we could begin to "dwell together in unity."
We would begin to understand each other and receive each other as the gifts we are to God and to one another. The competition between us would be destroyed. I want you to minister in the church God has me watch over, and you can build as long as you need and we will work together. We won't compare our "anointing" with one another or be jealous over each other. We would become secure in who we are as His beloved, already rooted in His love.
Psalm 133, O Good and Pleasant it is when brothers "fellowship" together in unity?" Work-bonds produce fellowships. You are a fellow in the ship as long as you agree with me, disagree then their is something wrong with you, and you get the right foot of "fellowship." Most of our Pastor's fellowship produce very little I am sad to say. Yes, we get to know one another. Even some friendships can be produced, but Beloved, IT NEVER CHANGES THE SPIRITUAL ATMOSPHERE OVER OUR CITIES, CHURCHES, OR NATIONS. IT CAN NOT!
Psalm 133 says O good and pleasan it is when brethren DWELL TOGETHER in unity! Dwelling is not fellowship. Dwelling is abiding in God's love and God's love abiding in you. Jesus said in John chapter 15, "Dwell in me and I will dwell in you, live in me and I will live in you." This is the TRUE ESSENCE OF THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT! IT CAN NEVER BE DEVELOPED IN WORK BONDS!
Why is the FLAME OF GOD manifesting in our midst? Why is the revelation of the Omega God so imporant? It is important for each one of us can come in the flame personally and stand in it. In this flame we become naked and exposed. Our nakedness is the place God begins to birth unity. In stead of us wearing fig leaves to cover ourselves, He becomes are covering! We become united in our dwelling with Him naked and unashamed.
When you my brother or sister come into that same flame. and God deals with the hidden motives in your heart as He is doing in me in that flame, we become naked together before God and each other. It is here, He can become the same covering to all of us! Now, beloved we are UNITED BY THE VERY SAME COVERING TOGETHER! We are now one with Him and one with one another, because we both are naked and unashamed before God and one another but not condemned, because LOVE COVERED A MULTITUDE OF SINS!
To often beloved reader, we have gone in the ways of Cain who saw that his "brothers" offering was accepted and his was not. This made him even more angry with God and his brother. His anger led him to murder. How many times in prayer meetings have you prayed against "the spirit of murder" in a city and nothing change?
We ourselves may be filled with that very same spirit of murder that has come from a heart filled with jealousy, anger and striving to succeed for God. We are angry when God begins to point out the hidden motives fo our hearts. So many Pastors say, "Oh, we need to throw away our agenda and plans, but they NEVER DO IT! Why Beloved? Because it will cost ALL THAT YOU EVER WORKED FOR!
This is where the "rubber hits the road." This is the place where God is watching what choice will you make. Will you choose His way or your ways? I am not talking about habits and stuff. God removes them in the flame as well. I am talking about what kind of offering will you bring, a work bond, or a love bond? Cain brought a work bond and he killed his brother. Interesting isn't it what competition can bring to a family, churh or a city?
The spirit of competition in the churches in a specific region I am being led to is overwhelming. No one trust anyone that isn't like them. A new work of God in a city is looked down upon or wants to be put under them. They won't let the work of God go all the way and touch the people of "their church," because they didn't birth it. They see a man or a ministry birthing it like they did in Corinth. The same spirit found it the Corinthian church is all through America.
In the church in Corinth, they had divided themselves into factions. They said,"I am of Apollos, I am of Paul." Paul writes to the church in Corinth that "you are still babe in Christ, unspiritual men, still needing milk." "What is Apollos? What is Paul? Are we not just MINISTERING SERVANTS not heads of parties! I plant, Apollos watered. But neither is he that plants ANYTHING or He that WATERS, but it is GOD WHO GIVES THE INCREASE."
If the present leadership in America could understand this truth, we could change and the spritual atmosphere over our lives, families, churches, cities and regions. But beloved readers, we God's people are afraid God might use "someone" else besides us. The people in my church might like the new church, ministry better than me! They might like the regional prayer center and go there more often then to "my" church. I see this competiveness everywhere I go. It is rooted in our insecurity of being loved by the Lord. If we had God's love burning in us, no one in the Body of Christ could ever be a threat to us or our place in God.
I see a lot of talk amongst leaders about unity, but so little real change that could bring about the "true unity of the Holy Spirit." Why is is this so in 2008? The reason is that we won't get in the FLAME OF THE LORD, and understand our time of visitation with the Lord! We are just to busy to hear His call to come into the flame, or for His flame to come into us! We have to much to take care of, to much responsabilty and a wrong idea of true unity and ministry. Beloved leaders, we don't own the work God has given us, it is God that owns us!
We fail in the realization of true unity because we just don't understand what God's love really is. That is why we MUST RUN TO THE FLAME OF GOD WHILE WE STILL HAVE TIME! We are filled with selfish ambition, strife and envy just like Cain and God must remove it in His Holy Fire! We don't even recognize the gift each one of us is to each other and the Body of Christ to help build it as He commanded.
The enemy continues to put thoughts in our minds that we "own" our church and work. This ownership produces us to work harder and harder to prove our love to God and our ministry call just like Cain did by the sweat he gave in the fields! Beloved this kind of heart is still an abomination to God today in 2008. And there is a call to all of us, "if you do well, will not God receive us? " Remember the warning in the Gospel of Mathew chapter 7:
Mat 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but the corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. Mat 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Mat 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Mat 7:20 Therefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven.(Did you read that, but only those who do the will of my Father, not what they think that will is) Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name mighty works? Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
This is heart that will always produce work-bonds and not love-bonds. The work-bonds may have the appearance of living and working for God and even have some success, but in the end what does the Lord say to them, DEPART FROM ME I NEVER KNEW YOU! They had good ideas, (didn't we cast out devils, prophesy in your name) but their actions were rooted in the "need to do something, or prove something, or become something and not the pure love of God."
Mat 7:24 Every one therefore that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, who built his house upon the rock: This is the heart of what LOVE-BOND relationships are to be. Here our hearts only desire is to hear what God wants from us and do it. It is not rooted in any other motive but to love Him. Jesus said, in John chapter 15, "IF YOU LOVE ME, YOU WILL OBEY ME, AND KEEP MY COMMANDS." Where is the "LET US" in this commandment?
Beloved reader, I am sorry to have to put these negative things out first. However; if we don't see what is wrong, we can never search for what is right. In the next 2 blogs we will finish this comparison of love-bonds verses work-bonds. We will continue to seek the Word of God on this topic. The two "bonds" are determined by the two offerings given and the two different hearts that give them.
As I close this blog, what does this have to do with the flame of God? Everything! Only in that flame can God separate the soul from the spirit. Only in this refining fire can the Holy Spirit shows us the true motives of our heart. This FLAME OF GOD IS GOD ALMIGHTY, and He must come and refine us like Gold and Silver. Don't you want Him todo this in you?
Dear reader, Do you really want to stand before the Lord as He reviews your whole life and find out you built your life with wood, hay and stubble? Pastors, do you really want all your service in the Lord to burn up, because the motive of what you built was not in the pure love of God? Do you just want to enter in by escaping the fire?
Let God prove us now. Judgment begins in the House of the Lord. Let Him test our life now, test our work now. What do we have to be afraid of? Wouldn't you rather start over now, while you still have time, then see all your work be burned up because you were bewitched as in Galatia?
I am going to close with scripture from Malachi chapter 3. These scriptures tell us why the Lord suddenly comes to His church as a refining fire and fuller's soap. There is a divine purpose and I will highlight it blue for us to ponder to next time.
Shalom, faithful readers and let us enter the flame together!
Mal 3:1 Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, whom ye desire, behold, he cometh, saith the Lord of hosts.
Mal 3:2 But who can abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap:
Mal 3:3 and he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver; and they shall offer unto Jehovah offerings in righteousness.
Mal 3:4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto Jehovah, as in the days of old, and as in ancient years.
Labels: The Fire has come
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
The Fire has come: Flames of Unity Part 12
Hello Beloved Reader:
It has been over a week or so since I have been able to write on this site. I am overwhelmed at the number of people reading this blog and the profound impact it is having in many believer's life. I am so grateful to God for allowing me to hear and share His heartbeat for this historic moment in time.
I am just one of many that are beginning to see and understand the new day that is dawning in our midst. I tell all that know me, if I have received any thing substantial from the Lord it is only as big as a small white spot on His finger nail. There is so much more to see, hear and understand in the days that come. This site is just a very small part of God's larger picture of revealing Himself as the Omega God to His church.
Working in two large cities and suburbs I am struck by the difficult time it is for us as the Body of Christ to come into the unity of the Holy Spirit. There are many reasons for this and most of them are pretty obvious to those who have a discerning eye and ear. I have written extensively about the flame of God that is now burning in many nations beginning to reveal Jesus Christ to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. What will it take to bring the true unity found in Ephesians chapter 4 :9-16?
Eph 4:9 Now this, He went up, what is it but that he first went down into the lower parts of the earth? Eph 4:10 He who went down is the same who went up far over all the heavens so that he might make all things complete. Eph 4:11 And he gave some as Apostles, and some, prophets; and some, preachers of the good news; and some to give care and teaching; Eph 4:12 For the training of the saints as servants in the church, for the building up of the body of Christ:
Eph 4:13 Till we all come to the harmony of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to full growth, to the full measure of Christ: Eph 4:14 So that we may be no longer children, sent this way and that, turned about by every wind of teaching, by the twisting and tricks of men, by the deceits of error;
Eph 4:15 But saying true words in love, may come to full growth in him, who is the head, even Christ; Eph 4:16 Through whom all the body, being rightly formed and united together, by the full working of every part, is increased to the building up of itself in love.
Looking at the present state of the church in America and in the world, you have to wonder if this "genuine unity" can truly come into being. Laboring day to day, trying in the Love of the Lord to declare this new day, I often find this the most difficult challenge of all. Often we are met with suspicion, pride, arrogance and even great persecution. Those things don't deter me, but cause me to cry out to the Lord to go lower and lower to serve my brothers and sisters in Christ and for Him to be exalted in my words and deeds.
I realize that but by the grace of God, I have had that same heart in the past and could not endeavor to work in true unity. I like so many others have had my "own plans and agendas" that I felt God gave me to do. I could only work with those who agreed 100 percent with me. So beloved reader, I can not judge anyone.
With that being said, it doesn't' change the truth of God's word for His desire that we should be one Body of Christ even as He is one with the Father. I don't know what your experience is with the "unity movement" in our nation or in yours. Here is how I would describe it. Pastors in local cities have felt a call to come together in fellowship. Each month they have a Pastors' gathering to get to know one another and talk "shop." With the exception of a few cities here in America, these gatherings have produced little to no "true unity" of the Holy Spirit as the Lord would declare it to be.
They are a beginning perhaps at best, but the unity that the Lord desires in Ephesians is not seen. I have asked the Lord why is this so, for such a long time. He has instructed me that "true unity" can not come UNTIL WE CAN STAND NAKED AND UNASHAMED IN THE FLAME OF THE LORD BEFORE HIM, AND THEN BEFORE ONE ANOTHER!
I had to ask the Lord what this meant and He gave me a vision. In the vision I was entirely naked before the Lord. He could see every imperfection in my physical body. My overweight, my scars, everything, plus the fact I was naked. He had me turn to the left and allowed me to see my Pastor friend entirely naked with all his bodily flaws as well. We were both standing there vulnerable before God and one another. My first sense was to look for a place to hide, because I knew the Lord was looking at me and so was my brother.
The Lord spoke a voice in this vision to me and said this, "when you can stand naked before me and your brother and NOT SEE or JUDGE His imperfections you will be unified with Me. In that moment you will understand the power of my blood and the new and living way I have made for you. In that moment you will see how love covers a multitude of sins, and you will love him the way I love him and I love you. This is the only true unity I produce. It is the unity of the Holy Spirit"
In that split moment of this open vision from God, I no longer saw my brother naked but fully clothed in the most perfect white raiment, yet I knew he was still naked. I said what is that white raiment and He replied, "IT IS GLORY!" You see beloved reader, I had received a prophetic word early in my ministry call that said, "make the Glory of the Lord" your main function." This nakedness before the Lord and one another was the "Glory of God." In the book of Genesis chapter 1, Adam and Eve were naked before each other and didn't know they were.
The Glory of the Lord was their covering. Only sin, exposed their nakedness and they hid themselves from the presence of the Lord. Their true unity with God and one another was destroyed by sin! The Lord called to them, "Adam where are you?" His answer paraphrased, was that "we hid ourselves from you because we are naked!" The Lord replied, "WHO TOLD YOU, YOU WERE NAKED?" Again beloved, their unity with God and one another was destroyed, they knew they were naked. It is this nakedness we tend to cover with our fig leaves called "ministry!" We pride ourselves in our calling and what God has asked us to do. This is why we can only see each other under what we "understand" as ministry.
Beloved reader, this is why we can "work together," but not "love together!" This is why we can come together for a national day of prayer and then go back to our "own works, our own lives, and our own ministries." Our "coverings of figs" is the absolute barrier to the true unity of the Body of Christ! It is this mentality that causes Pastors and Ministers to see their own WORK as BETTER THAN OTHERS! It is this heart that can not see the value of our "unassuming" parts mentioned by Paul to the church. How can the eye say to the foot, "I have no need of you?" Yet we do that every single day in America. We hardly care for the other church down the block, never mind laying our life down for them who God calls our friends.
In that vision of nakedness, God imparted to me an understanding of what true unity has to look like from His perspective in the days that are to come. Do you understand the importance of why I have been writing about coming and standing in the FLAME OF GOD, and allowing that flame to become a refining fire in our heart? Jesus prayed in John chapter 17 that we would be one, even as He is in the Father and the Father in Him, that they and we would be one! Only being naked and unashamed before God and one another can bring about the true unity of the Body of Christ.
This flame of God does more than just remove the spots, blemishes and wrinkles in our own life, but it does that in every one who enters the flame with you producing a true UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT! The removing of these spots and wrinkles in the flame of God is where God can birth what the "unity of the Holy Spirit really is." One moment we are naked before Him and want to hide so no one could see our nakedness, the next moment we were naked but covered in white raiment by God Himself able to stand before Him and one another. We did not have to hide from God or from one another because He alone was our covering. We were covered in the Lord and through the Lord, and He was all in all.
This why I have to write about LOVE-BOND relationships verses WORK-BOND relationships, and the difference between the 2nd and 3rd day. Let me explain this a little more and hopefully I can develop the theme over the next several days. Let us review our two pivotal third day scriptures.
Luk 13:32 And he said, Go and say to that fox, I send out evil spirits and do works of mercy today and tomorrow, and on the third day my work will be complete. Luk 13:33 But I have to go on my way today and tomorrow and the third day, for it is not right for a prophet to come to his death outside Jerusalem.
Luk 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, putting to death the prophets, and stoning those who were sent to her! again and again would I have taken your children to myself, as a bird takes her young ones under her wings, but you would not! Luk 13:35 Now see, your house is waste, and I say to you, You will not see me again till you say, A blessing on him who comes in the name of the Lord.
The King James version says the following: "and the third day I will be perfected." This perfection means the completing of His Body to be one with Him as He is one with the Father. This happens in the THIRD DAY!
Contrast this now to Ephesians chapter 4 where Paul writes these words: Eph 4:13 till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a full grown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
This is the unity ONLY THE FLAME OF GOD can produce in the church. Every man made attempt to do this has failed and will continually fail until we come and live in the Flame of God with Him in the Holy of Hollies. God has a design to bring forth, it is called the MATURITY of HIS BODY, HIS BRIDE! It is seen as a new city coming down from heaven all adorned as a Bride in Revelation chapter 21.
Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth are passed away; and the sea is no more. Rev 21:2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his peoples, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God:
Rev 21:4 and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away. Rev 21:5 And he that sitteth on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.
Beloved the "true five fold ministry ascension gifts have been released by the Lord to help bring this true and genuine unity about. This unity has nothing to do with "my work" or "your work." It has nothing to do with trying to bring ministries together to "work for the Lord." I know we don't get this, but we keep trying to do it anyway. In this "man made" or infant understanding of unity, EVERYONE gets to KEEP THEIR LIVES AND MINISTRIES for THEMSELVES.
We may even work together, but we won't TRULY LOVE TOGETHER as the Lord commands us. You may think I am being judgmental of others by calling this an infant understanding, but that is where we are in the Body of Christ here in America. All our intellectual knowledge of the word of God concerning unity is nothing. This intellectual or human understanding of unity produces nothing because it does not come from the Abiding presence found in the VINE that can produce it. Unless we are filled with the FLAME OF LOVE HIMSELF and ABIDE IN THAT LOVE , we will never be unified in the Holy Spirit. Let us read the words of the Apostle Paul to understand that the present fruit of "our unity" is still an infant or carnal understanding of true unity. He explains this in the third chapter of 1st Corinthians.
1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes in Christ. 1Co 3:2 I fed you with milk, not with meat; for ye were not yet able to bear it: nay, not even now are ye able; 1Co 3:3 for ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you jealousy and strife, are ye not carnal, and do ye not walk after the manner of men?
Beloved, I have been in cities where God sent me to share the vision of city wide gathering for prayer of the entire Body of Christ in a region where I have encountered suspicion, judgments and worse. Why? It is because we can not even be open to see that God may send missionaries to help your city? Often times I am seen as an outsider, or told I have not been there long enough to speak. I am often told politely, that there is no room, we are already doing that.
In some cities, there is warfare against another work being sent to the region to bless and labor with the local church there. Some have said, "you have only come to start another church?" Others have said, "we already have regional prayer, why do we need another?" But the truth is that there is no tangible regional prayer going forth. Those who were called to pray for the region to pray went back to pray at their "own" church! There even may be a building to pray in for the region, but no one is praying there. The churches in that region have not yet come together to pray for the region consistently, but are convinced their is a regional prayer center in their region.
In other cities, I am often asked, "who is going to pastor over this work."Immediately the regional leaders want to put the work "under" them. There is not an openness to understand the joint and marrow concept. There is little understanding of the working "with God and one another." This "under someone" when it comes to a region often comes out of a place of pride and a false authority spirit, that says, "we have the same authority as you" as Aaron and Moses did with Moses. The enemy came to break the unity of the Spirit in Israel by putting a place or a position or a revelation above love and God's government.
Moses family elevated themselves in their own estimation and put themselves on the same governmental authority as Moses. The Lord came and judged that situation and established God's TRUE AUTHORITY in the midst of the people. As the Flame of God begins to burn hotter in our nation, we will see the Lord judge this "false authority" spirit as well. Please remember the good word spoken to the church at Ephesus was that "they tried those who SAY THEY ARE APOSTLES AND ARE NOT!"
This false authority spirit is alive and well here in America, and it works under the guise of "unity." It wants to produce a false fire, false ministry and false unity based in work rather than the "true love of God." This spirit manifests in many ways, but it denies the true word of God that says, "if you want to be great in the kingdom of God, then you must be the servant of all." It opposes the word of God that says to, "esteem others better than your self and no greater love than this that a man lay down his life for his friends."
This may be true in your country as well. This spirit produces factions, wranglings,even denominations and produces church splits because it wants to recognize men's place above the God who makes a place and is the ONLY PLACE! This is the heart that was in Corinth. They were un-spiritual and unchanged men, mere babes in the things of Christ. 1Co 3:4 For when one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not men?
Paul writes that this kind of heart is un-spiritual, carnal of the flesh, and immature as to mere babes in Christ. This is why there is no true unity in the Body of Christ. It is our regards to "positions, places or our portion," that produces the "me and mine" mentality. This heart is the very heart that said, "let us make bricks, let us build a tower, let us make a name for ourselves" which was the heart of the people at Babel.
This is the false unity of today that is being paraded about as "real" unity. Much of the heart of that unity is the "let us" mentality. "Let us" win our city for Christ. "Let us" build a regional prayer center. "Let us" have fellowship meetings of Pastor's. All of these are good ideas rooted in the heart to unify the body as long as you stay in "my ship" or you get the "right foot" of fellowship.
Unity for the sake of "unity" itself is not what GODLY UNITY is! The idea of working together is a "good" concept, but the Lord does not ask us to work together but to LOVE TOGETHER AS HE HAS LOVED US! Matter of fact, Paul tells us of our true importance in relationship to God and His importance to us in the 3rd Chapter of Corinthians, let us read on.
1Co 3:5 What then is Apollos? and what is Paul? Ministers through whom ye believed; and each as the Lord gave to him. 1Co 3:6 I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 1Co 3:7 So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
Oh how these words ring loudly to our present generation of church leadership. If we only understood that NEITHER IS HE THAT PLANTS ANYTHING, NEITHER HE THAT WATERS, BUT GOD THAT GIVES THE INCREASE! This is in direct opposition to that "spirit of competition," that is driving much of the church leadership today. The focus of much of our ministry today is based on the lie that confuses "well done" (the quality of the work from the right heart of love) for "much done, or the let us make mentality"(the quantity of our work to prove our worth and minstry to God).
As long as "much done" is our motive of the heart, the "spirit of competition" will have a home in our hearts and in the church. This heart condition is now open to be controlled by a lying spirit that drives so many ministries. It actually will not let you ever rest. You have to do more and more, and you have to keep the people busy or they will leave the church. It produces let us give them a job to do right away instead of teaching them a relationship with God first. It teaches the precious saints that what "we are doing" is the most important to God than "what we are becoming) in Christ." This demonic inspired driving to do "more for God" causes us to see us or our needs, our works, our call and it CAN NEVER be fitted together by the Lord into the rest of His body.
Oh beloved readers and leaders in His Body, let us stop lying to ourselves. We say we want unity! We say we want the churches to come together, but do we really? Who will lay their life down for another Pastor or church? Who will see the church down the block as their own flesh and blood? Who would take up offerings to help their sheep or their Pastor? The truth is, we are more like the Pharisee's and Lawyers who walked by the man who was robbed and left on the Jericho Road rather than the Good Samaritan. If we stop believing the lie of "success at all cost", we could then see the truth about our spiritual condition! OUR HEARTS ARE NOT READY FOR THE GOD KIND OF UNITY YET!
Only when we come into the flame of God to test and appraise our real motives can we ever be ready for the Unity of the Body of Christ. When the Refiners fire and fuller soap are welcomed into our lives and we stand in the Flame of God naked and unashamed, God can show us our true motives and desires. When we repent of these hidden motives in our hearts, we can be made ready as a Bride for our Husband Jesus Christ.
Beloved, we must look squarly into the mirror and see that we do not have a sober estimation of ourselves as the Lord requires. We have said, "we are rich and in need of nothing," but in truth we are poor, blind, pitable and naked. When we see that reality we can truly repent be ready to walk in the UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
The FLAME OF THE LORD will bring forth a true repentant heart in His Body that will allow God to show us all that we are still CARNAL, STILL UN-SPRITUAL MEN, in which the flesh controls as mere BABES IN CHRIST. This is our true condition here in America, and it is keeping the Body of Christ discected and apart from one another! Will we ever be willing to come into that fire naked and unashamed and trust the Lord to burn His righteousness in us so we can stand with our brother or sister in the same nakedness before God? Will we stand naked and unashamed before one another and not see ourselves, or each other, but see the GOD WHO GIVES THE INCREASE? Then beloved reader we will be prepared to be a Body with each part supplying what the other needs as in Ephesians chapter 4.
I will continue to write more about this in the coming blogs. This is a very hard word to write, because this is us, and not them! This is our sin as a nation! It is all of us, here in the American church and perhaps in your nation as well. God must purify our motives and desires to be one with him, until we all come to the unity of faith found in Ephesians chapter 4.
Beloved leaders, it is not enough to teach this or preach this, WE MUST LIVE THIS! Are there any Pastors and Leaders that are hearing this cry of God out therein the USA and the nations? Is anyone longing to have the true love bond relationships with the Lord and with one another? If there is, then Brother or Sister let us get in the Flame of the Lord while there still is time. Let us get the Omega Revelation of Jesus Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Let us fall like a dead man in His presence as John did in Revelation chapter 1.
Beloved Reader, let us stop saying "let us make." Let us stop resting in "much done" good and faithful servant and exchange that for the "well done" which comes from absolute humility and brokenness from the Lord. This is the Third Day that is being revealed in those who have an ear to hear and eyes to see.
Dear Lord take us deeper into the TRUE UNITY OF FAITH, found in the FLAME OF GOD!
It has been over a week or so since I have been able to write on this site. I am overwhelmed at the number of people reading this blog and the profound impact it is having in many believer's life. I am so grateful to God for allowing me to hear and share His heartbeat for this historic moment in time.
I am just one of many that are beginning to see and understand the new day that is dawning in our midst. I tell all that know me, if I have received any thing substantial from the Lord it is only as big as a small white spot on His finger nail. There is so much more to see, hear and understand in the days that come. This site is just a very small part of God's larger picture of revealing Himself as the Omega God to His church.
Working in two large cities and suburbs I am struck by the difficult time it is for us as the Body of Christ to come into the unity of the Holy Spirit. There are many reasons for this and most of them are pretty obvious to those who have a discerning eye and ear. I have written extensively about the flame of God that is now burning in many nations beginning to reveal Jesus Christ to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. What will it take to bring the true unity found in Ephesians chapter 4 :9-16?
Eph 4:9 Now this, He went up, what is it but that he first went down into the lower parts of the earth? Eph 4:10 He who went down is the same who went up far over all the heavens so that he might make all things complete. Eph 4:11 And he gave some as Apostles, and some, prophets; and some, preachers of the good news; and some to give care and teaching; Eph 4:12 For the training of the saints as servants in the church, for the building up of the body of Christ:
Eph 4:13 Till we all come to the harmony of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to full growth, to the full measure of Christ: Eph 4:14 So that we may be no longer children, sent this way and that, turned about by every wind of teaching, by the twisting and tricks of men, by the deceits of error;
Eph 4:15 But saying true words in love, may come to full growth in him, who is the head, even Christ; Eph 4:16 Through whom all the body, being rightly formed and united together, by the full working of every part, is increased to the building up of itself in love.
Looking at the present state of the church in America and in the world, you have to wonder if this "genuine unity" can truly come into being. Laboring day to day, trying in the Love of the Lord to declare this new day, I often find this the most difficult challenge of all. Often we are met with suspicion, pride, arrogance and even great persecution. Those things don't deter me, but cause me to cry out to the Lord to go lower and lower to serve my brothers and sisters in Christ and for Him to be exalted in my words and deeds.
I realize that but by the grace of God, I have had that same heart in the past and could not endeavor to work in true unity. I like so many others have had my "own plans and agendas" that I felt God gave me to do. I could only work with those who agreed 100 percent with me. So beloved reader, I can not judge anyone.
With that being said, it doesn't' change the truth of God's word for His desire that we should be one Body of Christ even as He is one with the Father. I don't know what your experience is with the "unity movement" in our nation or in yours. Here is how I would describe it. Pastors in local cities have felt a call to come together in fellowship. Each month they have a Pastors' gathering to get to know one another and talk "shop." With the exception of a few cities here in America, these gatherings have produced little to no "true unity" of the Holy Spirit as the Lord would declare it to be.
They are a beginning perhaps at best, but the unity that the Lord desires in Ephesians is not seen. I have asked the Lord why is this so, for such a long time. He has instructed me that "true unity" can not come UNTIL WE CAN STAND NAKED AND UNASHAMED IN THE FLAME OF THE LORD BEFORE HIM, AND THEN BEFORE ONE ANOTHER!
I had to ask the Lord what this meant and He gave me a vision. In the vision I was entirely naked before the Lord. He could see every imperfection in my physical body. My overweight, my scars, everything, plus the fact I was naked. He had me turn to the left and allowed me to see my Pastor friend entirely naked with all his bodily flaws as well. We were both standing there vulnerable before God and one another. My first sense was to look for a place to hide, because I knew the Lord was looking at me and so was my brother.
The Lord spoke a voice in this vision to me and said this, "when you can stand naked before me and your brother and NOT SEE or JUDGE His imperfections you will be unified with Me. In that moment you will understand the power of my blood and the new and living way I have made for you. In that moment you will see how love covers a multitude of sins, and you will love him the way I love him and I love you. This is the only true unity I produce. It is the unity of the Holy Spirit"
In that split moment of this open vision from God, I no longer saw my brother naked but fully clothed in the most perfect white raiment, yet I knew he was still naked. I said what is that white raiment and He replied, "IT IS GLORY!" You see beloved reader, I had received a prophetic word early in my ministry call that said, "make the Glory of the Lord" your main function." This nakedness before the Lord and one another was the "Glory of God." In the book of Genesis chapter 1, Adam and Eve were naked before each other and didn't know they were.
The Glory of the Lord was their covering. Only sin, exposed their nakedness and they hid themselves from the presence of the Lord. Their true unity with God and one another was destroyed by sin! The Lord called to them, "Adam where are you?" His answer paraphrased, was that "we hid ourselves from you because we are naked!" The Lord replied, "WHO TOLD YOU, YOU WERE NAKED?" Again beloved, their unity with God and one another was destroyed, they knew they were naked. It is this nakedness we tend to cover with our fig leaves called "ministry!" We pride ourselves in our calling and what God has asked us to do. This is why we can only see each other under what we "understand" as ministry.
Beloved reader, this is why we can "work together," but not "love together!" This is why we can come together for a national day of prayer and then go back to our "own works, our own lives, and our own ministries." Our "coverings of figs" is the absolute barrier to the true unity of the Body of Christ! It is this mentality that causes Pastors and Ministers to see their own WORK as BETTER THAN OTHERS! It is this heart that can not see the value of our "unassuming" parts mentioned by Paul to the church. How can the eye say to the foot, "I have no need of you?" Yet we do that every single day in America. We hardly care for the other church down the block, never mind laying our life down for them who God calls our friends.
In that vision of nakedness, God imparted to me an understanding of what true unity has to look like from His perspective in the days that are to come. Do you understand the importance of why I have been writing about coming and standing in the FLAME OF GOD, and allowing that flame to become a refining fire in our heart? Jesus prayed in John chapter 17 that we would be one, even as He is in the Father and the Father in Him, that they and we would be one! Only being naked and unashamed before God and one another can bring about the true unity of the Body of Christ.
This flame of God does more than just remove the spots, blemishes and wrinkles in our own life, but it does that in every one who enters the flame with you producing a true UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT! The removing of these spots and wrinkles in the flame of God is where God can birth what the "unity of the Holy Spirit really is." One moment we are naked before Him and want to hide so no one could see our nakedness, the next moment we were naked but covered in white raiment by God Himself able to stand before Him and one another. We did not have to hide from God or from one another because He alone was our covering. We were covered in the Lord and through the Lord, and He was all in all.
This why I have to write about LOVE-BOND relationships verses WORK-BOND relationships, and the difference between the 2nd and 3rd day. Let me explain this a little more and hopefully I can develop the theme over the next several days. Let us review our two pivotal third day scriptures.
Luk 13:32 And he said, Go and say to that fox, I send out evil spirits and do works of mercy today and tomorrow, and on the third day my work will be complete. Luk 13:33 But I have to go on my way today and tomorrow and the third day, for it is not right for a prophet to come to his death outside Jerusalem.
Luk 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, putting to death the prophets, and stoning those who were sent to her! again and again would I have taken your children to myself, as a bird takes her young ones under her wings, but you would not! Luk 13:35 Now see, your house is waste, and I say to you, You will not see me again till you say, A blessing on him who comes in the name of the Lord.
The King James version says the following: "and the third day I will be perfected." This perfection means the completing of His Body to be one with Him as He is one with the Father. This happens in the THIRD DAY!
Contrast this now to Ephesians chapter 4 where Paul writes these words: Eph 4:13 till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a full grown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
This is the unity ONLY THE FLAME OF GOD can produce in the church. Every man made attempt to do this has failed and will continually fail until we come and live in the Flame of God with Him in the Holy of Hollies. God has a design to bring forth, it is called the MATURITY of HIS BODY, HIS BRIDE! It is seen as a new city coming down from heaven all adorned as a Bride in Revelation chapter 21.
Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth are passed away; and the sea is no more. Rev 21:2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his peoples, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God:
Rev 21:4 and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away. Rev 21:5 And he that sitteth on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.
Beloved the "true five fold ministry ascension gifts have been released by the Lord to help bring this true and genuine unity about. This unity has nothing to do with "my work" or "your work." It has nothing to do with trying to bring ministries together to "work for the Lord." I know we don't get this, but we keep trying to do it anyway. In this "man made" or infant understanding of unity, EVERYONE gets to KEEP THEIR LIVES AND MINISTRIES for THEMSELVES.
We may even work together, but we won't TRULY LOVE TOGETHER as the Lord commands us. You may think I am being judgmental of others by calling this an infant understanding, but that is where we are in the Body of Christ here in America. All our intellectual knowledge of the word of God concerning unity is nothing. This intellectual or human understanding of unity produces nothing because it does not come from the Abiding presence found in the VINE that can produce it. Unless we are filled with the FLAME OF LOVE HIMSELF and ABIDE IN THAT LOVE , we will never be unified in the Holy Spirit. Let us read the words of the Apostle Paul to understand that the present fruit of "our unity" is still an infant or carnal understanding of true unity. He explains this in the third chapter of 1st Corinthians.
1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes in Christ. 1Co 3:2 I fed you with milk, not with meat; for ye were not yet able to bear it: nay, not even now are ye able; 1Co 3:3 for ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you jealousy and strife, are ye not carnal, and do ye not walk after the manner of men?
Beloved, I have been in cities where God sent me to share the vision of city wide gathering for prayer of the entire Body of Christ in a region where I have encountered suspicion, judgments and worse. Why? It is because we can not even be open to see that God may send missionaries to help your city? Often times I am seen as an outsider, or told I have not been there long enough to speak. I am often told politely, that there is no room, we are already doing that.
In some cities, there is warfare against another work being sent to the region to bless and labor with the local church there. Some have said, "you have only come to start another church?" Others have said, "we already have regional prayer, why do we need another?" But the truth is that there is no tangible regional prayer going forth. Those who were called to pray for the region to pray went back to pray at their "own" church! There even may be a building to pray in for the region, but no one is praying there. The churches in that region have not yet come together to pray for the region consistently, but are convinced their is a regional prayer center in their region.
In other cities, I am often asked, "who is going to pastor over this work."Immediately the regional leaders want to put the work "under" them. There is not an openness to understand the joint and marrow concept. There is little understanding of the working "with God and one another." This "under someone" when it comes to a region often comes out of a place of pride and a false authority spirit, that says, "we have the same authority as you" as Aaron and Moses did with Moses. The enemy came to break the unity of the Spirit in Israel by putting a place or a position or a revelation above love and God's government.
Moses family elevated themselves in their own estimation and put themselves on the same governmental authority as Moses. The Lord came and judged that situation and established God's TRUE AUTHORITY in the midst of the people. As the Flame of God begins to burn hotter in our nation, we will see the Lord judge this "false authority" spirit as well. Please remember the good word spoken to the church at Ephesus was that "they tried those who SAY THEY ARE APOSTLES AND ARE NOT!"
This false authority spirit is alive and well here in America, and it works under the guise of "unity." It wants to produce a false fire, false ministry and false unity based in work rather than the "true love of God." This spirit manifests in many ways, but it denies the true word of God that says, "if you want to be great in the kingdom of God, then you must be the servant of all." It opposes the word of God that says to, "esteem others better than your self and no greater love than this that a man lay down his life for his friends."
This may be true in your country as well. This spirit produces factions, wranglings,even denominations and produces church splits because it wants to recognize men's place above the God who makes a place and is the ONLY PLACE! This is the heart that was in Corinth. They were un-spiritual and unchanged men, mere babes in the things of Christ. 1Co 3:4 For when one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not men?
Paul writes that this kind of heart is un-spiritual, carnal of the flesh, and immature as to mere babes in Christ. This is why there is no true unity in the Body of Christ. It is our regards to "positions, places or our portion," that produces the "me and mine" mentality. This heart is the very heart that said, "let us make bricks, let us build a tower, let us make a name for ourselves" which was the heart of the people at Babel.
This is the false unity of today that is being paraded about as "real" unity. Much of the heart of that unity is the "let us" mentality. "Let us" win our city for Christ. "Let us" build a regional prayer center. "Let us" have fellowship meetings of Pastor's. All of these are good ideas rooted in the heart to unify the body as long as you stay in "my ship" or you get the "right foot" of fellowship.
Unity for the sake of "unity" itself is not what GODLY UNITY is! The idea of working together is a "good" concept, but the Lord does not ask us to work together but to LOVE TOGETHER AS HE HAS LOVED US! Matter of fact, Paul tells us of our true importance in relationship to God and His importance to us in the 3rd Chapter of Corinthians, let us read on.
1Co 3:5 What then is Apollos? and what is Paul? Ministers through whom ye believed; and each as the Lord gave to him. 1Co 3:6 I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 1Co 3:7 So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
Oh how these words ring loudly to our present generation of church leadership. If we only understood that NEITHER IS HE THAT PLANTS ANYTHING, NEITHER HE THAT WATERS, BUT GOD THAT GIVES THE INCREASE! This is in direct opposition to that "spirit of competition," that is driving much of the church leadership today. The focus of much of our ministry today is based on the lie that confuses "well done" (the quality of the work from the right heart of love) for "much done, or the let us make mentality"(the quantity of our work to prove our worth and minstry to God).
As long as "much done" is our motive of the heart, the "spirit of competition" will have a home in our hearts and in the church. This heart condition is now open to be controlled by a lying spirit that drives so many ministries. It actually will not let you ever rest. You have to do more and more, and you have to keep the people busy or they will leave the church. It produces let us give them a job to do right away instead of teaching them a relationship with God first. It teaches the precious saints that what "we are doing" is the most important to God than "what we are becoming) in Christ." This demonic inspired driving to do "more for God" causes us to see us or our needs, our works, our call and it CAN NEVER be fitted together by the Lord into the rest of His body.
Oh beloved readers and leaders in His Body, let us stop lying to ourselves. We say we want unity! We say we want the churches to come together, but do we really? Who will lay their life down for another Pastor or church? Who will see the church down the block as their own flesh and blood? Who would take up offerings to help their sheep or their Pastor? The truth is, we are more like the Pharisee's and Lawyers who walked by the man who was robbed and left on the Jericho Road rather than the Good Samaritan. If we stop believing the lie of "success at all cost", we could then see the truth about our spiritual condition! OUR HEARTS ARE NOT READY FOR THE GOD KIND OF UNITY YET!
Only when we come into the flame of God to test and appraise our real motives can we ever be ready for the Unity of the Body of Christ. When the Refiners fire and fuller soap are welcomed into our lives and we stand in the Flame of God naked and unashamed, God can show us our true motives and desires. When we repent of these hidden motives in our hearts, we can be made ready as a Bride for our Husband Jesus Christ.
Beloved, we must look squarly into the mirror and see that we do not have a sober estimation of ourselves as the Lord requires. We have said, "we are rich and in need of nothing," but in truth we are poor, blind, pitable and naked. When we see that reality we can truly repent be ready to walk in the UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
The FLAME OF THE LORD will bring forth a true repentant heart in His Body that will allow God to show us all that we are still CARNAL, STILL UN-SPRITUAL MEN, in which the flesh controls as mere BABES IN CHRIST. This is our true condition here in America, and it is keeping the Body of Christ discected and apart from one another! Will we ever be willing to come into that fire naked and unashamed and trust the Lord to burn His righteousness in us so we can stand with our brother or sister in the same nakedness before God? Will we stand naked and unashamed before one another and not see ourselves, or each other, but see the GOD WHO GIVES THE INCREASE? Then beloved reader we will be prepared to be a Body with each part supplying what the other needs as in Ephesians chapter 4.
I will continue to write more about this in the coming blogs. This is a very hard word to write, because this is us, and not them! This is our sin as a nation! It is all of us, here in the American church and perhaps in your nation as well. God must purify our motives and desires to be one with him, until we all come to the unity of faith found in Ephesians chapter 4.
Beloved leaders, it is not enough to teach this or preach this, WE MUST LIVE THIS! Are there any Pastors and Leaders that are hearing this cry of God out therein the USA and the nations? Is anyone longing to have the true love bond relationships with the Lord and with one another? If there is, then Brother or Sister let us get in the Flame of the Lord while there still is time. Let us get the Omega Revelation of Jesus Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Let us fall like a dead man in His presence as John did in Revelation chapter 1.
Beloved Reader, let us stop saying "let us make." Let us stop resting in "much done" good and faithful servant and exchange that for the "well done" which comes from absolute humility and brokenness from the Lord. This is the Third Day that is being revealed in those who have an ear to hear and eyes to see.
Dear Lord take us deeper into the TRUE UNITY OF FAITH, found in the FLAME OF GOD!
Labels: The Fire has come
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Happy Mother's Day
Dear Beloved Reader,
Happy Mother’s Day!
May each one of you receive a special blessing from the Lord this and every day. I thank God for the Mom God has given me as I am sure you are with your mom. May this be a special day with all the family!
I am sorry it has been a little while since I have written on this blog site, but I was away ministering in Colorado. We had a mighty encounter with the Lord at the Northern Colorado Regional Prayer Center. The Lord revealed much to us, and we were able to meet some Pastor’s from the region to share what God is doing in Colorado.
I am overwhelmed at the response we are getting from the website. We have been read in over 150 cities nationwide and over 27 countries. We have gotten some responses from some of the readers as well. I am asking some of you regular readers to please contact us if these discussions and teachings have been a blessing to you . We would like to add you to our prayer directory. We currently have 2 regional prayer centers and connected with 2 more. These centers are praying for our brothers and sisters who have written or contacted us.
If you are worried about being bombarded with requests, I promise we won’t do that to you. What we do with our mailing list is just send you an update when new posts are put on the website. We occasionally send out emails to let you know what is happening here in Tucson and in Northern Colorado as well.
We do send to our friends our prayer requests as well, and give opportunity to those who desire to join with us in this labor of love for the Lord. If you would like to support our “missionary work” by prayer or financially you can just write in the note, “please contact me when you have a need.” If you don’t want us to mention that and just want to know the updates on the blog, then just say add me to the “blog” list and that is all you will receive.
It is an encouragement to us to hear from you, and if you are a Pastor or leader and feel that the Lord would have us come and minister with you and your fellowship please email me at henry@flameoffire2007.org and I will get back to you a.s.a.p.
Please contact us, so we can unite together to change the spiritual atmosphere over our families, churches, cities, states and nations. We are one family of God!
Be blessed and a new blog will be posted soon!
Henry Falcone
Happy Mother’s Day!
May each one of you receive a special blessing from the Lord this and every day. I thank God for the Mom God has given me as I am sure you are with your mom. May this be a special day with all the family!
I am sorry it has been a little while since I have written on this blog site, but I was away ministering in Colorado. We had a mighty encounter with the Lord at the Northern Colorado Regional Prayer Center. The Lord revealed much to us, and we were able to meet some Pastor’s from the region to share what God is doing in Colorado.
I am overwhelmed at the response we are getting from the website. We have been read in over 150 cities nationwide and over 27 countries. We have gotten some responses from some of the readers as well. I am asking some of you regular readers to please contact us if these discussions and teachings have been a blessing to you . We would like to add you to our prayer directory. We currently have 2 regional prayer centers and connected with 2 more. These centers are praying for our brothers and sisters who have written or contacted us.
If you are worried about being bombarded with requests, I promise we won’t do that to you. What we do with our mailing list is just send you an update when new posts are put on the website. We occasionally send out emails to let you know what is happening here in Tucson and in Northern Colorado as well.
We do send to our friends our prayer requests as well, and give opportunity to those who desire to join with us in this labor of love for the Lord. If you would like to support our “missionary work” by prayer or financially you can just write in the note, “please contact me when you have a need.” If you don’t want us to mention that and just want to know the updates on the blog, then just say add me to the “blog” list and that is all you will receive.
It is an encouragement to us to hear from you, and if you are a Pastor or leader and feel that the Lord would have us come and minister with you and your fellowship please email me at henry@flameoffire2007.org and I will get back to you a.s.a.p.
Please contact us, so we can unite together to change the spiritual atmosphere over our families, churches, cities, states and nations. We are one family of God!
Be blessed and a new blog will be posted soon!
Henry Falcone
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